The Biggest Color Trend of 2026 Is Here (and It's Not What You'd Expect)

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If you scroll right now on TikTok, you might notice a very specific trend where users spin and twirl around in an outfit silently with simple bold text layered on top of the video. The content of the video and the meaning of the text isn't what matters here, instead its the very specific shade of color used for the latter.

Everyone right now seems to be gravitating towards light pastel colors, particularly in a baby blue, millennial pink, buttery yellow or mint green tone. And what seemed to start out as part of a content creating trend has now proliferated into the fashion trend cycle at large. Light dainty pastel tones are on track to be everywhere by the start of Spring 2026.

Pastel color trend

(Image credit: Getty Images)

pastel color trend

(Image credit: Getty Images)

There's something about the look that feels reminiscent of the indie sleaze look of the early 2000s. Remember wearing pastel blue tights underneath a silver spiral skirt? Look around and you'll see a lot of people recreating that exact look right now in New York.

Pastel color trend

(Image credit: Getty Images)

pastel color trend

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The pastel color trend though is more than just a little nostalgic. It's also easy to wear. Neon colors can feel too abrasive and neutrals can feel, well, too neutral. Pastel colors are a nice in between. They're more exciting than black or white but less loud than brat green.

Pastel color trend

(Image credit: Getty Images)

pastel color trend

(Image credit: Getty Images)

pastel color trend

(Image credit: Getty Images)

They're also just delightful and soothing on the eyes. As we officially bid farewell to quiet luxury and prepare for a maximalist wave, pastel colors feel like the perfect transitional trend for right now.

Shop the pastel color trend.

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Tara Gonzalez
Tara Gonzalez
Senior Fashion Social Editor

Tara Gonzalez is a senior fashion and social editor at WhoWhatWear. where she is interested in exploring the intersection of fashion and culture and why we are drawn to wearing the things we wear and what that says about the world we live in. Previously she worked as a senior fashion editor at Harper's Bazaar. When she isn't writing trend deep dives for WWW, she's working on her newsletter on Substack, Cult Classic, which explores the very best fashion in film and television. She has a degree in creative writing from The University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Brooklyn with her boyfriend and pug Bjork, the later of which has a very extensive collection of dog-sized Sandy Liang sweaters.