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Navy and black, green and orange, red and pink, there are a plethora of colour combinations that we’ve been taught by fashion’s rule book don’t go together unless you want to be ousted as a fashion pariah.
But who decided these (so-called) rules and aren’t all rules made to be broken? Black and navy have happily joined forces in FROWs, orange and green have brightened city streets and now red and pink have revived and rejuvenated wardrobe colour palettes.
While complete red outfits and head-to-toe pink outfits are a lot to digest, combining the two colours break up both shades into a bold covetable look.
BRIGHTEN CLASSIC WINTER PALETTES
Winter is synonymous with short days, dark skies, and anything but inspiring weather and our wardrobes, for one reason or another, typically reflect that.Black, navy and grey with a handful of cream sprinkled in on top take over, city streets are flooded with the shades, commutes and train carriages packed with a mass of navy coats and black umbrellas. Why? This combination, in contrast, joyfully embraces bright colour, effortlessly banishing grey cloud-covered days (even when the forecast spells rain) and redefines what makes up a winter palette.
Whatever shades and saturations you choose, the result will always be a refreshing palate cleanser to the dark neutrals and tonal hues that typically define winter wardrobes and act as a welcome reminder of the brighter skies, warmer temperatures, and sun-dappled days to come.
COLOUR HAS A POSITIVE EFFECT ON OUR BODIES
What better antidote is there to some of the coldest, darkest days of the year than joy-inducing colour? Representing joy, love, and passion, red is actually shown to speed up our heart rates and stimulate blood flow resulting in a visceral increase in energy. Similarly, dark pinks heighten our emotions while pale pinks have the reverse effect and are actually thought to be a calming, soothing force.
Definitive proof that opposites attract, red and pink are a sartorial breath of fresh air, shaking up your wardrobe and energising your on- and off-duty dressing throughout this year and for many more to come.
IT’S MORE THAN A PASSING TREND
Pink and red outfits are slowly cementing themselves in our collective sartorial zeitgeist as a classic pairing.Already proving its staying power and longevity, the bold colour-clashing combination has flirted with fashion for decades - Princess Diana even sported an outfit celebrating the colours in 1989. More recently, though, the pairing made a statement on 2017 runways and hasn’t strayed from them (or the FROW) since. It’s been favoured by red-carpet frequenters and street style trendsetters for seasons, whether the colours are inflected through a classic check print, in a statement print covering a dress or combined in colour-block separates and is still brightening designers’ collections in 2022.
A CONTEMPORARY TAKE ON COLOUR BLOCKING
Breaking up classic tonal looks and building colour-block outfits around subtle tones and saturations grants the bold styling approach a modern feel.
Unsure of where to start? Pick a hero colour and then the other hue in a shade that plays a supporting role in your look. For example, pink dresses are complemented and grounded by a dark-red top or knit to build a cohesive look while bright red trousers are softened by pastel pink blouses. Be intentional with how you piece together your look; don’t just dip your toe into the trend, dive into it. After all, nothing was ever achieved by only doing things in halves.