A Case For Wearing Red & Pink, The Color Combo Everyone Loves To Hate

Chloe Fineman wore a vibrant pink-and-red dress

Image Credit: GOTHAM/GC IMAGES.

Some color combinations should never be worn together, according to antiquated fashion rules that none of us should follow. Navy blue and black, for example, are frequently regarded as unappealing because (gasp!) they appear too similar. Alternatively, purple and green, which is frequently compared to a certain TV fictional dinosaur who insists we're a happy family. Nonetheless, no color combination is more villanized than pink and red.

Millions of cheesy cards, giant plush toys, and chocolate boxes bearing the scarlet-and-blush combination are exchanged by people wearing some version of this two-tone formula in the name of love, friendship, and a possible Tinder date.

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Despite being a color combination that everyone despises, it has long captured the attention of the fashion world, with celebrities and designers paying homage to the Strawberry Shortcake-approved combination. Emma Roberts attended the Met Gala in 2017 in a red gown by Diane von Fürstenberg paired with a pink fur stole.

Giambattista Valli spring 2022.

Chloe Fineman wore a vibrant pink-and-red dress to the HBO Max's Father of the Bride premiere, and Olivia Rodrigo sported a pink-and-red houndstooth Versace dress for a 2022 Met Gala after party. Later in 2019, celebrities like Mandy Moore in Brandon Maxwell and Taraji P.

Henson in Vera Wang made headlines for wearing pink-and-red outfits to the Emmy Awards this year Even more designers appear eager to definitively endorse the color combination for spring and fall 2022, silencing the critics once and for all.

Consider taking the Giambattista Valli spring 2022 collection, for instance, which featured a white feather dress with pink and red embellishments and crimson sunglasses. Then came Portuguese label Marques' Almeida, which displayed a brighter variation of the color combination in the form of a poplin, asymmetrical pink dress with an attached crossbody red sleeve and a pink slip dress with a scarlet button-down shirt underneath.

The pre-fall 2022 Blumarine collection featured a lot of red and pink clothing. Shiny red boots were worn with a light pink stretchy dress that had an asymmetrical hem, while the opposite was true of another outfit.

The color scheme included flower chokers, fluffy bags, and red sweaters that were worn with pink cargo pants (yes, the kind Regina George would approve of for Wednesdays!). This full-fledged berry embrace is neither childish nor gimmicky. Also prevalent this year is Barbiecore, which grew as a result of Valentino's fall 2022 collection, which featured a number of head-to-toe bright pink looks, making pink a must-have color.

Contrasting sister shades are becoming more and more popular among brands and consumers. Contrasting opposite colors on the color wheel, such as blue and orange or green and purple, used to be the traditional rule for colorblocking. We're coming to the realization that we've been wasting time by adhering to unwritten rules just for show.

Instead of pairing two distinct, contrasting pieces for a more minimal look, wear one garment that combines the two colors to participate in this trend (break all the rules!). Or, even better, opt for a monochrome red outfit with subdued pink accents, such as a flower choker that's ready for the year 2000 or delicate rose sandals.

With the styles listed below, get ready for the pink-and-red takeover.