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Everyone from Kate Middleton to Julia Roberts is wearing lilac — shop it for yourself, starting at $42

Move over, millennial pink — it’s about lilac now. All year, lilac has been the “it” color of choice for Hollywood celebrities and real-life royals.

Most recently, Julia Roberts stepped out on the red carpet in a lilac suit by Givenchy, the same label behind Meghan Markle’s wedding dress. Roberts matched with her longtime Hollywood stylist, Elizabeth Stewart. Earlier in October, Kate Middleton was spotted wearing a lilac wool crepe A-line dress by Emilia Wickstead. Similar to Roberts, Naomi Watts sported a menswear-style lilac suit at the 2018 Hugo Boss Prize event in New York. And earlier this spring, Victoria Beckham wore a lilac suit while spending time in her hometown of London.

Lilac is the perfect shade between pink and purple. In 2017, the color craze was millennial pink. This year, Pantone designated the 2018 color of the year as “ultra violet.” Lilac, however, is defined as a “pale pinkish-violet color,” which is nestled perfectly in between both shades.

The Guardian described lilac best as a “mature pink.” Pink is often reminiscent of a girl’s youth and childhood, whereas lilac is the color of her adulthood. This is especially visible in Vanity Fair‘s July 2003 cover story, “Raining Teens,” which featured the top young Hollywood talent of the time across film and television. These young teen royals included Hilary Duff, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Lindsay Lohan, Alexis Bledel, Amanda Bynes, Mandy Moore, Raven-Symoné, and Evan Rachel Wood. At the top of their careers, the stars — whose ages ranged from 16 to 17 years old — each wore pink for the cover in front of a blush-pink backdrop.

In 2018, lilac is a color synonymous with maturity, worn by sophisticated women including Amal Clooney, who wore a lilac Atelier Versace gown to the 74th Venice Film Festival. The color sits nicely in the pastel family among baby blues, mints, and periwinkle. It still looks fresh, but not childish. Plus, fashion labels Rodarte and Salvatore Ferragamo included lilac gowns and blouses in their Spring 2019 collections, signifying that this trend is far from over.

Keep in mind, when you’re shopping for lilac apparel, look for items with clean lines and simple silhouettes. It will allow the color to truly shine.

Ahead, see celebrities rock lilac frocks, gowns, and suits, and then shop for lilac work dresses, silky evening gowns, winter puffer coats, and more to find the look that suits you best.

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