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What kind of color palette is used for a spring look?

The arrival of spring brings about a sense of renewal and freshness. After the cold, dark days of winter, the bright colors and warmth of spring feel invigorating. This changing of the seasons is reflected in spring fashion and beauty trends, which emphasize light, vibrant colors that evoke the feeling of new growth.

Pastels

Pastel colors are a hallmark of spring style. Soft, muted hues like lavender, mint, peach, and baby blue reflect the delicate flowers and pale green buds that bloom in the springtime. These romantic shades add a feminine touch to spring outfits.

In fashion, look for pastel-colored dresses, tops, shorts, and accessories. Mint and lemon sorbet shades are very on-trend for handbags and shoes this spring. For beauty, try a pastel eyeshadow look featuring lavender, melon, and seafoam shadows. Pastel pink and peach blushes also exude a youthful spring glow.

Here are some examples of pastel colors for spring:

Pastel Color Hex Code
Lavender #E6E6FA
Mint #F5FFFA
Peach #FFE5B4
Baby Blue #89CFF0

Bright & Vibrant Colors

While pastels are popular for spring, brighter and more saturated hues also speak to the season. Winter’s dull, dark colors make way for energizing, vivid colors that reflect the bursting blooms of spring.

For fashion, look for dresses, tops, accessories and prints in vibrant shades like emerald, tangerine, fuchsia, cobalt blue, and marigold. These eye-catching hues pack a punch when mixed and matched. For beauty, try an electric eyeshadow look featuring bold yellows, greens, blues and purples. Neon pink or coral lipsticks also evoke springtime fun.

Here are some examples of bright, energizing colors for spring style:

Vibrant Color Hex Code
Emerald #50C878
Tangerine #F28500
Fuchsia #FF00FF
Cobalt Blue #0047AB
Marigold #FCC006

Neutrals

While pops of color are important for spring, neutral basics still have a place in the spring palette. Crisp whites, creams, tans and lighter gray tones help ground brighter colors and create a clean, fresh look.

A white sundress or button-down looks right at home among vibrantly colored spring pieces. Neutral wide-leg pants, skirts, shorts and tops serve as versatile base pieces that can be dressed up with floral prints, colorful shoes and handbags. For beauty, a neutral beige or brown eyeshadow can make brighter eyeshadow shades pop.

Here are some neutral basics to incorporate into spring outfits:

Neutral Color Hex Code
White #FFFFFF
Cream #FFFDD0
Tan #D2B48C
Light Grey #D3D3D3

Florals

Floral prints are synonymous with spring style. Blooming flowers in nature inspire floral patterns and designs that cover everything from dresses to tops, skirts, pants, and accessories. Big, bold florals make a statement, while small, delicate designs have a more romantic, feminine vibe.

Look for florals in a range of color palettes – pair light pink and peach florals with pastels for a soft look, or match vibrant purple, yellow and red blooms with bright solids. For beauty, floral nail art and flower-adorned hair accessories accentuate the floral motif.

Here are some examples of popular floral colors and patterns for spring:

Floral Style Color Palette Description
Pastel floral Light pink, lavender, mint, peach Soft, delicate small blooms create a romantic look
Vibrant floral Fuchsia, emerald, tangerine, cobalt Bold, bright blooms make a graphic statement
Neutral floral White, black, grey, tan Black and white or tan and grey florals project a chic vibe
Tropical floral Coral, lime green, turquoise Exotic, colorful blooms inspired by nature

Stripes

Along with florals, stripes are a spring staple that never goes out of style. Nautical-inspired breton stripes in classic black/white or navy/white combinations feel crisp and fresh for spring. More colorful variations, like rainbow or pastel pink stripes, convey the season’s sense of whimsy and fun.

Look for striped tees, blouses, pullovers, dresses, and accessories like scarves, shoes and handbags. Vertical and horizontal stripe patterns both work, depending on the garment’s cut and design. For beauty, striped nail art using spring-like color combos helps complete the seasonal stripe theme.

Here are some stripe color combinations to try for spring:

Stripe Style Color Combo
Breton stripes Black/white, navy/white
Pastel stripes Pink/mint, lavender/peach
Rainbow stripes All colors of the rainbow
Colorblock stripes Bold solids like coral/navy or yellow/black

Gingham

Alongside florals and stripes, gingham prints are a staple for spring and summer wardrobes. The graphic check or plaid pattern comes to life in spring-inspired shades like sky blue, grass green, coral and yellow. Gingham conveys a casual, farmhouse chic vibe perfect for picnics and outdoor activities.

Look for gingham button-downs, shorts, skirts, dresses and accessories like handbags, scarves and hats. Small-scale gingham reads as a micro-check, while larger gingham checks make more of a statement. For beauty, gingham-patterned nails, eyeshadow or accessories pull the print through the entire spring look.

Here are some classic gingham color combinations:

Gingham Style Color Combo
Traditional gingham Navy/white, black/white, red/white
Pastel gingham Mint/lavender, peach/baby blue
Bright gingham Lemon/white, pink/turquoise
Neutral gingham Tan/off white, taupe/grey

Tie Dye

Tie dye prints are back in a big way for spring style. After experiencing a major resurgence in 2020, the psychedelic swirl print remains on-trend this season. Tie dye offers a playful way to wear color by blending multiple shades in one garment.

Look for tie dye dresses, t-shirts, hoodies, shorts, leggings, and sneakers in an array of rainbow colors. More tonal tie dye prints in shades of blue, pink or yellow also speak to spring’s colorful vibe. For beauty, try tie dye-inspired eyeshadow or nail designs.

Here are some popular color combinations for tie dye fashion and beauty looks:

Tie Dye Style Color Palette
Rainbow tie dye All colors of the rainbow
Pastel tie dye Shades of pink, blue, purple
Neon tie dye Vibrant green, orange, yellow
Earth tone tie dye Shades of brown, tan, olive green

Animal Prints

While animal prints like leopard and snakeskin are wearable year-round, they take on a fresher vibe for spring and summer. Lighter, more colorful versions of these prints complement the bright hues of the warmer seasons.

Look for leopard and snakeskin prints on dresses, skirts, tops, shoes and handbags. Pastel leopard prints in shades of blush, mint or sky blue offer a youthful take on the pattern. For beauty, try pink or blue leopard print nails or animal print temporary tattoos.

Here are some examples of spring-ready animal prints:

Animal Print Spring Color Variations
Leopard Pastel leopard, neon leopard, blush leopard
Snakeskin Pastel snakeskin, teal snakeskin, coral snakeskin
Zebra Rainbow zebra, rose gold zebra, blue zebra
Cheetah Blush cheetah, neon cheetah, sky blue cheetah

Camouflage Prints

Camouflage prints are getting a stylish makeover for spring fashion. While traditional army green camo never goes out of style, newer interpretations feature brighter colors for the warmer months.

Look for camouflage prints on t-shirts, shorts, pants, baseball caps, and accessories like purses and backpacks. Rainbow camouflage offers a playful take on the pattern, while pink camo delivers a feminine vibe. For beauty, camo-print nails or temporary tattoos extend the military motif.

Here are some updated versions of camouflage to try for spring:

Camouflage Style Color Palette
Rainbow camo Bright rainbow colors
Neon camo Neon green, orange, yellow
Pastel camo Shades of pink, purple, blue
White camo White, black, gray

Conclusion

Spring’s colorful seasonal flowers and blooms inspire the vibrant color palettes and joyful prints seen in spring fashion and beauty trends. Pastels, brights, and patterns like florals, stripes, gingham and tie dye reflect the optimism and cheer of springtime. As winter fades to spring, incorporate these lively colors and prints into your wardrobe and beauty look to embrace the spirit of renewal and rebirth that comes with the changing of the seasons.