Spring color trends & how to wear them

Twice a year, Pantone releases their forecast of fashion color trends for upcoming seasons. In my experience, not all of these will actually make their way to retail. As the 2023 spring collections start to arrive, I’ve been combing through with an eye toward color trends, and how to wear them.

Today, I’m joining up with Jennifer at A Well Styled Life to share thoughts on color trends for Spring. We chat a lot about color, so I’ll be very interested to see what she has shared!

Some may balk at the word “trends,” but I look at them not as dictates, but rather opportunities. When a particular style or color is on-trend, the selection will be better and broader. So if the trend is something you’d wear anyway, you’ll have more choices.

Since my own color analysis and subsequent training to become a color analyst, I’m always thinking about which colors in terms of seasonal palettes and who will wear them best. Whether or not you select your clothes based on a specific palette, I hope this information will be helpful.

The 2023 spring fashion color trends I’m seeing in stores and online…

…don’t necessarily correspond to ALL of the colors in the Pantone forecasts. So I’ve focused on the fashion color trends I’m seeing most often, and will include some examples along with the seasonal palette they belong to.

I’m pulling from two versions of the Pantone fashion color forecasts: one for New York and one for London. I’ve selected individual colors from both, as they correspond with what I’m seeing in the spring collections so far.

A note: In the real world, you won’t always find colors on the rack that match any color palette exactly, so “in the neighborhood” is what I’ve aimed for here. Some versions of a particular color may work for multiple seasonal palettes, depending on how warm or cool, or bright of soft an individual garment skews.

The pieces shown below are just a small sampling. I’ve updated my SHOP with sections for each seasonal palette: Spring | Summer | Autumn | Winter

Green

I’m starting with green, as this is the most notable color trend. It’s not a color that’s always been widely available, but is everywhere now. It’s my favorite color, so I’m thrilled to see so much of it!

Shades of green (besides olive) began gaining steam last spring, and this year are everywhere! My fellow Springs, this is OUR year for green! There are a lot of “our” more yellow-based, bright greens which have not been widely available for some years now.

That light celadon green at the top is a bit of a chameleon color…the shades we’d call “sage” belong in the Autumn palette, but when it skews more blue can work in the Summer palette too. And for you Autumns, there are still lots of “your” olives and other earthy greens available.

Blues

Summers, take heart! I’m seeing a LOT of your softer blues among the trending fashion colors for spring, both online and in stores! Most versions of the “Blue Perennial” will be right in the Summer wheelhouse, but I’ve included one that’s an awesome choice for Autumns (#6). (It’s “Pacifica” from Eileen Fisher, and is between the Kingfisher and Marine Navy in your palette!)

That pale aqua at the top is also one of those colors that can work across seasons, depending on how warm or cool it leans.

Pink, purple, lavender

More good news for Summers, I’ve been finding boatloads of choices in your pinks, purples, and lavenders. As with the other color ranges, there’s a lot of variance from the Pantone swatches. Lavender and lilac shades don’t really show up in this season’s Pantone color forecasts. But they are everywhere, so you’ll have some nice choices there.

Winters, you have some fabulous pink options too, from Shocking Pink to Magenta to Fuchsia. And Springs, look for bright and slightly warmer pinks (think “Flamingo…”).

Peach, coral, orange

Many of the colors in this range can work for both Autumns and Springs. Coral is almost universally flattering for those in the warmer seasonal palettes, and is plentiful now. That bright orange is a big fashion trend for spring. It’s such a fun color, but if you prefer it in smaller doses, try as a bag, scarf, or shoes.

Many more choices in the SHOP…shop by seasonal palette:
Spring | Summer | Autumn | Winter

Just one last thought about color and “trends…” Don’t worry too much about whether a color is “in” or “out.” If you’re wearing a color that absolutely lights you up, makes you glow and feel confident, chances are it won’t look dated after the fashion world has moved on to the next trend.

You say neutrals are more your jam? Check out my post on building a neutral capsule wardrobe.

If you’d like to learn which colors will colors will make you look your best (radiant, vibrant, & energized ✨), and live near or will be visiting Los Angeles, I’m now taking appointments for Personal Color Analysis! Click HERE for more information and to book your session,

Be sure to go check out Jennifer’s take on color trends for spring at A Well Styled Life!

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