{{short description|Family of pale colors}} {{About|the color family|the art medium|Pastel}} {{Use American English|date=March 2021}}{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}} {{infobox |title = Pastel |image = [[File:Commercial pastels.JPG|220px]] |caption = [[Pastel]] sticks in a variety of colors |header1 = Common connotations |data2 = Soothing}}

'''Pastels''' or '''pastel colors''' belong to a [[Tint, shade and tone|pale]] family of colors, which, when described in the [[HSL and HSV|HSV color space]], have high [[lightness|value]] and low or medium [[colorfulness|saturation]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Gilbert |first=Beverly Ash |url=https://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN9781600613180 |title=Beaded Colorways: Freeform Beadweaving Projects and Palettes |publisher=North Light Books |year=2009 |isbn=9781600613180 |location=Cincinnati, OH |page=13 |access-date=July 27, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DSHSqWQXm3oC&pg=PA85 |title=The Electronics Handbook |editor1-first=Jerry C. |editor1-last=Whitaker |first=Jerry C. |last=Whitaker |chapter=Principles of Light, Vision, and Photometry |publisher=CRC Press |location=Boca Raton, Fla. |year=1996 |isbn=9780849383458 |page=85 |access-date=July 27, 2013}}</ref> They are named after [[Pastel|the artistic medium]] made from pigment and solid binding agents, similar to [[crayon]]s. Pastel sticks historically had lower saturation than paints of the same pigment, hence the name of this color family.

The colors of this family are usually described as soothing,<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G1X14oqxClQC&pg=PA27 |title=House Beautiful Color: Bright Ideas for Every Room |publisher=Sterling Publishing Company |location=New York |editor=House Beautiful Magazine |first=Sally |last=Clark |year=2003 |page=27 |isbn=9781588162519 |oclc=61439232 |access-date=July 22, 2013}}</ref> calming,<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 21, 2024 |title=The Most Grown-Up Pastel Color Palettes Designers Love For Rooms You Want to Relax in. |url=https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&u=s8405248&id=GALE%7CA795413203&v=2.1&it=r |access-date=May 17, 2025}}</ref> and nostalgic.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Sahoo |first=Shristi |date=October 25, 2023 |title=The Timeless Charm and Psychological Impact of Pastel Colours |url=https://www.rockandart.org/pastel-power-appeal-color-palettes/ |access-date=May 17, 2025}}</ref> They tend to lean towards ideas of simplicity and help to contrast against the bolder and brighter colors that trend in our world. They are integrated into interior design in many places, such as healthcare to help soothe anxiety, or in classrooms to help the mind focus. Pastel colors work to oppose the brighter, bolder colors that tend to be common in many other places.<ref name=":0" />

[[Pink]], [[mauve]],<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O1o6IklIZ5cC&pg=PA154|title=English Vocabulary in Use (Advanced)|last=McCarthy |first=Michael|author2=Felicity O'Dell|publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]]|year=2002|isbn=9780521653978|location=Cambridge, UK|page=154|oclc=49550686|access-date=July 27, 2013}} <!-- N.B.: The information given on the book's "homepage" is for the "Pre-intermediate and Intermediate" volume, but it is the "Advanced" volume that actually appears in the scans. --></ref> and [[baby blue]]<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nHXWE1HVdTIC&q=baby+blue+is+pastel+color |title=Clothing: Fashion, Fabrics, Construction |last=Weber |first=Jeanette |date=1990 |publisher=[[McGraw-Hill]] Education |isbn=9780026401616}}</ref> are commonly used pastel colors, as are [[Spring green#Magic mint|mint green]], [[Peach (color)|peach]], [[periwinkle (color)|periwinkle]], [[Lilac (color)|lilac]], and [[lavender (color)|lavender]]. There are no official listing of colors' hex codes, but there are still [https://web.archive.org/web/20081004182626/http://colors.bravo9.com:80/nbs-iscc-p-plochere-color-system/list/all/ websites] with given color names and hex codes that can be used to find pastel colors. There are also [[Color chart|color charts]] that can be used to physically identify pastel colors.

== Pastels in popular culture == Trends involving pastel colors have maintained cultural relevance in both fashion and interior design. The [[Art Deco in the United States|art deco]] period of the 1920s and 30s involved pastels greatly in their designs. After this, the 1940s and 50s involved pastels in their interior design, known now as "retro" design, with an association of elegance. Pastels had another rise in popularity around the 1980s specifically in men's fashion. Suits that were pastel in their color started to become very popular around this time, often associated feelings of confidence and coolness. In modern day, pastels are still integrated into interior design, and the idea of pastel colors in fashion has only broadened its scope to being used in a variety of settings.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Wax |first=Amy |date= January 14, 2022|title=Pastel Colors: A History of Elegance! |url=https://amywax.com/pastel-colors-a-history-of-elegance/ |access-date=May 17, 2025}}</ref>

Pastel colors are valued in fashion because of their ability to match with a variety of other color types. They can be combined with blacks and whites to help contrast the colors more, mixed with other pastels to help bring out a monochromatic look. They are also complimentary to many skin tones, making them accessible to all.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

While associated feelings have changed within given time periods and their trends, the root of pastels' association is still with relaxation, harmony, and gentleness. They are meant to be used in a variety of scenarios and remain pleasing to the eye and mind.<ref name=":1" />

==Examples== {| border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" !colspan="5"|Examples of pastels in HEX-code |- |width="100px" style="background-color:lightgrey;"|&nbsp; |width="100px" style="background-color:lightgrey;"|&nbsp; |width="100px" style="background-color:lightgrey;"|&nbsp; |width="100px" style="background-color:lightgrey;"|&nbsp; |width="100px" style="background-color:lightgrey;"|&nbsp; |- |width="100px" style="background-color:lightgrey;"|&nbsp; |width="100px" style="background-color:#fea3aa;"|&nbsp;fea3aa&nbsp; |width="100px" style="background-color:#f8b88b;"|&nbsp;f8b88b&nbsp; |width="100px" style="background-color:#faf884;"|&nbsp;faf884&nbsp; |width="100px" style="background-color:lightgrey;"|&nbsp; |- |width="100px" style="background-color:lightgrey;"|&nbsp; |style="background-color:#baed91;"|&nbsp;baed91&nbsp; |style="background-color:#b2cefe;"|&nbsp;b2cefe&nbsp; |style="background-color:#f2a2e8;"|&nbsp;f2a2e8&nbsp; |width="100px" style="background-color:lightgrey;"|&nbsp; |- |width="100px" style="background-color:lightgrey;"|&nbsp; |width="100px" style="background-color:lightgrey;"|&nbsp; |width="100px" style="background-color:lightgrey;"|&nbsp; |width="100px" style="background-color:lightgrey;"|&nbsp; |width="100px" style="background-color:lightgrey;"|&nbsp; |}

==Gallery== <gallery widths="150px" heights="130px"> File:Gaiety pastels.jpg|Gaiety pastels File:Perles pastel.jpg|Pastel-colored [[bead]]s </gallery>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{Color topics}}

[[Category:Color]]

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