Pantone, a global color-swatch company that also forecasts trends, named “Mocha Mousse” 2025’s color of the year, and it’s everywhere this fall. The smooth brown, chocolate/coffee-evoking hue is trendy but timeless—neutral for layering yet rich enough to stand alone. Here, DC influencer Saumya Shiohare (@musingsofsaumya) shares three ways to style it.
Tonal Luxury
Saumya Shiohare says the combination of a solid, feminine dress in Mocha Mousse, paired with a darker espresso-toned leather jacket feels “striking and luxe.”
1. “Croft” jacket by Babaton, $248 at Aritzia.com. 2. “Dalton” ruched crepe maxi dress by Staud, $719 at Net-a-Porter.com. 3. Quilted convertible cross-body in dark taupe, $120 at Quince.com. 4. “Stuart Power Bootie 100” in fawn, $650 at StuartWeitzman.com.
Colorblocked for Work
“Mocha Mousse pairs beautifully with lilac, olive, yellow, and burgundy,” says Shiohare. For the office, she suggests an A-line midi skirt with an olive or burgundy turtleneck and textured boots—“polished yet bold.”
5. Babysoft Turtleneck Sweater in cabernet by French Connection, $88 at Bloomingdales.com. 6. Satin midi skirt by Lauren Ralph Lauren, $175 at Macy’s. 7. Mini East West Curve Bag in mocha, $450 at StowLondon.co.uk. 8. “Lewis” croco knee boots by Bottega Veneta, $2,300 at NeimanMarcus.com.
Street Style
For an edgier take, Shiohare suggests styling black balloon pants—another fall trend—with an oversize Mocha Mousse pullover sweater, half-tucked, and leopard-print stilettos.
9. “Baltra” cashmere crewneck sweater by Loulou De Saison, $400 at BergdorfGoodman.com. 10. Flowy Balloon Pants, $50 at Zara.com. 11. “Alix” suede carryall by Rag & Bone, $398 at Bloomingdales.com. 12. “Mirea D’Orsay” pumps, $149 at VinceCamuto.com.
This article appears in the November 2025 issue of Washingtonian.
Amy leads Washingtonian Weddings and writes Style Setters for Washingtonian. Prior to joining Washingtonian in March 2016, she was the editor of Capitol File magazine in DC and before that, editor of What’s Up? Weddings in Annapolis.
