The sheets are not as soft as I want at first but i know the more they are washed the the softer they will feel on the skin. I bought the silver gray, they sometimes look like gray and others times they look like a very light blue depending on the amount of light being shown but also... we have black bedroom furniture and darker grays as well. 

I am very pleased with my purchased. We have a king bed with a 3in memory foam topper. I bought the California King sheets in order for the fitted sheet to completely fit our topper and mattress. I also prefer a looser feel compared to the tight feel. The sheets are light and "breathable".