Trend watchers see colors ranging from lilac mauve to cool olive, with purple most prevalent, and patterns varying from groovy psychedelic to crisp country. Metallics and neutrals are still in, but soft contemporary is out, and “Love That Pink” is a new banner color.

Michelle Lamb, co-founder and chairman of Marketing Directions, Inc., senior editor of The Trend Curve and contributor to Accessory Merchandising, says today's top palettes represent "a turning point for color" that "makes a bold statement and says, ‘Look at me!’”

Lamb points to six color palettes and notes the returning importance of the color purple.

Porcelain Pales: Even though these are the palest of the forecast, they are still much more saturated than any pastels we’ve seen in five years” said Lamb, adding that one of the most significant pale colors will be lemon mist.

“Lemon mist is influenced deeply by grey and green, so it’s a little bit edgy and a little bit complex at the same time. That’s an unusual combination that’s going to make this color one of the most popular in the forecast.”

Natural Mid-values: These “prove that complex colors are not necessarily sleepy ones,” said Lamb. These colors include washed denim that will have “undertones of red” as well as lilac mauve.

Mythological Mid-values: Lavish and richly saturated colors. “Each one of these looks like it could be an historic version of some centuries old color,” said Lamb.

Tranquil Deeps: The most saturated range of colors in the forecast. “Cool olive leans towards country green,” said Lamb of one of these deep colors. “This is a tone that allows it to partner with navy and crimson red in a nod to retro-80’s combinations that does not necessarily mean that we will repeat 1980s patterns.”

Primary School: These colors provide “contrasting energy.” One of them, laser lime, has a variety of uses. “Regardless of the hue, the value or the saturation, there are few colors that cannot be paired with this tangy green,” said Lamb. “Think about using it anytime you need to give color a lift.”

Glossy Brights: "The most flamboyant palette,” said Lamb. “A palette that suggests neons without the extreme intensity.” The pink in this palette, Love That Pink, is “as clear and specific a color as you can get.” Lamb calls it the standard-bearer of the color group.

“There is plenty of variety in the six palettes that we forecast,” she said. “All of them will be required because of the diversity of trends in the forecast.” The most important color of the upcoming season: purple. “We’ve seen purple before: in 1999 anything purple was hot,” she said. “A decade later, purple is coming back again. This time on the red side rather than on the blue side, and with much more appeal.”

Lamb expects red and blue to be important colors for e few years, but throughout that time, purple will reign supreme. “Purple stands at the convergences of these blue and red families,” she said. “It’s going to act first as a bridge between blue and red and ultimately will replace both of them.”

Lamb expects purple to be seen in all hues, from pale to saturated; and in all walks of life. The color will range from casual and relaxed to the most luxurious of shades.