Tired of neutrals? Here’s how to style pink and red

Pink and red is one of those colour combos—up there with black and navy, brown and black, or purple and green—that always seems to get a bad rap. This is because, in the sartorial space, it is traditionally believed that colours sitting on opposite sides of the colour wheel produce the chicest combinations. Therefore pairing the “sister shades” red and pink, which sit close together on the colour wheel, has generally been regarded as a fashion faux pas. Until today.

For a couple of years now, we have seen more designers and celebrities give this contested colour combo their seal of approval. From Jacquemus and Blumarine to, most recently, Sandy Liang, the pink and red combo is steadily reaching the forefront of the trend cycle. And in a sea of quiet luxury, 90s minimalist, muted shades, seeing these punchy shades together is a breath of fresh air.

Styling pink and red together might seem daunting, but being sister shades makes the two hues surprisingly easy to pair—and style—well. The pair makes for a punchy but surprisingly low-contrast look, which suits a wide range of complexions.

From the three cardinal rules of styling pink and red to the tips and tricks to accessorise your outfit to perfection, here’s all you need to know about wearing pink and red together.

Are you ready to make your style pop? Here’s how to wear the trendiest colour combo of the moment.

The easiest way to wear these attention-grabbing shades together is by colour blocking, which essentially entails wearing multiple solid-coloured pieces in a single outfit. “Traditional” colour blocking consists of pairing two or three different yet complementary shades: pink and red definitely fit the bill here! The more pink and red are separated, the chicer and more put-together your look will be. This Copenhagen Fashion Week AW24 guest perfectly exemplifies this rule: the top half of her outfit is entirely bright red, while the bottom half is fully pale pink. Her waistline is a very clear, geometric divide between the two shades, creating a super chic result. Lastly, her pink and red shoes tie the look together.

Does going full-colour block feel like too big of a step? Then try choosing either pink or red as your “hero shade”. So, instead of going half-and-half like the previous outfit, you can choose one colour as your statement and compliment it with accessories of the opposite shade. Stylist and blogger Lizzy van der Ligt makes a good example of picking a hero shade with her quilted jacket.
While the rest of her outfit is more or less muted, her pink coat immediately jumps to the eye. The red piping and bow details add a nice contrast to the jacket without being too out there. Sometimes, compromise is key.

Arguably the most difficult part of styling pink and red is choosing the right shades to pair together. As with any other pairing, you want to choose hues that complement each other. But how?

Generally speaking, if you go for a hot shade of pink, it’s better to pair it with an equally bright shade of red. Alternatively, a lighter shade of pink calls for a dark, rich maroon to balance it out. That’s exactly what influencer Grece Ghanem was doing at The Garment during Copenhagen Fashion Week AW24. The bubblegum pink detailing on her sweater and the paler pink of her bag are perfectly complemented by the deep maroon of her shoes, stockings, and skirt.

So, now that you’ve got your pink and red outfit laid out, it’s time for accessories. Accessorising a pink and red look might feel just as daunting as styling the look in the first place, but, once again, it’s easier than it seems.

When adding accessories to your pink and red look, you are faced with two options: you can either match it or contrast it.

It might sound counterintuitive, but matching your accessories will produce a bolder look.

To match your accessories to your look, try to maintain a 50/50 split between red and pink: so, for example, go for pink shoes and a red purse, or red sunglasses and a pink scarf. This will leave you with a look that is as bold as it is cohesive.

On the other hand, you can choose to tone down your pink and red look by contrasting it with outerwear and accessories. In this case, black and white are easy and effective choices for footwear and accessories: a pair of white boots or black sunglasses will rest the eyes from all the bright shades. Alternatively, finish off your look with muted shades to mellow it out: a shiny green/grey puffer coat or a pair of blue jeans styled under a dress will give your final look a much milder balance.