Unless you spent last summer under a rock, you’ll remember the impression that the butter yellow colour trend made on the season. Soft, saccharine washes of pale lemon flooded new-in sections, coating everything from slip dresses to It-bags in a pastel glow. It was, without question, the chicest shade in circulation.

But such was its ubiquity that, as we’ve moved into a new year, butter yellow has risked feeling a little… expected. The good news? With the right styling, this once-sweet shade can feel entirely fresh again. And, as ever, the industry’s most reliable dressers are already showing us how.

Stepping out into a brisk New York afternoon, Jennifer Lawrence chose a generously cut, belted coat from The Row in the dreamiest pastel yellow. Instead of keeping things strictly tonal, she introduced a whisper of pale blue at the neck with a wrapped scarf, creating a subtle but elegant contrast. A trending fur hat added texture and a distinctly 2026 sensibility.

Across the Atlantic in London, Alexa Chung offered a different take. Styling Mirthdate’s Oxford shirt in a delicate buttercream hue, she wore it back-to-front—subverting predictable styling cues. Paired with the season’s favourite knee-length skirt and pointed-toe heels in a rich chocolate brown, the look gained depth and sophistication. The darker accessories grounded the airy yellow, lending it a grown-up, city-ready polish.

The 2026 butter yellow colour trend is less about tonal saccharine sweetness and more about contrast and texture. If you invested in the shade last year, rest assured, it still has mileage. And if you’re tempted to reintroduce this enduring hue into your spring rotation, a few clever styling tweaks are all it takes to make it feel brand new.