Whether you are wearing pink for breast cancer awareness (like Jodie, who inspired this post), following the brightly colored dopamine dressing trend, attracted to the Rose Violet (bright magenta) and Nosegay (light pink) Pantone FW 2022 colors, intrigued by the Barbiecore fashion aesthetic, using pink as a major accent in your wardrobe, or interested in experimenting with non-standard fall color combinations...you've come to the right place! Today we are talking about wearing pink in the fall.
While pink in spring and summer feels easy, I know some people struggle with it as an fall color because fall colors are stereotypically warm-toned and often dark. People are less likely to want to wear full-on head to toe pink once summer is over, and it's not clear how pink fits in with autumnal colors. But I think pink makes a marvelous accent color for the neutrals that many of us increasingly rely on through the fall and winter season. Pairing pink with neutrals is an easy way to wear pink in autumn (or any season!) in part because you needn't worry about what shade of pink you choose to include with neutrals in your outfit. That's the beauty of neutrals...most of them work well with most accent colors.
To illustrate, let's jump into my closet for a moment. I have pink items in a variety of shades that I wear in the cool to cold weather...magenta, mottled mid-pink, dusky pink, dusty rose, blush, watermelon pink, and bright warm pink are all represented in my wardrobe items below.
I will raid my outfit of the day archives to show a variety of pink + neutral outfits with these items for some fall outfit inspiration. With each outfit, I list several aspects of the outfit you could choose from as an inspiration starting point...or something about the overall outfit might resonate with you. Let's get started!
Pink + Black
Black is a such a popular year-round neutral that most of us have some autumn-appropriate items in this color. Adding pink in any shade will look great, but I especially like some of the darker, brighter pinks with black.
OOTD #1:
-Bright pink + black
-Solid pink item as a pop of color in a black or black and white outfit
-Color formula: modern twin set + accent bottom
-Outfit formula: blouse + slim pants + vest
-Gold jewelry is on trend
-Great for high contrast "Winter" personal coloring
OOTD #2:
-Bright pink item + black and another accent color; teal is a nice autumn color to include
-Use Road Map styling to select colors
-Bring disparate colors together with a bridge piece print scarf
-Outfit formula: top + skinny pants + long cardigan
-Suede loafers have a fall feel
-Have fun matching colorful jewelry to your outfit's palette
-Great for color contrast dominant personal coloring
OOTD #3:
-Solid pink item + white + black-based print
-Half tuck a longer tunic to wear under a shorter topper layer
-Outfit formula: button up shirt + wide leg pants + vest
-Layered necklaces as an alternative to a scarf
-Looking for a cold-weather indoor hobby? Consider DIY paper bead-making for fun customizable jewelry
OOTD #4:
-Pink marl knit + black
-Bring disparate colors together with a bridge piece print scarf
-Use a print scarf to add more colors/neutrals to the outfit
-A long scarf adds an elongating vertical element to the outfit and distracts from broadening horizontal lines
-Outfit formula: pullover sweater + skinny pants + flats
-Black headband and captoe shoes bookend the look
-Great for "soft" personal coloring
Pink + Brown
I have been writing a lot about brown lately because it's such a terrific dark neutral for fall! You could easily add pink to a brown column of color and use one of the many accessorizing ideas in this post. Here are a couple other ideas...
OOTD #5:
-Bright warm pink + dark brown
-Color formula: outer column of color
-Use a print scarf to add more colors to the outfit and/or for elongating vertical element
-Outfit formula: pullover sweater + straight leg jeans/pants + vest
-Lipstick and earrings in a matching bright pink
-Great for warm personal coloring
OOTD #6:
-Dusky pink and dark brown
-Bring disparate colors together with a bridge piece print scarf
-Outfit formula: pullover sweater + straight leg jeans/pants + flats
-Wear an infinity scarf in a fresh way - loop once around the neck and add a knot at the bottom
-Match shoes to pants for a clean, classic look
-Textured sweater knit is just right for fall
OOTD #7:
-Blush pink and dark brown
-A leopard print scarf in many shades of ivory, beige, brown, and black makes it easy to blend those shades in an outfit
-A long scarf that matches the pants creates a flow of color from top to bottom
-Outfit formula: pullover sweater + straight leg jeans/pants + ankle boots
-Shoes/boots similar to hair color for effective bookending
-Brown leopard print has a fall vibe
-A mix of gold and rose gold is great with blush and brown
Pink + Beige and/or White
Beige and white are light value neutrals that get a little less love in the cool months, but can certainly be worn effectively with pink in fall. I like this combination particularly well for warmer fall days that still have a hint of summer in the air. This is mostly in the rear-view for us in St Paul but many areas are still waiting for true fall weather, so this lighter toned outfit might feel just right.
OOTD #8:
-Watermelon pink + beige + white
-Color formula: matching top + scarf
-Add a third neutral (black) in scarf print and shoes
-Outfit formula: top + slim knit pants + long cardigan (long over lean)
-Great for light personal coloring
Pink + Grey
Grey with lighter shades of pink is a color combination I gravitate to a lot in the spring (aka More Winter) when I am looking to lighten my color palette despite the cold weather. For fall, I like the idea of a darker pink with a medium-to-dark charcoal grey as a cool undertone alternative to the classic yellow-based autumn colors.
OOTD #9:
-Bright pink + medium grey
-Color formula: colorblocked top + bottom
-Add a third neutral (black) in accessories
-Outfit formula: pullover print/intarsia sweater + full-length trousers + pointy-toed flats
OOTD #10:
-Bright watermelon pink + medium grey
-Color formula: neutral + accent + print
-Use Road Map styling to pick a necklace color (here, purple) from the print
-Outfit formula: print blouse + full-length trousers + blazer
-Rich dual texture flats are great for fall (just don't get them wet)
OOTD #10:
-Cool pinks + charcoal + black
-Pink ombré scarf for a wash of color against a neutral background
-Color formula: colorblocking
-Outfit formula: top + flared trousers + boyfriend cardigan
-Dark florals are a classic choice for fall/winter, but wearing black floral print shoes is an unexpected twist on the idea
-Mix up summery elements (lace, ballet flats) with autumnal elements (dark neutrals, boyfriend cardigan) in the look
Pink + Navy or Dark Denim
Pink and blue is a lovely color combination, and choosing a dark neutral version of blue is a perfect way to wear pink in fall. I can't think of a single shade of pink that doesn't work with navy and dark denim!
OOTD #11:
-Dusky pink + dark denim + white
-Color formula: colorblocking
-Select a print with multiple shades of pink and purple against the mostly neutral outfit
-Outfit formula: top + trouser jeans + cardigan
-Does your outfit look more spring than fall? That's OK - just own it
-Braid your scarf into a scarf necklace
-Add a long tassel necklace for vertical integrity
-A print scarf + print bracelets (or earrings or other accessory) = subtle print mixing
-Metallic shoes are on trend
OOTD #12:
-Blush pink + navy + beige/cognac
-Color formula: outer column of color
-Outfit formula: pullover sweater + pencil skirt + vest + tall boots
-Chunky knit sweater is cozy for late/cold fall days
-A silky scarf adds nice texture contrast with the quilted vest and sweater
-Cognac leather is gorgeous with navy and primo for autumn
-Riding boots are on trend
Finally, OOTD #13:
-Blush pink + dark denim + white
-Color formula: colorblocking
-Outfit formula: pullover sweater + layering T + skinny jeans
-Well matched T-shirt and sweater necklines are not easy to find but look sharp when they line up
-Intarsia rabbits make the sweetest sweaters
-Skinny jeans are "classic and not dated"
Do you wear pink in the fall? Do you have a favorite shade of pink? A favorite neutral to wear pink with?
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