How to Wear Color This Summer (Without Feeling Overwhelmed)

You’re standing in front of your closet, staring at a sea of beige, white, and black. It’s summer, and while you love the simplicity of a neutral outfit, you want to bring a little brightness into your wardrobe—without feeling like you’re wearing a costume or trying too hard for a quick errand.

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Adding color doesn't mean you need a total wardrobe overhaul. At Mae Threads, we believe in building a wardrobe you actually wear. When you pair rich, intentional colors using simple outfit formulas, getting dressed stays effortless, grounded, and fun.

The Secret to Wearable Color

The key to loving colorful pieces is making sure they fit stylistically with other pieces in your closet. Then look for unexpected color pairings and go for it! Sometimes, the bolder you can go, the easier it is. Here are five simple summer color formulas we are loving right now:

1. Butter Yellow + Sky Blue

There’s something so refreshing about this combination—it feels bright, soft, and completely wearable for a warm afternoon.

• The Piece: Treat The Faye Short Sleeve Cardigan in Butter Yellow as a top by buttoning it all the way up.
• The Formula: Pair it with the skirt from The Elodie Tie-Front Blouse & Midi Tiered Skirt Set in Sky.
• Real-Life Wear: Throw on flat sandals, grab your tote, and you’re ready for errands or a casual weekend lunch. It’s one of those outfits that looks like you put in effort, but took less than two minutes to pull together.

2. Midnight Blue + Dusty Pink

If bright color feels intimidating, this grounded pairing is the perfect entry point. Deep blue acts almost like a neutral, balancing out a playful pink.

• The Piece: The Darien Pleated Knit Tank in Midnight Blue.
• The Formula: Wear it tucked into the pants from The Dete Washed Short Sleeve Pleated Pant Set in Pink.
• Real-Life Wear: Perfect for days when you need to run from school drop-off straight to a work meeting. You get all the comfort of soft, movement-friendly fabrics with a refined silhouette.

3. Retro Pink + Bold Red

Pink and red used to be considered a color clash, but together they create a punchy, elevated look that feels girly and fresh.

• The Piece: The Marlo Retro Trim Ribbed Tee in Ivory-Red.
• The Formula: Style this tee back to the pants from The Dete Washed Short Sleeve Pleated Pant Set in Pink.
• Real-Life Wear: This is your go-to playdate-to-dinner outfit. It feels intentional, playful, and keeps you comfortable through whatever the day throws your way.

4. Warm Brown + Classic Red

Brown is a gorgeous, earthy base for summer, and adding a pop of red gives it an instant vintage charm.

• The Piece: The Clara Polka Dot Midi Dress in Brown-White.
• The Formula: Let the pattern do the heavy lifting, then layer in red accessories—think a bold leather tote, red slide sandals, or a simple hair ribbon.
• Real-Life Wear: Throw this on for church ⛪️ or an easy evening out. It’s breezy, timeless, and earns its place in your weekly rotation with zero effort.

5. Deep Green + Soft Pink

Inspirations drawn straight from nature always work. The grounding dark green palette balances beautifully against delicate pink details.

• The Piece: The Devin Swiss Dot Blouse in pink.
• The Formula: Pair it with The Allora Floral Drawstring Pant in Dark Green.
• Real-Life Wear: When it's hot outside but you still want coverage and ease, this combination keeps you feeling cool, put-together, and completely comfortable.

Built Together: The Mae Difference

If you’re new around here, you might notice we do things a little differently. Because we’re a community-led brand, we use a pre-order model. This means we aren't guessing what you'll love—we’re building it with you through regular community voting.

By practicing intentional buying and reducing waste, we make sure we only curate pieces that earn their place in your wardrobe. You’ll also occasionally see stock photos on our site when a piece first launches; this allows our community to start voting and ordering early so we can start production right away. It takes a little longer to get to your doorstep, but we promise it’s worth the wait!