Lilac

European lilacs originated in the Balkans and were introduced to France in the 16th century, quickly dominating the gardens of Versailles. Lilac became a signature accent color in interior decoration from the Rococo to Neoclassical periods. Madame de Pompadour cherished this ambiguous tone hovering between blue-gray and pink-purple.

The Victorian era marked the high point for Lilac. Queen Victoria herself underwent a forty-year period of mourning for her husband, and black paired with Lilac became the mainstay of her wardrobe in later life. This light purple consequently took on the meaning of 'half-mourning', representing restraint and remembrance.

Among the late 19th-century Impressionists, Monet used Lilac to depict haystacks and water lilies in twilight, challenging traditional shadow colors. This color thus became an avant-garde means of expressing the fleeting changes of light and shadow, shedding its heavy shackles.

Entering the 20th century, Lilac became a symbol of graceful aging. When silver-haired people wear Lilac clothes, it best sets off a serene, unhurried demeanor in one's later years. It became popular at spring and summer race meetings and garden parties in Western high society.