Sweet, innocent, romantic, feminine, soft. Those are some of the words that several mediums and spiritual beliefs use to describe pink. However, these are not necessarily words that are associated with the conservative and outdated idea of masculinity. So it’s no surprise that pink is still a color that many men are hesitant to wear since these traditional ideas are still out there, scaring their freedom and authenticity.

But as the world changes and the newer and more thorough ideas of masculinity are being adopted by consumers, designers, and mainstream media, the use of pink in menswear is rising in diverse and fascinating ways.

 Pink is a spectacular hue range that you may have been hesitant to incorporate in your wardrobe, or you may be thinking of including it in alternative ways. You can use pink at many different levels, starting with more subtle pinks to bold radiating pink. So here is the wide range of ways to start making your wardrobe a little bit pinker!

Red Carpet

Let’s start by acknowledging one of the many origins of fashion trends: Celebrities’ fashion. Some of the most successful and loved trends start on a red carpet, worn by a celebrity who in many ways may serve as a role model for their followers. Many celebrities like to introduce new ideas about what fashion can be. Pink menswear is one of these cases, it started being popular in red carpets, and was proposed by fashion designers, later replied by the bridge better market and trickled down to the mass-produced garments. Pink menswear on the red carpet makes men stand out as it is still a color that many men don’t feel comfortable wearing.

Ties and Bow Ties

These elegant and classic accessories are a great way of giving your look a pop of color. As subtle tones like white and light blue are predominant in men’s shirts, business casual or even formal looks can use a little bit of pink in ties and bow ties. A solid pastel pink tie can be elegant and worn for several occasions. This is a very subtle yet modern and courageous way of using pink in menswear.

Blazers

The diversity of business casual looks is being amplified season after season. Especially since working from home and flexible business hours have made formal attire a little bit more flexible in certain industries and workplaces. If you are in one of these environments where some creativity in formal attire is encouraged (or at the very least acceptable), using a pink blazer can make you look like the modern and authentic man of the modern era. Blazers in the lighter spectrum of pinks are more common, such as pale pink or pastel peach. These tones are very easy to style with navy, olive green, or a dark shade of purple. 

In the entertainment industry, more saturated tones of pink like magenta or raspberry are used in blazers for men. But even though they can look spectacular and bring a lot of attention, these are a little harder to use and may not be perceived as formal or professional attire in most industries. So if you want to go for one of the bolder pink blazers, you can keep those for casual events, evening gatherings, or Instagram photoshoots.

Prints

Prints are a great way to incorporate pink as it can be blended with different colors, so you can go as subtly pink or absolutely pink as you’d like. If you feel that your looks are leaning towards the conservative side, you can start with very small pops of pink in prints. These prints could be small pink polka dots or geometric prints that are combined with other colors.

 On the other hand, if you are trying to go bold with pink prints, many interesting patterns put together energized colors like magenta with yellow or royal blue. These can look really cool in a printed shirt or jacket and are often the statement piece of the look. This means that if you are wearing a piece with such a saturated color combination, keep the rest of the look subtle to avoid an over-designed look. Style it with a pair of plain jeans or beige chinos and embrace that pinkness showing the best version of yourself!

Polo Shirts

Golf camps, a lake, a pair of shorts, and a pink polo shirt. This scenario can be pictured very easily. In some cases, instead of a golf camp, we might be having a picnic or a birthday party in the garden. But whichever the background is, outdoor events are very common cause they give us the chance to interact, practice certain social distancing and enjoy being in touch with nature. 

When we attend outdoor events during the day that don’t require formal attire, light colors are preferred as they absorb less heat. (Gomes Lab) This specific area of men’s fashion is a great opportunity to push your style a little bit forward by playing with a colorful light scheme. The colors that predominate in summer menswear are white, light blue, beige, and navy in all variations of prints, fabrics, and garments. Incorporate some light pink in this color scheme to make yourself stand out in your next outdoor event with a fashionable yet classic pale pink polo shirt. This garment is very versatile, breathable and it looks great in all types of bodies. Style it with a pair of pants that can be from a huge range of colors, including navy, beige, white, a darker shade of pink or purple, olive green, or even a discreet print such as polka dots or stripes in any of those colors. Identify the color combination that you feel the most comfortable with, and make this outfit your own. Remember that you must feel confident when trying these looks because confidence or the lack of it will show. Start with colors that you are the most familiar with and push your style forward little by little. 

Footwear

One of the biggest trends in menswear during the last couple of years is the attention to statement footwear with plain garments. Think of all the Instagram Pictures of a breathtaking pair of shoes styled with jeans and a t-shirt. Footwear can show someone’s personality and authenticity by playing with a crazy combination of colors, shapes, and materials. There is a lot of room for creativity and playfulness in men’s shoes that make it a great way to include tones of pink. Pink can be easily found in different kinds of men’s footwear, including sneakers, slip-on, boots, and sandals. They can be a great addition to your wardrobe!

Swimwear

This is probably one of the areas of men’s fashion where pink is the most common. Men’s swimwear is super playful as their diversity of prints, patterns, and shapes is enormous, so many men feel very comfortable playing with different colors when choosing their swimsuits.

The great thing about swimwear is that you don’t have to worry about matching colors with any other garments, so you can go with bold magentas and crazy pink patterns if you’d like to. 

If you are a person with skin that leans towards pinkness before or after sun exposure, avoid using swimwear similar to your skin tone as it might create an optical illusion of nudity. In those cases, go for a darker pink or a color-blocked swimsuit that makes your swimsuit pop and celebrates the authentic person you are!

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Suits

Men from different industries, ages, and backgrounds wear suits. It’s almost like a uniform for special occasions when one needs to look fantastic. Suits have evolved with time as men have evolved significantly in the last couple of decades. Going into the endless debate of: What does masculinity mean? And how do masculine men dress up? The questions tend to have quite a variety of opinions and reactions, but one thing is for certain: Menswear is evolving. Menswear does not necessarily stand for conservative or toxic masculinity anymore, and what a better way to represent this social phenomenon than with a pink suit. A suit that spokespeople have worn in times of history standing out for division, toxic masculinity, and exclusion. A pink suit represents the new and modern man who understands that his masculinity does not come from the color of his clothes, but by his actions and the values he stands for. It is a very exciting moment in fashion menswear to be celebrating this progress, still acknowledging there’s still a long path to go. 

All Pink

As consumers are encouraging the fashion industry to push against outdated social constructions, pink is truly becoming a popular hue to be worn in a full look. It is a great way to stand out, bring your style forward, celebrate yourself and look spectacular. You can do a full look with one specific tone of pink or play with prints and color blocks of different tones of pink to add more dimension. The lighter shades of pink have been particularly popular in menswear during the last couple of years, so you’ll see that it’s very easy to find a hoodie, a pair of sneakers, a vest, a backpack, and almost any other men’s garment or accessory including some tone of pink. 

Remember that you have the power and right of establishing your own perceptions, and criteria. There is still a lot of stigma out there around how men should look like and behave. The idea of manly men associated with authority and hardness is no longer true or representative to the huge assortment of identities who identify as men. Listen to yourself and be encouraged to wear the clothes that best reflect who you are. Pink won’t make you weak. Pink won’t change your sexual orientation or gender identity. Pink won’t make you “more of a man”. All of these characteristics will be led by your actions and the way you behave with others. Don’t let this stigma discourage you. Be as pink and authentic as you want to be.