Retail reconnaissance: new finds by seasonal palette
I was a few minutes early to meet a friend for lunch, so took a quick spin through some nearby shops to see what’s new. If you’re looking to add some color to your fall and holiday season wardrobe, good news: I found some fall tops, jackets, coats and sweaters in every seasonal palette!
Fall tops, jackets, coats, sweaters
It can often be difficult to judge colors online, so being able to see colors in person makes a big difference. Here are a few of the pieces I saw during my “retail reconnaissance.”
Summer
Summers, I have heard your cries in the wilderness, so was delighted to stumble onto some of your colors in the new Ann Taylor collection. You’ve asked me to keep an eye open for “going out” tops for you, and I think this one is a very nice option. It can layer underneath a jacket, and is available in sizes XXS-XXL.
There are several pieces in this pretty orchid color, and I thought this cardigan was also a very nice choice.
Here’s a relaxed v-neck sweater, available in Misses & Petite sizes.
Eileen Fisher has a lot of good Summer colors in the current collection, including Tea Rose, Cassis, and (some) Claret. (The deeper versions of this color can also work for Winters.) If your holiday or going out style is “relaxed elegance,” this silk shirt might work for you.
A velvet blazer is such a great piece to have on hand this time of year. This one is very close to the Plum in the summer palette. Sizes 00-18.
I think this satin blouse would go quite nicely with that blazer…in sizes XXS-XL.
More for Summers
I’ve focused pretty heavily on the Summer palette here, as those colors can be tougher to find this time of year. But I did spot a few new pieces for the other seasons too…
More holiday & special occasion outfit ideas
Winter
Winters, I’m seeing a lot of your Emerald greens this season, so if it’s one of your favorites, you have some great choices. This silk shirt is lovely, and available in sizes XS-XXL. There are several other colors too, some available in Petite & Tall sizes.
This image is a terrible representation of the color of this blazer, which is also a gorgeous emerald green. (I wish retailers would stop adding these “vintage” filters to their images, or at least give us ONE that shows the true color! 😡 ) This jacket is offered in several colors, in Misses, Petite and Tall sizes. (Autumns, check out the “Yellow Gingko Leaf” color!! 🤩)
Not just another beige trench…Winters, this “Razzle Dazzle” color is for you! It’s selling fast, but there are still a few sizes left in Misses & Petites. (Reviewers say it runs large.)
Autumn
Autumns, there’s LOT in your palette available now. For something a little different and festive, I like this shimmer long cardigan in Copper. Available in sizes XXS-XXL.
The color of this coat is really gorgeous, in between Kingfisher and Marine Navy in the Autumn palette. Sizes XXS-L and Petites available. (Summers, there’s also an Orchid version for you!)
Spring
Aside from a few sweaters, I’m not seeing a lot of new options in the Spring palette. As we head into the holidays, look for warm and orangey-reds, like this sweater blazer. Sizes XXS-XXL and Petites.
Are there any colors that have caught your fancy lately?
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I still don’t know what season I am, but fortunately I do know which colours suit me haha.
You are right, there are clothes in every colour for every “season”.
Greetje
I love love love the way you’ve been telling us lately the colors for seasons. It is so helpful n interesting. I wish I lived closer so I could come n see you but Louisiana is a way off. Thx again for your insight it refreshing n helpful
Spring colors are often hard to find at this time of year. Thanks for trying!
Thank you! Summer colors are so difficult to find, especially in the colder months.
This is my first time viewing the new and “improved” BR website and I gotta say, I don’t like the layout (on a PC). Further, their photographer and stylist need to find new jobs, as the photos not only didn’t convey color consistently across the page (not to mention online vs. real life, as you mentioned), but they highlighted all the cheap manufacturing shortcuts BR is taking — the underside of the blazer’s lapel, shown on the emerald green page, where they’ve just folded under the lapel and stitched it down (would have failed 8th grade Home Ec) and the emerald green silk blouse’s shoddy hem and facings. OMG. What is happening with clothing??
On a positive note, your color choices are beautiful!
Bette, I think our modern fashion merchandising is based on lower cost / higher volume sales, since before 2000. When I was a teen in the 70’s, clothing was based on the seasonal cycle. Now, fashion merchandising seems rather monthly or at least double or triple the old quarterly cycle. And using computer sales data that can be gathered daily, publicly-owned retail Co.’s can run sales whenever they see that they are behind on sales goals. So all of this pushes us, sometimes unwittingly, into buying more but retailers are generally substituting lower quality fabrics for items with a shorter life cycle and/or reducing construction quality: many sweaters that used to be wool are now acrylic mixes, for example. Gorgeous when new, but likely to pill or wash poorly.
Thank you, thank you for remembering us Summers. It’s been so hard to find cool-weather tops this year. Love the orchid popover top — I’ll order as soon as I get back from my trip — but the link to the orchid crewneck sweater doesn’t show that color. Maybe it’s sold out already
Curious to know if anyone else feels like the colors of their season don’t really suit them. After following your blog and Instagram, I was inspired to have a color analysis. I tried to incorporate the clothing and makeup colors suggested, but feel like they make my skin look too pale and like you see the bold colors instead of me. Just don’t feel comfortable in my skin in the winter palette… I also wonder if it’s just because I’m used to seeing myself a certain way and the new palette requires some adjustment. If this is common after color analysis, would love to see it addressed in a blog post!
I agree completely, Anna. I’m also a Winter and I do not wear most the high contrast jewel tones that are supposedly best for Winters. I stick to the mid-range colors and have moved black completely away from my face (by adding a scarf or silver/pearl jewelry with my black tops). There are multiple considerations in color analysis, including tone and value and contrast, that have to be included. I agree with Greetje, above, that most of us have an intuitive sense of what looks good on us and we should listen to it.
Ooh. I forgot to add texture as being important. For me, that’s huge. While I might not look great in smooth and shiny fuchsia silk, the same color in a nubby cotton sweater is perfect for me. Texture and sheen — a key factor in color analysis!
Yes. I feel the same way about myself being identified as a clear Winter. I have quiet personality and don’t feel comfortable (most days) in bold colours. I have been sticking to neutrals – but feeling bored about the lack of colour in my wardrobe. Some days I don’t mind at all about a mostly black and navy wardrobe with grey bridging both – its functional. But I don’t feel any joy or fun overall in my chosen colours. And I do love colour – I am better suited personality wise to the Summer gentle cheerfull (but not in colouring) . I have found second hand shopping is sometimes a good way to try out a colour before committing a larger sum of money. But haven’t yet found any clear Winter mid-toned colours that suit my quieter personality. It’s a bit frustrating as at 51 I feel I should have figured this all out by now.
Hi Anna, I’ll be addressing this in more detail in a future post, but once we determine someone’s season, we go through the entire palette and assess which colors within that palette are best, and how the client might wear them. The end result is that each person has a very individualized palette, taking into account not only their colors, but lifestyle and preferences. It’s also quite common after a color analysis to feel a bit “adrift” in the new colors, especially if they’re quite different from what you’ve been wearing. It can take some trial and error to find the mix and colors that feel right to you.
Anna, I am also a winter and while the bold colors “probably” make my skin tones look good, I also feel like they wear me and not the other way around. I just don’t feel comfortable in such bold colors. But there are toned downed versions that suit my comfort level better which I use as accents pieces like scarves or layering tanks. And fortunately I love black, grey, white and navy.
Anna, I am also a winter and while the bold colors “probably” make my skin tones look good, I also feel like they wear me and not the other way around. I just don’t feel comfortable in such bold colors. But there are toned downed versions that suit my comfort level better which I use as accents pieces like scarves or layering tanks. And fortunately I love black, grey, white and navy.
After reading some of these comments I feel the same about my colors. I am supposed to be a summer but feel washed out sometimes and have to add more makeup. But sometimes winter colors are way too bold. So I’m not really sure sure about my palette.
It would be nice if you could give us some ideas when we’re not sure about our colors. I even sometimes think I could be a Spring although my hair is completely silver. I live too far away to get an analysis done even though that is probably what I need.
My hair is white and cut very short. I use makeup that brightens my face but not in a garish way.
I wear lots and lots of black. I get loads of compliments.
Do what makes YOU feel good. Too much overthinking and categorizing are not always productive.
Soft Surroundings has a beautiful, substantial cashmere sweater in a color similar to that “Summer Orchid” color. Theirs is called “Mulberry.” And I haven’t seen it in person, but they have pretty “Orange Red” one that might work for Springs.
https://www.softsurroundings.com/p/tatiana-cashmere-sweater/70/
I’m an Autumn and wear lots of the usual autumn colors (browns, tans, etc) but I’d love help finding some of the other colored tops in my palette (teals, purple, reds) to add some variety.
I have been trying to find a good trench coat to wear over winter blazers with out looking like a stuffed marshmallow. I live in Minnesota, 5 feet tall 115 lbs, usually wear a small petite. Do you have some good recommendations? Or solutions. It’s cold here already so you need to layer.
Thank You
Leann
I’m prolly some combo of fall and winter. But I usually wear the winter colors in the summer. I love intense color then.
I don’t look bad in pastels but I hate how they make me feel—washed out. I only wear them in the winter. My wedding dress was ice blue.
It’s like I have a season-within-a-season palette.
I’m a Soft Summer and really appreciate your finding some summer options Susan! So many times the Summer season is ignored when seasonal clothing is featured. It is interesting too, to try and distinguish from the broader Summer colors (from 4 season systems)and Soft Summer colors (from 12 season systems). Such an interesting subject and I’m so thankful that you’re taking it up. I look forward to learning!
Susan, thanks for finding these colors and styles of autumn clothes. I am a Winter, and I have always loved a deep jewel green.
I have to pipe in on Banana Republic. BR changed their design and strategy a bit, and I was so excited last year to try some of their newer styles. I went to an actual store to look, and was so disappointed in the quality of the fabric and the construction. I thought they would be introducing some healthy competition to J Crew, but not at this point. BR is just not worth the money.
As a petite, I also found that while an item might be offered in four or five colors in a “regular” size, it will probably only be offered in black and maybe beige in a “petite” size. That is true for most of the industry, not just BR. Certainly I’m still glad you are looking for colors out there. As a small size, I will pay for alterations if the basic garment merits it.That’s a bout as good as it gets for now.