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How To Wear Pink (Even If You Kind Of Hate It)

It’s time to stop saying color pink is only for girly-girls and young children. Pink can be romantic, fierce, and even punk if you want it to be. Adding a few small elements of pink to your wardrobe is a must – even if you swear that you “hate” the color. Once you try it out, you’ll see that a little addition of blush or magenta can truly add something special to an outfit.

Think of pink as a supportive BFF

A great way to wear pink without it feeling too overbearing is to add a small pink accessory to an otherwise neutral outfit. A nice taupe or camel coat can be great for a professional and put-together look, but the addition of a magenta purse or some fuchsia earrings will make a bold statement without saying too much. Perfect for a workplace that sticks to slacks and button-ups, you’ll stay in uniform but have your own personal touch!

If you’re more of a stand-out fashionista or are looking to add pink to an outfit in a way a way that’s a bit trendier, use pink as a supportive addition to an outfit instead of the focus. Allow another color to shine, and use pink as your accent. Pink looks great with other colors, like light yellow or olive green, and a thin belt set against a pastel dress will take an Easter-Sunday look to one that’s ready for a Saturday night dinner party.

Go for shades named after food

For some reason, the shades of pink named after food are always a must for your closet. They may not seem like the obvious choice, but thanks to their unexpected variations on the traditionally bright shade, wearing these colors can be a subtle way to shake up an outfit.

Peach pants are great when paired with black—they accentuate your legs and help you stand out while still keeping your look sleek and grown-up. Salmon, a slightly darker version of peach, looks especially good with a white top. The classy feel of white contrasted with the off-pink and neutral vibe of salmon creates a fresh look—perfect for any casual weekend activity.

Pink vs. nude

It’s so easy to get away with pink when you walk the very thin line between pink and nude. Even if you really don’t like the edginess that bright pink can add to an outfit, adding a barely-there shade of pink works in so many different ways.

Try wearing a delicate and pastel version of pink in a way that isn’t the main focus of the outfit—a blazer or scarf can add just the right amount of feminine detail. Baby pink shades are so close to white and tan that sometimes you may not even notice they’re pink when you buy them!

Texture, texture, TEXTURE

By wearing pieces that have a little bit of visual interest to them already (like fuzzy cardigans or velvet jackets) you don’t need to do much to distract from the color. Textured clothing is almost in its own category—and pink is the perfect color to take for a drive in that lane.

The fuzzy effect will often steal the spotlight from whatever color the piece is. Let’s be real—velvet looks sexy in ANYTHING. The same effect goes for a pair of tie-up stilettoes or a sharp blazer.

Pink doesn’t have to be a code-word for an Elle Woods personality, and it doesn’t need to make you look like you need a fake ID to order a glass of red. Instead of grouping all pinks into one scary and untouchable category, try to envision each shade of pink as its own separate color. Challenge yourself and incorporate some champagne, orchid, or steel pink to your closet.

There are over 150 shades so you know there will be at least one that’s perfect you!

Hi I'm Kelsey! I am the Campus Correspondent at Cal Poly SLO and a Social Media intern for Her Campus HQ! I LOVE sports (HUGE BASEBALL FAN!), anything pop-culture, and fashion! I coach gymnastics in my free time and read anything I can get my hands on- including tons of celebrity tweets. The only thing I love more than those things? My chi-weenie pup that I have at college with me! Follow me to see way to many pictures of my dog, sporting events and cups of coffee. Twitter: Kelseykrystina Snap: Ohsnapitzkels Insta: KelseyKrystina