In literature, the color "old lavender" is often used to evoke a sense of nostalgia and gentle elegance. Authors use the hue to adorn clothing—Kathleen’s satin blouse and a silk wedding gown, for instance, are described in old lavender, linking the garments to bygone days and faded romance ([1], [2]). The color also metaphorically captures the wistfulness of the past, as a dress is compared to a piece of old lavender that recalls sunny, happy memories ([3]). Moreover, characters wonder if a horseman would appreciate the subtle charm of old lavender attire, while a crocheted shawl in this hue speaks to enduring tradition and familial warmth ([4], [5]). Even when applied to fabrics like satin worn at moments of grief, the term "old lavender" underscores a longing for the delicate beauty of memory ([6]).
- "Is it my old lavender, and my old satin blouse?" said Kathleen, looking down at herself with a momentary glance.
— from The Rebel of the School by L. T. Meade
- “For the occasion, I put on my old lavender silk wedding gown.”
— from The Brownie Scouts at Snow Valley by Mildred A. (Mildred Augustine) Wirt
- Yes, this dress is like a piece of old lavender—it reminds me of the past, of the sunny, happy past.
— from A Girl in Ten Thousand by L. T. Meade
- Then she opened her case, removed some dainty finery, and vaguely wondered if the horseman would like her in old lavender.
— from The Furnace of Gold by Philip Verrill Mighels
- And mother's got a funny old lavender crocheted shawl like that thing Miss Gray wears when it's cold, that the moths won't even eat.
— from Highacres by Jane Abbott
- She had routed out an old lavender satin, which she had worn years ago and had laid aside for mourning when her father died.
— from The Shoulders of Atlas: A Novel by Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman