Just in from my fashion gurus at WhoWhatWear: the fruity summer shades of red and pink are transitioning to the deeper, richer wines of autumn. This slideshow explores this delicious color trend, from rosy mauve to velvety bordeaux.

I’m more excited about this colorful direction than I thought I would be. I have not generally been a red lover; with my coloring (deep auburn hair, fair skin, freckles), it’s always been tricky to find just the right shades. But in the last year or so, I’ve gradually warmed up to wine. I mean wine colors.

Unlike what I think of as “definite” colors, like scarlet, my favorite shades of wine are artful blends of red, purple, and occasionally, deep brown. Hybrid colors like these are often easier for me to wear, and more interesting and sophisticated. They also function very much like neutrals in my wardrobe, since they tend to be in-between hues that blend beautifully. (One of my preferred color combinations right now is deep wine with vibrant coral, both of which keep turning up in my tango wardrobe.)

I’m intrigued by some of the colors paired with the wines in this slideshow, particularly the dress that combines wine with peach (slide #8), and wine with pale mauve (in the photo above, on the right); wearing the deep burgundy tones along with lighter, fresher colors keeps the overall look from being not only too dark, but also from looking too on-the-nose autumn-inspired.

I agree with WhoWhatWear that, with such a great range of wine shades available, this is a truly wearable color trend. What do you think? What reds do you wear, or plan to try? Or do you avoid them altogether?