If you spend any amount of time on Pinterest or even just take a look around campus, you’ve most likely noticed that burgundy red is one of the big colors this season.  In the words of senior Bella Hunt, “It really brings ‘fall’ to your outfit.”  Worn as a sweater with a pair of neutral-colored pants or a black skirt, or in the form of nail polish and lipstick, burgundy will add a great pop of autumn fun to any look.

“It’s a great fall color,” says sophomore Anooshay Asim. “It’s an easy day-to-night look transition.” Fellow sophomore Kaya Khalil agreed. “Fall is the perfect time to embrace your dark lip colors,” Khalil said. “The summer tan and light lips are out and sweaters and burgundy lipstick are in!”

In case anyone’s not entirely sure what constitutes “burgundy,” an easy way to describe it is by comparing it to the color of wine, which is actually where it gets its name. The Burgundy region is one of France’s major wine-producing regions, and is particularly well known for its red wine. Since red wine specifically from the region is known as “burgundy,” the color of the wine is referred to as, well, burgundy. That’s one reason why Hunt likes it. “I love wine and I think burgundy sweaters look like wine,” says Hunt. “Also, I think it looks good on everyone.”

Around campus, it’s a fairly popular color for dresses, scarves, nails and lips among female students, while lots of guys are wearing burgundy as pants, though plenty of girls have a pair of deep red jeans, too. Burgundy sweaters are definitely a hit with both girls and guys, as are burgundy shoes. It’s pretty obvious that this is an “it” color for the season, since, as junior Tanner Reichard puts it, “As far as burgundy clothes are concerned, I think it’s just one of those warm colors that are perfect for the weather as it gets colder and colder — always a solid choice for the fall.”

Burgundy is a fairly bold color, making it great when worn with colors like gray, black or gold.  For girls, this might be a cute black dress and black tights under a fuzzy burgundy sweater, a look made totally fierce by adding a pair of black booties or lace-up boots.

Conversely, a burgundy sweater dress with a gold scarf and tall black boots is both cute and simple. Top both outfits off with burgundy lipstick if you’re feeling particularly brave, and you’re guaranteed to turn heads.

“I think that burgundy lipstick looks really special on girls with lighter color eyes,” says Reichard. “On Wake’s campus, I’ve definitely seen outfits based around darker red lipsticks that are just flat-out showstoppers.”

Freshman Austin Hill says that he’s a fan of the color. A burgundy sweater with khakis and a pair of Converse is one of Hill’s favorite looks. Burgundy pants, a white button down, a navy or camel colored jacket and bucks is a perfect combination for the smart but casual look. Dress it up with a great tie when you need to be a little more formal. Jeans and a burgundy shirt also make for a relaxed outfit while still being cool and comfortable, especially when you throw a gray sweater on when the temperature drops.

Obviously, burgundy is a pretty useful color. It spices up outfits based around more neutral colors and looks good on just about everyone. As senior Riley Jay says, “I think it’s a very flattering color to wear. It’s toned down enough that it’s a great fall color, but it’s still vibrant.”