Three Women, Three Blues.

The article examines the cultural significance of three iconic shades of blue—Alice blue, Lanvin blue, and Wallis blue—each named after prominent early twentieth-century women and reflecting evolving gender roles, fashion, and modernity. Alice blue, associated with Alice Roosevelt, symbolized the "New Woman" and gained popularity through media and the arts during the 1910s and 1920s. Lanvin blue, created by French designer Jeanne Lanvin, embodied a maternal and refined femininity aligned with Art Deco aesthetics and sustained influence in fashion and design. Wallis blue, named for Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, became emblematic of scandal and sophistication in the 1930s but did not achieve the lasting cultural prominence of the other two hues. Together, these colors illustrate how fashion and color trends intersected with social change, celebrity culture, and identity in the early twentieth century. [Extracted from the article]