The Runways Have Spoken: These 5 Unexpected Colours Are Upstaging "Boring" Neutrals in Spring 2026
Wallflowers, beware. This season, standing out is the new fitting in, and fresh, vibrant hues are top of the agenda.
It's likely that wherever you are in the UK right now, you've been experiencing some less-than-ideal weather. Grey, overcast skies, chilly winds, more than enough rainfall to last the year—where exactly is the joyful spring energy we've been patiently waiting for? As it turns out, if you need a dose of dopamine to get you through the next few months, the first place you should turn is the runways.
No matter the rain in Reading or the storm clouds in Sheffield, the spring/summer 2026 shows presented plenty of outfit inspiration to get excited about. From open cardigans and puffball minis at Prada to bursting-bouquet prints at Chloé, this season, more is more, and even if it isn't time to shelve our chunky knits and jeans quite yet, when we do, it will be in celebration of the very best fashion that spring has to offer. Dresses! Skirts! Jackets! Sandals! Sorry, minimalism, but we're ready to dress for the weather we want, not the weather we have, and if we need to make an occasion out of simply leaving the house without an umbrella, so be it.
As fashion editors, we're often asked what to wear in February and March, and thankfully, at Who What Wear UK, we happen to be experts in trend forecasting. This season? It's all about spells of colour. White tees and camel trenches will never go out of style, but after the longest (and wettest) start to the year, since well, last year, we're lifting the mood with fun prints and a fresh new palette.
So, which colours are replacing black, white, grey and beige, according to designers? Expect an exciting, colourful revamp in the form of a deep berry hue, a pretty pastel, a retro throwback and the return of the most discussed colour of 2025. Intrigued? Keep scrolling for our round-up of the spring 2026 colour trends worth noting.
1. Deep Merlot
Style Notes: Burgundy, oxblood, black cherry, maroon: whatever you prefer to call it, rich, deep red is the wintery shade sticking around for spring and summer. Less intense but with the same grounding weight of black, designers made a case for the long merlot dress this season in place of the LBD. Keep things light with strappy sandals and a mini bag, and play with shapes like gathered waists, pleats and voluminous sleeves to amp up the colour's regal connotations.
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A street-style star in the making.
Alaïa's knit dresses are known for their superior sculpt and hold.
An expensive-looking co-ord that is all the more impactful for not being cream or black.
2. Ballerina Blush
Style Notes: Remember when we were all swept up in the hot-pink Barbiecore phenomenon of 2023? With that bright fuchsia all but a distant memory, 2026's take on pink is a subdued pastel that whispers rather than shouts. Chiffon skirts, lace slips and cute pumps in sugary-sweet shades breathed new life into the runways after a gothic autumn/winter season, and set the tone for Valentine's Day, along with Easter and blossom-tree season to come. The easiest way to wear the trend? Pink knits pair well with blue jeans and flats, but don't forget accessories, too!
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The ideal throw-on-and-go knit to dress up jeans and trainers.
The kind of indulgent underwear-meets-everyday-wear best reserved for your dream life.
These also come in khaki and chocolate-brown, but the pink is too pretty to ignore.
3. Aquamarine
Style Notes: It's not often you see pops of turquoise outside of boho jewellery or '90s clothing references, but after seeing aquamarine popping up in the Burberry, Coach, Dior, Prada, Shushu Tong and Armani shows, it's about time we gave mermaid-like tones of blue their moment in the spotlight. Surprisingly chic (especially when finished with black bows and scarves), expect to see more of this refreshing hue cropping up in the eveningwear category as gowns and shoes that are designed to turn heads.
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This will go with so many more outfits than you'd imagine.
Ease yourself into such a statement colour with a simple dress that needs no accessories.
Just add a fine-knit cardigan and sandals when the weather warms up.
4. Khaki Green
Style Notes: Attention! It's not all pretty pastels and floaty fabrics; toughen up delicate layers with structured khaki pieces that nod to the colour's utility and military roots. Take particular note of Balmain, Uma Wang and Isabel Marant's head-to-toe looks as a point of reference—the supersized trousers and boxy jackets are silhouettes we're convinced will crop up time and again, but particularly around high summer when safari styling always comes back around.
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How to make khaki feel sexy.
There's nothing we don't love about this menswear-inspired styling from Mango, but this jacket would look just as good with a pretty slip dress.
Looking for standout denim? You can find just about any fit, wash or colour at Free People.
5. Lemon Sorbet
Style Notes: You guessed it, 2025's biggest colour trend is sticking around for another year, but if there's any difference at all in the pastel yellow from then and the pastel yellow now, it might be a slightly cooler undertone. Warm, sunny buttermilk cooled down to a frosty lemon sorbet at Givenchy, Issey Miyake and Stella McCartney—the perfect pop of colour against spring's clean whites, inky-blue denim and even khaki.
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This is the kind of smart buy that you'll wear again throughout autumn and winter too.
Breezing about in this shade of yellow is bound to make you happier.
The dream spring/summer slip.
