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.

Contents

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

stylist in pink leather skirt, booties and sweater, brown vest and tights, printed scarf and red beret — Outfit details: Ray Ban Jackie O. sunglasses, GNW leopard print tights, Daisy Day lace-up booties with zipper details, Hermes collier de chien bangle and leather band, Louis Vitton funny flower print scarf, Max Mara shearling vest, GNW Luze cashmere wool sweater, Banana Republic midi A-line leather skirt (all own) and red beret c/o Tenth Street Hats

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 19^th century, pink was a color for baby boys?

over 50 years old woman in suede skirt blush leather jacket — Outfit details: Steve Madden ankle strap pumps, cashmere sweater, G-III skirt, pantyhose, pendent necklace and blush Hinge quilted leather jacket

The pumps pick up the color of the sweater as do the dots on the socks.

stylye blogger in bf jeans, blush jacket, denim shirt, burgundy pumps sweater — Outfit details: Quilted blush Hinge leather jacket, burgundy cashmere sweater and Great Northwest denim shirt, ethnic belt, London Jean boyfriend jeans, GNW burgundy polka dots black socks and burgundy patent leather Steve Madden ankle strap heels and Paloma Picasso sunglasses (all own)

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.

stylist showing how to wear pink over 40 in winter at the office — Outfit details: Brown unbranded waterfall cashmere cardigan, Lands End mock turtleneck pink cashmere sweater, I.N.C. chocolate brown leather pants, brown Clark booties, Festina watch, Hermes H bangle, and peacock necklace (all own)

You can vary the look with different accessories. See this guide on how to up your style with earrings.

outfit in spring fashionable colors — Outfit details: Moda International cardigan dyed maroon, I.N.C. chocolate brown leather pants, Investments mock turtleneck sweater, Hermes collier de chien cuff, Antonio Melani booties, blue topaz earrings and necklace, aquamarine ring (all own) and Wooden watch c/o Jord

street style blogger in tailored leather jacket and pink dress — Pink dress c/o Lookbook Store with bebe brown leather jacket, Jaeger tote, and brown Michael Kors sandals

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.

midlife blogger in work outfit with pink leather jacket — Outfit details: BB Dakota sheath, Coach bag, Steve Madden ankle strap pumps, Hermes collier de chien bangle, Brooks Brothers sweater, pantyhose, Tissot blue stone watch, blue topaz studs and Newport News leather jacket (all own)

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.

fuchsia cardigan, orange belt bag, leather skirt, cap toe pumps — GNW fuchsia cardigan worn as top with Paloma Picasso belt and sunglasses, orange statement bag, Oliveo straight leather skirt, brooch from my late Granny Hannah and Ivanka Trump cap-toe pumps (all own)

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.

blogger in boxy leather coat — Vittari leather coat, unbranded geometric print scarf, vintage leather hat, G-III skirt, Steve Madden patent leather ankle strap pumps and Kate Moss for Longchamp tan bag (all own)

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.

Alaskan fashion blogger in shearling motorcycle jacket, multi color scarf jeans — Marc Andrew shearling motorcycle jacket, London Jean boyfriend jeans, Clark booties, accessorized with graphic silk print scarf, LeatherCoatsEtc tan gloves, and YSL bag (all own)

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.

over 40 fashionista in Winter look with beret — Diamond leopard print jacket worn over chocolate brown INC leather pants accessorized with burgundy beret, fuchsia 3.1 Phillip Lim bag, and Clark booties (all own)

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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