Today pink is associated with feminine clothing, sometimes even with romantic style. However, prior to the beginning of the last century, it was reserved for baby boys. 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.
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Pink Is a Versatile to Style Color and Perennial Trend
It’s no secret that I love pink looks, and wear it a lot. One of my blogging friends once said “You wear your pink like a neutral!” Well, she is right. However, you can also style it as a statement, especially magenta.
A very edgy street style combination that recently popped up is to wear pink with camouflage.
Which Pink Is Right for You?
There are warm and cold, light and deep, as well as bright and soft variations. To look your best, pick the hue/shade/tint of your color palette. Otherwise, you will look washed out. 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.
Take this quiz to determine your color season. Another aspect is whether you prefer a style with neutrals or love a bold color statement (me).
Tip: Technically, pink is a pastel. Like many pastels and red, pink can make you look heavier than you really are. Therefore, create vertical lines when styling this shade to offset the effect. More on how to not look old in pastels.
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 would wear pink with black. I did too! And, yes, I still think it was super chic, and still is.
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 pink with brown or red with pink. My mother claimed that red with pink looks like a “rosarotes Schweinchen” (red-pink piglet). Today, one would probably say Miss Piggy alert. In the case of brown and the lightened red, she would say that these colors “beissen sich”, which means, they clash.
Nevertheless, 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 works with brown because brown is a neutral.
The above photo proofs that you can pair hues of red and blush. In the winter outfit inspiration, the pumps and dots of the socks pick up the color of the sweater.
Pink as a Neutral vs. Statement with Brown
Outfits in this color combination have a fresh modern vibe. As an example, I paired a pink sweater with a brown waterfall cardigan and chocolate brown leather pants for a modern office winter look. You can vary the look with different accessories. More on how to up your style with earrings.
Take a Print or Pattern for Color Pairing Inspiration
The next two inspirational looks illustrate how to use a scarf or a pattern to pair colors. The scarf features red and pink together. These colors are repeated by the beret, sweater, shoes, and skirt. The vest, sunglasses and leopard spots on the tights repeat the background color of the scarf.
Tip: Repeat color accents three times to tie a look together.
The colors of the sheath include two hues of pink on a burgundy background. These hues are repeated by the sweater and the leather jacket. More stunning looks with a pink leather jacket.
Try Different Shades of Pink in One Outfit
Of course, you 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.
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. More on which colors work with orange.
Accessorize Your Outerwear with a Pop of Pink
Outerwear is an outfit too. Typically, some of your 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 bag.
The left and middle photo exemplarily show how to use salmon to add a pop of color to a winter outdoor look. The right photo shows how to wear fuchsia as a statement when styling outerwear. The burgundy gloves and beret as a darker variation of fuchsia tie the look together.
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.
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 with the right hue, value and chroma of your color palette.
When you wear a color combination that was It a couple of decades ago style the look in a modern way. Go for a different hue of the colors at least.
Photos: G. Kramm
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