5 True Summer Sneakers: The Best Everyday Shoes for Your Color Palette
If you’re a True Summer, sneakers are an easy place to bring in your cool, 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 such an elegant 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 True Summer sneakers, ranging from cool neutrals to colorful options that work well within your season’s palette.
What Makes a Good True Summer Sneaker?
True Summer sits between Light Summer and Soft Summer in the twelve-season color analysis system. Your palette is cool and muted.
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 True Summer sneakers, look for:
- Soft white (not stark white)
- Cool gray, light to medium
- Soft rose or rose pink
- Periwinkle blue
- Soft teal or cool jade
- Cornflower blue
- Mauve or soft plum
- Soft navy
- Rose-taupe
- Medium-scale floral prints
The Best True Summer Sneakers
Here are five everyday shoes that work well with a True Summer wardrobe. I’ve included a mix of neutrals and brighter colors because I think both have a place in a practical wardrobe.
#1. Soft White or Gray Sneakers
A white sneaker can feel like a classic choice, but for True Summers try a softer white or a cool gray instead. A good neutral sneaker earns its place because it just makes getting dressed easier. I like the Hobibear Womens Barefoot Shoes in White Gray or Reebok’s Energen Run 4 in White/Periwinkle Blue/Grey for you.
#2. Soft Rose, Mauve, Cool Berry Pink or Perwinkle Sneakers
If you want a sneaker that works as a signature True Summer color, try a soft rose like Clarks Women’s Caroline Echo in Dusty Rose or Cushionaire’s Kicks in Pink. A great periwinkle like the New Balance Women’s 515 Sneaker in Sea Salt/Taro or Skywind Women’s Genuine Leather Suede Sneakers in Burgundy are also perfect. 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 cool palette.
#3. Soft Teal or Jade Sneakers
Look for cooler tones of soft teal and jade. I especially love a cool muted green sneaker with a soft navy top. Try New Balance Womens Ctlyst in Salt Water/Big Teal or Naturalizer’s Medina Lace Up Sneaker in Teal Blue Suede/Leather.
#4. Cornflower or Navy Blue Sneakers
Softer versions of navy and cornflower blue are so good on you. A navy sneaker can be easy to style, especially if you already wear cool neutrals. I love the New Balance 574 Core Sneaker in Navy with White or Vans Women’s Brooklyn LS Shoe in Canvas Vintage Cobalt.
#5. Cool Floral or Print Sneakers
For a fun everyday shoe try a floral or a print! A shoe like Dr. Scholl’s Shoes Women’s Time Off in Oxide Blue Floral or Vans Women’s Atwood in Tonal Check Glacial Slate make any outfit feel intentional.
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? These Heydude Austin Lift Platform Suede Mules in Rosette are an easy choice.
How to Choose the Right True Summer Sneakers
When you’re deciding between several pairs of sneakers, start with the colors you already wear most.
If your wardrobe is mostly soft white, denim, and colorful tops, a cool-toned sneaker could be a fun way to tie everything together. But if you wear a lot of colorful clothing already, a soft white or cool gray 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.
More True Summer Style
Want to build a wardrobe around your season? Start with my True Summer Color Palette Guide for more ideas on finding and styling your best colors.
