Fashion's Next Big Color Trend Is *Very* Unexpected

Contrary to what you've heard about New York being the city known for head-to-toe black, this season's runways proved to be very bright. Following a summer of bright neon hues, New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2020's color trends included pastels as soft as pistachio green, baby blue, and orange sorbet. And as much as we love a Pantone color of the year, designers are the ones dictating the biggest color trends in fashion.

There's really no wrong time to sport dreamy pastel colors, but of course, it's only fitting for these shades to flourish in the spring. According to designers like Jonathan Simkhai, Tibi, and Area, cotton candy colors like mint green, pale pink, and lavender will soon be everywhere. And it's not just the runways displaying the shift in colors: the best street style from NYFW showcased cheery, hard-to-resist pastels, too. Whether you decide to try out a the trend in a monochromatic look, or with a pop of color thorough an accessory, it'll no-doubt instantly liven up any ensemble.

Even if you consider yourself the stereotypical New Yorker who can’t seem to steer away from all-black outfits, this color trend just might be the antidote you need. Ahead, see the five pastel colors that took over NYFW.

Pistachio Green

You probably never thought green would become so sought-after in the fashion industry, but here we are. Just one season after slime green took over the runways, a softer trend emerges: Meet pistachio green, the newest take on the trendy color. For SS20, designers like Tibi and Ulla Johnson showed minty green dresses, while Priscavera gave a lesson on how to perfectly layer a simple pastel turtleneck under a flashy mini dress.

Orange Sherbert

Orange is most definitely the new black — well, at least according to the runways. Frankly, the color can be intimidating, but a pastel iteration of orange is easier to incorporate into any wardrobe. Dion Lee went full-force and mixed together multiple pastel orange shades into its runway look, while Jonathan Simkhai used the same shade, but with different materials in its ensemble. Tory Burch and Area went a more dressy route, splashing a muted version of the color on sleek dresses.

Baby Blue

Light blue could be considered a classic, as it will never really go out of style. Collina Strada had a ball with the color, incorporating it in every piece at its outdoor show this season. And Pyer Moss not only showed the lovely shade in its pleated dresses, but swiped it over the models eyes for a matching beauty look. Lastly, Adeam showed how to mix baby blue with neutrals by throwing a preppy blue cardigan over a collared beige dress, below.

Lilac

Purple screams spring, so unsurprisingly, it was seen all over the runways this NYFW. Area didn't hold back, the color made a loud appearance in a shapeless dress, metallic purse, and ruffled heels on the runway. Kate Spade showed how to mix lilac with contrasting shades like bright orange and beige. And Maki Oh made a case for the color, showing how to couple light and dark purple to create an eye-catching look.

Millennial Pink

Remember the millennial pink craze that arguably started when Glossier launched way back when? Well, it's making its way back into our closets. Whether you're a fan of the "girly" color or not, there's no denying pastel pink is a fresh shade to add into the mix. While Jonathan Simkhai showed it in a chic lace slip dress, Sally Lapointe included light pink in a structured suit and matching oversized hat. Lela Rose showed a head-to-toe version, too.