Do Cities Have Colour Palettes?

Do cities have signature colours?

When you think of a city or a town (or perhaps your home town), do you think it has a signature colour palette? Or do certain colours remind you of particular places?

Some cities definitely make me want to wear certain colours, for whatever reason. It has  probably more to do with my perception of the place in question, or how I want to see myself when visiting it.

In a way, this outfit showcases my idea of “Barcelona colours”, or the colours I associate with Barcelona. That is, a combination of gold, coral and purple tones, with some fun prints thrown into the mix. Of course, people actually living in Barcelona might disagree with me on that, and that’s why I want to stress that this is purely my subjective view.

However, these are not the colours I saw in shops in Barcelona. Oh no, the shops there were full of rather muted shades of blue (which I tend to associate with my own Nordic home town…), and the orange and purple tones I saw were much more intense and saturated (and therefore less flattering on a pale-skinned Nordic woman like me).

But, as I said, perhaps this is my way of ‘blending in’, by putting together an outfit that references some of the vibrancy and creativity I associate with Barcelona…

Outfit details (all old):

skirt: Hobbs / t-shirt: Marks and Spencer / cardigan: Soyaconcept / 

bag: Kate Spade / shoes: Van Dal / sunglasses: Marc Jacobs

So, what do you think, do cities have their distinctive colour palettes? 

And if they do, what are the colours of your home town?

Tiina

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24 Comments

  1. Patti
    30 April 2017 / 10:35 pm

    you do look vibrant, and terrific, in these colors Tiina. I think of teal and deep green for Florida, where I live, and black-plus-white for my beloved NYC. xox-Pattihttp://notdeadyetstyle.com

    • Tiina L
      4 May 2017 / 6:52 am

      Interesting, deep green for Florida… I bet most people would think hot pink. Or is it just me?

  2. Shybiker
    1 May 2017 / 4:03 am

    I like your colors here. Interesting mix. NYC definitely has a palette: I agree with Patti that it's black and white.

    • Tiina L
      4 May 2017 / 6:54 am

      I bet a lot of cities would claim black and white… I guess I would also think of black for New York, though.

  3. Maren von farbwunder-style
    1 May 2017 / 8:37 am

    I like your outfit in these vibrant colors! I agree with your "Barcelona Colors". My hometown Munich is a bright orange. I've never been to NYC but to me it is absolutely RED! xx Maren

    • Tiina L
      4 May 2017 / 6:55 am

      Bright orange! Wonderful! I've never been to Munich (maybe one day…), but that makes me curious now.

  4. Tina von Tinaspinkfriday
    1 May 2017 / 10:29 am

    Wonderfull outfit in yours barcelona colours 🙂 fresh and bright look.I think Mannheim is a green, like the roof of our Wasserturm.XO Tina

    • Tiina L
      4 May 2017 / 6:56 am

      Green, that must be pretty. I've never been to Mannheim, either. how is it possible that after 20 years with a German husband I've seen so little of Germany?!?

  5. Jill James
    2 May 2017 / 7:04 am

    I agree Tiina, your colours remind me of the vibrant vibe of Barcelona. In Australia , Sydney is bright , bold colours where as Melbourne is much more subtle .

    • Tiina L
      4 May 2017 / 6:57 am

      Interesting… I think assigning colours to a town is an interesting way of exploring our own views about these places.

  6. mummabstylish
    2 May 2017 / 9:01 am

    Bright and alive! Your outfit is gorgeous for the Barcelona weather! Jacquiwww.mummabstylish.com

    • Tiina L
      4 May 2017 / 6:58 am

      Thanks! Yes, the weather was wonderful: warm but not too hot. I miss it already.

  7. nancy baten
    2 May 2017 / 11:21 am

    I think you are wearing a fantastic outfit, I love the colors. When I think of England I think of green!

    • Tiina L
      4 May 2017 / 6:59 am

      Green… Hmm, why not? I've always associated green with more northern locations, though.

  8. Nicole Mölders
    2 May 2017 / 11:12 pm

    Thanks for linking up to our Ageless Style Linkup party. I think they do at least in Europe.

    • Tiina L
      4 May 2017 / 7:00 am

      Yes, cities really do seem to make us think of particular colours. Although I think it probably says more about us than about the cities in question…

  9. Mica T
    3 May 2017 / 4:56 am

    I love pink and purple and blue together, it's such a nice combination and this outfit is a fantastic example of it :)I have no ideas what colours would be Brisbane, but everyone in Australia agrees black is the colour for Melbourne – you need it when you have to layer so much for their ever changing weather, haha!Hope you are having a fantastic week :)Away From The Blue Blog

    • Tiina L
      4 May 2017 / 7:01 am

      Black! Wow, that's interesting. Maybe it's me being (northern) European, but I always think of Australia as the land of perpetual sunshine (and warm colours)…

  10. Gail Hanlon
    3 May 2017 / 10:52 am

    That's a great concept. I would associate Paris with navy blue (chic). London, where I live, is more colorful and daring. I tend to think bright pink! Gail

    • Tiina L
      4 May 2017 / 7:02 am

      Bright pink for London! Daring… I would have picked purple.

  11. Jessica Jannenga
    3 May 2017 / 4:09 pm

    Love this color combination of coral, purples with a vibrant skirt! Good thought! I suppose I think of places like Miami- white with sky blue, Taos, aquamarine and rust colors.. thanks for linking!jess xxwww.elegantlydressedandstylish.com

    • Tiina L
      4 May 2017 / 7:04 am

      Miami sounds great. Although I associate sky blue and white with Finland (well, obviously…)

  12. Nicole Mölders
    6 May 2017 / 7:03 am

    Thanks for linking up to Top of the World Style. Barcelona is my favorite southern European city.

  13. Emma Peach
    10 May 2017 / 11:01 am

    Lovely colour combination with the purple and coral. I'm not sure if the little town where I live would have a colour palette, but I always associate Sorrento and the Amalfi coast in Italy with blue (for the sea and sky) and yellow (for the lemons that grow in the area). Just thinking about it is making me want to go back!Emma xxxwww.style-splash.com

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