7 Spring Color Trends I Spotted at Zara, H&M, and Nordstrom Leave a comment
If you were to survey the state of style as a whole, you could ascertain that quiet luxury has become so oversaturated that it’s slowly losing its luster. That’s apparent in the spring/summer runway shows, which leaned into maximalist-coded visuals by embracing—insert dramatic pause—color. It’s no secret that neutrals have reigned supreme over the last few seasons, as many cultural institutions have championed demure options like Cloud Dancer and Mocha Mousse as the year’s biggest color trends. While we’ll never fully nix our neutrals, there are only so many times you can see a new runway collection filled with no color before it starts falling flat. We needed change, people! Spring color trends offer us that opportunity, as many of the shades found at Fendi, Prada, Tory Burch, Loewe, and Ferragamo are a far cry from boring.
It seemed that creative directors were committed to serving us every shade of the rainbow, from tomato red to burnt tangerine, rivaling the vibrancy of a packet of Skittles. But where designers were really cooking this season was in styling clashing shades together. The result is a series of runway collections that serve as a master class on how to style color, and these colors are already popping up in the real world and the new-arrivals sections at our favorite retailers. With so many spring color trends already on shelves, we figured it it the right time to break down which ones you should incorporate into your closet next season. Ahead, we’re sharing the seven best color trends to buy at Nordstrom, Zara, J.Crew, H&M, Shopbop, and & Other Stories. Minimalists, be warned: These finds may convert you into a fan of color.
Citrus Yellow
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Goodbye, bland color palettes! Spring is all about expanding one’s taste buds, or at least, that’s what we can infer from the overwhelming presence of citrus yellow in the collections. The groundwork for this spunkier shade coming back into style was laid a few seasons back with the revival of butter yellow. Since then, we’ve slowly seen creative designers give in to their cravings for something different by dialing up the vibrancy of this shade every season—the most recent iteration being the lemon-yellow versions in the runway shows of Jacquemus, Alaïa, Fendi, and many others. Citrus can already excite the senses more than a color like Mocha Mousse (no shade intended), but designers made it even more delectable by applying a squeeze of lemon to classic silhouettes. Trench coats, pencil skirts… The list goes on. It’s the permission slip we’ve needed to put our neutrals on the back burner.
J.Crew
Cashmere High V-Neck Sweater
STAUD
Harlow Suede Shoulder Bag
H&M
Draped Boat-Neck Dress
ZARA
Supima Sleeveless T-Shirt
CITY BLUES
Pleated Wide Leg Pants
Mansur Gavriel
Ballet Flat
Cool Cobalt
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Citrus can be an intense shade to try to incorporate into your closet, especially if you’re averse to wearing colors. Luckily, there’s a chillier spring color trend that’s just as captivating: cobalt blue. First debuted a few seasons back, this brilliant shade didn’t initially catch on as a trend among the style crowd because its older cousin (navy blue) took the spotlight. That’s sure to be rectified this season. From Jil Sander to Celine to Fforme, the spring/summer collections showed that cobalt blue can rival the innate versatility of darker shades of blue and make classic silhouettes look infinitely cooler. The sheer number of runway shows featuring tailored coats, cigarette trousers, and even silk gowns in this shade proved that, when adapted and styled properly, cobalt can electrify your everyday staples without overdoing it.
DIARRABLU
Serenity Cobalt Blue Handmade Wrap Cape
Bottega Veneta
Long Andiamo Intrecciato Suede Clutch
Lafayette 148
Double Face Wool & Cashmere Flare Skirt
Adidas X Wales Bonner
Karintha Lo Satin Sneakers
ZARA
Combination Midi Dress
Tomato Red
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Forget merlot, friends. There’s a juicier shade—tomato red—on the horizon for spring. It should come as no surprise that we’d see another food-inspired shade surface in the kitchen, as we’ve seen variations of wine- and saffron-inspired colors dominate over the last few seasons. But make no mistake. Tomato red is far more piquant than its predecessors, as proven by the spring/summer runway shows that made sharp tailoring and sportswear silhouettes feel more succulent by using the shade. At Ashlyn, we saw an oversize anorak transformed into a statement piece by tomato red. Similarly, Loewe’s and Fendi’s shows made the boring old blazer spicier by sending models down the runway donning bright-red blazers, trousers, and other tailored separates. No matter what form these red pieces took on the runway, it’s clear they reflect the shifting fashion tastes.
H&M
Gathered Bomber Jacket
Another Tomorrow
Cashmere Wrap Coat
TOTEME
Slouch Waist Wool Dress
ZARA
Leather Ballet Flats
Brat Coded
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While some spring color trends draw inspiration from pantry ingredients, others draw from pop culture. Case in point: chartreuse, or what we like to call Brat coded. Although variations of acid green have been around, the release of Charli XCX’s critically acclaimed hyperpop album Brat in 2024 transformed it into a visual indicator of the wider cultural phenomenon. But don’t assume that the moment for this album and, by proxy, this color has passed, as creative directors seem keen on keeping the party going with their spring collections. From Dario Vitale to Alessandro Michele, quite a few designers have used this daring shade to give daintier silhouettes and textiles an edge. A delicate blouse was transformed from prim to daring when fashioned from slime-green lace at Valentino. At Versace, nothing was left to chance, and chartreuse silk was strategically draped down the body, reimagining the classic body-con dress that generations have worn from the club to the cubicle and back again. Basically, bright green is going to be here for at least another 365 days.
Tory Burch
Pierced Suede Shoulder Bag
Aligne
Chelski Alpaca Mix Knitted Top
J.Crew
Kaya Pant in Stretch Linen Blend
Jeffrey Campbell
Graciela Sandals
Think Pink
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If the driving ethos behind chartreuse was a desire to embrace one’s inner club rat, then its alternative could be distilled into the demure shades of pale pink that reflect aspirations for a soft life. While pale pink itself is far tamer than other color trends, creative directors found ways to add depth by challenging us to rethink the way we perceive pink altogether as well as the pernicious tropes tied to femininity at large. No longer were there over-the-top displays of hyperfemininity. Rather, it was a softening of traditionally feminine and masculine silhouettes through styling and color. The debut collections of Jonathan Anderson at Dior, Louise Trotter at Bottega Veneta, and Matthieu Blazy at Chanel are among the best examples of romantic separates being styled with menswear staples and sharply tailored suiting separates coming in shades of pink. Each collection proved that reevaluating our relationship with pink can help us enter our very own soft era.
Jacquemus
The Ovalo Shoulder Bag
BOSS
Tiwi High Waist Pants
BP
Crewneck Cotton Blend Cardigan
ZARA
Long Combination Tulle Dress
Manolo Blahnik
Maysli Buckle Slingback Pump
Purple Reign
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For those who still find themselves unable to wear pink but still want to adopt a spring color trend that’s universally flattering, look no further than what we’re dubbing purple reign aka dark purple. It wasn’t a singular shade of purple reigning supreme, per se. The spring/summer collections were filled with variations of plum, violet, eggplant, mulberry, and even royal purple. The color’s presence was so undeniable that it made one wonder whether creative directors all decided to blast Prince’s Purple Rain on repeat to find ways to incorporate it into their collections. For some designers, that meant literally sticking to ’70s- and ’80s-inspired elements through double-breasted leather duster jackets, cargo skirts, and supple suede bombers, as shown at Burberry, Shushu/Tong, and Tom Ford. Other collections like Tory Burch and Prada gave this rich hue a contemporary spin through sultrier silhouettes and off-kilter styling, showing us that this shade has everything it takes to sit at the top of the throne—ahem, fashion world.
& Other Stories
Voluminous Belted Wool Coat
Marc Jacobs
The Dakota Satchel
MANGO
Mock Neck Midi Dress
L’AGENCE
Scottie High Rise Wide Leg Jeans
BLACK SUEDE STUDIO
Darcie 80 Patent Pump
Burnt Tangerine
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The final spring color trend that was everywhere this season? Burnt tangerine. We’re sorry to those who self-identify with Elle Woods, as this topic has always been a tough subject. But creative directors seem determined to make this contentious shade a thing, as it’s now the second, not first, season in which varying degrees of orange—ranging from soft sunset to smoky tangerine—are present in their runway collections. Will it catch on? Only time will tell.
Designers have done their due diligence to make the color as appealing as an Aperol spritz on a balmy summer day by using different silhouettes, textures, and styling. That aim is achieved through runway looks that feel possible to re-create in real life: a low-slung patent-orange pencil skirt styled with a suede jacket at Ferragamo, a light-orange textured peacoat styled with leather pants at Loewe, and an orange blouse with a plunging neckline styled with baggy jeans at Valentino. It was proof that we’re all capable of coming around to the idea of wearing even the most controversial colors if we’re willing to get over the fear of getting burned.
& Other Stories
Alpaca-Blend Cardigan
Saint Laurent
Stretch Satin Midi Skirt
Victoria Beckham
Victoria Slingback Flats
Elizabeth Cole
Sunka Necklace
Significant Other
Plunge Back Satin Maxi Slipdress
Christian Siriano
Ixla Kitten Heel Sandal
