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Men's Fashion — Pink Trend for 2008

Menswear Tips on How to Wear Pink and Still Be Masculine

Jun 28, 2008

Pink is fun, frivolous and flamboyant, and in the past, considered a feminine domain. So how you do you wear the color of the season without losing your masculinity?

Men’s fashion is having a pink moment in 2008, therefore, defining your masculinity has become more of a challenge this season.

Let’s set the record straight, there is no longer anything ultra-feminine about wearing pink. This summer is not about baby doll, girly pinks, but strong tones of magenta, fuchsia and salmon. According to Ken Izawa, on his blog entitled "Fashion forecasts; Men’s fashion trends Spring 2008," “The cuts and style of the pink clothing remain traditional, giving it a manly flaire.”

Designer Collections on the Runways

This season’s tricky trend is about following fashion by finding the right time to wear pink, thus establishing your own sense of style. Spring Summer runways from fashion houses like Calvin Klein and Bottega Veneta were awash with pink, in the most colorful presentations. From pink shirts to cardigans, shorts to pants and polo-shirts, printed tees, ties and manbags.

Worldwide Wearers of Pink

Men of this generation have the chance to be leaders in teaching others how to adopt this not-so-typical color. In fact, wearing pink this season is about sorting the men from the boys; "Real Men" really DO wear pink. In some countries around the world, pink for men is nothing out of the ordinary. Thailand for example is awash with pink (a favored color of HM The King), with both Thai men and women sporting colored polo shirts, and pink jackets and blazers; and many Central European men (especially the French) have been wearing this color for years.

Pink is the New Neutral

Pink is widely touted to be a new classic neutral, given its versatility in mixing with other shades and compatibility with virtually all skin-tones. Pink also has pride of place in women’s summer fashions, with flamboyant fuchsias and powerful pinkish-hues.

According to Izawa, “Pink has the capability of transforming the toughest lad into a laid back gentleman,” Whilst it presents a softer side to the masculine figure, it is by no means feminine, if worn well.

How To Wear Pink

If you are one of those people who “don’t do pink," there here are a few tips on how to wear pink this season, to be right-on-trend, whilst retaining you masculine edge:

As a first timer wearer of pink, then include a single piece as part of your ensemble, rather than going overboard on the color.
Stay away from tight-fitted pink clothing, says Izawa. Keep things loose and layered, for a more masculine effect.
Balance a pink piece with a bold or manly color like gray, black and blue. The beauty of pink is that you can team it with almost any shade.
For business, wear add a dash of pink with a tie or a pink-based shirt. Pink goes particularly well with all shades of gray, particularly masculine charcoal.
Sneak a bit of pink into your wardrobe with a scarf, tie, handkerchief, cufflinks, or a pink belt if you are feeling slightly more brave!
If you have an aversion to pink then choose a shade which belongs to the same color group, which may be a subtle pinkish cream or a stronger, more manly red.

Don’t be afraid to wear pink this season. As long as you keep the rest of you wardrobe masculine with traditional cuts and colors, you will look super-cool. The idea of using such a bold and flamboyant hue gives a fresh and modern twist to any ensemble; it will lift your spirits and brighten up your summer!

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