Popular Color Trends for Apparel

After a few seasons of neutral and monochromic looks, 2024 is proving to be a color-filled year. Some of the top trends are bolder and brighter than ever before, while others are more subdued and soft. If you’re considering ordering branded apparel for your business, paying attention to current apparel color trends can help you design pieces that people cannot wait to wear.

We are breaking down the top color trends of the year and how you can use them to your advantage.

Why Choosing On-Trend Colors Is Important for Your Apparel

Explore the key reasons your business should pay mind to current apparel color trends.

Brand Perception

Utilizing trendy hues for your business’s apparel is one way to establish your brand as innovative, relevant and fashion-forward. You can use popular colors to enhance your company’s image and demonstrate being in tune with current consumer preferences. The right colors can help your business cultivate the perception that your brand is adaptable and always evolving.

By keeping a finger on the pulse of the apparel industry and trending colors, you can increase the likelihood that those who wear the products you design will feel good and stylish in their clothes.

Seasonal Appeal

Another reason to pay attention to and use on-trend colors for your company’s apparel is the fluctuating preferences based on the seasons.

People often prefer to wear colors that suit the current season. For instance, brights and neons are generally more popular in the warmer months, while cooler, darker shades are often preferred during winter.

Pay attention to seasonal color palettes and whether a particular color is better suited for a different time of year. Updating your apparel colors throughout the year can keep your items feeling fresh and exciting to those wearing them.

Color Psychology

Colors can elicit a powerful emotional and behavioral response, so being strategic about your choices can be highly beneficial for how people perceive your apparel.

There is an entire discipline of study dedicated to color psychology and how different hues inspire certain moods and feelings. Examples of the symbolism of different colors include:

• Red is often connected with feelings of passion and love.
• Blue tends to be more peaceful and serene.
• Black can indicate sadness or mystery.

Your business can utilize these principles to determine key colors that evoke a particular response. Carefully selecting on-trend shades can help your apparel effectively resonate with your customers or team members.

Popular Apparel Color Trends in 2024

Color trends are always changing, especially relating to apparel and fashion. Many factors influence which hues are hot right now and what’s going to be in vogue in the future, including:

• Societal trends.
• Pop culture and media.
• The fashion industry.
• General consumer preferences.

The fun thing about color trends is that there are always lots of options making the rounds. You can find interesting shades in every category, from earthy neutrals to electric neons. If you are interested in ordering apparel for your business, exploring today’s trendiest colors can offer tons of inspiration and help you make clothing and accessory items that people will be eager to wear.

You can explore the latest color trends according to their general classifications here!

Neutrals and Muted Tones

The first color category we’re diving into is neutrals and muted tones. They are important colors in apparel design and tend to be understated but highly versatile. Explore the top picks below.

Taupe

Taupe is gaining a lot of traction as a popular 2024 color trend. It is a gray-brown hue that tends to have warmer undertones. The word taupe means “mole” in French, and it is a sophisticated, muted color that elevates any piece of apparel.

Taupe is particularly well-suited for the base of an outfit. It can pair nicely with brighter, bolder tones, creating a beautiful and eye-catching contrast. If you’re looking for a classy, understated color for your clothing and accessory items, taupe is an excellent choice.

Cream

Another popular neutral for this year is cream. This hue is soft and warm, making it a wonderful option for any type of apparel, from outerwear to loungewear. You can find different shades of cream ranging from nearly white to a light beige. It is a great choice for any season and pairs well with virtually any color, including dark colors, bright shades, jewel tones and other neutrals.

Cream-colored clothing items can look very luxe and formal or casual and comfortable. They are a fantastic option for tops, bottoms and accessories.

Dusty Pink

Bright, bold pinks had their moment in 2023. Now, softer, muted shades are getting the spotlight. Dusty pink is a subtle tone that does not quite fit into the pastel category. It offers a touch of understated femininity to any piece of apparel. It can feel romantic and elegant or basic and slightly more casual.

Dusty pink clothing and accessories can add a modest pop of color to any outfit, especially one with mostly neutral shades. It also pairs excellently with tan, chocolate brown or burgundy. Whether you use this shade as the main color or an accent for your apparel, it is sure to offer a sophisticated and cool feel.

Slate Blue

Slate blue is a muted and serene hue. It offers a modern twist that closely resembles a classic pair of blue jeans. Like dusty pink, it is understated and subtle, making it a wonderful match with a wide range of colors, from neon yellow to dark gray. This color is having a moment right now in both interior design and fashion, and you can capitalize on it for your business’s apparel.

Bold Brights

Let’s dig into the exciting, bright colors making a name for themselves this year. These hues tend to be best suited for spring or summer apparel but can elevate an outfit any time of the year.

Teal

Teal is an ultra-rich hue made from a blend of blue and green. It is one of the most vibrant and exciting shades to grace the color trends of 2024.

Teal is a very unique option that is equally as striking when it is used as an accent or base for your apparel items. This hue pairs nicely with neutrals, especially tan, black, gray and white. Because it is such a bold choice, you can also pair it with other bright colors like mustard or coral for an eye-catching and memorable look.

Cherry Red

Another energetic and striking color to keep an eye on this year is cherry red. This bold, bright hue is reminiscent of a juicy, ripe cherry and can be used for virtually any type of apparel item.

Whether you choose this shade of red for the dominant or accent color of your clothing and accessories, it is sure to make a splash while still looking very sophisticated and attractive. It pairs particularly well with pink, white, black, baby blue and navy.

Chartreuse Green

Chartreuse green, named after the French liqueur, is an amazing yellow-green hybrid that is getting a lot of attention in 2024. This color is vibrant, bold and electric. It adds an interesting and unique flair to any outfit.

If you’re looking for an apparel option that is sure to be eye-catching, chartreuse is a foolproof pick. It works well with neutral colors and other bold neons. While this hue is definitely a daring choice, your accessories and clothing items will look modern and very trendy.

Bubblegum Pink

While 2023 was surely the year of pink, 2024 is proving to continue the love and celebration of this sweet and youthful color. Bubblegum pink is quickly becoming a leading color trend this year, creating whimsical and eye-popping looks that you can play up or down.

Bubblegum pink offers a fun, fresh color for your apparel that looks especially pleasant when paired with white, black and gray. This hue is great for T-shirts, hats, sweats or outerwear, especially if your brand is particularly feminine or playful.

Pastels

While pastels tend to be spring colors, you can enjoy pops of these soft, beautiful colors throughout the year. These light, soothing tones are becoming a leading 2024 color trend. Explore some of the most popular options below.

Seafoam Green

Seafoam green is a serene and ocean-inspired color that marries light blue and green to create a minty, fresh hue. It is one of the top trending colors for apparel and fashion this year.

You can create a stylish and understated yet eye-catching piece of apparel with this color. It pairs spectacularly with white, beige and navy, as well as other pastels. Seafoam green accessories, including bags, hats or scarves, add a pop of color to any look while maintaining a tranquil and calm effect.

Peach

We would be remiss not to highlight Pantone’s 2024 color of the year, peach fuzz, as a leading color trend for this year. This warm, soft shade is the essence of sophistication and coziness. Its base is mostly orange with pink undertones, creating a light and vibrant pastel that is sure to be a crowd favorite.

Peach apparel items look modern and can work well with any neutral or vibrant color, from sandy brown to teal.

Lilac

Lilac is a delicate and soft pastel purple that exudes elegance, serenity and calm. It is an incredibly soothing color that is getting a lot of traction on the 2024 runways. You can choose this color for a totally monochromatic look or for a delightful jolt of color.

If you’re looking for a simple, dreamy color for your apparel, lilac is an incredibly charming choice, especially for the warmer spring months.

Baby Blue

Much like lilac, baby blue was a leading trend for fashion designers this year. This color is soft, serene and gentle. You can pair it with virtually any other color for an interesting and beautiful look. It is a highly versatile color choice that is both understated and interesting. You can use baby blue as an accent for your apparel or as the base color, and the results will be refreshing, attractive and chic.

Dark Shades

If you’re interested in darker or more masculine shades, these highly sought-after choices will take your apparel to the next level in 2024.

Midnight Blue

Midnight blue is a deep, dark shade that resembles the night sky. It is a sleek, sophisticated color that makes a darker outfit look elevated and elegant.

This particular shade of blue is a great choice for both accent and main colors for your business’s apparel. It works nicely with neutrals like cream and white. This hue also pairs incredibly well with metallic tones, such as silver, bronze or gold.

Chocolate Brown

While chocolate brown could also fall into the neutrals category, this deep hue is particularly dark. It is one of many classic fall shades and was seen all over the 2024 runway shows, paired with tans, beiges and white.

This rich cocoa color is versatile and can make for very sophisticated apparel. If you’re looking to add a highlight of color, chocolate brown pairs exceptionally well with other autumnal shades, like mustard yellow or burnt orange.

Forest Green

Forest green is having a major moment in 2024. This color brings together deep earthy hues and an unexpected warmth. It is just shades lighter than hunter green and pairs really nicely with other natural tones, like white, black and cream. It is also very complementary with bright flashes of color like canary yellow or raspberry red.

It is such a unique hue that it often looks best as the main color for your apparel, whether on clothing items or accessories.

Deep Plum

If you’re looking for a luxurious and interesting shade for your apparel, consider the deep plum trend. This color features a rich blend of red, brown and purple to create a sophisticated hue with a lot of depth. Deep plum is particularly dark. It pairs beautifully with light purples, including lilac and lavender. It can also be used as an understated and stylish pop of color for your apparel.

Jewel Tones

Jewel tones are a rich color category that is highly impactful when used for apparel. These hues tend to be bold and vibrant, making a huge statement. Check out the leading options for 2024.

Emerald Green

While similar to forest green, emerald shades are brighter and more extravagant looking. This color is reminiscent of royalty and the precious gemstone. Because it is so rich, this hue tends to be best suited for your apparel accessories, like hats, scarves, gloves and bags.

Emerald green can add a little drama to your clothing items. It also pairs well with neutrals, including black, gray, cream and brown. This color works for all four seasons, though it is especially suited for fall and winter palettes.

Canary Yellow

If you’re looking for a bright, cheery hue that is equally striking as it is warm, canary yellow may be the 2024 color trend for your business. Different shades of this color popped up all over the spring/summer runway shows and made a huge splash with consumers.

If you’re looking for a bold color that will draw eyes to your apparel, canary yellow is an incredible choice. This sunny shade can make you feel happy on the rainiest of days. It can be the main color or an accent for your apparel and leave a huge impact.

Sapphire

Another shade of blue that is really having a moment in 2024 is sapphire. This robust hue is eye-catching and bold. It can look casual or very high-end. If you’re looking to capitalize on sapphire for your apparel, consider pairing it with neutrals to really make the color pop.

This deep blue hue can look regal and elegant or zippy and youthful, depending on how you style it. Your business can use sapphire to elevate its apparel and create memorable accessories and clothing.

How to Spot Color Trends

You may wonder how your business can stay on top of color trends for future products and apparel styles. Learn how you can stay in the know and discover which colors and shades are in vogue.

Trend Forecasting

A great place to begin if you are interested in finding the hottest colors is trend forecasting sites, professionals and companies. For instance, Pantone releases annual reports for fashion and interiors that you can use to guide your color choices.

Trend forecasters closely analyze consumer behavior and relevant cultural influences to predict where the market will go. They often utilize data to pinpoint emerging palettes and gauge what colors are likely to be popular in the near future.

Runway Shows

Another way to spot apparel color trends is by looking at the year’s runway shows. Designers spend ample time selecting new and interesting colors for their clothing and accessories, and many trends stem from what they include in their collections.

Fashion Week takes place twice a year in a few major cities across the world. Designers showcase their spring/summer or fall/winter shows. As you explore different looks from various brands, you may notice commonalities between the color stories for the specific season. Vogue Runway is an awesome source for exploring designer collections to predict forthcoming trends.

Social Media

You can also use social media to identify fresh color trends. Follow trend forecasting accounts and fashion influencers who have access to the latest styles. Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok can provide insight into hues that are gaining momentum and popularity. Your business can also use these platforms to monitor specific hashtags for trending colors.

Adapting Color Trends to Your Business’s Apparel

While staying on-trend with the colors you choose for your apparel has many benefits, remember to prioritize your business’s unique identity when making your selections. Consider your company’s branded colors. Choosing prevalent hues for your apparel that work well with your existing palette is best for cohesion and consistency.

Don’t abandon your branding for what’s popular. Instead, look for complementary colors or have fun with contrasting shades. If you don’t know where to start, working with an experienced consultant can help you select the right options.

The promotions specialists at ePromos are your go-to brand consultants and can assist you in finding the best colors for your apparel.

Consult With ePromos to Elevate Your Apparel Design

If your business is looking to capitalize on exciting new color trends this year, turn to ePromos.

We have a wide variety of apparel types available, from hats to loungewear to golf shirts, that your business can leverage to highlight and celebrate your unique brand. Our team is happy to walk you through the selection process and help you discover the colors, fabrics and imprint methods to create the most impactful apparel for your employees and customers.

Are you interested in learning more about ePromos? Contact us or browse our promotional printed apparel online to get started today.