Puce is a mixture of colors combining to be brownish-purple.The etymology of this puce color is French for ‘flea’. This purple-brown combination of the puce color is often used for modern interior décor as the purplish-brown acts as a neutral color.The colors yellow, green, and orange go wonderfully with this hue of puce. It works best as a secondary color in the puce color wheel. It brings out a bright accent. This hue is also said to be associated with nature and earth. After all, puce is the rich brown color that we often see outdoors. Various colors are related to the hue like brown, purple, and burnt sienna. Like we already discussed, the etymology of puce is the French word for ‘flea’. The word ‘flea’ comes from the Latin word ‘pulex’. Puce is said to be a brownish purple, dark reddish-brown, dark red, or purple-brown color. The color is in bedsheets and bloodstains on linen. It is the color that remains on linen or bedsheets due to droppings of a flea or if a flea has been crushed, even after being cleaned. It was first discovered and used as a color back in 1778. Let’s keep reading this article to know about its history, puce color pronunciation, how it originated, and more! After you find out what does the color puce means and looks like, you would like to know What color is espresso? and What color is indigo?What does puce look like?So what color is puce? There are many types of shades that come under the color puce like a purple-brown color or reddish-brown. It had become quite popular in France around the late 18th century and the word ‘puce’ was also derived from a French word. Later in the 19th century, puce had become a famous color for fashion in Paris. The color puce has a hue code of 353, the shade of it appears slightly purplish-red in nature.People would think that puce was once a shade of green. This was because of something known as the Mandela effect where this modern phenomenon varied around collective false memory. The people that have the Mandela effect are fully convinced, whereas, in real life, the color puce is of purplish-brown or a dark red that is known to be yellower and a little less strong than cranberry. It comes from the French word ‘flea’ which implies that the color puce is similar to the dried blood of a squashed flea. Various people from TV shows and movies are seen wearing this color of puce as it is described as a neutral color that isn’t too extravagant in nature.Different Shades Of PucePuce color may appear in many different shades like grayish-red, pale grayish red-violet, or brownish-red colors. In simple terms, the colors of reddish-purple mixed with brown or gray is what brings together the color of puce. A snack of the Chinese that is famous all over the world, Chinese dried plums, is always said to be of the color puce. We already know the story of how puce resembles a squashed flea which is from where it got its name. However, it also refers to a lavender-blue color of a pennyroyal flower that it seems is also known as puce in French.Back in the summer of 1775, a French dressmaker of the name Rose Bertin made a dress for Marie-Antoinette whose colors were between maroon and brown, with a hint of pink and gray. Louis XVI had later entered the room and saw his wife hanging out in her brand new dress when he exclaimed ’this is puce!’. He observed that the dress was of the same color as a flea or as it is said in French ‘puce’. This is how it first got its name.What colors go well with puce?Puce goes well with many colors like green, orange and yellow. With puce being the color of a reddish-brown, dark red, or purple-red color, it aligns well with the colors mentioned. It brings out a bright neutral color that is popularly seen in interior decors and trendy clothes. It used to be a huge fashion icon in Paris back in the 19th century. The hue of this represents the earth and nature and looks great if someone wants an outfit or a décor that isn’t too flashy and just the right amount of neutral.Since puce is a secondary color and not very well-known, it isn’t the best option to describe color. In fact, quite a few designers out there didn’t even know it was color and had never heard of it. A popular comment about puce was that it sounded like puke. This is why this color has been more confused than ever with yellowish-green and brownish-purple. In the world today, puce can be commonly known as a purple-pink, brownish-purple, yellowish-green depending from person to person.How to pronounce ‘puce’?It is pronounced as ‘pyoos’ with its adjective and noun being dark or brownish purple. You may also be wondering if the color of maroon plays a part in this unique hue color. Let’s find out!We can recall puce from when we have seen blood getting split and dried up. The French dressmaker Rose Bertin made a gown that was a mixture of brown and maroon along with a pinkish-gray. So maroon does play a part in the making of the secondary color of puce.Puce Color CombinationsBy this point, you might want to try and experiment with making the color puce by yourself! When you mix the two colors of brown and purple, you get the color of puce, which is actually a close relative of the color burnt sienna.It may not be the first color you would want to use in your palette but it is perhaps great for representing the image of nature and the earth. So if you are planning on painting something related to that, puce is the perfect color. It also is a great color to wear. With brown becoming a trendy color again, puce can elevate it with its uniqueness and would make a great fit. Lastly, modern interior décor has been experimenting a lot with puce because of its neutral essence, so you can definitely add it as a color scheme for your home! Though it may sound similar to puke, it is a beautiful color that can brighten things up.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for what color is puce? then why not take a look at what color is cyan? or what color is carbon?
Puce is a mixture of colors combining to be brownish-purple.
