Sorry, These 7 Color Trends Simply Aren't Making It to 2026

Welcome to your 2026 color download. Sorry to Pantone, but while its hue of the year—Mocha Mousse—is a pretty shade, we're going in a decidedly different direction with our trend reporting. If you want to know about what will really be hot in the fashion world, then you've come to the right place. After analyzing the fall/winter 2025 and recent spring/summer 2026 collections, we spotted key themes that we can already say with certainty will come to define the upcoming season and the year at large.

As with any fresh batch of trends that arrives, there will inevitably be a decline in several more that have served their time. Out with the old, and in with the new, right? While you should prepare to see a range of new-season shades like powder pink, martini olive green, and a neutral we're calling cashew milk, we should warn you that you may notice a decline in a few not-as-fresh colors too.

Ahead, discover the fashion color trends that are in for 2026 (they're the ones you'll see in every street style gallery during fashion month, stocked on every virtual shelf, and sported by all your in-the-know friends) and, consequently, the outdated hues we're officially phasing out.

The Color Trends

While the runways this season offered plenty of bold colors to play with, designers were nearly unanimous in their preference for one neutral hue in particular. Meet cashew milk—a warm cream that's not quite white but also not quite beige. This milky shade appeared in some of the season's most elegant looks, including a satin pant set at Tove, airy organza at Khaite, and a gathered off-the-shoulder top at Brandon Maxwell. Regardless of silhouette, one thing is clear: This nutty tone is poised to be 2026's It neutral. In fact, it's already begun to eclipse camel as the go-to choice for achieving that quiet luxury vibe.

We know—we're sad about this one too, but the overall mood that fashion is taking is one of saturated brilliance. That means that baby blue is falling by the wayside. In its place is emerging a much more vivid shade of blue, a turquoise that verges on cobalt that we're calling Capri blue. Tory Burch did this fantastically with a wool funnel-neck coat, but it popped up elsewhere in the collections at Chloé, Versace, Saint Laurent, and Fforme, prompting us to question whether blue really could be the new black. Alas, only time will tell!

Are you sensing a theme yet? Looking ahead at the year to come, watery pastel hues, although undeniably pretty, are getting overshadowed by bolder and more saturated tones. Royal purple is a perfect example of this shift: Designers backed the strong and powerful violet hue on their runways, and we saw it at Prada, Balenciaga, Valentino, and more. It signaled a decisive move away from the lavender that fashion people previously favored.

There's no denying the impact Barbie pink had on pop culture and fashion, but it's safe to say that 2026 will see the decline of the highly sought-after hot-pink aesthetic. Instead, the pink we'll all be reaching for this year is, without a doubt, powder pink. This cool-toned alternative is a barely-there wash of color that taps into the girlhood-coded aesthetic everyone is talking about on social media. Delicate fabrications like satin and organza are key themes for this shade, as seen on the Khaite and Carven runways, and sculptural silhouettes from Victoria Beckham and Alaïa further enhance the ethereal nature of this pretty pink.

Light yellow has been trending for a minute now, but 2026 is the year the color will reach true viral status. Instead of burnt orange, the first spring outfits will be defined by these lemon-tinged hues, especially in soft, romantic shapes like the looks from Chanel's and Toteme's runways.

Whenever we report on trends that are on their way out, it can feel like things are moving too quickly to keep pace. Here's a piece of trend news that should ease your mind: Burgundy is here to stay. Expect the rich hues that have been dominating all season to stay at the top, but this season, there will be a renewed focus cast on the shades at the deeper end of the spectrum, namely shades of Bordeaux and merlot that border on plum. Because of this, bright scarlet red won't be at the peak of the trend anymore. It isn't fully out, but the emphasis is shifting toward a much moodier direction.

One color we can say with 100% confidence won't be rearing its head in 2026 is neon green. The choke hold that neon green had on us all circa 2019 can't be denied, but by now, you shouldn't be surprised to read that the time for highlighter hues is over. We've entered the era of soft, subdued palettes. Now loading: martini olive green, a muted emerald that's reminiscent of the Castelvetrano olive that comes submerged in a dirty martini. It's only grown stronger in recent collections, where more designers joined Gucci in backing the new hue. Since it pairs so well with black, white, beige, and gray, it's set to be one of the most wearable colors of the whole season.

Why Trust Us

At Who What Wear, fashion is our speciality. Our editors have years of industry experience, from reporting on seasonal fashion trends seen at international fashion weeks to working with some of the most recognizable names in fashion. Every item we recommend is carefully selected based on current trends, quality, and real-world wearability.

We regularly try pieces ourselves, including everything from best-selling jeans to designer shoes; speak to external experts and fashion insiders; and stay closely connected to what our readers are searching for. Our advice is grounded in expertise and has to pass our exceptional taste levels, so you can feel confident in every recommendation.

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