Although the austere palette of the ’90s is stronger than ever right now, the spring/summer 2023 runways were still awash with color. From Paris to New York, designers infused their collections with a fresh array of colors and tones that just tickled our fancy, and while neutrals like black, cream, and gray are very much still on the menu, a few exciting (and surprising) new shades are managing to edge their way into our hearts, our carts, and soon enough our wardrobes at the turn of the New Year.
With any new idea that enters our closets, there are naturally a few older ones that we phase out to make way for the incoming styles. This is especially true for colors, being that this neutrals-focused editor is as picky as they come about wearing colors other than black. So as I sat down to look at the incoming fashion color trends for 2023, I cherry-picked five shades I can actually see myself trying out. They’re replacing a few colors from past seasons that I’ve already bought into and will no longer be shopping new versions of. For your ultimate 2023 color download, look no further.
Instead of a single color, one theme that had a major impact on the runways this season was icy pastels. Shades of periwinkle, lavender, mint, and light pink appeared watered down and barely there, especially considering many of the looks they appeared in featured sheer and flowy fabrics like this ballet slipper–hued dress at Jil Sander. I’m especially keen on trying this trend, as I just know it will play well with my wardrobe of more classic neutrals. With an incoming spate of these pastels, arrestingly bright neons are on the outs for me. I always found them harder to style anyway.
Some people may come for me for saying this because fuchsia is still very much a hot color (just look at the endless celebrity looks in Valentino for proof), but super-saturated colors have never truly been my thing. I’ll personally be skipping bright pinks in favor of the softer ballet pink shades I saw plenty of throughout the S/S 23 collections. I loved the satin pieces from 16Arlington and will be looking to tap into that vibe with satin clothes and super-sweet accessories.
While I have nothing against beige and have plenty of it in my closet, I’m noticing a major shift to shades of cool-toned gray as the new It neutral color. At Prada and Sandy Liang, tailored pieces were styled together to create a cool monochromatic effect that I’m excited to test out for myself. If you’re going to invest in any basics, gray is definitely the way to go this year.
Move over, kelly green, your replacement has arrived. While the saturated shade of green has been reigning supreme across clothing and accessories for the past few years, I can confidently say that there’s a new bold It color in town, and it couldn’t be any fresher. Shades of aqua, turquoise, and cerulean are quickly gaining traction, and as we’ve already noted, the electric shade of blue was featured on the fall 2022 runways, but spring 2023 is when it really makes a big splash. I’ll be looking to the oceanic hue to add bright pops of color to my outfits.
Up next, the six winter trends I’m vetoing from my closet.