Is Hot Pink the color of 2022?
Hot pink has always been an iconic color in modern fashion. The color made its first appearance in the 1950s, being worn by iconic celebrities like Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn. The color continued to gain popularity as decades went by. Hot pink was no stranger to 80s fashion, as bright colors and eccentric patterns were trending. However, the color's popularity plummeted shortly thereafter.
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The muted tones of ’90s fashion pushed the color out of the consumer's mind, but the color made a striking comeback in the 2000s with the Y2K fashion movement. The color was worn by famous figures from 2000s pop culture such as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, the plastics in Mean Girls, Sharpay Evans in the High School Musical trilogy, and the reality TV star Paris Hilton. However, the cycle of fashion came around again with the muted styles of the 2010s.
As the new decade has ushered in, vibrant fashion and hot pink are making a comeback. The color first began to reappear at the 2019 camp-themed Met Gala. It was worn by Lady Gaga in 2 different Brandon Maxwell dresses, one large and flamboyant, the other tight and silky. Kasey Musgraves was also decked out in all pink with her Barbie-Esque leather Mochino dress, and Lizzo wore a hot pink feathery Marc Jacobs coat.
Hot pink's popularity has skyrocketed this year, thanks to Valentino. The designer's creative director, Pierpaolo Piccioli, created an entirely hot pink line released on March 6th. Since then, the color has appeared in numerous looks made by Valentino, making appearances at the Grammys, Coachella, The 2022 Met Gala, and Fall/Winter Paris fashion week. Valentino’s hot pink is also on track to become an official Pantone color.
Within the last 5 months, hot pick has trickled down into everyday fashion showing up in products made by Target, H&M, Urban Outfitters, Lulu’s, and many others. Whether you love or hate the color, hot pink is definitely becoming the color of the year in fashion.
Strike Out,
Writer: Ainsley McCullen
Editors: Marissa DeMaio & Madison Sloan
Saint Augustine
