The Runways Have Spoken—These 5 Winter Colour Trends Will Be Big News in 2024

After wearing white linen and blue shirts for months on end during the summer, autumn has finally managed to force me to introduce some new colours to my wardrobe. Deep burgundy, slate grey and pops of buttermilk yellow have been trending for the past couple of months (and honestly, my outfits look better for it), but when it comes to the colour trends that we can rely on year in, year out, winter sets the tone for not only the Christmas period, but well into the new year and beyond. Sure, winter calls for bundling up in practical layers, and my outfits will largely consist of the same wool maxi coats, jumpers, knitted dresses and knee-high boots worn on rotation, but there are a few colour trends that can breathe new life into even the most "samey" wardrobe.

Used to relying on black clothes and accessories when you don't know what to wear? What if I told you there's an equally dark but even more expensive-looking option, and it will go with everything?Wondering what soft shades to wear in winter instead of summer's aforementioned pale yellow? Pastels are back, and now we've ticked off fifty shades of pink and banana milkshake, there's an obvious alternative that the runways have bought into in a big way.

So, if you're curious as to which new-season colours are about to define not only the rest of this year, but also well into next, keep scrolling. These will be the five biggest colour trends over the next 12 months. Personally, I can't wait to wear them all. 

1. BABY BLUE

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(Image credit: Courtesy Fendi)

Style Notes: Just in time for a cold winter, icy blue is set to be the pastel of the season. Appearing in over 20 S/S 24 shows, you might want to stock up on your baby blues early, as this cool trend will continue long into next year. For maximum effect wear it head-to-toe with unexpected pops of colour à la Fendi and Akris. 

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(Image credit: Akris: Victor Virgile/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

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(Image credit: Courtesy Sinéad O’Dwyer)

SHOP BABY BLUE:

2. BRIGHT WHITE

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(Image credit: Max Mara: Pietro D'Aprano/Getty Images)

Style Notes: It stands to reason that the coldest season in the calendar would eventually embrace bright white. This shade might be known for keeping us cool in the summer, but turning tradition on its head and echoing the frosty winds and snowy settings of winter in your colour palette is the boldest way to make a statement in early 2024. White dresses were particularly prevalent (see 16Arlington, Balenciaga, Carolina Herrera and Valentino), but you're going to want to layer up with a cosy coat to make them work for winter. 

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(Image credit: Isidore Montag/Gorunway.com courtesy Missoni)

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(Image credit: Courtesy Another Tomorrow)

SHOP BRIGHT WHITE:

3. WARM SAND

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(Image credit: Filippo Fior/Gorunway.com courtesy Saint Laurent)

Style Notes: Whether you call it camel, beige, biscuit or tan, sandy brown shades always come back into style (that is, if they ever leave). From summer safari to transitional trenches, this versatile hue is a staple in our wardrobes all year round, but this winter calls for warm-toned, golden beiges to bring a little sun to the gloomy days. 

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(Image credit: Courtesy 3.1 Phillip Lim)

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(Image credit: Courtesy Bite Studios)

SHOP WARM SAND:

4. COBALT BLUE

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(Image credit: Isidore Montag/Gorunway.com courtesy Loewe)

Style Notes: And just like that, we're revisiting the blue spectrum, but this time is the turn of punchy, bright cobalt. After 2023's Barbie pink and hot red, this is the new saturated shade to kickstart fashion conversations. We're calling it now: 2024 belongs to cobalt blue. 

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(Image credit: Courtesy Issey Miyake)

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(Image credit: ACNE: Victor Virgile/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

SHOP COBALT BLUE:

5. DARK CHOCOLATE

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(Image credit: Marco Mantovani courtesy Alberta Ferretti)

Style Notes: It just wouldn't be a complete colour roundup without a dark, grounding shade that you can pair with everything, and sorry, black; but deep chocolate brown looks supremely expensive. Whilst the runways showed moody, all-brown looks, we'll be breaking it down into mix-and-match separates to help boost the rich-factor of everyday colours like cream, denim blue and charcoal grey. 

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(Image credit: Courtesy Altuzarra)

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(Image credit: Givenchy: Peter White/Getty Images)

SHOP CHOCOLATE BROWN:

Next Up: I'm a Shopping Expert—12 Cosy Coats, Knits and Boots I Really Rate for Winter

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Remy Farrell
Fashion Editor

Remy Farrell is a London-based shopping editor with nearly 10 years of editorial experience covering fashion, beauty and lifestyle. After graduating with a journalism degree and working on the editorial and fashion teams for titles such as Grazia, Elle, Cosmopolitan and British Vogue, she moved into the luxury e-commerce sector, working as fashion assistant at TheOutnet.com styling for the social media channels and helping to develop the collections for the in-house brand Iris & Ink. After expanding an assisting and styling portfolio that includes shooting talent such as Gigi Hadid, Victoria Beckham and Miquita Oliver, she also branched out into beauty, creating tried-and-tested reviews and diverse beauty content.In her role as shopping editor at Who What Wear, Remy is interested in discovering new and exciting brands to share with the Who What Wear readership and particularly loves uncovering hidden gems at affordable prices to make shopping accessible to everyone.Born and raised in Sheffield, Yorkshire, Remy moved to London in 2014 and lives in the Docklands with her partner and pug Billie.