How to Style the 2025 Pantone Color of the Year

woman over 50 standing in front of a house wearing a mocha mousse cashmere sweater and black and gold bracelets

By now you’ve probably heard that the 2025 Pantone Color of the Year is called Mocha Mousse! Some years they select a vivid color, and some years, it’s a neutral. This year, it’s a mellow shade that gives all the warm and comforting vibes.

According to the folks at the Pantone Institute, Mocha Mousse is “a warming, brown hue imbued with richness. It nurtures us with its suggestion of the delectable qualities of chocolate and coffee, answering our desire for comfort.”

Um, nobody asked me, but that seems like a lot of pressure to put on a color; just sayin’! 😂

woman taking a selfie wearing a mocha mousse twin set and jeans — I love a classic twin set! For this one, I paired the cashmere crewneck ($50!) I’m wearing at the top of this post with a matching (but sold separately) cashmere cardigan ($79.90)!

Cashmere Crewneck Sweater (Just $50 and lots of color options if brown isn’t your thing!) | Cashmere Cardigan ($79.90 and lots of color options if brown isn’t your thing!)

The 2025 Pantone Color of the Year: Mocha Mousse

For 24 years, Pantone’s Color of the Year has influenced product development and purchasing decisions in industries like fashion, home furnishings, product packaging, and graphic design. You’ll see the color of the year everywhere, from jewelry and nail polish to throw pillows, handbags, and more.

Today I’m going to share with you some ways to integrate this color into your life, fashion, and home decor. You’ll see it more often as the year progresses, so get ready!

Please note: we did our best to be accurate to the true Mocha Mousse shade of brown throughout this post! Sometimes the images looked completely different colorwise on our laptops than they did on our phones! I know you’ve all experienced that before too. We did our best and feel confident that the items we selected for this post are accurate to the Mocha Mousse shade in person.

As always, click the pink text links or any image for more information.

color of the year mocha mousse. picture of a bowl of chocolate pudding

“Underpinned by our desire for every day pleasures, PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse expresses a level of thoughtful indulgence. Sophisticated and lush, yet at the same time an unpretentious classic, PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse extends our perceptions of the browns from being humble and grounded to embrace aspirational and luxe.”
Leatrice Eiseman
Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute

Mocha Mousse is like a warm hug in color form! It’s the perfect mix of cozy and chic. I love how versatile it is—you can incorporate it into your wardrobe with a classic sweater or handbag, or even bring its warmth into your home with throw pillows. It’s perfect for adding a touch of elegance and comfort to any outfit or space.

Mocha Mousse AT HOME

With it’s rich tones, Mocha Mousse is a warm and inviting neutral that gives a cozy yet sophisticated vibe. Consider adding a toss pillow, floral arrangement, plush blanket, or lamp to bring a touch of this color into your home. It works well paired with pretty much any other color, so it’s easy to incorporate into your home decor.

Mocha Mousse IN YOUR WARDROBE

Whether you’re a fan of brown or not, you know it’s a great base of color. When it comes to browns, in the past 10 years, we’ve seen the brown color of the moment go from chocolate to caramel and now to mocha! (I think America’s love for coffee ☕may have had something to do with this recent shift, just sayin!)

Dresses

Got a spring or summer wedding coming up? A dress in Mocha Mousse is a perfect choice. It’s elegant, timeless, and pairs beautifully with delicate accessories or pops of color for a fresh, seasonal look.

Jackets & Cardigans

Transition into spring with Mocha Mousse by adding a lightweight jacket or cozy cardigan in this versatile color. It’s perfect for layering and pairs beautifully with both neutrals and brighter spring shades!

woman over 50 standing in front of a house wearing a mocha mousse cashmere sweater and black and gold bracelets touching her hair

Bottoms

Pair Mocha Mousse pants with a white poplin shirt for a crisp, clean look! I especially like THIS Mocha Mousse silk skirt. This earthy tone serves as a perfect base, allowing you to accessorize with pops of color.

Tops

woman wearing cashmere turtleneck in mocha mousse shade with pink stripes

Cashmere Turtleneck (On major sale + 16 color choices!) | Similar Gold Belt

Let’s face it: a top is an easy way to put Mocha Mousse into your wardrobe this season. You’ll find cozy sweaters, casual tops, preppy tops, and even dressy tops. I love the Mocha Mousse cashmere turtleneck sweater I styled above with a pop of pink stripes! It illustrates how Mocha Mousse is a great base color for other, brighter color pops! (An entire sweater of this pink shade would be a LOT, but adding in Mocha Mousse tones it down perfectly!)

Loungewear & Activewear

If you want to work Mocha Mousse into your loungewear or your activewear, have at it! From joggers and exercise skirts to tank tops, hoodies, and leggings, options abound.

Shoes

Shoes are a simple way to add Mocha Mousse to your wardrobe, and I’ve found some great sneakers, sandals, pumps, and heeled sandals for you!

Accessories

woman wearing brown cardigan and showing anthro mini hollace tote and petite inner pouch

The Hollace Tote: Mini Edition

It’s easy and affordable to work the 2025 color of the year into your accessories with a belt, handbag, or jewelry for a subtle style statement that tells the world that you keep up with the trends! (Or that you’re an Empty Nest Blessed subscriber! 🤣) You can even get a phone case in this trendy color!

Mocha Mousse Beauty & Self Care

This rich, cozy neutral is perfect for adding a touch of warmth to your beauty routine, think soft mocha nails, a subtle eyeshadow, or even a new lip color. Relax with this yummy shade by using a silk eye mask or a water bottle in this calming color for a simple touch of self-care.

I hope this was a fun post for you, sweet friends. I loved putting it together for you. Thank you for following along, for using my links, and for letting me know when you have post ideas. Without you, I couldn’t continue to do this job that I love so much. Please know that I am here for you! If there is anything you’d like to share, ask, or suggest, just leave a comment or email me.