Slime green is the new red

And what makes an accent color stick

For an accent color to have staying power, it has to be either understandable to any eye that meets it — like a shade of Yves Klein blue (cobalt, basically, and coming for us), or fire engine red (already here for us), or it has to be just off enough that your eye can’t help but try to understand it.

I’ve had this idea in my mind for the last several months that green is the new red but I’m realizing now that to put it in these terms kind of dismisses the way the trend cycle works these days. Trends don’t really die and get replaced by new ones anymore so much as they do develop this buildable quality. What I mean is, they stick around and get stacked on. New variables enter their ether and this gives them a freshness that extends their lifespan. The way this is playing out right now is with the growing popularity of a few other colors. The ones my senses have plugged into: cobalt blue, violet purple and green.

A sliver of cobalt emerging from Gigi at left and Barney-purple tights on my feet at right

But not just any green — I’m not talking about Bottega’s shade of electric Reptar, or the classic true hue from the secondary wheel.

At left: a look from Bottega Veneta’s spring 2021 show; at right: Reptar, a fictional character from the 90s cartoon, Rugrats

It’s not even one among the more timeless and tasteful shades — not quite sage or hunter or olive or moss. It’s more like slime green.

A look from Gucci’s Spring 24 show

Prada men’s 2024

I know we’re out of the era of minimalism because when I get dressed, I keep reaching for color but not so much of it that I look like a cartoon character, just enough to add a some levity to an otherwise straightforward look.

And with red as the big-ticket accent color most brands, retailers, stylists and shoppers are focused on for the season, I find that the colors gravitates towards naturally respond to it. I’ll probably break them all down but today I’m focusing on the slimy shade of pistachio green (often called Prada-green among fashion people) that has been permeating many of our wardrobes for months already.

From left coming in hot with the best find of the loot, a full skirt from Free People for $98; Christopher Esber white and green lace dress, $1,100, and green midi skirt, $850 (I like this halter georgette number, also from Esber for $595); Bode crochet knit dress; Tory Burch peacoat, Pure Cashmere NYC x Cafe Leandra polo knit, Dries van Noten knit shorts (to perhaps wear with THIS PERFECT THING). Not pictured are these pants, but which could work the way the VB ones do (below), and this vintage Dior tank from TRR for $106.

It’s a warm color, which makes it quieter than and therefore a good compliment to red, but it’s also got a bit more sass. So you combine the properties of green, which reflect abundance and expansion and grounding and earthliness, the solitude that comes from peace and quiet, then you add the spice of its weird tonal range from mucus to Kermit and you have what I call measured sauciness.

At left: Miu Miu fall 2023, at right: Miu Miu spring 2024 — it is often Miuccia Prada who throws the first strand of spaghetti at the wall to see if it will stick

There are some specificities about how to wear it, the first of which encompasses the key points about how it builds on top of red, almost giving new qualities to the grandfathered accent color.

Chartreuse green silk top (it’s Madeline’s!) styled with a Tory burch red sweater and Adina Reyter beads. You can reverse the vibe with something like this and a red t-shirt under.

See what I mean?

The rest of the look containers a Khaite white t-shirt, snakeskin pants (similar ones here) and gold boots, Soeur x Cafe Leandra’s feather detail bag and a pair of elbow length knit gloves from Toteme

But what does it do for an outfit with no red? Can it become its own trend on the wheel? Maybe! When you wear slime green as the main event, it’s the punch in the face you are often seeking to remember you’re alive in the dead of winter.

Here’s another way to wear your scarf that offers you more bang for your warm weather accessories’ buck: tied around your head and neck. Some fun coats that aren’t gold but which are so fun. 1, 2, 3 Styled with:

Tory Burch gold coat (this one from Dries is cool, I like her too and from TRR is this good times gal), Ralph Lauren cable knit knit (here’s the J. Crew one I keep pushing on you but actually, this might be a better comp), Victoria Beckham pants (still in stock here in a size 8 for $195 and these from Alice and Olivia for $107 look like a pretty great alt too. These from Joseph for $361 are a no-brainer for a more utilitarian shade)

And you don’t have to have a gold coat to drive this point home — the green is good with shades of white, camel, khaki or heather grey. (The common denominator here being a light-wash neutral as the springboard.)

Michelle Waugh trench coat (this is a great alt), Splendid white turtleneck (it really is the best), here’s a good plain black shrunken knit, Loulou Studios denim skirt (which comes in a darker shade of blue too but I think I prefer this one on account of length), The Row black pumps and slime green satin bag (this is it, sold out; like her as a comp for $40)

But it will pair well with navy or brown, too. Here’s with brown:

Tory Burch coat (any car style will do, and I’m particular to the shape of this one, which I have but this crazy $4,000 beaded one does sure come close). Jenny Walton made the beanie, but I feel like this from Bode gets at the same thing. Do you these boots as a comp for the ones above? It’s the right toe, but I’m not sold on the back ankle groove.

It’s less obvious (tree-like) with navy, and something about the navy gives the green an opp to really bathe in itself.

Do you feel like you’re in the shower? Giuliva Heritage jacket (also nice in camel with suede flap, but re navy collarless: great comp here) and pants (an alt from theory for $147 here), Los Angeles apparel turtleneck, Pure Cashmere NYC x Cafe Leandra polo sweater and gold open toe booties (they’re from this fam. Someone dropped Tibi’s ‘Mikhail’ into the subscriber group chat this week and I think they will work here too,)

But I do think it’s the minor add of something shiny (gold shoes, but you could hit two birds with one stone with these) that gives the look more life.

Re: shoes, I’d try these gold boots too

The other thing I’ll say is re: material.