Pink and White or Teal and Gray? Color Expert Weighs in on the Viral Vans Sneaker
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Pink and white or teal and gray?
This is the question that has dumbfounded social media over the weekend since a photo of a Vans sneaker from 2017 recirculated online. Social media users are debating over the exact colorway of the sneaker, with some — including Lizzo — seeing gray and teal while others see white and pink.
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I SEE GREY AND TEAL WHAT COLOR DO U SEE???? 😱😱🤯 pic.twitter.com/WAEdEZy0QE
— #STREAMTRUTHHURTS (@lizzo) October 13, 2019
“While the human eye can see anywhere between eight to 10 million colors, we all see color differently,” explained Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute. “Light receptors within the eye transmit messages to the brain, which produces the familiar sensations of color.”
Read More: The Biggest Fall 2019 Color Trends
Pressman explains that objects do not hold color, rather color is the reflection of light on a surface, therefore no two people see color the same way. She also states that computer and phone screens can influence color perception as well as a person’s color sensitivity (e.g., if they’re color blind).
As everyone perceives color differently, Pressman cannot state which colorway is correct. However, all four colors are included in Pantone’s spring 2020 color trend projections.
Social media users, on the other hand, continue to be vocal with their opinions on the Vans sneaker, taking to Twitter to continue the debate.
This is wild! What colors do you see? Earlier today, I saw gray and green. Then I had a drink and now all I see is pink and white. What does it mean??? pic.twitter.com/PLneiBYvcg
— Lulu Wang (@thumbelulu) October 14, 2019
ASOS shared this. WHHHHYY!!!!! I saw grey and turquoise but now I see pink and white. Waaaaaaah. Hate these things. What do you see? 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/8yWG9gzCDd
— Callum Gallacher (@callumstweets) October 16, 2019
the shoe is PINK and WHITE
the dress is BLACK and BLUE pic.twitter.com/553BsIMiBx— 🃏 (@JEONSVOGUE) October 13, 2019
These are pink and white & you can’t tell me otherwise pic.twitter.com/kK0JjDuGiE
— Katrina Stuart (@KatStuartMusic) October 10, 2019
IF ANY OF YALL SAY THIS IS PINK AND WHITE I WILL SLAM UR HEAD IN A CAR DOOR ITS CLEARLY GREY AND BLUE pic.twitter.com/3NAs2qtwq2
— ✮ѕυм 9¾ (@squishiyonks) October 16, 2019
Actually it has to do with the way your eyes perceive colors and shadows. People seeing it as grey/teal are seeing it as the exact colors displayed on the screen (as seen by using a color picker) but people who see it as pink and white, their eyes are adjusting to the shadows pic.twitter.com/diiWpPbBpW
— Mj ultra // ocean man // urchin minx (@dadsnewshoes) October 14, 2019
Read more here:
Pantone’s Spring 2020 Colors Are Led by Flame Scarlet
The Biggest Fall 2019 Colors, According to Pantone
Celebrities Embrace Fall 2019 Color Trends on the Red Carpet
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