Colors for Spring

Ten color palettes to use for spring dressing, plus printable palettes to tuck in your closet for reference.

May 06, 2026

Today’s post was made in partnership with the color-loving team at Nuuly!
Nuuly is my favorite clothing rental company because it expands what I can do with very limited closet space and a love for getting dressed!

I remember the color of my grandparents’ green carpet that ran down the long hallway where we used to play hide and seek. I remember the color of my first car, a marachino cherry red against the blue skies of Florida summer. I remember the exact shade of the swirled latte foam on top of his drink on our first date. I remember the shade of pink on my own cheeks staring back at me in the kindergarten bathroom after recess.

For me, memories are in color. The very core of my feelings is wrapped in a certain shade. My most vivid moments, tragic and joyful, are in some specific shade when I close my eyes. Color gives me this ability to transcend time and space and return to places I miss and make up new ones. I can tell my hardest stories in hued dots.

I’ve posted my colors and their very specific names online since I was in a dorm room in 2017. And I am always astounded by how they resonate universally. Certain hues with certain words seem to take others to a place in their memories as well. Once, I included this faded maroon hue in a palette and titled it “borrowed sweatshirt,” and it seemed to remind everyone of a past we all shared somehow. Color reminds us we are more alike than we feel.

One of the most exciting things to me is the ability to wrap myself in colors that evoke certain feelings. I get to wake up in the morning and choose that very shade of carpet-green rug as a comfort. Or the flushed red from a love story.

Getting dressed can tell a color story.

Sometimes we get nervous about going bold with color for fear of getting it wrong. Sure, we’ve seen some color clash disasters and don’t want to mess it up. But I think when there is a strong story, it’s possible to make color cohesive and striking.

I’ve made ten palettes to inspire spring dressing, just for you. I’ve also included some examples of outfits (from Nuuly!) to get you thinking, and then a printable version at the end so you can print, cut them out, and tape them inside your closet door!

Each palette strikes a balance of tone, hue, and saturation of interesting shades to wear. My hope is they serve as a reference for getting dressed in a way that is uniquely you. Rather than a copy-and-paste model, you can play with the palette in your own way and see what you come up with!

First, A Brief Color Theory Guide:

To boost your color confidence, let me teach you a quick color lesson (no, seriously, this was a lesson from when I was a high school design teacher). A basic understanding of color theory is helpful for wardrobe, brand design, home design, art projects, etc.

Complementary colors are pairs of colors that, when combined or mixed, cancel each other out (lose hue) by producing a grayscale color like white or black. When placed next to each other, they create the strongest contrast for those two colors. Our human eyes/brain LOVE seeing these contrasts. Filmmakers often use complementary colors to tell strong visual stories.

Analogous colors are next to each other on the color wheel. They create a feeling of cohesion in art because they are made of the same core colors. Examples: blue, blue-green, and green; or orange, red-orange.

A monochrome is one created using only one colour or hue. It can use different shades of one color, but by definition should contain only one base color.

By looking at your wardrobe with an understanding of how visually interesting these colors are to the human eye, you are able to play freely. Change the tint and shade of certain colors, and you have endless creative possibilities for pairings.

Color Studies:

The “Dog Walk” palette lets red do the talking, with supplemental brown and bright grey for balance. In my example, I pair a Damson Madder polka dot skirt with a soft cardigan (both rented from Nuuly) and red boots. You can balance the vibrant tones of the reds with a warmer brown and a soft light grey.

Brown and red are a very sweet color duo, almost like a monochromatic dessert.

The “Spring Wedding” palette is my pick for attending any weddings or large events this season. I’m wearing a strapless floral mini dress from Nuuly’s Wedding Guest Lookbook. You can pick a color to be the hero, or strike a balance of all of the above. I wore a dark dress with bright pastel accents. Rather than going neutral on the shoe, I added a pop of this faded blue I am really obsessed with right now.

”Rainy Day” is a color-shy pick for anyone easing into a more color-forward wardrobe, but still loves a solid black. I let the pastel mint hue of the dress be the hero, with black boots and sheer black tights. You can swap that mint color out for another stone pastel (lavender, jam, faded maroon) and still have a very cohesive look. I really do love a mint, though! I am wearing the Leigh Mini Dress with sheer tights and my favorite black boots.

”Picnic Crush” is graduating into advanced color. We are full-on FLAVORFUL! Green and pink are always a good pairing. So lead the outfit with vibrant green and pink, then accessorize with subtle tropical hues (like orange woven baskets or bubblegum shoes). I am wearing callum silky ruffle pants with the lia tank top, both rented from Nuuly.

I’ve given some very detailed dressing guides, and now it is up to you to make these palettes come to life this spring.

I will be hosting a really fun, friendly competition in the chat if you would like to participate this spring. We will be using the following palettes as inspiration:

Bonus Palettes:

“Café Menu” is a neutral-led outfit, with a pop of red and a pop of matcha green. Think cream linen pants, a yellow top, with a red ballet flat, and green ribbon in your hair. Or you could just hold a matcha around all day, that works too.

”Dinner Party” is made for suede cropped jackets, blue shoes, citron tops, and red jewelry. It’s a dazzling color combo that feels very intentional, a striking balance of cool and warm.

”Library Card” is a dreamy, blue-forward look with the soft complement of a light yellow. I imagine this as navy trousers, a yellow button-up cardigan, and bright blue shoes. Those more vibrant shades can easily be accomplished through accessories, if you are a little hesitant to commit to bright-colored pieces.

”Play House” proves color can be elevated. The splash of hot pink with chartreuse is balanced by a classic black and white pairing. Think statement jewelry to work in those bold colors!

”Moody Stripes” is an unexpected balance of mauve and olive. Deep plum and cherry-brown can complement the pair. But I would lead with mauve and olive.

“Parisian Cherry Cake” combines my very favorite color combination (blue and red) with black and white classics. Imagine black and white gingham trousers with red shoes and a blue sweater. Perfection.

Download the printable palettes here:

I made a PDF version of the palettes so you can print them and use them for reference anytime. Aside from taping them in the closet, they would make lovely additions to a junk journal spread:

Feeling! Closet Colors

314KB ∙ PDF file

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If you need a sustainable way to add some fun to your wardrobe, I have good news! I asked Nuuly if I could offer my Feeling! readers an extra treat, and they generously offered $20 off your first order, for new Nuuly subscribers! (expires on 6/10/26)

You can use the code “jennaobrien” to redeem! I have used Nuuly many times (especially when I have a bunch of formal events stacking up this time of year) and have always been so impressed with their curation and product. All my favorite clothing brands are on there! (Damson Madder, Lisa Says Gah!, Alex Mill, Anthropologie, Madewell, Maeve, etc.)

I am so honored they wanted to work together on a fun design project, and so grateful they made a discount just for you all.

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