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I vividly remember the saying “real men wear pink” flying around my middle school when a few “brave” souls decided to wear light pink Abercrombie & Fitch polo shirts to school. In the era of 2008, toxic masculinity was clearly alive and well and wearing pink was some considered some form of a statement. Fast forward a little over a decade and pink has completely broken through whatever gender norms once defined the happy hue. The shade keeps getting brighter and brighter—the hot pink color trend is now dominating 2022. From the runway to the red carpet, the biggest celebrities have chosen to incorporate the shade into career-defining looks.
Many designers are starting to feature the shade in their collections but Valentino deserves credit for pushing the hot pink trend to the forefront of our closets. The brand debuted completely pink looks in the Fall/Winter 2022 collection, complete with a matching runway. From mini dresses and tights to structured suits and bags, Valentino proved that hot pink can look sleek or girly, making it an option for any style.
If you step foot into a Zara store or scroll through the site, you’ll notice how quickly retailers have jumped on the color trend. With warm weather, wedding season and pink sunsets starting to emerge again, each occasion is the perfect opportunity to give pink a try and stand out. Who doesn’t love a little attention?
Valentino; iMaxTree.
One reason many celebs have chosen to embrace the hot pink color trend is that it’s impossible to ignore. Whether they’re wearing a hot pink accent, like Justin Bieber’s beanie, or a head-to-toe monochrome look, the color begs for compliments. The cameras love it and I do too.
While the color was once synonymous with the Barbie brand, the shade is departing the girly aesthetic and being worn by all genres of the fashion crowd. According to music’s most fashionable men, Justin Bieber and Travis Barker, the best way to accessorize the color is with a neck full of tattoos. The musicians both made statements on the red carpet at the 2022 Grammy Awards with hot pink accents.
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I can confirm that Justin Bieber kept his head warm throughout the entire awards ceremony in his hot pink beanie. He incorporated the color pop into an otherwise neutral look, therefore proving that anyone, even minimalists, can participate in the color trend. The rest of his look consisted of an oversized Balenciaga suit, white ribbed tank, tiny sunglasses and chunky croc-style shoes (but how could you miss those).
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Travis Barker took a similar approach by using the hot pink color as an accent in his look but executed it on a larger scale. Barker wore a pink silk coat by Raf Simons over his all-black Givenchy suit. He slipped the coat on and off throughout the night for dramatic effect—I highly recommend incorporating this strategy into your hot pink look.
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Saweetie wore a full pink Valentino look (yep, the one from the runway) to her first-ever Grammy Awards red carpet. As an emerging artist, this was a great way to make a memorable impression and make many best-dressed lists. Opera gloves are another popular spring trend (thanks Bridgerton) and are a fun way to accessorize the look.
AP Images.
Billy Porter also got the hot pink memo for the evening and matched Saweetie in a bright Valentino look. Porter’s monochrome look, complete with a cape, is a great example of how a playful pink look can still look sophisticated and elegant.
