Pastel is totally en vogue – not only in your wardrobe.
The colours alluding to sundaes and fairy-tale princesses are back. Pastel is all the rage – not only in your wardrobe, because the pastel trend is in every fashionista’s head right now. Kelly Osbourne showed us a couple of years ago, when she dyed her hair in lavender; other stars like Iggy Azalea, Katy Perry or Kaley Cuoco jumped on the bandwagon. Hardly one award show or red carpet without the pastel-trend. Quite amazing: after all, the shades of pastel as a hair colour are not all too compatible with everyday life because of their artificial look; especially the two-colour-trend is a look only for the most daring ladies.
Pastel in fashion however, is a completely different story. As a hair colour, it emanates complete anarchy, but in couture, the tender colours stand for grace, happiness and lightness. Especially at weddings, no matter if you are taking part as a bridesmaid, maid of honour or as a wedding guest – pastel outfits have been all the rage for years. Pastel colours as a winter trend however, are quite new. So far, strong colours like dark red, navy blue, black and grey have dominated the fashion scene of winter for years and years, but the Frozen look in icy shades of pastel now provide a magical aura of an ice queen. The soft nuances have also arrived at the trendy athleisure trend. These days, sporty pastel simply belongs to sneakers, blousons and yoga leggings. – So it’s about time to take a closer look at this unstoppable pastel trend!
What does pastel mean anyway?
The term pastel has been around for centuries. It originated in the world of art and describes a picture painted with pastel colours. Fun fact: the word “pastel” actually comes from the Italian word “pasta” (dough, paste). The name is no mystery, if you know that pastel chalk consists of pigments that are blended into a paste and pressed into the shapes of crayons. All pastel colours have one thing common: they have a low degree of saturation and accordingly a high percentage of white. In the lifestyle area, pastel colours have been used for living quarters (external walls, internal wall paintings, tiles) and later fabrics became popular in interior design (carpets, curtains, covers). From the 1950’s on, pastel colours have been used increasingly in the world of fashion.
Which pastel colour is right for me? How do I combine pastel colours?
Rule of thumb: the darker your complexion, the better the pastel match. Especially dark, southern types of women look amazing in pastel-coloured clothes. They make you shine and provide a mysterious glow-effect that is endorsed on tanned skin.
Because pastel shades have a high percentage of white, they could have the disadvantage of making you look pale. So, if you have a very light complexion you should refrain from wearing an all-over look and rather combine a pastel-coloured piece of clothing with a darker, stronger original colour, e.g. baby blue and navy. That’s how you avoid to appear too “pasty”. Please note: pastel colours should always be kept away from your face as far as possible, i.e. dark blouse, light-coloured skirt. That’s how you create a fresh fashionable effect without looking pale.
How do I combine pastel colours?
Combining shades of pastel is rather easy, as their nuances always appear discreet and soft. But you always have to be careful that the look doesn’t become too boring.
>> Combined with white: posh
A classic combination is definitely pastel with white: a pair of white Marlene trousers, a pistachio kitty bow blouse, a rosé-coloured lace dress with a white blazer or a cappuccino-coloured jumpsuit with a white cashmere cardigan – nothing could be posher and fresher.
>> Combined with original colours: skilled
It’s getting ever so interesting if you combine pastel colours with their clear original colour: mint green or pistachio with green, dusky pink or peach with red, baby blue or icy blue with blue, vanilla or lemon with yellow, cappuccino or cream with brown. Of course, you have to be a little daring for these kinds of combinations, but it’s still quite easy to do because you can’t actually do anything wrong. The result is an all-the-rage fashion style that takes away the sweet and childish touch from pastel colours.
>> Combined with dark colours: edgy
In many wardrobes, dark colours are predominant. But especially in the beginning of spring or summer, even the biggest fan of grey and black feels the urge to add a splash of colour to her life. No problem, as the fresh pastel shades are the perfect match for dark colours like black, and even better for nuances of grey. The contrast takes away the sweet and childish touch from the pastel colours and adds a little boldness to the look. Hence, the rough black leather jacket starts an exciting affair with the apricot dress and the rosé-coloured knit sweater lives in perfect harmony with a pair of stone grey ripped jeans.
How can I make pastel look less childish?
Pastel colours are generally associated with sweetness and tenderness; but who wants to be a Barbie girl? In addition to the aforementioned edgy combination of pastel and black, the following four styling tips will also help you to make the pastel trend appear less childish:
- Check the pattern: Avoid to wear a pastel-coloured piece with a sweet pattern like a flower print. Go for plain pieces!
- Check the cut: Flounces, frills, tassels etc. tend to look too playful. Wear rather grown-up cuts with clear lines or cut-outs!
- Leo, zebra, tiger, snake: Combine single-coloured pastel pieces with wild animal prints or go for pastel fabrics with animal prints straight away! Wild and untamed annihilates sweet and soft.
- Unsure? Then first give it a try and wear one or two pastel-coloured accessories with some basics: scarf, bangles or ballerina slippers in pastel shades look fresh but not swee
PALE-PAL! Customer service at Ana Alcazar
Do you have any further questions concerning the different nuances of pastel or are you unsure if a chosen pastel shade is a match for you? Feel free to get in touch with our customer service in Munich at any time. The Ana Alcazar team members love to wear our collection themselves and they know for example how small or large a piece of clothing actually turns out to be once you wear it or if as sold-out piece is maybe available again. 100% personal, no call centre, that’s a guaranteed! (Service in German and English) You can call us at normal business hours from Monday to Friday at 0049(0)89//4111 997 77. For further information on sizes, payment options and shipping times you can also take a look at our online customer service. We are looking forward to your order!
