Subtle yet striking, dainty but delightful, the most fashionable hue of an unpredictable 2020 has also stemmed from as unprecedented a favoring of the faints, at least as far as trends go. Years of raving about the color of the season and the hottest trends this time around and 2020 sees us drifting back to a time when fashion was dictated not by singularity but rather by synchronicity. And the soothing escapades that 2020 has made us frantically reach out to means fashion sensibilities of the tumultuous beginning to the decade also sees itself seated in a bevy of shades that cater to keeping us all calm and composed in ‘these difficult times’, which is basically the whole of 2020.
Pastels being the buzzword in the fashion circuit this year, we at least have something to be thankful to in 2020. For an array of colors long been sidelined as not being bold enough to be the mainstream choice, the emergence of pastels as the absolute favorite trend in fashion however is not something wholly attributable to the unexpected nature of the year we are living in. Particularly in the past couple of years, pastel shades had been emerging as the firm favorites, in quite a breakaway from the flashy dazzle of the neons and the ravishing razzle of the reds or the yielding yule of the yellows for that matter. Venturing beyond even the timeless appeal of the blacks and the forever fashionable whites, the pastels have emerged as a tone of color that embraces lividity and radiance, and is eye catching and plaintive, all at once.
For fashion fanatics so obsessed with the classics, whether it be in colors of fads or styles, the pastels can be a safe break from monotonity. In their subdued elegance and exquisite glamour, pastels encompass easily the vibrancy of the whites as it does the sensuous of the blacks. And given that within pastels there are a whole lot of negotiations that can in fact enthrall the fashion palette in such measures that are refreshing and exciting, it was only but a matter of time for the pleasant piquance of the pastels to find such fluent translation in fashionistic flamboyance.
Characteristic of how we outright utter lavenders and peaches and powder blues and baby pinks and lilacs and tangerines when it comes to naming the shade of pastel we fetish, it is immediately discernible, both in the aesthetics and in the appeal that as colors, pastels dwell innately and infinitely in the feminine. No matter how in trend it might be at the moment as the hottest color this season, pastels will forever continue to be the cool kids of the color spectrum. In fact it is in just how charming and pretty pastels tend to be that they end up having an appeal of their own. For those equating colors to passions, pastels are the flirty kind, gorgeous but shy and only bordering on the sensual. Cajoling and coaxing its way into your style statement, not imperious in the least but assertive nevertheless, any shade of pastel is a touch up of your soft sensibilties that lets you be in control even with its demure mannerisms. Pastels characterise confident souls who do not shy away in straying away from conventions. It is in the very unconventional nature of pastels that they represent a world of quaint charms and modern vibes effortlessly, simultaneously and as efficiently as the other.
Perhaps what has made pastel picks so much of a 2020 fad is its resonance with another of the trends that have been dominating lifestyle scenes over the course of this year. Pastels are an inseparable part of the entity the world has come to celebrate as Cottagecore, that while is a vision of the pastoral outdoors in all its natural hues, still manifests mostly through the comforting panels of what the pastels convey. Soulful, soothing and sightly, the many vibes of Cottagecore sits perfectly fit with the many medleys that the peaches conjure so cathartic a vision of. Relaxingly real in its reaches and azurely abstract in admiration, the pastels deliver a notion of commonplace carefreeness so inherent also to the many charms that Cottagecore resides in. Pastels feel like flutter and look like magic, that allows it to work its way into the most intrinsic of values that shapes up the dreamy detailings of Cottagecore as well.
While it might seem somewhat too carried away a notion in eclectics to equate what we view as a mere color, now a fashionable color at that, to something so intimately speaking of human experiences, through intended personification that is, it indeed is a matter not so much abstract that colors stem of and from life and therefore bear intimate connections with it. While pastels itself are reiterations of colors in a particular shade and not the color itself, there indeed rests a very calming aspect of every pastel that makes this category of hue all the more a happy experience to work with.
Working pastels fashionably therefore is also as fun an activity to indulge in. The placid nature of pastels makes it a delight to pair with a whole lot of other trends and fads. That means match and match, mix and match, mismatch as well as stark contrasts that can range your fashion pursuits from eking out sartorially stunning looks to rocking everyday essentials in style. Because of how trendy and effortless pastels tend to be, they can easily be paired with other trends. That does not however just mean a striped top with a pair of pastel trousers- it can also mean a striped pastel dress in itself! Even the stripes can be different shades of pastel to make you a truly stand out vision in the crowd teeming with the checks and the patterns.
The effects of pastels however are most effective when they happen to peep through your monochromatic outfits. Like we said, pastels are equal part subtle and equal parts striking, which is why even if your outfit is a one part monochromatic wear then the pastel presence will stand out in a way that you would have made it your own. Even with whole monochromatic pairing, the visual impact will be no less stunning, in this case flaunting your more confident, more steady side. Similarly, going pastel from top to bottom but in different hues of pastels will also yield a spectacular fashion consciousness native to your choices. You can also go for the same pastel hue in varying shades, ombre to be precise to create a look that would be a monochromatic rendition of your person, but with quite a statement difference.
Source: Glowsly
Monochromatics apart, pairing also two pastel colors whether in the same component of your outfit or with the accessories even is another dramatic way to induce oomph in your look. An even more fun way of going the mix and match way in pastels fashion is to step up your makeup game. Laidback pastel attires can be complemented by dramatic makeup choices or vice versa to create such stunning effects that will yield breathtaking results.
Another very effective way of making a statement with pastels is to pair it over neutrals. A light breezy colored outfit will show all the pomp and grandeur if you manage to introduce just a pop of pastel into its unprejudiced premises. This in particular is an exploration of the singular appeal that pastels can have on a look dominated also by another laidback but effective trend of the neutrals. Beyond the basic basics of the black and the white, venture also into lesser treaded territory of the greys and ochres and the like for a style statement that gets as definitive as it can.
Just because neutrals work so effectively with pastels, or anything for that matter, is no reason to assume that its opposite would not be as surreal a match for the latest fad. Experimenting your pastels with some bright pairing is also an excellent idea, specifically when you want to stand out thoroughly. Speaking of the allure of the brights, we dare to pair pastels also with denims, one of the most eternal styles ever in fashion history. Pastel tops with denim bottoms or conversely pastel skirt with a denim shirt will have you rock pretty chic in a way no one has ever been able to. And if denim isn’t bold enough for you because it has come to be so essential an everyday staple, venture even outside the box and seek lush comfort in your leathers instead! The edgy appeal of the leather and the pretty essence of pastels will have you rocking a look that is the look of seduction with the feel of love. What a killer combo to don!
You can also enliven more the flirtatious moods of pastels by picking them in such styles that are playful by themselves. Think for instance ruffles or laces that are exquisitely feminine already, to be rendered even prettier in such hues that have charms etched on their every strand. As the perfect outfit for a day out with friends or a relaxing date with bae, pastels in textured outfits feel so much like indulgent pampering.
Perhaps what has already made the pastel fad such a versatile trend to hold on to is its ease in execution. Exerting its influence as much through accessories as through fashion mainstays has ensured that the pretty appeal of the pastels is not too much a fuss to covet. A plain outfit paired with some pastel shoes is enough criteria for you to jump on to 2020’s diversive style bandwagon. Something as easily looked over as a belt can be the centerpiece of your OOTD if you manifest it as the sole pastel representative of your style. Conversely however, pastels go as easily in multiplicities as it does in singularity. You can go pastel from head to toe without coming across as outrageous, if you know to do it right. And that’s the best thing about pastels- everything is right as long as it looks and feels right to you. Because pastels as a color category is so subtle yet magnificent, you can twerk its many shades to match your hankering for some color play as you deem fit. However, while the pastel fad has seen warm embraces in the sphere of women’s fashion, the men’s domain seems to be not as much in awe of it. Limited perhaps by its notions of being feminine and pleasing rather than macho, pastel colors are only half dominating men’s fashion even when it is the most in thing currently. But the stellar display of the unexpected that 2020 has made us witness so far, who knows how many men would actually be strutting about in minty sweatshirts and lavender shirts, looking so much like our favorite gelatos and sugary stuff, by the time this whole omen would be bidding its goodbye?
