The trending colours last autumn/winter were predictably dark and muted, with burgundy and chocolate brown leading the charge.
But this year, following the lead of the fashion week runways, designers are experimenting with saturated blues, regal purples and punchy reds for more striking autumn/winter fashion.
And while these colours looked perfectly styled on the runway, working them into your wardrobe can be a different story – particularly if your idea of adventurous dressing is swapping a black jumper for a navy one.
Incorporating colour doesn’t mean going all out – even if it’s bright.
Stylist Clare Chambers, known online as The Personal Brand Stylist, says that “given that last autumn/winter the colour palette was literally black, burgundy and brown, this season I have been injecting rich shades into all my clients’ wardrobes in the form of an accent to refresh and reinvent all the dark and muted neutrals they already have in the wardrobe.”
But what are the colour trends and how do you style them this season? Stylists break it down and share their top tips.
1. Yves Klein blue
Named after the French artist who became synonymous with the vivid shade, Yves Klein blue is not a colour like burgundy or brown that lends itself to blending in.
It appeared across the autumn/winter 2026 collections, including at Stella McCartney, Givenchy and Bottega Veneta.
“That brilliant hue is something of a palette cleanser, a shock of the unexpected that instantly lifts your spirits,” says celebrity stylist Deborah Sheridan-Taylor.
“I love how evocative this colour is, worn head to toe in a single texture […] it’s utterly modern, almost like stepping out of a painting.”
But if wearing electric blue from head to toe feels a little ambitious, Chambers suggests starting with just one piece.
“Like all the rich hues around this season, the recipe for colour success with every outfit is to use blue as an accent, meaning wear only one cobalt-coloured garment.”
A cobalt jumper worn with ecru jeans is an easy place to begin, while Sheridan-Taylor suggests layering a merino wool turtleneck beneath a black trouser suit and finishing with white lace-up flats.
For more adventurous combinations, she recommends pairing mustard yellow, chocolate brown or burgundy with the blue.
And if you’re not ready to commit to clothing, Sheridan-Taylor recommends trying the shade through nail varnish instead.
Cos Cobalt Blue Rounded Wool Crew-Neck Jumper, £95
2. Royal purple
Purple has had a complicated relationship with fashion. Historically associated with royalty, it can also bring the garish Eighties to mind.
It results in being a fairly difficult colour to wear, as Sheridan-Taylor says, “there’s something slightly off-centre about wearing purple and that’s the element I enjoy most.”
The simplest way to introduce it is through knitwear, with Chambers pointing to the high street for a great selection of purple jumpers.
“But rather than just wear your purple jumper with jeans, wear with a pair of navy or chocolate wide-leg trousers,” she says.
Texture can also stop the colour from looking too formal. Sheridan Taylor recommends vintage purple leather belts, soft suede trousers or mohair knitwear, while combinations with lilac, dark green and even lime – as seen on the Prada runways – can make for more interesting outfits.
Zara 100% Wool Short Sleeve Jumper in Purple, £45.99
3. Sky blue
Pale blue might seem too summery for autumn/winter, but that’s exactly what makes it interesting.
Rather than packing away lighter colours once the colder weather arrives, the stylists suggest changing the fabrics and colours you wear alongside them.
“It’s all about texture to keep it seasonal, a thick corduroy, a mohair, a wool, something chunky and knitted or crotched,” says Sheridan-Taylor.
She suggests looking for sky blue in trouser suits, A-line skirts or jacquard fabrics that work well with dark brown for autumn.
Chambers agrees that the trick is to move away from the white and cream combinations, instead suggesting to use sky blue “as an accent colour to a tonal outfit of chocolates and caramels”.
A sky blue T-shirt or shirt collar peeping out beneath a darker knit introduces the colour without making it the focus of the outfit, while a pale blue cashmere jumper pairs perfectly with a chocolate brown silk midi skirt.
Brora Sky Blue Needlecord Shirt, £69 (was £179)
4. Poppy red
Poppy red sits closer to orange than the wine-coloured shades we’ve grown accustomed to in our autumn wardrobes, making it particularly striking against darker winter fabrics.
If you’re feeling particularly daring, Sheridan-Taylor says, “I love it against a ruby red, or going back and forth with the aforementioned, purple and Yves Klein blue!”
She also suggests pairing a poppy red cashmere jumper with white velvet trousers and a floor-length sky blue coat.
For a subtler approach, Chambers says red cashmere socks with black loafers or a jumper tied around the shoulders with indigo jeans works really well.
And Other Stories Red Cashmere Socks, £37
5. Chartreuse green
Sitting between yellow and lime green, chartreuse isn’t necessarily an easy shade to wear close to the face, but that doesn’t mean it should be avoided altogether.
Cropping up throughout autumn/winter collections, this acidic green is a deliberate departure from the muted, earthy shades typically associated with colder months.
“Chartreuse is definitely a tricky one,” says Sheridan-Taylor, “I have plenty of clients with a firm no against this unusual quirky colour because it reminds them of Seventies flock wallpaper.
“I adore it. I love how it instantly interrupts the conversation of a look.”
She suggests wearing it with navy, cobalt blue, purple or khaki, and particularly likes chartreuse accessories like a satin shoe against an otherwise plain outfit.
“If you only have a small pop of it in the form of a top showing through as a layer under a jacket, it does make for a really fun colour injection,” says Chambers.
She suggests pairing it with the same colour family, like dark olive rather than black, creating a more subdued and tonal combination. For Chambers, a chartreuse blouse with just the cuffs visible beneath a fluffy jumper, worn with a slip skirt is a way to make this sharp shade feel more wearable.
John Lewis Brushed Cashmere Sleeveless Crew Neck Cardigan in Olive, £109
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