5 Light Summer Sneakers: The Best Everyday Shoes for Your Color Palette

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If you’re a Light Summer, sneakers are an easy place to bring in your light, cool colors. They’re one of those wardrobe basics we wear constantly, so I like to have a pair that feels connected to the rest of my closet. And you have a gorgeously soft palette to play with!

Sneakers (tennis shoes for my fellow Midwesterners, trainers, gym shoes, you get it) are an easy way to instantly style an outfit. I’ve rounded up five of my favorite Light Summer sneakers, ranging from cool neutrals to colorful options that work well within your season.

What Makes a Good Light Summer Sneaker?

Light Summer sits between Light Spring and True Summer in the twelve-season color analysis system. Your palette is light and cool.

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You don’t have to wear a shoe in your seasonal color palette every time and certainly can just wear whatever you want. And you don’t have to wear a colorful sneaker every time. A good neutral sneaker can become one of the hardest-working pieces in your wardrobe. But if you’re like me, you want a cohesive wardrobe that’s easy to wear and that includes shoes.

When you’re shopping for Light Summer sneakers, look for:

Soft white (not stark white)
Cool light gray or dove gray
Powder pink and soft rose
Powder blue and soft sky blue
Soft lavender or light periwinkle
Soft mint or light sage (cool-toned)
Light cool navy
Light rose-taupe
Watercolor-style or soft floral prints

The Best Light Summer Sneakers

Here are five everyday shoes that work well with a Light Summer wardrobe. I’ve included a mix of neutrals and brighter colors because I think both have a place in a practical wardrobe.

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#1. Soft White or Dove Gray Sneakers

We think of white as a versatile choice but for Light Summers, try a soft white or a dove gray instead. Under Armour’s Charged Edge Leather in Blue Fog/White/Blue Wind or New Balance 460 V4 in Grey Matter/Light Arctic Grey are easy go-tos.

#2.Powder Blue, Pink, or Lavender Sneakers

If you want a sneaker that works as a signature Light Summer color, try a cool powdery color. I actually love using a colorful sneaker with an otherwise simple outfit. It’s also a simple way to start transitioning from an overall neutral wardrobe into one in your palette. I think you’d look fantastic in any of these:

#3. Light Mint Sneakers

Look for cool soft greens like mint like the New Balance 237 V1 Sneaker in Mineral/Sea Salt or Cushionaire Kicks in Mint.

#4. Navy Sneakers

Surprisingly, there are dark colors in every light palette like in Light Summer! You look amazing in a cool soft navy. Try New Balance’s 574 Core Sneaker in Nb Navy/Nb White.

#5. Rose-Taupe Sneakers

For a neutral everyday shoe try a rose-taupe that leans just this side of cool like the Ryka Women’s Viv Next Sneaker in Terra Taupe or Puma Womens Carina Street in Rose Quartz. A good neutral sneaker earns its place because it just makes getting dressed easier.

BONUS: Casual Slip-On Shoe

While technically not a sneaker, I’m a huge fan of a good slip-on shoe. Sometimes you don’t want to bother with tying shoes, you know? I’m a huge UIN fan and the UIN Ballet Flats in Valencia Knitted Light Blue are perfect for you.

How to Choose the Right Light Summer Sneakers

When you’re deciding between several pairs of sneakers, start with the colors you already wear most.

If your wardrobe is mostly neutral, a colorful sneaker could be a fun way to tie everything together. But if you wear a lot of colorful clothing already, a cool neutral sneaker may be more useful.

Shoes are relatively far away from your face, so you have more flexibility with them than you do with tops, scarves, or earrings. A shoe that sits a bit outside your palette is totally fine. The goal of color analysis isn’t to make your wardrobe complicated or to find the “perfect” pieces. It’s to make shopping easier and help you recognize the colors that make you feel your best.