Puce flea on pale puce background
There is a lot of misunderstanding about the color puce. The American definition is a middle tone brownish purple-pink, however, in France, where the name originated, puce describes a much darker and sterner red-brown. Other fashion sources occasionally also use the word puce to describe a murky shade of green horror created by mixing orange and blue (although I personally regard such a concept as misguided on many levels).
A Puce Sari
The dreadful sounding name has an equally vile origin. The French word for a flea is “une puce”. Puce was the term used for the brownish red dried blood stains left on sheets or clothing when a person was badly bitten by fleas: so puce has its origin in bloodstains. I suppose we are lucky it isn’t called “crime scene” or “parasite”. Despite the confusion regarding the nature of the color, it has had periods of real popularity. Marie Antoinette”s favorite color was said to be puce (although I can’t find any portraits of her wearing it). The color seems to be favored by the great and powerful–it is also the boss’ favorite color in Dilbert.
French puce suede oxfords (from “Pointer” if you must have them)
ferrebeekeeper 
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April 16, 2013 at 4:15 PM
jimannh
Thank you for your clarification. I think of puce as “winter red – the understated tone of tree buds and dormant new growth in deep winter.Half-tones of puce in artist’s colors are sometimes called caput mortum, followers of Jerry Garcia not withstanding. Flea specks, dead head… buck up, boys – it’s a gorgeous color with an appallingly misused name. % )
April 22, 2013 at 4:47 PM
Wayne
Ooh! I’m a big fan of caput mortuum when I’m painting–I use it for the shadows on flesh (“flesh shadows” sounds creepier than I meant it to). Here’s the post I wrote about it!