Zing green

I believe the color I want to wear that I haven’t worn (as per my Vintage New Year’s Resolution for March) is a color close to chartreuse. I see items about the right hue called spring green, lemon-lime, acid green, absinthe green, poison green. Maybe bright peridot. I call it zing green.

Me, colorized in zing green

There is a Bakelite color exactly right and the shade has had various resurrections over a century. I know I’ve seen some 1930s, also some 40s, 50s and 60s. By the 1960s this color comes perilously close to being neon which we all know is great for running and bicycling at twilight but—taking most of us into account—not for general use. Wearing the 1990s incarnations of this color is probably not going to be my thing, style-wise.

I know some of you are cringing. Chartreuse is a tricky color, and has to be the right shade. Here are some vintage items I spotted that are in the ballpark both for their colors and for styles I like. You can find these in my Zing Green favorites on Etsy.

It turns out this color is making a bit of a comeback in fashion this spring. 

Jenny Packham

Nanette Lepore

Oscar de la Renta

 Maybe I should also say that my engagement ring is set with a peridot and I have always had a fondness for the color.

Am I crazy?