Best Color Trends by Seasonal Color Palette Spring/Summer 2023
Color trends for spring and summer set the tone for the entire year. They can be exciting and signal the start to a new season and a new year, for that matter.
Every year Pantone puts out a list of color trends for Spring/summer. These are the colors that they predict will be seen most often in fashion.
It’s fun to participate in trends, but not at the expense of looking like a fashion victim. If you wear colors that don’t suit you, you can look older, more tired, or just out of harmony.
However, if you wear colors that suit you, you can look refreshed, younger, and more like yourself. How can you know which colors will suit you best? The first step is learning your seasonal color analysis!
What is seasonal color analysis?
Seasonal color analysis is a system based on color theory that looks at someone’s undertone, intensity, and value. There are 10 different palettes in the system that I use. Each one is a unique combination of undertone, intensity, and value and is meant to match that of the individual.
Wearing colors that have harmony with you is one of the most powerful things you can do for your style because you cut out the noise and only wear colors that suit you.
If you know your palette and are curious which colors from the Pantone list of Spring/Summer 2023 colors will suit you best, scroll to your palette. If you aren’t sure, read through all the descriptions to learn more. AND if you want to book a color analysis with me, click HERE for more info!
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True Autumn
True Autumn has a warm undertone, medium to low intensity, and medium to dark value. True autumn is know for their warm golden glow. They often have brown eyes and brown or red hair and always have a warm undertone.
For spring/summer 2023, macchiato is the perfect trending shade for a true autumn. It is a beautiful, warm brown with a hint of grey added that will compliment the softness of autumn’s complexion beautifully!
This is a perfect warm neutral shade to wear head to to or pair with one of the other colors in your palette, such as fern green or pumpkin (which I’ve been seeing in a LOT of the stores this spring/summer).
Invest in a pair of flat sandals or a luxe handbag in this gorgeous shade for a forever piece that you will be able to pair with anything!
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Muted or Soft Palette
The muted palette is a flow between true autumn and true summer. It has a more neutral undertone and medium value. The hallmark of the muted palette is its low intensity. All of the colors are soft and contain a bit of grey in them.
Individuals in the muted palette have a distinct softness to their appearance. There isn’t much contrast with their features. Every person will have a home season (autumn or summer), which will give them slightly more proclivity towards warmer or cooler colors.
For spring/summer 2023, leek green is gorgeous, soft shade that will look amazing on a soft/muted palette.
Muted palettes look amazing in tonal color combinations, so try pairing a lighter and darker hue of this color in an outfit. You can also pair with lighter neutrals in your palette for a very summery look!
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True Summer
True summer is a palette with a cool undertone, medium to low intensity, and low to medium value. These colors are all distinctly cool with grey added to them to add softness.
True summers have a distinct smokiness to their appearance which comes from the medium to low intensity. They often have blue eyes (but not always) and cool, brown or ash blonde hair. Some have that “English Rose” appearance but many tan quite easily.
For true summer, blue perennial is the perfect color trend for spring/summer 2023. This is a pseudo-neutral, which means it will go with lots of different colors in your palette.
It’s a soft, sophisticated dusty blue that would be beautiful paired with pearl white or grey or with rose pinks or sea foam green. True summers also look great in a tonal or monochromatic look, so try pairing a lighter blue tee with a perennial blue skirt or a dusty navy dress with a blue perennial bag.
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Light Palette
The light palette is all about colors with light value. Every color in this palette has white added to it, giving it a candy-coated, feminine feel.
The light palette is the flow between spring and summer and thus, the colors are more neutral. Individuals will have a home season, though, which will give them proclivity towards slightly warmer or cooler colors.
The first thing you notice about these people is how light their features are. They typically have light blue or green eyes and are natural blondes or at least were blondes as kids.
I picked crystal rose for the light palette for their Pantone color trend for S/S 2023. This color feels fresh and feminine, but I love it in an unexpected item like a leather biker jacket or a pair of Birkenstocks. Keep this light and airy by pairing with a light navy or ivory or pair with a different pastel like mint or light blue.
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True Spring
True springs are warm and glowy. They have a warm undertone, medium to light value, and medium intensity. There’s a freshness to true spring that is reflected in their palettes. All of the colors are light, warm, and joyful.
I picked peach pink as the perfect color this spring/summer for true springs! They will absolutely glow in this color and it will reflect beautifully their youthful appearance.
You can find this color as a ground color in many printed tops and dresses this season. Floral prints look amazing on springs and are perfect for spring/summer. Try a beautiful printed dress in a feminine silhouette.
You could also use peach pink as a pop color with a bag or shoe in an outfit of light navy and ivory. However, since springs can carry a lot of color, why not pair it with turquoise or apple green in and outfit? You can always add a neutral denim jacket to ground the look.
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Bright Palette
The bright palette is a flow between winter and spring. The bright palette is highlighted by the high intensity of its colors. Every color is bright and vibrant with absolutely no grey added at all.
These colors are more neutral, but individuals will have a home season (winter or spring) and be slightly more cool or warm. The colors can be very dark or very light, and high contrast color combination look amazing on these people.
Love bird is a bright, acid green that not a lot of people could pull off, but that looks AMAZING on a bright palette. I love this in a head to toe look like a dress or suit. Extra points for finding it in a sequin (as a bright palette, sequins look fantastic on you!)
If it feels like a lot, try a classic white shirt and black cigarette pants with a lovebird colored bag or shoe. You can also play with complimentary colors here and pair it with magenta. If that feels like a lot, try a triadic color like orange, or blue.
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True Winter
True winter is cool and bold. It’s bright (medium to high intensity) and deep. The colors are icy and cool and bold and attention grabbing. When a true winter walks into a room wearing their colors, people turn their heads.
These colors all have a cool undertone, so this palette can’t wear anything warm. Fiery red is the perfect Pantone spring/summer color for a true winter. It’s bold, cool, and attention grabbing.
Red makes the heart beat a little faster, so why not turn it up in a head to toe red look? I love a red dress to grab attention or mix textures by pairing a satin skirt with a lace top in the same color.
Red also looks great with a dark navy or with white. If it feels like a lot, why not pair a simple black and white look with a pop red bag or a pair of crisp denim with a blue oxford and a red platform sandal?
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Deep Palette
Deep palette is a flow between winter and autumn. The colors all have a neutral undertone here, but individuals will have a proclivity one way or the other depending on their home season (winter or autumn).
The hallmark of this palette is the level of depth to all the colors. These individuals typically have a lot of depth to their hair and eye color and also have medium to high contrast in their features.
Their colors tend to be on the dark side, but they can wear some brighter, neutral-toned colors that will pop on them in the spring and summer.
Empire yellow is the perfect bright, sunny shade for the deep palette. It pops against the depth of their features and makes them stand out.
Try a head to toe look in s summer dress or pair a printed blouse with dark denim. You could also pair a empire yellow shoe with a teal dress or a primary color like yellow or blue.
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Warm Palette
The warm palette is the flow between spring and autumn. These people’s main identifier is their warmth. The level of intensity and depth will typically determine their home season (spring or autumn).
These people should only wear warm colors and metals (yellow gold), as cool colors will really make them look sick. Tangelo is the PERFECT spring/summer shade for them! It’s juicy and warm and feels like a summer vacation. It is all over the stores right now and feels joyful and fresh!
Pair some patterned pants with a cream linen tee and some tangelo/gold earrings. Or find a textured blouse to wear to work with elevated denim.
This color looks beautiful paired with neutrals, of course, but I also love it with chartreuse or royal blue. It also looks nice when paired with neighboring hue yellow.
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Cool Palette
The cool palette is the flow between winter and summer. These individuals are cool as can be! They should only wear cool colors and metals (silver or platinum) or else risk looking sick.
Their level of depth and intensity will determine their home season (winter or summer). In general, these colors are as muted as summer or as bright as winter but always feel cool.
Beet root purple is SUCH a fun color and perfect for the cool palette! I absolutely adore this as a trouser with a silver sandal. You could pair it with a striped oxford for work or a pale grey tank for a night out.
A fun, floral print is another great way to wear this color trend. Pair it with a pair of dark denim and a matching beet root purple bag. If you just want to dip you toe into this eye catching shade, try a classic white shirt with a colored flat and earrings. Bonus tip - this color makes a great statement lip color for you, especially if your home season is winter!
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Ready to fond out YOUR palette?! Click here to learn more about getting analyzed and finding out your PERFECT palette!