Today pink is associated with feminine clothing, sometimes even with being romantic. This guide features how to wear pink over 40 in a young, preppy way without looking like trying too hard or like being an Old Lady.
- Pink is a great color
- How to style pink the modern way
- Break old fashion rules – so chic
- Pink with brown is so chic
- When layering peeling off a layer must lead to a great look too
- Try different shades of pink in one outfit
- A Fall’s Do Orange with Pink
- Accessorize Your Outerwear with a Pop of Pink
- Which pink is right for you?
- Wrapping up how to wear pink over 40
- Top of the World Style Linkup No. 299
Pink is a great color
I really love pink, and yes, I wear it a lot. One of my blogging friends once said “You wear your pink like a neutral!” Well, I guess she may be right. At least, it’s one of my signature colors.
Today, we associate little girls with this lightened version or red. This hasn’t always been the case. It just became this way in the beginning of the last century. Formerly, it was reserved for baby boys.
Did you know that in former times pink was a color for boys? #funfacts #HighLatitudeStyle Click To Tweet
How to Style Pink the Modern Way
Pink is currently full on trend. When you are over 40, you remember the pink trend of the 1980s. Every women wore pink with black. I did too! And, yes I still think it was super chic, and still is.
However, today,I hesitate wearing this color combination. It looks great on the Millennials, but on babyboomer or generation X fashionistas it has a deja vu moment. By no means, I am not saying it is not chic for women over 40. We just have to wear this color combination distinctively different than we did back then. For an example with a pink and black look.
Also think out of the box regarding prints and patterns. Sure a dress with pink flowers is a classic. But wearing a pink plaid skirt at the office is a modern take on the color as well as on the traditional weave.
Break Old Fashion Rules – So Chic
Starting in third grade, I was allowed to pick my outfit of the day. However, my mother had strong rules about what to wear together, and what not to wear together. For instance, I was not allowed to wear red and pink together or red and brown. My mother claimed that red and pink looks like a “rosarotes Schweinchen”, i.e. a red pink piglet. Today, one would probably say Miss Piggy alert. In the case of brown and red, she would say that these colors “beissen sich” (clash), what basically in plain English would mean, they clash.
Nevertheless, I think you can wear these colors together. Yes, it is tricky, but when you keep the colors very distinct from each other, it works. Why? Pink and red are in the same color family. Pink and brown is a classic. And brown is a neutral. Thus, where is the problem?
Did you know that in the 19th century, pink was a color for baby boys?
The pumps pick up the color of the sweater as do the dots on the socks.
Pink with Brown Is So Chic
Currently, I am totally into wearing pink with brown. Outfits in this color combination have a fresh modern vibe. As an example, I paired pink cashmere sweater with a waterfall cashmere sweater and chocolate brown leather pants for a modern office winter look.
You can vary the look with different accessories. See this guide on how to up your style with earrings.
When Layering Peeling Off a Layer Must Lead to a Great Look Too
When layering keep in mind that your look should still look complete and stunning when you peel a layer off. In the outfit shown above, the necklace does the trick. It adds interest to the outfit. While the necklace just repeats the vertical lines when worn with the cardigan, it becomes a statement without the cardigan. See this guide on stylish layering.
Try Different Shades of Pink in One Outfit
Of course, one can style a monochromatic look in this color. You also can repeat the color when it occurs in the print or pattern of another piece you wear like in the example outfit below.
The leather jacket is astonishingly versatile. See this post for more than 17 stunning looks with this pink leather jacket.
A Fall’s Do Orange with Pink
This look uses color blocking a black leather skirt with an orange belt, orange bag and a pink cardigan worn as sweater/blouse with pink cap-toe nude orange seamed pumps. See featured photo for a close-up on the shoes. Learn more on which colors work with orange.
Accessorize Your Outerwear with a Pop of Pink
In regions with long winters, outerwear becomes an additional outfit. Some of your under (indoor) outfit will show. Therefore always think of your outerwear just as an additional layer. The example below illustrates how a printed silk scarf can tie an outfit together. Its pink, bluish, tan brown, and burned red pattern repeats the burnt red leather of the coat, the tan of the gloves and Kate Moss for Longchamp bag.
The next example photo shows how to use salmon to add a pop of color to a winter outdoor look. A girlfriend of mine gave me this scarf as a gift when she came back from visiting her parents in China.
The next photo shows how fuchsia is added as a statement to up the outerwear. To tie the look together burgundy gloves and a beret serve as a darker variation of fuchsia.
Which Pink Is Right for You?
There are warm and cold, light and deep, as well as bright and soft variations. Thus, pick the hue/shade/tint of your color palette. Otherwise, you will look washed out. Another aspect is whether you prefer a style with neutrals or love a bold color statement (me).
Typically, blondes with light skin color and blue eyes look great in cool powder or blush. Blondes with golden skin look great in coral, salmon, or baby pink. Brunettes with dark brown eyes look great in fuchsia. See also how I love my pink looks.
Stylist’s tip: Be aware that like many pastels and red, pink can make you look heavier than you really are. Thus, create vertical lines when styling this shade to offset the effect.
Make sure not to wear a pink that washes you out. Recall pink technically spoken is a pastel. More on how to not look old in pastels in this guide.
Wrapping up how to wear pink over 40
Pink is more versatile than one would think at first sight. It can be worn as a neutral or color statement. One can wear one’s best pink at any age. It’s not just for baby girls. When you wear a color pair that was it a couple of decades ago make sure to style the look in a modern way. Just think of the black and pink outfits that were hip in the 1980s. Go for a different hue of pink at least.
Do you like this color? Or do you think it is for young women and little girls? Do you wear it despite it gives the illusion of more weight?
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Top of the World Style linkup No. 299
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Don’t let the right outfit be a random thing. Wear the right look in every situation by looking up what to wear when in How to Dress for Success in Midlife. Buy the book now.
Photos: G. Kramm
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