As a millennial, I’m no stranger to neutrals. For years my Pinterest boards have been bombarded with images to build the perfect capsule wardrobe, from a crisp white shirt to the perfect grey sweater, to versatile black pants that somehow go with everything. And while I do love a good neutral, after almost a decade of having “clean girl beige” shoved in my face (I’m looking at you Skims), I’m feeling starved for something a little more vibrant. Something with personality.
And I’m definitely not the only one.
The desire for colour has been slowly making its way into the fashion world. With Coachella having just wrapped up, brightly coloured ensembles with clear Y2K inspirations (think Zara Larrson cosplay in the best way) dominated the festival grounds. These influences have been cropping up in high fashion too, with bursts of colours peppering runway collections.
With all of that in mind, it had me looking to Soft Strokes Silk’s sample booklet for inspiration. While there are many colours that get selected for custom orders, I started to notice that some underrated beauties get overlooked. Here are five colours I’m looking to add to my own wardrobe this year that I feel desire some love and attention.
#91 Eggshell
A light grey with a slight touch of green, Eggshell provides some much needed serenity in 2026. An alternative to an outright neutral, Eggshell offers a middle ground for looking to add a little colour to their wardrobe. It’s not a bold colour, but it offers a unique twist with a touch of whimsy. The lightness of it makes it perfect for the spring-summer season.
#33 Pear Green
A gorgeous green with subtle yellow touches, #33 Pear Green is a colour I’m loving right now. Similar shades have been spotted in the spring-summer shows for power houses like Prada, Valentino, and Balenciaga, and there’s something so fresh and fun about this almost citrusy colour. When spun into silk, pear green takes on a jeweltone effect that demands attention. I’d love to see this colour worn as a cami with a simple pair of jeans.
#77 Grape
In a previous blog, I mentioned that purple has been a longtime favourite of mine, which made me all the more excited to see it popping up in various runway shows, including Burberry, Chloé, Valentino, Jil Sander, and Balenciaga. While lighter purples have been popular in custom orders, I’m particularly drawn to #77 Grape. It’s dark and moody with a slight red tint, and there’s just something about it that really draws the eye in. I can really see this particular shade popping off in the fall-winter. Personally, I’d love this colour as a slip skirt to pair with my darker knits for a more modern take on the 90’s whimsy goth vibe.
#57 Chili
There’s something about a bright red that just feels powerful, and our #57 Chili is no exception. Similar to reds that were prominent in shows like Chanel, Christian Dior, and Celine, this vibrant hue demands attention. While reds have been popular in footwear and accessories the last few seasons, the red Mary Jane pumps that have been flooding my for-you pages come to mind, I think with the desire to move away from personality-proof beige, more bright colours like chili will be making their way into retail. In particular, I’d love to see this colour as a slip dress - perfect and exciting for date night.
#10 Daffodil
Lastly, a very underrated colour is #10 Daffodil, and I’m not going to lie - I’m a little surprised this one hasn’t been more popular. Perfectly playful for the spring-summer season, this colour is similar but a bit brighter counterpart to butter yellow, which absolutely dominated womenswear in 2025. And if designers like Prada, Tory Burch, Miu Miu, Bottega Veneta, and Fendi are any indicators, this brightly coloured yellow isn’t going anywhere any time soon. While very primary, I do feel like this colour is a lot more versatile than one might think. In particular, I could see a flowy blouse in this colour working perfectly with timeless blue jeans, or a slinky cami layered under a crisp white shirt gives the Amalfi coast vibes I’m always looking to emulate.
Colours go in and out of fashion all the time, and I think the uptick in brighter shades says a lot about where we’re at mentally and spiritually as a society. Neutrals dominated the pandemic years and it made sense; when things are uncertain you want predictability and stability. While I can’t say the years since then have been exactly predictable, I am sensing a desire to move away from muted colour palettes into something that sparks a little more joy. Fashion is ever-evolving, so why not have fun with it?
