Winter is coming!
By the time you’re probably reading this, another Great British summertime is coming to a close and those breezy, chilly autumn and winter days are on their way back!
It's time to dig through the wardrobe and prepare for another winter - but what are the fashion trends for winter 2021/2022, and what colours should you hunt for?
Winter colours don’t necessarily follow the same old stereotypes year in and year out.
We probably associate winter with black, beige, grey...all your standard monochrome and stony colours. This is true, to an extent, but colours go much further than your standard blues, reds, greens, yellows and shades of white, grey, black and brown.
In fact, when you really look into the Pantone colours - a colour system used in art, print and fashion design, you can find hundreds of highly unique colours.
There are over 1,000 colours in the Pantone range which is pretty crazy when you think about it.
That’s a lot of colours, and a lot of inspiration!
Without further ado, let’s check out the best winter colours for the winter of 2021/2022!
Winter Fashion Colours Palettes
The general vibe of most winter colours palettes is rich and slightly muted, but still strong and powerful rather than dull. These types of colours are powerful in their own way without really screaming out loud, they pack calm, mature and sophisticated attitudes.
The best winter colours for 2021 are deep and stylish with plenty of depth and strong pigmentation. Earth tones and shades of grey always have their place in winter clothing and can create a balanced, modern and cohesive look that can be toned up with colourful accents.
Here is a Pantone colour palette featuring some in-trend winter 2021 colours.
You can instantly see how these colours are very unique - you might question how you’ll find clothes in these sorts of colours. You’d be surprised, though. Gorjus London offers this classic green leather purse in winter colours and this leather body bag in a wonderfully wintery purple.
Here are some tips on how to use this winter colour palette:
- Look for blues or greens that aren’t quite your typical shades. True Blue, Ultramarine Green and Strong Blue here are both classic blue shades, they’re more regal than your typical bright greens and blues.
- Browns, yellows, ochre, olive and oranges are all warm earthy tones - perfect for winter. In essence, these colours are similar to your classic browns and cream earth tones with a touch of originality - easier to find than you think!
- Most of these colours would work well together. Blue and orange might look like one of the more clashy pair of colours on paper, but these complementary colours look superb together due to their opposite position on the colour wheel. A wardrobe that features a few of these colours would be very simple to mix and match outfits from.
Here’s an example of a classic and timeless fashionable winter colour palette:
As you can, the colours here certainly have some punch and attitude on the right-hand columns, but also plenty of warmth and depth. They’re rich colours, heavily pigmented, almost royal or luxurious.
The middle column contains teals, blues and winter purples, pinks and mauve. Again, the colours are rich and bold without being overbearingly bright and garish.
The left-hand column is your classic earth tones. There are some unique colours here like gold or ‘old gold’, blue slate and green-grey. Many of these colours are sophisticated and thoughtful, they reflect the mood of winter very well.
Looking for brighter winter colour ideas? Check out this next brighter winter fashion colour palette:
This palette contains some more familiar and brighter tones. Lavender and sky blue and both superb for crisp winter days, they really reflect the vibe of cold but sunny winter weather.
Turquoise is another classic colour but pale turquoise provides a fresher, cleaner and brighter tone - perfect for winter.
In terms of bright colours, lemon yellow, red, fuchsia and rose pink are all sublime options for winter fashion. You don’t need to drape yourself in bright colours, look to pair bright colours with earthy tones for a dynamic winter look.
Blues are some of the most reliable winter colours, but navy has been one of 2021’s trendiest colours.
As Esquire put it, navy is simple, stylish and sophisticated. Vogue concur, citing that navy combined with dark denim is a surefire way to look cool, smart and stylish.
There’s a reason why navy features in virtually any winter or fall colour palette - it just works so well with so many outfits. Monochromatic outfits that feature different shades of blues or greens look greater in winter. Add layers for effect - warm and stylish!
- Pair bright and dark colours in complementary hues (e.g. pink and blue)
- Light colours look great on bright winter days
- Red is a warming colour, perfect for the coldest winter days
- Darker colours, e.g. burgundy, suit jackets and trousers well
- Greys combined with strong blues and reds look classy and sophisticated
- Monochrome outfits look smart and cohesive in winter
- Use bright, contrasting accents to lift a dark outfit
Add Red for Success
Red is a classic winter colour. Christmas is all about red and green - these are the classic Christmas colours. Red has many connotations with winter, but choose darker, more sincere reds for fashion beyond Christmas.
Dark red has the depth of a winter colour without ever looking too bright and garish. Very dark, sultry and luxurious reds have a classy, high-end feel to them.
This dark red below is called Daredevil - it’s pretty much blood red. This type of red is less bright than stereotypical Christmas colours and works very well with blacks, grey, white and other earthy tones.
Dark and sultry blood reds are set to be one of the prime winter colours for 2021/2022.
Kind of Blue
Miles Davis’ sublime album Kind of Blue evokes its own wintery moods. Hidden wine bars, smooth jazz and a warm brew - these are the kind of vibes that darker blues can evoke.
As we’ve already discussed, navy is tough to top when it comes to the trendiest fashion colours right now. But, there are many shades of blue that suit winter.
Blue is a strange colour, as you’d traditionally associate it with coldness, but that’s necessarily the case. Below is a Pantone colour called ‘Classic Blue’, voted the Color of the Day in 2020.
This isn't a cold blue by any stretch, it’s classic and welcoming. If you want to go down the colder route - which is totally valid for winter wear - then look towards lighter blue colours. The closer you get to ice blue, the colder you get. Ice blue itself is a striking colour and looks awesome on a crisp winter day.
Classic blues can bring a suave and sophisticated look to any winter outfit in 2021/2022. It has an excellent balance between depth and style.
Earth Tones and Stoney Colours
Earth tones are superb for winter. Earth tones are split into two categories; warm earth tones and cool earth tones.
Colder earth tones generally include greys, especially slate greys. Anything that looks stoney with a slight bluish tinge - your typical pebble colour.
Warmer earth tones veer more towards brown and dark orange-brown, or ochre.
All earth tones have their place in winter clothing and make excellent colours for winter outerwear and knitwear; coats, jackets and chunky knit jumpers.
Cool earth tones also work with pretty much anything. They’re a bit more interesting than plain greys, white or black. Partner cool earth tones with classic blues, light blues, turquoise and leafy greens.
Warmer earth tones certainly work best with other warm colours like blood red.
Monochromatic earth tone outfits look great in winter.
Curl Up in Faux Fur
Faux fur is typically cream, white, black or other similar earth tones or shades of grey.
The classic cream faux fur jacket has become a real staple in recent times. Fleece is also great; similar in texture, warm and snuggly.
Both heavy fleece and faux fur look great in classic warm colour palettes. White and black can be some of the classiest colours for faux fur, especially when paired with accent colours.
Accent Colours for Winter
Accents for winter include your jewellery, scarves, hats, bags, shoes and other accessories.
You can style your accessories in matching or contrasting colours. For a monochrome look, matching accents can keep our entire outfit smooth and cohesive. Often though, it’s a great idea to ramp up the colour intensity of accents, especially if you’re wearing typically dark winter colours.
Bright reds and greens are winter classics, perfect for around Christmas time. Dark and heavy coats with winter trousers are lifted by colourful accessories.
Accents like earrings, necklaces and other jewellery also let you select winter emblems and designs like conifer trees, snowflakes and winter animals.
For example, these bauble earrings are very cool and cute - perfect for the winter period!
Long, flowing earrings also look superb in winter, almost like falling snow or icy waterfalls.
How to Match Clothing Colours
One of the trickiest elements of shopping for coloured outfits is finding colours that meet your expectations.
We’re well aware that finding unique colours can be difficult. Bring your colour palette with you so you can check colours as you shop. Matching colours isn’t rocket science and it doesn’t have to be exact. For example, you might have it in your head that you’re looking for a lighter navy blue with a slightly unconventional twinge, aka. Classic Blue.
Many fashion houses and clothing manufacturers do use Pantone colours, so you might find more exact matches than you think.
You can use Pantone’s colour picking tool to browse their huge range of spectacular colours.
Print off your results and it’s time to shop!
3 Steps to Colour Matched Shopping
- Know your colours. There are thousands of colours, familiarising yourself with some of the more unique ones (e.g. classic blue vs navy) will enhance your outfit choice
- Print off palettes. Take them with you so you can compare your pre-planned colours to clothes in the shop and online
- Experiment with colour matches. Clashing colours of paper (e.g. blue and orange) are actually well-known to be complementary colours that look great as outfits.
Christmas Colours for 2021
Christmas - it’s one of the most colourful times of the year!
From decorations to clothes, gardens, interior furnishings and wrapping paper, Christmas is packed full of colour.
But what are the winter colour fashions for 2021?
As mentioned already, the classic winter colours are red and green. Red is the colour of Santa Claus, winter berries and mulled wine. Green is the colour of Christmas trees and other winter greenery. These classic colours are timeless and can be mixed and matched easily.
Christmas colour trends don’t stop at classic reds and greens, various shades of blues evoke snow and ice whereas orange, red and brown are warm and evocative of snuggling up by the hearth.
Summary: Winter Colours for 2021
The winter of 2021 - it’s only a matter of time!
Winter colours revolve around:
- Earth tones, which provide the glue and grounding to an outfit. Warm earth tones like red-brown, orange and ochre are perfect for winter, but cold earth tones like slate are superb too.
- Deep, strong colours, like blood-red or classic blue. These strongly pigmented colours are deep, fairly dark, but also powerful. The perfect mix of characteristics for winter fashion.
- Choose warm and cold colour outfits. Warmer outfits are perfect for cosiness and can warm and brighten up particularly dark and miserable winter days. Cold outfits are striking, perfect for bright, icy days.
- Add colourful accents if you feel an outfit has become too heavy or dark. Colourful purses and bags can really lift a winter outfit from dull to impactful.
- Faux fur, bold accessories and accents are all the rage for the winter of 2021. They can really help an outfit stand out on a dull, wet day.