Do you change your colour palette for summer? - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Dressing

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Do you change your colour palette for summer?

Molly L-R

Inspired by Hil's 'Vision for Summer' post, I'm curious. Do you find yourselves dressing in different colours for summer than you would for winter? Here in the UK we are currently suffering from a serious dearth of summer (on an early birthday trip two days ago I wore a roll neck jumper and corduroys!), so I've not given much thought to the matter. However, I'm wondering if I should? My dominant autumn/winter/cold spring palette is warm, rich, autumnal colours. I have a couple of saffron yellow/chartreuse T-shirts that I reach for in the summer to feel a bit brighter.

How, if at all, do you change up the colours you wear for summer? Or do you wear the same colours but in thinner fabrications?

Dressing

28 replies

Latest reply was from kkards

Jjsloane

Veteran

I definitely tweak my palette by the season either by shade/tone of color and/or fabrication. I wear red year round, but different shades in winter (think true red - christmas red) than summer - more tomato. I wear navy year round and change from wools to linens and cottons. Thanks to Angie I now wear white year round, again fabrication changes except for denim all the time. I wear grey only in fall and winter, but silver in summer. I wear black year round. I add camel, gold and dark orange in fall (although now have a mustard summer dress).

Nicola

I don't think I change colours terribly much between seasons, although there seem to be more colour choices in summer. I know what suits me and most of the time I stick to that. I'm seriously thinking about some off white jeans this spring though ( it's winter down here at the mo) after seeing lots of them on YLF.

I don't change colours much but I'm beginning to mark the seasons a bit more by saving some clothes for different seasons rather than wearing them right through. I'm enjoying thinking more seasonally than I used to.

Anonymous

Definitely! Like you I like to follow my 'colours' and stay quite true to them; but I always wear a lighter selection from my range of shades that flatter me. A few days ago when the UK weather was a bit iffy to say the least, I turned up at school in white on the bottom and light coral on the top. A pal of mine had black leggings and black boots with a wintery looking jacket on. All I could think of was that I do darker colours enough in the winter and I want to 'feel' like summer, even if we don't have a summer. Colour has a real effect on mood for me and it has to feel right. That means a change up along with the seasons.

lyn67

Veteran

Yes, I DO-oh, well, not exactly like that, but you know what I mean:-)
I wear white, turquise and my coral only in spring/summer. Then comes fall/winter is all about burnt orange, greys, deep reds and creams. Blacks, navy, taupe and chock browns all year round. And denim! But different washes. Lighter in summer, of course.

missvee

Veteran

I have an autumn palette too and I definitely change some of the colours for spring/ summer. I'm wearing white jeans a lot for a start. Tops in soft sunny yellow, turquoise, spicy red, faded denim and soft apricot. And lots of winter white too. I still wear my darker olive cargo jacket because I think it grounds the lighter palette.

harmonica

Veteran

Yes, definitely! I like to wear lighter colours and more brights. I'd like to add a pair of white (or whiteish) trousers and topper too, but I think I'll put it on my list for next year. It brightens my mood and it's fun to change it up. I don't mind black for summer, but like too add a spring/summer vibe in shoes or other accessories. Summer is never hot here and changing colours and footwear is the easiest way to get a feeling of spring/summer in outfits (last year I was wearing wool in July and shorts / skirt was just a few days all summer - this year seems better though)

Anonymous

I think I wear a fairly consistent colour palette year round. I might vary the proportions of colour but they are all there.

Eliza

Veteran

Most years, I stick with similar color palettes year round. My neutrals stay the same, with less white in the winter months (for practicality). My accent tones may be brighter in the summer, but usually remain in the same color families that flatter. This summer got off to a slow, rainy start and I find I am very drawn to brighter colors and seasonal accessories.

TraceyLiz65

(website)

Veteran

Yes, i don't wear as much brown, red or dark green. I wear more white, navy and brighter shades of green.

Lisa

Veteran

I do a few color swaps. White replaces black, tan/beige replaces brown, and I bring in prints on my knitwear in place of solids. Since the knits are worn without layering in warmer months, I let the prints add some interest to the outfit.

Sarah A

Veteran

I wear clearer brighter versions of colors in the summer, ive tried some of them in the fall but they dont feel quite right. If th fall I wear more muted colors and neutrals. Although most of the typically "autumnal" colors do look well on me. I like the richer jewel tones for the cooler months. Graphic back and white is a year round look

Laurinda

Veteran

YES. Here with four distinct seasons I wear bright cheerful colors in spring & summer, earth tones and jewel tones in fall, red/black/gray/white during the winter.

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

(website)

Veteran

I don't tweak my colors seasonally much: my neutrals - black/white, some golden tan, stay the same. I just shift to cooler fabrics and less
layers.

JJsloane just said something about reds that really make me think: I have red pieces that I only wear in winter - sweaters, heavier scarves, that are the color of holly berries, or the ivory of a creamy eggnog drink, or the rich green of a fir tree. Tomato red is a summer red for me, as is the fresh spring green of newly-formed leaves. They aren't conscious choices, but instinctive ones. I think I'm going to move forward with this color idea for fall and winter - and let Nature help me pick the shades and hues for my accents and accessory pieces.

Carole

Veteran

My spring and summer accent colors are usually brighter versions, for example tomato red rather than berry or plum.

Thistle

Veteran

I reach for more lighter colors in the summer months for sure. Partially because they are more available in summer fabrications, partially because the snow and gross is gone so you don't ruin it on the first wearing, and partially because the warmer weather makes me want to wear lighter colors.

Anonymous

I used to, but then I felt like I had to have a lot more clothes. Burgundy only felt "right" to wear in the fall/winter (which is only like one month here, lol!) and turquoise was only for high summer. These are mental hang-ups that I know Angie does not have, but I do! I couldn't seem to wrap my brain around wearing any color any time, so I worked to get the colors out that I associated with certain times of the year. Now my wardrobe is all neutrals and pretty season-less, and I'm really liking it (for now--who knows what next year will bring).

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I add more optical white in the warmer months - especially on top. I wear black tops in Winter. For the rest, my palette is extremely consistent no matter what.

black, white, cream and ink (no grey or brown) - but yes on a tiny bit of charcoal for bottoms.
Citron, tomato red, turquoise, shocking pink
Light Blue, French Blue and Blush pink

A very small amount of purple, cobalt, orange and emerald.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I tend to wear different versions of my signature colours in different seasons -- slightly different tones. So, for instance, I always wear blues. But I'll wear a brighter cobalt in spring and summer than I might wear in winter, where the blues I'll pick are softer or darker on the whole. I wear more white in summer, and more taupe in fall/ winter. More charcoal and black in winter. Navy is year-round. Fuchsia is year round. Orchid is year round, but I wear it more in spring/ summer. Cranberry is year round, but I probably reach for it more in winter.

I definitely change the fabrications to lighter weight items.

Diana

Veteran

Well, I do wear more white, and I think I wear more white-based prints rather than black based prints in the summer. But I do still wear a lot of black and my favorite dark, saturated colors in summer.

I think though that my overall look is lighter because of more bare skin.

Molly L-R

A number of people on here have mentioned that they wear pretty similar colours all year long but wear brighter and clearer summer versions of the colours that they wear in autumn/winter. This is a great idea! Perhaps I could switch out my petrol/peacock blues for a lighter turquoise in the summer.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I find that some of my colour selection depends on the quality of light. Colours actually look different here in the summertime. So that has something to do with it.

Anonymous

I really only like bright white on me in the summer with some tan ( mostly self tanner). I reach for more brights in the spring/early summer but go back to darker tones as favorites by mid July when hot colors make me feel too warm wearing them. But I like brights again in the fall through the holidays.

rachylou

Veteran

I do in a general sort of way. Probably the most noticeable and complete removal is my browns and rusts.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

My neutrals are the same year round but the proportions may vary.

I wear ink/navy, grey & white (I still have some black pieces that are gradually being replaced).

amiable

Veteran

Yes, I think so. I guess I'm still new enough to style to not really know.

I kind of suspect that I dress for (or against) the weather. I craved very saturated colors and jewel tones all winter, but as soon as Spring hit, I noticed the brightness of white and loved it. Now that the midwest is all beautifully colorful in the middle of summer, I find myself drawn to gray and white. But I still do love a punch of color.

I suspect at least half of my changes though are also my style evolving. Perhaps it's too early in the game for me to say what's seasonal and what isn't

Deborah

Veteran

Not really. I think my colour palette is pretty consistent regardless of the season.

Hil

(website)

Veteran

Haha - I am chuffed that my post inspired another

I don't know if practically, my wardrobe colours changes all that much but I feel more of an affinity for light and bright, white and green etc in summer and dark greys, khakis, black and jewel in winter. I think that fact subconsciously affects my shopping choices. I plan to shop with more intention this coming summer and I am hoping to incorporate lighter and brighter a lot more!

kkards

Veteran

i'm with caro, my colors don't really change, but the proportions do vary.