The Controversial Color That'll Make Any Outfit Look Expensive

As a rule of thumb, if you're on a tight budget and you want your outfit to look polished and conceivably expensive, the easiest route to go is wearing neutrals. Black, brown, white, beige—you get the point. These versatile hues are the effortless go-tos that always get the job done. That being said, if you live for a splash of color, then this isn't exactly the most exhilarating advice one can receive. Don't fret just yet though. Thankfully, there's a spring color that not only looks consistently expensive but also satiates your love for all things bright and cheery: pale purple.

For the last several seasons, a saturated purple has been at top of mind in large part thanks to Balenciaga's slew of offerings in the radiant tone. However, this spring it seems a sun-stained, paler version of the royal color is going to be a trend worth wearing. Influencers and editors alike wore the elegant color throughout fashion week, and brands at both sides of the price spectrum are offering staples and trend-forward separates in the milky hue.

That said, the color purple can be a bit controversial: A large portion of people don't even own anything purple and struggle with how to wear the hue. To help those that aren't quite sure about the spring-y shade, we rounded up ways to style it and shopped out the best budget-friendly picks to get the look.

It doesn't get much cooler than a pale purple leather coat (except if you add white sunglasses and a leather scarf into the mix).

Style your pale purple top with a going-out skirt (preferably embellished with sequins) and a pair of chunky sneakers for a street style–inspired look.

Balance a purple-on-purple ensemble with a trench coat and white sneakers for a cute weekend brunch look.

The pajama dressing trend is always a good idea, especially when it comes by way of purple silky slacks.

Pale purple and yellow go together like two peas in a pod, as witnessed above.

If you live somewhere where a jacket or coat is still necessary during spring, consider an outerwear piece in a pretty shade of purple to lighten the aesthetic.

Accidental Icon's Lyn Slater proves a non-basic trench is a very, very good idea.

A pale purple bag to make all of your other bags jealous.

Up next: Our market editor test drives spring's biggest color trends.