Seasonal Colors in Fashion – When to Wear Which Colors
Many people love to be noticed when they walk around or attend meetings or parties – especially when wearing a snazzy getup like a suit, dress, or tuxedo. What about you? Are you that type? If so, you’re in for a treat with this article.
This article is all about what time of year it’s best to wear which color. But, why is this even important? And why does this concept of seasonally dependent colors seem so familiar?
As everybody knows, most people don’t have even the slightest idea of which seasonal colors to wear or of seasonal clothing colors in general. This is a pity because colors (in fashion) are meant to be embraced by every man, woman, and child in this world. Funny enough, children are the ones who care about color the most, actually!
Every color you wear harmonizes or antagonizes with your personality. And, depending on the current season, one color can seem fitting (to your character) when another might not. Makes sense, right?
Well OK, let’s figure out everything there is to know about seasonal colors in fashion and why the concept somehow seems to make sense.
What are Seasonal Colors?
One Color Scheme Per Season
Quite simply, seasonal colors are those that fit the current season well. Suitable colors for winter, spring, summer, or fall can vary drastically. Choosing colors according to how often you encounter them in nature during that season is usually the best way to start.
For example, take fall (or autumn): The colors you find outside during this time of year are brown, orange, red, and olive. Other, less obvious examples would be yellow, dark green, or burgundy.
But why do we associate these colors with fall? Well, because we’re used to them. Or rather, we’re used to seeing combinations of these colors during that time of year. Seeing orange and red blobs on a brown background just remind us of fallen leaves, right?
And you know what? The same goes for clothing (and fashion in general).
A study on Seasonal Changes in Color Preferences even suggests that color preferences are linked to variations in environmental colors - especially in leaf color. So, we could even go so far as to say that the color of the foliage outside influences seasonal color fashion trends the most.
According to another study by the University of Maribor, springtime is associated with light yellow, summer with light blue, autumn with red, and winter with dark blue undertones. This theory paired with one on leaf color might be the key to understanding seasonal color preferences in clothing and fashion.
Seasonal Clothing Colors
A frequently asked question on the internet is: “Which colors should I wear in different seasons?” Well, most find it hard to choose the color they should wear. And you know what? We don’t blame them. It’s not easy. But we can make it easy.
If you wear color combinations that are similar to those found in nature during your current season, your usually good to go. Literally.
Each season allows us to wear different varieties of colors. Take a moment to think about this. Seriously.
And..?
If you keep in mind what we just said about seasonal color combinations, you can create different “color schemes” for each time of the year. For simplicity’s sake, let’s just stick to the “big 4” and maybe a few holiday seasons, OK?
By the way: A man’s (or woman’s) body features and preferences are still the most critical factors that determine which color suits him (or her) the most. But each season has its impacts, and that is why we shouldn’t ignore the following paragraphs:
SOME COLOR PSYCHOLOGY?
Clothing Colors for Winter
Which are the colors you find outdoors during the winter season? Well, mostly dark, somber colors – especially dark browns and blues. And yes, if there’s snow outside, also white.
So, it comes as no surprise that anyone wearing dark clothing colors in winter will look spot-on. Dark materials complement a man’s (or woman’s) looks better in the winter season. Sprinkle in some white and you’re good to go.
Clothing that is black, dark gray, dark brown, or navy blue is usually most suitable for winter. We suggest adding a few sprinkles of brighter, more explosive accent colors to those otherwise quite somber outfits, though. We recommend going for bright or light accents from the same (or similar) hue.
For example, if you choose a predominantly dark blue canvas, try accenting with light blue. For a more daring look, try out a bright smidge of blue’s complementary color blue-green (cyan) – maybe in the form of a pocket square or socks.
You might say: “What about the whole winter = Christmas thing?”. This is a very legitimate question.
Well first off, Christmas time isn’t necessarily in winter. For the southern hemisphere, it’s actually during the “summer months”. But yes, Christmas clothing color schemes do also give the feeling of winter. More on this topic later in this article.
Another benefit of dark clothing is that it absorbs more light and will therefore heat up slightly. This keeps you a little bit warmer in those winter days and nights.
Spring Season Colors
Spring seasonal clothing colors are white, light pinks, tints of blues, mint green, and lavender. Each of these colors looks fantastic on anyone – even on men. Seriously. You should try them.
Generally speaking, clothing colors for springtime are light and not bright.
Spring is considered the season of rebirth. There is an abundance of colors in nature with so many variations and contrasts available that sometimes selection becomes difficult. But the colors we mentioned should be a man’s first choice when it comes to choosing the most fitting clothes to wear for this season.
Light and warm colors are favorites for springtime, and light yellows and pinks are some excellent examples to wear for men. Especially when it comes to office style, we suggest going with lighter suits and shirts.
For example, try a light gray suit with a floral pattern shirt – like in the image below. You could also try a pair of colorful socks to bring yourself (and others) into that spring mood.
By the way, as an added bonus, these colors actually make you look more youthful, healthy, and energetic. Read more about this in our article on which colors make you look younger.
Summer Seasonal Colors to Wear
Bright and bold colors are a go-to in the summer season. They dominate all other variations of colors and for good reasons.
During summer the sun almost never seems to set. This gives people a lot of time to enjoy the outdoors during the daytime. Colorful clothing looks best under sunlight. The sun just makes the colors shine and glow the way they are supposed to. This is why bold colors tend to work well during the summer months.
Bright colors will create a glow around you and your personality. They make you seem more energetic and vital. Do not choose a heavy fabric or dark colors in warm and hot climates as they can make you sweat like you’re sitting in a sauna. All you have to do is carefully select a fabric that is easy and comfortable to wear in hot conditions – not just thin, but also bright or light textiles.
More often than not, it’s easiest to just wear less during summertime. But what if you’re not “allowed” to wear less? For example, if you work in an office and need to show up in a suit and tie every day.
Well, we suggest sticking to the same rule as with suit colors in spring. Suits (and shirts) for men with light colors are usually the best choice. Try a light gray, tan or beige jacket and pants with a plain white shirt. The classic baby blue shirt is also a great choice during summer.
In general, try sticking to light threading and tinted colors on hot summer days – especially when it comes to your canvas pieces (sweater, jacket, shirt, pants, etc.). You can (and should) mix in some nice colorful accents to bring out the “summer vibe” a bit. People will love it and so will you.
Autumn Colors to Wear
As fall approaches and summer’s about to end, fashion and clothing styles take a turn. As previously discussed, the colors of fallen leaves in autumn are considered to be the dominant seasonal clothing colors to wear. They include dark browns, reds of different shades and tints, and oranges.
Generally speaking, as temperatures drop, so do the values of the colors people wear. In other words, people tend to wear darker, less bright colors to fit the colder weather. The funny thing is that they do it unconsciously!
Think about it – you do it as well. But why? The answer is quite simple.
As soon as our brains notice that we receive less sunlight, we fall into a sort of “winter depression”. This has nothing to do with the very serious medical condition (depression). It does, however, affect our mood and desire to stand out – among many other things.
We tend to then wear clothes that help us blend in with our surroundings and keep us from being overly eye-catching. This “condition” starts during fall and ends sometime during winter. Interestingly, right around Christmas (hmm, I wonder why).
Look around you the next time fall starts rolling in. As soon as the trees start changing color, so do the clothes of every man, woman, and child. It’s actually very predictable.
Suddenly, colors like burgundy and dark brown start making appearances on the streets and in offices (just never pair the two).
The once beige suits are now swapped for black or dark gray ones and gone are those nice brightly colored summer skirts the ladies like to wear. Now, say hello to brown coats, tan boots, mustard-colored scarfs, and Bordeaux socks.
Isn’t fall lovely?
Seasonality Changes Clothing Colors
Why are clothing colors different for each different season? At least by now we all know this fact to be true – but why is it so? Here’s the quick and dirty answer:
Clothing for lower temperatures is (on average) less colorful than that for higher temperatures.
A slightly longer answer to this question would be that we are used to associating different colors and patterns with distinct seasons. As the season changes, our association with different colors changes, and the trends change according to seasons.
Brands studying consumers take their valuable customer feedback and choose their clothing colors for new arrivals accordingly. Makes sense, right?
Now, since large brands know that the “winter blues” (the depression-like state we addressed before) exists, they make their autumn and winter clothing darker and less brightly colored than their summer or spring collection.
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The same is suggested by a study on Color Features of Luxury Brand Clothing published in the International Journal of Affective Engineering.
Summer is famous for those yellows and bright greens, and similarly, fall is renowned for deep reds and oranges. The spring season is associated with light tints of yellows, greens, and pinks, and winter is famous for its dark and cozy clothing styles and colors.
Why Should you Care for Seasonal Clothing Colors?
Usually, no one judges you for what colors you wear in which season. This is because people don’t consciously perceive a change in their own fashion color preferences.
But, if you want people to notice you for what you're wearing, or would like to be the center of attention for any big occasion, then seasonal colors do matter.
Sure, you could always just wear colors that never go out of style, but where’s the fun in that?
Like with dressing for the occasion, you can and should also dress according to the seasons. For example, wearing a light pink suit to the office can be considered fun and energetic during summer but during winter… Well, let’s just say it would be rather awkward. Same suit – different context.
Some studies have even shown that people are most attracted to clothing colors that are found in the environment of the season they are currently experiencing. This phenomenon is called “sticking to trends” and it’s what fashion is all about.
Trends make up the largest part of fashion, actually. But, there are always a few steadfast rules you can stick to look your best (with the clothes you already have).
Choosing Clothing Colors According to Temperature
We all know that you should wear less heavy fabrics during the hot days of the year. Similarly, most of us know that some types of textiles let our skin “breath” more easily than others. Some fabrics help us store heat better by insulating us from outside weather conditions and so on.
This is all-important to know, but what role does color play in regulating body temperature?
First off, we’ll be diving deeper into this topic in another article soon, so be sure to subscribe to our member letter to be informed when we publish it. But for now, the following information will have to do.
As already discussed, dark colors absorb heat from strong light sources much better than light colors. So, it makes sense not to wear a lot of dark colors during the summer. Conversely, it might be good to wear darker shades during winter, where every little ray of sun could then more easily warm you up.
Lighter colors on textiles – especially white – reflect (sun-) light strongly to a point where anything underneath them stays nice and cool. This is why the people in dessert-heavy regions of the world wear mostly white or other light colors.
This would be a great get-up to wear at the beginning of fall: it’s not too hot but also not too cold. | Socks: Color Crates
For gentlemen and ladies, such as our readers, customers, and ourselves, this means that on hot days, we should choose light colors and light fabrics to wear. Linen or light-weight cotton weaves are among the best picks. We should always look to wear tints or colors of higher value so we don’t heat up too much outdoors.
As temperatures drop, our color schemes of choice should become darker and (for autumn) warmer. We could maybe choose a dark brown or orange coat with a dark-colored shirt, just like the colors of fallen leaves.
As temperatures start to rise again, we instinctively reach for clothes from our closet that are less somber. We should then actively choose lighter and brighter colors again to get everyone back out of the “winter blues”.
Holiday Season Colors
What are the colors of Christmas? They’re red, green, white, and gold of course!
Funny enough, most people forget gold – which actually isn’t a color but rather a yellow-orange with a metallic effect. But try to picture Christmas without gold. It’s just not the same, isn’t it? Without gold, it’s just the color scheme of the good old Italian flag.
As you can see, we all associate certain events with colors. This happens normally because we grow used to these events being presented in the same color scheme over and over again.
Most prominently, when we think of the colors we mentioned above, we think of Christmas time. Interestingly though, we only do so when these colors appear grouped. If we are just presented with red and white, we don’t normally think of everyone’s favorite December holiday. But, as soon as you add green and gold to the mix, you surely do. The same goes for any other color scheme.
This color scheme somehow just seems Christmas-y, right? Well now you know why.
Holiday colors have a lot to do with traditions. It’s how you grow up and get to know and love certain color schemes that make a connotation so strong.
Put everything in bright red and yellow/gold and you get a Chinese New Year theme. Decorate everything in white, green, and brightly colored dots and you set the mood for Easter. Go full orange, purple, and black and everyone thinks of Halloween.
But, what does this have to do with clothing? Well, everything!
To get yourself and the people around you in the mood for certain holidays, you should dress accordingly. Wearing a light blue sweater won’t bring up those Thanksgiving feelings, but a dark orange one definitely will!
Be smart about your clothing colors. It can make a big difference – especially when it comes to holiday clothing. It’s all about setting the mood and giving in to traditions.
If you’d like to learn more about color schemes and palettes, we suggest you read up on the topic in our designated article. What you’ll learn there could be quite an eye-opener.
Why Wear Colors According to Seasons?
As the seasons come and go, new fashion trends and seasonal colors come and go with them. The fashion industry continues to evolve, and with that, our sense of colors also keeps changing.
We all need to understand the relationship between colors and seasons. And if we use the knowledge in this article to better stand out while fitting in (what?), we can make life that much easier.
This is what COLORBUX is all about. We like helping you make small things in your life easier just by consciously choosing which colors to wear in certain situations. We highly suggest you read our other articles so you can stack up these small differences to actually change your life substantially.
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