Maybe it’s the impending arrival of spring, maybe it’s that Valentine’s Day just passed, maybe it’s that I recently saw the movie Babygirl and the branding was on POINT, but there is one color palette I can’t stop obsessing over:

the coquette palette.

A selection from my time at Stems Brooklyn. Photo by April Massey.

Admittedly, this isn’t a new or particularly groundbreaking palette (cue Meryl Streep asking “florals? For spring? Groundbreaking ”), but when done well, it’s OH so good. Think romance, ribbons, silks, highly decorated retro cakes, and then all of it brought together by flowers.

A selection from my time at Stems Brooklyn. Photo by Christian Oth Studio.

A coquette palette typically features what I like to think of as “elevated pastels”: soft robin’s egg blue, creamy whites, blush pinks, heightened by the occasional more saturated tone (a deeper violet, maybe). A buttery yellow might make an appearance. The key is keeping all the tones in their softest shades and choosing your deeper colors wisely. Adding in these pops of colors keeps this palette from looking too much like a baby shower (unless, of course, you’re throwing a baby shower- then go as soft as you like!).

The shapes of our flowers matter here, too; when we think of this Babygirl-style palette, we’re using mostly round, soft blooms, prioritizing flowers that are fluffy, delicate, and allow for more of a garden-style look. Tropicals and drippy amaranth would change this vibe considerably, so save those for a more minimal, modern aesthetic.

To me, this is a quintessential spring/summer palette. That’s not to say you can’t do it in other seasons, it just means that, if we’re leading with seasonality, the types of flowers that tend to lend themselves well to this style are most often available in the early- to mid-growing season in our region (NY, NJ, Western Massachusetts). You could even do this whole palette with completely local flowers (roses included!). Here are a few of my favorite coquette-esque blooms:

Garden roses- these were grown right in New Jersey!

Pink foxglove (the purple dalmatian variety is also beautiful, but I’m a sucker for the blush pink).

Phlox (this bloom does NOT smell great, but sure is pretty).

Local sweet pea, in all its tendril-y glory

Scabiosa (this comes in so many different hues that you can use it as a cool pop or a buttery warm tone)

These are just a handful of the florals and shades you can use to bring this sweet palette to life; don’t forget some blush stock, Peaches & Cream dahlias, and light blue delphinium. This vibe is perfect for your wedding- or your next garden party, shower, or afternoon soiree.

Hope you loved this deep-dive into my current color palette obsession as much as I did! Wishing you lots of ribbon-filled garden parties in the near future. Xoxo

Talk to me about your wedding!

Current Color Palette Obsession