From summer whites to nautical stripes, dressing for the warm weather season can be predictable, even a bore. Not this summer. It’s time to think outside your usual crayon box of wardrobe colors for colorblocking combinations that pair sensual, sophisticated hues with invigorating pops of color. Think rich, earthy autumnal shades put together with light, refreshing pastel tints, all completed by finishing touches of bold brights. Color us crazy, but this unexpected color palette — one that painted many of the fashions and beauty looks of the spring 2024 designer collections — makes summer dressing a breeze with an air of refined ease.

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This rarity of a color story embraced by several luxury labels can be seen as a natural progression to feed the consumer’s desire for something new and wearable while not straying too far from fashion‘s minimalist aesthetic of the moment. This palette cleanser of sorts allows a designer to showcase strong tailoring and explore silhouettes with proportion play. For masters à la mode like Miuccia Prada and Dries Van Noten, this is a sweet spot to teeter between conventionally attractive designs and clashing sartorial concepts to create a new, modern beauty; for fashion followers, it provides a new playbook of dress to follow. The excitement comes in the versatility of the designs and the simplicity of its effect for maximum impact without unnecessary fuss, which makes it most suitable for summer style.

Seeing green? You’re not the only one. Spring 2024 collections featured several variants of the trending color, from pale pistachio to energetic kelly green, but the most impactful shade this season is a deeper hue one normally associates with falling leaves — just read the luscious, dark green lips on the Burberry catwalk. The refreshing dark color creates depth when framing a floral pattern and provides a delightful contrast to pretty pastels, but resist the urge to pile on an abundance of summery hues that will dilute the sophisticated shade into a colorful mess of confusion. Give green space to flourish like an enchanting, mysterious forest, and lean into white, creams and beige to accent its richness. Take a cue from JW Anderson and liven up the dreamy color with a vibrant yellow handbag or follow Ferragamo’s lead and freshen up your look with a mint green purse.

The color that represents warmth and comfort as well as strength and simplicity is another earthy dark hue to add to your wardrobe of summer whites: chocolate brown. The rich brown color is seasonless, yet rarely seen in such a mighty monochromatic way as shown in several standout spring collections. You already know it’s safe to match the deep brown color with neutrals, but why not dare to pair cocoa with seductive, deep reds and dark earthy shades? Prada did it, and it looked sublime — just add metal accoutrements to elevate your outfit. Espresso or chocolate brown can also be viewed as a blank canvas for the perfect pastel color, like sky blue or buttercup yellow, as seen at Fendi. This way, whites and neutrals can be added to create greater dimension to your wardrobe separates. The dark hue can appear more dynamic when your look encompasses lighter brown shades or feather light textures, such as linen, especially when mixed with shiny brown leather accents. Best of all, the rich color also makes shapes look more delectable, so even if you just opt for a chocolate brown smokey eye, the deep shade adds a bit of edge for evening in a softer, summer-friendly way by comparison to black or charcoal.

You know what would make a dark brown ensemble extra sweet? The perfect peach. Peach Fuzz has a pinch more pigment than nude color options to add a soft sunset touch to your attire with the same versatility. With a silver accent at the Jil Sander runway show, it looked simply divine, but it also packed a punch at Bottega Veneta when draped over an oxblood leather shirtdress. The soft and sensual hue’s versatility knows no bounds, elegant in appearance with warm or cool-toned colors, but the prettiest way to embrace Pantone’s color of the year is right on the cheek. There’s truly no reason to shy away from a color that turns your summer glow into radiant perfection.

Summer is your time to shine, so embrace the luminous look of liquid metal flashes for both your outfit and glam. The color of light and reflection lets your new summer wardrobe shine from day to night, as best exemplified in a spring 2024 Carolina Herrera runway look of a silver floral sequin skirt, charcoal blouse, black slingback pumps and the finishing touch of a vibrant red lip. It’s the modern neutral that requires no special occasion, just the desire to dazzle.

This article appears in the June 2024 WWD Weekend Issue. WWD

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WWD Summer Color Palette Fashion Inspiration: Model Jacquetta Wheeler walks Fendi’s spring 2000 runway show wearing peach and silver tones that are trending today. Photo by Davide Maestri/Penske Media via Getty Images

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Meet the Author

Adam Mansuroglu is the director of commerce for Footwear News and WWD, overseeing strategy for shopping content on both brands, along with writing and editing shopping guides, product reviews and shopping trend stories across fashion, beauty, home and lifestyle product categories for men and women. Prior to his current role, Mansuroglu was a fashion editor and stylist at Cosmopolitan Magazine, style editor at BestProducts.com, and senior style and gear editor at Men’s Health Magazine. Mansuroglu has been tapped as a shopping expert for editorial websites such as Wirecutter, and his writing has also appeared in Out Magazine, Esquire and other publications.

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