From bold bright tones to cool and neutral shades, the fall-winter forecast in color trends is introducing a color palette for this season’s wardrobe that is simply more exuberant and attention-grabbing than the previous season’s pandemic-inspired drabness.

In the coming season, you can expect some rather unexpected, highly saturated colors to become more popular for the fall and winter of 2022-2023. Fondly coined “Dopamine Dressing”, we’ve seen a lot of bright, mood-boosting, and energizing colors as well as soft pastels hitting the runways and the streets, along with those classic neutrals and darker tones we are used to seeing during autumn and winter.

This season, be ready for bold and brash colors that make you want to embrace life in all its vigor, and an array of calm neutral tones, bringing with it the feeling of harmony and tranquility. The colors we see in the coming seasons are diverse, from hues that evoke energy and excitement to core classics we can never go without. These trending colors engage in a fascinating and highly diverse dichotomy of exciting possibilities.

The Pantone Color Institute or PCI has released its trend forecast for the fashion industry on the latest color trends, and this article explores the ten standout colors that you can expect to see as fall and winter collections are introduced, helping you curate your wardrobe to the hotest color trends of the season.

Here are the key colors for fall and winter 2022-2023:

1. Dragon Fire (Pantone 16-1460)

Dragon Fire is a hot orange color that burns with energy and excitement, a color we can’t wait to see hit the streets during the fall-winter fashion season. This year's trending orange color is bolder, warmer, and simply more joyful. It has the fierceness to match its name, and while it might not be the easiest color to wear on the list, it's the one that’s guaranteed to get you noticed because it is fierce and vibrant, an enthusiastic color to wear during fall-winter in the coming months.

2. Molten Lava ( Pantone 18-1555)

Just as hot and fiery as it sounds, molten lava is a fiery red with a bright intensity. A highly popular color, this particular shade of red is loved for its versatility, a shade that looks universally flattering on all skin tones, or nearly. Some may find molten lava a little daunting, as far as wearable colors go, but this sensual red is a statement color all around, eye-catching, and intensely passionate for the fall-winter season. Play with this shade and add accessories and pieces to your collection, like a molten lava skirt, pair of shoes, or lipstick.  

3. Meadow Violet (Pantone 19-3526)

Shades of violet, from light to dark, have been popping up in the most delightful of ways this year, and we are all for it. A regal color, purple and violet are having a major moment, and as we transition to colder months, violet will quickly become the “it” color for the fall. It can be a fun, somewhat unexpected choice. Magical meadow is a darker shade that is enchanting and intriguing, the perfect tone for delicate pieces, like dresses and footwear in your fall-winter wardrobe. This color is fun and versatile, a color for eye-catching and memorable street style looks. 

4. Abundant Green (18-6026)

Enervating and full of life, get ready to see shades of green this fall as the leaves turn. The contrast of this abundant shade with the turn of the season is absolutely striking, making this fall-winter color an interesting choice for those who are stocking up on fresh wardrobe essentials. A shade that is distinctly eye-catching on redheads as well as those with a darker complexion, abundant green is a tinge deeper in color, a shade that calls to mind the vigor of life and nature, a positively calm and serene shade. If you’re ready to make the trending color your own, explore luxe accessories and overcoats to add to your collection.

5. Spicy Mustard (Pantone 14-0952)

The highest example of fall-winter 2022-2023’s theme on exuberant colors is spicy mustard. Pantone describes this shade as strikingly exotic, and it certainly is an exotic choice for the cooler months. Warm and cheerful, this shade brings with it a sense of hope, happiness, and abundance. It's a color that positively oozes vitality, a sunshine-inspired hue that will make a striking choice for any ensemble you put together this season. An illuminating color that will fight off winter gloom, you’ll be wearing sunshine wherever you go with this hue.

6. Lichen Blue (Pantone 17-4032)

A nature-inspired color, lichen blue is a color trend emerging from runways and gracing the streets. A paler shade for the fall-winter season, this blue has notes of hazy mountain gray, making it a versatile and reliable choice for the cooler months. Elegant and calming, this lighter shade of blue is a color that keeps things light and balanced. The perfect choice for small accessories like a scarf, and bigger pieces like a mini dress or classic wide pants.

7. Strawberry Cream (Pantone 13-2005)

A light-infused sweet pink has been gracing fall-winter collections. Soft and feminine, this playful hue isn’t as bright as some of this season’s selection, but it certainly brightens up a whole look, whether worn as an accessory shade or as a major piece to an ensemble. This hue would make a wonderful hair color choice, it also looks great for casual pieces like t-shirts, but is absolutely stunning when worn at more formal, black-tie events. A color that will be embraced in the coming season, this shade conveys confidence, light, and feminine energy.

8. Chicory Coffee (Pantone 19-1419)

Chicory coffee is described as a roasted, earthy brown, a classic and reliable shade to add to your fall-winter collection this season. A hue that will be loved for its versatile appeal, this one is for those who love earthy tones reminiscent of dark coffee and the aroma of warm cafe interiors. Among the darker shades selected by Pantone for 2022-2023’s color trends, this shade of brown is a safe bet for those who gravitate towards darker colors and reliable black. Brown is a color associated with resilience and warmth, a hue that transitions beautifully for summer and all skin tones. 

9. Iced Coffee (15-1040)

While we usually reserve the joys of getting an iced coffee for those hot summer coffee runs, you can embrace iced coffee-colored fashion this fall-winter. The color choice this season for those who naturally gravitate towards neutrals, this color is perfect for sexy silhouettes and for grounding feminine colors. It’s easy to mix this shade with other neutral browns, whites, and blacks, making it great overall for your fall-winter wardrobe. The iced coffee hue is sophisticated and timeless, the perfect way to bring understated elegance to your look.

10. Tapioca (Pantone 12-14-03)

A creamy white, tapioca is a shade that warms and comforts. Named after the starch extract of the cassava plant, this color will be another favorite among those who can’t get enough neutral shades into their closet. Tapioca is the perfect shade this season for breaking up the brighter and more vibrate tones we have been seeing during the fall-winter collections, a true neutral that can be styled with the vibrant pieces we know you’ll be adding to your wardrobe this season.