Finally, Some New Summer Color Trends That Don't Feel So Expected

Every season brings its own associated color scheme: Autumn is all about Ivy League hues like burgundy, brown, and various dark shades of yellow and green. Meanwhile, spring is packed with pastels, including butter yellow and baby pink. These colors are popular in their designated seasons for a reason: They match the year's changing environments. But sometimes, at least if you ask me, constant coordination can get a bit boring. That is why this year, I'm focusing all my attention on those color trends that don't quite fit the stereotypical summer look. Suffice it to say, apart from one rogue shade of purple, don't expect to find pastels carried over from summer in the shopping guide you're about to dive into.

After studying the spring/summer 2024 runways as well as my Instagram Saved folder, I've edited down this season's color trends to nine unexpected shades, ranging from really anti-summer options like brown, gray, and oxblood, to only somewhat rogue inclusions like red, green, and magenta. From the looks of it, the move is to either style them monochromatically or stick with bold accessories, like an eye-catching bag or pair of shoes (preferably made of satin or mesh). However you choose to style the forthcoming color trends, you can rest easy knowing that they won't start to feel stale partway through summer. That outcome just isn't possible with unexpected options like these.

GRAY

Gray's shift from Rocky Balboa's gym uniform to spring's chicest color happened pretty suddenly. One minute, the color painted our go-to sets for lazy grocery runs and days spent in bed with takeout and a fresh season of Love Is Blind. Then, the latest men's runway shows took place, where all-gray ensembles reigned supreme and offered up a fresh perspective on the oft-overlooked color. Now that it's summer, everyone whose style I admire on Instagram is wearing it from head to toe, including on baggy and fitted suits, kitten heels, handbags, and more. It's one of if not *the* color of the year, and it's anything but expected for the months between May and August.

Shop gray pieces for summer:

BURGUNDY

If gray had any competition this year for the Color of the Year slot, it'd be burgundy (otherwise referred to in fashion circles as oxblood, merlot, and black cherry). Following a massive presence on the spring 2024 and fall 2024 runways, the dark, brooding shade of red has successfully bled into the mainstream style scene, with sightings all over the market, at designer brands like Versace, Hermès, and Bottega Veneta, as well as affordable alts like Zara, COS, and Massimo Dutti. For a typically non-summer shade, it really is making the rounds.

Shop burgundy pieces for summer:

CORNFLOWER

Sabato De Sarno's debut for Gucci during Milan Fashion Week last September really set in motion the return of cornflower blue in fashion, a color that's always coming and going but is now on the rise after the designer mixed it in with heaps of burgundy for the Italian brand's spring collection. Since, it's begun popping up all across the fashion scene, in swimwear, knitwear, and ready-to-wear for summer.

Shop cornflower-blue pieces for summer:

RED

Though red might not exactly come to mind when you think about summer fashion, it does when you think about 2024. After a meteoric rise in 2023, the statement shade has managed to hold on to its firm grasp on our closets and wish lists. And given that it wasn't only prominent on the spring runways but also the ones for fall—including but not limited to Ferragamo, Jil Sander, Altuzarra, Alaïa, and Versace—there's no clear end in sight for the reign of red.

Shop red pieces for summer:

MAGENTA

Magenta is one of those colors that you just never see anymore and oftentimes forget about, which seems difficult given its bright and standout nature. It wasn't until London-based tailoring brand Liberowe released a dress-and-jacket set in the hue that I remembered its value. And ever since, I've begun noticing it everywhere, whether it takes shape as Tory Burch slide sandals or a must-buy Eres bikini. If I ever forget about magenta again, I hereby give you permission to shake some sense into me.

Shop more magenta pieces for summer:

CHOCOLATE BROWN

Chocolate brown for fall? Not at all groundbreaking. Chocolate brown for summer? Actually kind of groundbreaking. But that's what makes it perfect for this season. Pair it with traditionally summery pieces like white or off-white denim, trousers, or skirting for an immaculate vibe that nobody will see coming but everyone will rush to copy.

Shop more chocolate-brown pieces for summer:

EMERALD GREEN

Bright, emerald green is the kind of color that before you own it feels extremely intimidating but once you embrace it with open arms is surprisingly fun and easy to play around with stylistically. Plus, it always looks good. Take a cue from Abi Omole above and opt for a monochromatic set in the shade, or if you're looking for something a tad more entry-level, there is a gorgeous pair of Vince sneakers below that only features a touch of green but still packs a lot of punch.

Shop emerald-green pieces for summer:

LILAC

I said there wouldn't be a pastel color, and I wasn't lying, but something about purple just feels different than the same old baby pinks, blues, and yellows of the inner circles on the color wheel. It's forgotten about and therefore more unexpected than its fellow lightened-up hues. But with the help of brands ranging from Reformation to Saint Laurent, it's going to be very hard for anyone to shift their attention to anything other than lilac this summer. Trust me, I've been trying—hard—and still, I can't quite seem to shake it.

Shop lilac pieces for summer:

TANGERINE

Whenever I think of tangerine-colored fashion, I think of Prada, as Miuccia Prada consistently places the never-expected shade in collection after collection, with each inclusion softening me more and more to the color. And yes, she has gone and done it again. The color arrived in the shoe department in the form of the brand's most viral footwear option of the season: square-toe satin mules from the S/S 24 runway show. But there's plenty more orange where those came from, and all of it will impress for the warm weather.

Shop orange pieces for summer:

This post was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.