Spring/Summer Trends 2026: Another Bright Color Combo and Romantic Details

I have been taking a look at the spring and summer trends for this year, and while I might be a little behind, as usual, these are definitely ideas that will take you well into fall. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, the bright color combinations are trending. Me being a lover of color, I decided to look at another of these combos and add another of the spring trends, romantic details.

Today’s color combo is orange and white, although the fashion gurus also mentioned orange and gray, so I decided to incorporate all three colors into this color block outfit ( another trend for the warm weather season), and we will also talk about what gives an outfit a bit more of a soft, romantic vibe.

Since I knew I wanted the color orange and also wanted a look that had more romantic vibe I searched my closet for a good starting piece. This Old Navy eyelet top was just the thing. I have had this for a few summers now and have worn it every warm weather season since I thrifted it. I love eyelet. I think it is one of the textures and fabrics that whispers romance without having to be overly frilly or immodest. I added a Faded Glory tank underneath for coverage, but you could certainly just wear a nude colored bra for a cohesive color underneath. Since the tank has lace trim I think it works perfectly.

Style Tip: Whether you are wearing jeans or a satin skirt you can upgrade you look to include romance by making a few simple choices. Choose lace, eyelet, tulle or silky fabrics. These speak volumes to making an outfit more feminine and fun. You can also add embellishments like embroidery, ruffles, and pearls in the form of buttons or jewelry. My personal opinion is less is more…not less fabric or coverage, but less embellishments and textures. Here is are similar colors from Shein, Ann Taylor, Bloom Chic, and Macy’s.

I knew I want to have white pants or a skirt and opted for these lighter weight cropped pants that I thrifted last year. These are Talbots brand and very comfortable for the warm weather season. Capris are back in style. I won’t go back to those, but some people really like them. I might if my legs were pretty, but they are not, so I accept that and move on. Here are some from JCPenney, Macy’s, and Chico’s. Here are a few pairs of ankle pants too: JCPenny, Old Navy, and Macy’s.

When I decided to incorporate the color gray as well, I knew I wanted gray shoes, a bag and jewelry. I have several pairs of sneakers in different grays and this pair of medium gray Skechers seemed the most complimentary with the white and orange. I bought this pair at Gabes a number of years ago. I keep them around, because they are cute, although not the most comfortable. It baffles me how a pair of sneakers can be uncomfortable, but they can be! Ha, ha.

My bag was a thrift find and has no identifiable tag as to what brand it is. I love a cross body bag all year round, but a light weight bag is perfect for summer. This seemed perfect with the sneakers and the jewelry. Here are a few gray options from Kohl’s.

The two pieces of jewelry are both second hand. The necklace was from my bestie in NY, and the bracelet was a recent thrift find. I love both of these pieces for their interesting blend of metal shapes and textures. The bracelet is a reminder to me every time I wear it of what Christ did for me on the cross.

What do you think of this color combination? Do you wear bright white in the summer? How about all year round? I tend to lean more toward the creamy, winter whites in the cold weather and bright whites in the summer. I’d love to hear from you, so please leave a comment or two.

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

Wearing White - Ankle Pants

Hi everyone. Can you believe it is the middle of August already? It is still summer here in the mid west. I had a nice reprieve from the heat when I went to my mom’s which is near Buffalo. Sometimes being at the other end of Lake Erie can make a 10 to 15 degree difference. We had a few beautiful days to celebrate my mom’s birthday.

Growing up, my mom and I had a pretty good relationship. I think she was glad to have a girl after two boys. She used to sew us matching dresses and all through my growing up years she always made an effort to take an interest in what I was interested in, whether it was watching late night Sci-Fi Theater or prerecorded Alice Cooper concerts. We both love to read, watch birds and go for walks. My mom and I have seen plenty of sun sets and walked through blizzards just for the fun of it. At 93, she can’t walk as steadily anymore and has a harder time seeing print on a page, but we still watch the birds and television together.

My mom grew up in an era where wearing white was something you only did after Memorial Day at the onset of summer and only until Labor Day at the onset of fall. Usually that meant white shoes, white hand bags and an occasional white skirt or sweater. Obviously, fashion has come a long way since then and white is whenever and whatever you want it to be. Personally, I still like the lighter colors for spring and summer and the darker colors for fall and winter, but as I said, I am trying to get out of my own box.

Today’s white piece is a pair of ankle pants from Christopher and Banks that I have styled on the blog before. You can see these styled with a geometric print top, a gray studded tee, a neutral open front cardi, a bright floral top, and a chambray popover blouse.

Currently, I have two problems with these pants. First of all, I have gained weight and they have gotten tighter than they were. Second, when I stood up you could see all the wrinkles. I was a very warm day and everything was sticking to me, so I am sure that didn’t help either. Ha, ha.

My tee was a recent thrift store find. It is Disney brand and very silky and soft. I love the words and if you don’t remember, or have never seen Disney’s Cinderella, here is a refresher. There are times I wish I was a princess, or at least had the castle. I already have a lot of shoes.

To make the outfit transitional to fall, I added my Torrid olive military jacket. This was a Christmas gift a few years ago, from my younger daughter. I love the detailing on this piece from the cuff stripes to the double rows of buttons, to the pockets.

I opted to keep my accessories dark to go with the jacket and tee. These Clark peep toes shoes are a great transitional shoe with plenty of coverage for cooler weather, but still a peek of skin and toes.

My Rosetti leopard print bag is a new thrifted piece. Leopard print is always a winner and I didn’t have a bag with that print, so why not? I have a feeling I will be using it regularly in the cooler weather.

Since there was more going on in this outfit with the graphic tee, the added textures on the jacket and the print on the bag, I opted for a simple choker.

I hope you enjoyed seeing this outfit. Do you own a military jacket? I’m including a few shopping links for you to see. Every time you click on a shopping link, I get a few cents. Every little bit helps. Thanks for all your support.

Have a great Tuesday.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. 

Tuesday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb, and Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge.