February 01, 2021

How to Wear Pink and Red

how to wear this lovely color combo well beyond Valentine's Day

Red and Pink

If you’ve been wondering, “Do red and pink go together?”  Well, the short answer is a resounding, yes! Of course, Valentine’s Day always brings an onslaught of red and pink outfit options.

I know what you’re thinking…

“Red and pink for Valentine’s Day? Groundbreaking.”

But, in fact, we adore wearing pink and red together year-round! Yes, some color combinations are typically associated with a certain time of year or around a particular holiday. Think red and green, orange and black, and pink and red certainly fall under that category. However, pink and red can (and should!) be worn throughout the year, not just around mid-February.

That then begs the question… how do you wear pink and red together when it’s not Valentine’s Day? That is, how do you wear pink and red without looking like you belong in the front window of a Hallmark store in February?

Well, we are here to help you wear and pink in sophisticated, stylish ways.

Keep scrolling for seven ideas for wearing red and pink together…

Red and Pink on the Red Carpet

Let’s visit the red and pink color combo in the context of it being a red carpet trend. Wearing pink and red together can be incredibly elegant and beautiful – as demonstrated powerfully on the 2019 Emmy’s red carpet! Indeed, at this one event,  there were no fewer than five red and pink dresses to hit the red carpet.

Mandy Moore in Brandon Maxwell

Marisa Tomei in Ralph & Russo

Susan Kelechi Watson in Badgley Mischka

Taraji P. Henson in custom Vera Wang 

Zoe Kazan in Gucci

Additionally, Cynthia Erivo wore a red and pink Schiaparelli Haute Couture gown to the SAG Awards. Further, Lily Allen stunned in a red and pink gown by Azzi & Osta at the same event.

The Meanings of Pink and Red

Before we get into how to wear the colors, let’s first talk about the psychology behind pink and red…

Red is the most alive and powerful color on the spectrum, constantly in motion and demanding recognition. It conveys a message of power, presence, and sensuality. Is it ideal for a first date color? Perhaps in a lipstick, yes, but red can be too forward for a first meeting. The deeper the red, the safer it is as a first meeting option. Think berry, burgundy, or brick red.

As for pink, messages and meanings vary depending on how vibrant or muted the shade of pink is. Soft and light pinks translate as friendly, warm, approachable, and trustworthy. Bright pinks carry the strength of red but translate as fun loving, energetic, and more approachable.

Now, let’s talk about how to wear pink and red. Keep reading for seven practical ideas…

7 Ideas for Wearing Pink and Red Together

1. Be bold with red pieces

Invest in a bold red dress. which is a classic and versatile wardrobe staple. Keep the other items neutral in cream, camel, or gray. Then, bring in a pop of pink with your jewelry — either a necklace or earrings perhaps.

2. Stay saturated or move to muted

When mixing red and pink, go either all-out vivid with hot pink and electric red or move towards the muted tones like baby pink and soft rosy red. Stay in the same realm of saturation.

3. Start small with subtle sizes

For subtle doses of color, wear a patterned scarf in pink and red tones. Try either pink nails or red nails. Finish your look with a bold red lipstick or bright pink lipstick. Expert tip: don’t be afraid to mix the two colors – pink lip with red nails and vice versa.

4. Work it into your wardrobe warmly

If you’d like to bring this bold color combo into a conservative office place, here’s an idea… Infuse pink and red into your work wardrobe with a mauve top and deep brick red shoes and handbag. In other words, go for warmer shades rather than the bold versions of red and pink. The other option is to work in a neutral like navy.

5. Think two-thirds, one-third

When you are pairing two saturated hues, think about making two-thirds of your look one color, and the other third the other color. This red and pink color-blocked dress is a great example of that. This proportion of color-blocking works so much better than a 50/50 color split.

6. Consider color for casual date night

For date night, wear a red and pink t-shirt with distressed denim. Add jewelry, a bag, and fun heels – and you’re ready to go!

7. Brace for bold blocking

Go bold by color blocking a blouse and skirt. Or, better yet, consider a dress that has already done the colorblocking for you like this one or this one! Glossy accessories, cat eye makeup and a bold red lip or pink lip complete the look!

Take it to the Streets

As usual, we love to reiterate our tips and tricks by sharing the outfits of others. So check out the street style looks further feeding our obsession with the  red  and pink color combination.

How you can wear pink and red

Are you now excited for this color combo well beyond Valentine’s Day? Good news — I’ve rounded up the best red and pink options from around the internet. So many gorgeous options.

In Closing

The color combination of pink and red extends well beyond Valentine’s Day. It’s a color combination which you can wear all year round! 

If you enjoyed these tips, please feel free to share the article with your friends! One way to do so is to pin the graphic below to Pinterest.

Thanks for reading! And as always…

More color, please!

Carrie

5 comments

  1. Jennifer says:

    Such a fabulous post! Love red and pink together! Thanks for sharing all the inspo!

    xo, Jennifer
    http://www.publicistinpearls.com

  2. Roz says:

    Love this post! I invited Lauren to speak to my couture sewing group and she was fantastic! Learned a lot about color. Idea #4 and # 6 are my favs.

    1. Hey thanks, Roz! I appreciate your comment. So cool to hear about Lauren speaking at your event. As much as we love color and know about it intuitively, it’s great to have a color expert on board to help us dive deeper.

  3. Thanks a million, Jennifer! You wear the color combo so well!

  4. Joy says:

    Thanks for sharing this lovely post. I love both colours and now I know I can mix them up in a beautiful way…. Looking forward to it this Valentine.

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