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

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If you’re a Soft Summer, sneakers are an easy place to bring in your soft, muted 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 soft and lovely 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 Soft Summer sneakers, ranging from cool neutrals to colorful options that work well within your season’s palette.

What Makes a Good Soft Summer Sneaker?

Soft Summer sits between True Summer and Soft Autumn in the twelve-season color analysis system. Your palette is soft, muted, 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 Soft Summer sneakers, look for:

Soft white (not stark white)
Cool gray, light to medium
Dusty rose
Mauve or soft plum
Soft teal or dusty blue
Sage or muted jade
Soft navy
Rose-taupe or mauve-taupe
Muted, cool-toned prints

The Best Soft Summer Sneakers

Here are five everyday shoes that work well with a Soft 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. Softest White or Cool Gray Sneakers

We think of white as a versatile choice but for a Soft Summer sneaker, you’ll want a softer, cooler version. The Under Armour Aurora 3 Cross-Trainer in White/Purple Crest is an easy go-to and if you want a soft, easy show in your daily shoe, try the Keds Women’s Center III Sneakers in Grey Jersey.

#2. Dusty Blue, Soft Teal or Navy Sneakers

If you want a sneaker that works as a signature Soft Summer color, try dusty blue or a softer version of teal or navy like the Lucky Step Retro Classic Tennis Shoe in Blue or Sam Edelman Langley Sneakers in Vault Blue Grey Burgundy. I 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 color palette.

#3. Dusty Rose or Soft Mauve or Plum Sneakers

Look for a dusty rose, soft mauve, or soft plums like the Nautica Lace-Up Running Shoe Casual Max in Light Lilac-seracen, Reebok Energen Run 4 in Muted Mauve/White (or Shadow/Leisure Blue!), or the Gola Women’s Tornado Sneakers in Candy/Deep Blue. I especially love a Soft Summer pink sneaker with denim.

#4. Muted Sage or Jade Sneakers

Muted shades of cool green are all so good on you. A green sneaker can be easy to style, especially if you already wear soft whites, grays, denim, navy, or cool neutrals. Try LifeStride Fearless Oxford Shoes in Jade Green or Vans Fairview Deluxe Low-Tops in Woven Gray Olive.

#5. Cool Neutral or Floral Sneakers

For a neutral everyday shoe that isn’t a white, look for rose-taupe or cooler taupe like the New Balance Women’s 574 Core in Grey/White or Skywind Suede Sneakers in Khaki. Or try a fun floral like adidas VL Court 3.0 in Dark Blue/Off White/Muted Purple. 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 love the comfort of the Merrell Jungle Moc Mountaineering Boot in Gale and I’m a big fan of UIN slip ons because they come in fantastic prints like the UIN Art Painted Slip On in Nelumbo.

How to Choose the Right Soft Summer Sneakers

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

If your wardrobe is mostly cool gray, denim, and colorful tops, a muted sneaker could be a fun way to tie everything together. But if you wear a lot of colorful clothing already, a soft white or rose-taupe 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.