by Bridget Webber

Created on: March 06, 2009   Last Updated: June 07, 2009

The colors of spring 2009 are a mixture of bright, rich, subtle and understated. Women have the largest palette of colors from which to choose, while men still have a wider range than usual.

Daffodil yellow, warm orange and raspberry red are three main colors which are spot on for the spring season. These lively colors can be seen along with fresh grass green and azure blue on short belted trench coats and light knitwear designed to keep out the slight chill which can accompany spring.

Primary colored silk bands of material are being used in place of belts to give men's oriental style suits an edge. The same bands of color can be seen reflected in fitted feminine jackets for women.

One aspect that most of the colors of 2009 have in common is that they reflect those which can naturally be seen in nature during the spring. Duck egg blue, sky blue and racing green can all be said to represent nature and life. Other nature based colors such as brown however, are not so prevalent for springtime fashion this year, apart from when being worn in the form of suede with tassels.

More subtle colors are introduced in the form of neural shades of beige, fawn and slate grey. By combining brighter colors with neutral tones wearers can create a balanced look and tone down, or liven up an ensemble. Grey with a silver undertone is particularly fashionable this spring for men.

The big surprise in choices of color for spring are the inclusion of metallic gold, bronze and silver. Worn as evening wear, or to create a dynamic presence, metallic colors can add prominence to an outfit and some modern style.

Metallic colors are also set to become make-up shades, although the heavy seventies style of make-up hasn't returned. Instead, bronze and gold can be used to gently highlight cheekbones and brow bones, while silver can be kept to give eyes a wide awake look during the evening.

When it comes to accessories colorful prints are trendy, especially those which highlight colors reflected in the wearers main garments. Shawls and wraps in sheer material of metallic shades accompany beachwear, and romantic evening dresses too. High heeled shoes in fizzy orange or primrose yellow add some zing to footwear while art prints on tee shirts for both sexes add splashes of watercolor to create an artistic look which has bohemian appeal.

Lastly, black and white may be seen in the form of nautical stripes, that is when they are not stripes of red and black or polka dots of yellow on a grass green background.

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