3 Unexpected Color Trends Winning Me Over

These polarizing pairings are fresh for spring.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 3:51pm

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A high-contrast silkscreen print featuring a repeated grid of a single fashion item, such as a sneaker or pair of jeans, rendered in a bold, neon color palette with heavy black outlines, conceptually representing the vibrant and unexpected color trends emerging in spring and summer fashion.Unexpected color pairings and retro-inspired fashion pieces are breathing new life into spring and summer style.NYC Today

Fashion editor Nikki Ogunnaike shares three unexpected color combinations she's embracing for spring and summer, including a timeless pairing that's surprisingly popular, a softer take on bold colors, and an updated classic.

Why it matters

As the weather warms up, people are looking to refresh their wardrobes with new color palettes and style combinations. Ogunnaike's insights into emerging color trends can help readers discover fresh ways to approach their spring and summer fashion.

The details

Ogunnaike highlights three color combinations she's excited to wear this season: a timeless pairing that's surprisingly popular, a softer take on bold colors, and an updated classic. The timeless pairing is a color combination she thought was unique for her summer wedding, but turned out to be a popular trend. The softer take on bold colors involves pairing a cooler shade of blue with royal purple. And the updated classic is wearing brown Jacquemus x Nike sneakers with an old pair of Tibi painter jeans, which creates a less harsh look than black and red.

  • Ogunnaike recently acquired the Jacquemus x Nike sneakers she's been wearing.

The players

Nikki Ogunnaike

The fashion editor who is sharing the three unexpected color trends she's embracing for spring and summer.

Jacquemus

A French fashion label that collaborated with Nike on a sneaker collection Ogunnaike has been wearing.

Tibi

A fashion brand that previously sold a pair of painter jeans that Ogunnaike owns and has been wearing with the Jacquemus x Nike sneakers.

Kallmeyer

A fashion brand that currently sells a pair of painter jeans similar to Ogunnaike's old Tibi pair.

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What they’re saying

“Imagine my surprise when I found out the colors I thought I so uniquely chose for my summer wedding turned out to be…extremely popular? Just goes to show that there are no new ideas!”

— Nikki Ogunnaike, Fashion Editor

The takeaway

Ogunnaike's embrace of unexpected color combinations shows how fashion trends can evolve in surprising ways, with classic pairings and bold new mixes both finding popularity. Her insights offer readers fresh inspiration for updating their spring and summer wardrobes with a modern, stylish flair.