Pastel colors are almost expected on every runway in the NYFW Spring/Summer shows. However, this year, pastels exploded on the Fall/Winter runways and were executed brilliantly! It’s a risk to feature colors so commonly referred to as “spring” colors, but with this unusually warm winter, it felt almost natural to see.
Designers such as Carolina Herrera, Marc Jacobs, and Sally Lapointe excelled in the pastel color department. They featured many hues of these colors in a collection of pants, skirts, jackets and dresses.
According to NYFW, there were four major ways these pastels were styled and worn, and are even seen on people everyday.
1. Monochromatics, which are head-to-toe outfits of the same color, that often even include the accessories and the shoes! Sally Lapointe showcased many monochromatic looks on the runway this past February. She would pair a blouse, pants, a jacket, purse and shoes all in the same hue, but it doesn’t have to be that extreme for everyday wear. A simple skater skirt and crop top in the same pastel blue can still be considered monochromatic.
2. Mixed pastels, which features two or more different hues paired together. Coach did this in their Fall/Winter 2020 show. They paired dusty pink trousers with a light blue blouse, smoky gray vest, and a brown and yellow trench coat. This is a fun way to spice up an outfit while still keeping it light and simple.
3. Pastels with neutrals, which pairs pastel colors with nudes, blacks, and whites. Coach did this as well; they styled a nude leather jacket with a bright yellow skirt and a maroon hat on the runway. You could also wear a furry blue statement coat with black trousers and a black blouse, and chevron black and white shoes for everyday wear. This would be more of a going-out or dressier look.
4. Pastels with bright colors, which pairs a color in both its bright hue and pastel hue. This was styled on the runway by multiple designers. It’s a major trend seen in current retail, with bright and pastel colors being paired together. There are t-shirts and shorts and sweaters and pants in bright pinks, yellows, and blues, with matching pastels in similar hues. It’s seen at Aerie, Forever 21, H&M, Tilly’s and more.
Pastels are a fun way to dress up (or down) any outfit, in any season. They flatter any skin tone and compliment anything they’re paired with. Carolina Herrera was a designer who perfectly executed all 4 of these trends in her recent Fall/Winter 2020 NYFW show. These are seen in retail stores everywhere and is a trend that is not going anywhere anytime soon!
Fashionably Late 