Desert sand in human culture Fashion Earth yellow is a popular color for women’s handbags. Interior design The tones of desert sand are called desert colors because they suggest the colors of the landscape of and of the design of the Native American cultures of the Southwestern United States. The desert colors are widely used (with both tones of sky blue or turquoise and tones of maroon to complement them) in Southwest Design. Military The colors desert sand, earth yellow, sand, and field drab are all on the list of the twelve standard camouflage colors used by the United States Department of the Army. Notes References Bibliography Citations See also List of colors Shades of brown