Is There Such A Thing As Too Much Pastel In Your Outfit? The Soft Trend Might Be Aging You

Fashion trends ebb in and out like ocean waves. What was hot for one season won't be hot for the next one and if you're a fashionista, then you have to stay on top of fads and what's in vogue. It's imperative to not follow outdated fashion trends, or wear ancient clothes and accessories because no one wants to be stared at on the street looking like William Shakespeare. While some aged clothing items such as corsets and low-rise jeans do trend back in their own time, it's best not to do too much. It's also important not to overwork a particular style. One trend that can easily throw your whole look out of balance is wearing pastels.

Pastels are a great way to usher in the warmer months in the spring and summer seasons, and they have a way of brightening up your look and your day as well. However, if you're a pastel lover, you may wonder if it's possible to overdo it with the soft trend. You already have on a pastel skirt, so are the shirt, hat, and socks overkill? Wearing too much pastel might be making you look way older than your age, as if you stepped out of the '50s. To avoid a pastel outfit that is aging, go for clashing or monochrome looks, or think about combining pastels with neutrals and solid colors.

Pastels mesh better when they clash or when monochrome

Pastel colors may be sweet and bright, but too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. These soft colors peaked in the '80s and have solidified their spot in the fashion world. However, there is a fine line between wearing pastels in a stylish way and coming across as tacky and outdated. 

If you're going to wear pastels, then you need to learn color theory and the color wheel. When you mix adjacent colors together, it comes off looking too complacent. When you have complacent pastels together, you'll definitely age yourself. If you're going to rock your pastel colors, then they need to be stunning.

Style expert Naina Singla told InStyle that the best way to prevent your look from being too soft and eccentric is to pair together opposite colors instead of trying to match. The result of the color clash would look better than if you were putting together similar colors. She also recommends donning some unconventional styles in pastel so that you look your age and not like you're modeling an ad for Toys 'R' Us.

Gone are the days when people throw every pastel item in their closet into one outfit. If you want to follow the soft trend while still being fashionable, you might want to try pulling off monochrome fashion as opposed to putting on multiple pastels that will date your look.

Mix pastels with neutral and solid colors

Pulling off pastels isn't rocket science and can be done with just a little bit of intentional effort. Fortunately, you have fashion gurus to guide you. You can pair your pastel with neutral colors like TikTok beauty and lifestyle influencer @amandaevonne does with accessories and clothes. You'd do well enough with a nude-colored handbag or white piece of clothing, depending on what you're wearing.

Another TikTok creator @monicabarbosa87 shows different ways to style a pastel cardigan. You can use this technique to style anything pastel as well. With your pastel item, you can pair it with normal, solid colors to diffuse the soft tension going on. You can even mix two pastel colors with a more aggressive color like black to liven them up. Once you get comfortable styling your pastel outfits, you'll gravitate more towards couture and away from looking like you live in the Barbie Dreamhouse.