Written by Dan Skinner in Tips & Advice on the 21st June 2018

Its only in recent years that pink has become a prominent colour in men’s fashion, at least from the designer brands we see today. Harvey Nichols, Norse projects, Raf Simmons and Stone Island are all big names who’ve really been able to utilise this colour well. The variation to the pink colour palette allows for a bold contrast between the lighter and darker shades, allowing pink to either clash boldly or fit well with a plethora of colours. Just as pink was a colour for men in the 1800s the trend has returned and been picked up again by clothing brands worldwide.

Establish the shade of pink 

With lighter pinks it’s important to either break it up with a darker, more contrasting colour such as dark greens, browns and blacks. Or pair it with lighter, pastel colours, such as light blue, light green and white. Try to avoid red when styling with lighter pinks as it creates an illusion of being on the same colour spectrum yet slightly too bold at the same time. Darker pinks will require darker contrasting colours only. Black, Navy and Grey are all great colours to adopt when wearing darker pink as again the contrast layer is crucial in order to avoid being washed out.

Keep it simple 

Braving the pink trend takes time. It’s essential to spend a few minutes in the morning deliberating over colours and patterns or researching outfits that best compliment the bold colour. We recommend you stick to wearing one item of pink to start off with. Be it a jacket, T-shirt or shoes (but not trousers). Darker, more contrasting trousers help to break up the outfit, adding a bold layer between top and bottom. What’s key is to keep the contrasting items block colours as this makes the pink pop a little more. If wearing 2 items of pink, ensure they are not layered on top of each other i.e. pink T-shirt under pink over shirt. Pink shoes work great with a pink upper half, as long as the pink is of the same or very similar tone. Vans, Puma and Zara all have some excellent shoes in a variety of pinks that fit seamlessly with casual outfits.

Wear it with confidence 

The key to wearing any new colour is to be confident. You don’t have to be a male model or wear noticeable brands in order to pull it off because pink is a manly colour in the modern era, it does not define sexuality. Wearing it in the office will allow you to stand out against competitors and co-workers, furthermore, wearing it casually shows knowledge of recent trends and oozes style (not to mention the ladies love it). A recent British study found women are literally hard wired to prefer pink menswear. Glamour, Elle and Women’s Health have all produced articles about males who wear pink; from celebs to the average guy, when worn correctly, pink can be a very attractive colour.

Pink on darker skin tones 

Blessed again in fashion are darker skin complexions; pink looks great with naturally tanned or darker skin as well as with warmer colours on the spectrum such oranges and yellows. The contrasting effect allows pretty much all shades of pink to be worn effortlessly. However, if you’re fairer skinned don’t let this put you off. Try sticking to darker pinks to avoid being washed out, as from a distance it can look as though you’re walking topless with a pretty bad sunburn. Even then, when correctly contrasted with an outfit, it can look great.

We discuss shades of pink and pink on darker skin tones in this article on How to Confidently Style Pink Menswear.