Get inspired with lilac design templates.
The color lilac holds the same symbolism of its namesake flower, from sweetness to first love.
Inspiration in the color lilac.
Learn the history and meaning of the color lilac, a soft purple that depicts innocence, youth, and first love.
What is the meaning of the color lilac?
Lilac color shares many qualities with its namesake flower. Lilacs have been part of courtship, nostalgia, and femininity for centuries. The color lilac was named after the light purple flower in the late 1700s. Color psychology calls lilac an expression of gentle encouragement, emotional expression, and early love.
Lilac color symbolizes early love. The color lilac encourages the emotional expression that early love invites.
The history of lilac.
Lilac gave its name to a bird before the color lilac.
A small bird called the lilac-breasted roller is found in sub-Saharan Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Its name was first recorded in 1766, when lilac had only ever referred to the flower. This use of lilac to describe the color of the bird’s chest foreshadowed what lilac would become.
The color lilac was popularized in English in 1775.
The color lilac was quickly applied to everything that matched the flower’s hue. Even after lilac was named a color in 1775, not everyone agreed on what lilac was. There was rich lilac and pale lilac, just like the variations in the flower itself. Lilac and lavender were used interchangeably as a color, and both were used in women’s clothing for mourning during the Victorian era (1837 — 1901). Lilac would not be limited to this meaning for long, though.
The color lilac flourished, just like lilacs in bloom.
Once the world came out of the austere Victorian period, lilac color enjoyed new booms in popularity. In the 1920s, lilac appeared in cosmetics. In the 1950s, the color lilac played an important part in the pastel palette of interior design. Since 2014, lilac color has been all over fashion and design. Its modern definition harkens back to the oldest history of the lilac flower. Lilacs were common gifts during courtship, and the meaning of the color lilac today includes sweetness, love, and nostalgia.
The color lilac across different cultures.
The meaning of lilac color culture has run the gamut across time.
The color purple was associated with royalty as far back as Caesar, who began the tradition of the emperor wearing purple robes. The color lilac is a pale shade of purple, but its meaning departed from these ties to imperial purple. In Western culture, the lilac flower and lilac color became tied to courtship. Because men were often the parties actively courting women, lilac color became tied to femininity.
The word lilac muddies the debate of exactly what lilac color is.
Lilac and lavender are often used interchangeably. The color lilac, however, is a pale purple with a warmer pink tone blended in. Lavender is a pure pale purple, meaning it has a cooler, blueish undertone. Curiously, the word lilac comes from the Persian word lilak, meaning “blueish, indigo.” The exact balance of purple and pink in the color lilac has varied as a result.
The meaning of the color lilac in love.
Lilac symbolizes first love, and for more reasons than one. Lilacs were a popular floret to give to someone during courtship as far back as Ancient Greece. As legend goes, the Greek god Pan fell in love with a nymph named Syringa. He followed her, but she hid from him and turned into a lilac shrub. A contrasting symbol of love comes from the Victorian era, when lilac was a color of mourning. Lilacs were also given to widows to remind them of their late love.
How to use the color lilac.
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Sometimes, lilac is more romantic than pink.
Pink and red are the go-to colors for romance. However, the flirtation of pink and the passion of red miss what lilac provides. Use lilac color in projects where the goal is to trigger nostalgia or sweetness. Lilac is a less energetic color but it can woo just as well.
Combine lilac with other colors.
The color lilac is gentle. Because of its softness, it’s more versatile than rich colors like purple. To brighten a palette, combine lilac with colors like orange or yellow. Combine lilac with olive green for a natural look. Pair lilac with other shades of purple for a regal feel. High-contrasting colors like yellow can give lilac a more modern feel.
Lilac versus lavender.
Lilac and lavender are both pale shades of purple. Lavender has a natural blue tint to it, but lilac veers toward pink. The color lilac has been used synonymously with lavender for a long time. Both colors were inspired by flowers, and both are light purple. Understanding the difference, though, allows you to have more fun with both colors.
Use lilac as a warm color.
Because the color lilac has a slightly pink tone, this places lilac on the warm end of the color spectrum. Because lilac is so pale, it isn’t always thought of for its warmth. Purple is the perfect meeting point between cool blue and warm red, and lilac is pale purple with a little pink for good measure.
Information about lilac color.
The lilac HEX code picker is #C8A2C8. This light purple with a pink hue stirs an emotional response, often one of nostalgia.
The color lilac can be achieved in a RGB space with 200 red, 162 green, and 200 blue. Lilac color can be achieved in a CMYK color space with 20% cyan, 39% magenta, 2% yellow, and 0% black.
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