It seems as though fashion’s longest living cliché is the lasting debate over whether pink is strictly a feminine colour. Of course, the Sappeurs of the Congo, Versace’s bubble gum suits and Ralph Lauren’s preppy polos have proved that even the manliest of men can rock the world’s “prettiest,” colour. However, as a fashion student, I’ve come to learn that pink is one of the most versatile colours out there. It can be light and ethereal, acidic and energetic, or popish and light. The many facets of this dainty colour make a silent powerhouse in a personal colour palette, so here’s a few ways pink can add a bit of pop to your style.
Let’s take a look some runway looks:
(From left to right: Lacoste, YMC, Christopher Shannon, Paul Smith, Aibellus by Titi Kwan)
I’ve selected the following looks because they provide a decent look into the complete spectrum of pink in both colour and mood. Lacoste’s pastel set feels bright and fresh. The sweet layering matched with leather kicks creates a sporty, modern feel. YMC’s dusty salmon coloured suit exudes a vintage softness. The contrast between the soft pink and grey with the crisp white collar and oxfords completes the look and the pink creates a delicate brilliance that gives summer life to this look. Christopher Shannon takes an avante-garde turn with a tucked tee and matching shorts in a cotton-candy suede complete with orange highlights, socks, sandals and printed undershirt. Everything about this look seethes coolness and the pink adds just enough energy to create an attention-nabbing statement. Paul Smith is simply pink in pairing a crisp, collarless shirt with hot pink sweatpants. The look is easy, fearless and bursting at the seams with attitude. Lastly, Aibellus delivers a barely-there pink fantasy that seems to float across the runway. The mix of sheer, pearls and loose, draping separates creates a truly ethereal, beautiful ensemble.
All in all, pink stands as a staple colour in every designer’s arsenal. It takes on so many moods and personas, it’s no wonder it’s blowing up the spring/summer runways across the world. To me, pink is a great way to add some serious hues, or understated tones of colour into any wardrobe. It works with every skin tone and is enough to make even simple silhouettes stand out and feel new. Not sure where to begin with this tickled hue? Here’s a fashion student tip!
Basically there are two pinks: warm (more red) and cool (more blue).
Find each in a fabric swatch, piece of clothing, blanket, placemat or anything pink you have available. Hold it up to your face. Does it drown you out? Does it bring out you eye colour? Skin colour? Take a good look. Colour is all about intuition, see/feel what shade fits you best. Once you’ve done that it becomes easy. Experiment and try on different tints and shades of the pink that matches you best and your on your way to adding a bit of pink to the pep in your step. As an added bonus, knowing what pink matches you best is a great starting point to determining which palette suits you best whether it’s warm or cool colours or soft or intense colours.
So, it seems pink really does have a bit more to it than bubble gum and glitter. In fact, it can be a really sophisticated colour to work with. But, before your pinked out, here’s a bit of bi-weekly pink-spiration:
(From left to right: Carolina Mizrahi, False Arms, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Sara Andreasson, valley gyal.)
Until next time, all the best and happy fashioning!
