Pink. A colour that has coated many culturally significant moments and remains a firm favourite in modern-day fashion. Pretty in pink, tickled pink or maybe things are just rosy. There’s no getting away from it, but not all pinks are created equal and not all are on-trend. In 2024 Pantone marked ‘peach fuzz’ their colour of the year, perfectly encapsulating the warm, dusty pink bridesmaid dresses that have taken over this year's weddings. But how long will it last? And will we be seeing bright pink bridesmaid dresses take over?
To know where the trend will go, we first have to know where it started. Exactly when society labelled pink as a female colour is unclear but one thing is for certain – it stuck. Since the 40s pink has been the colour of femininity and beauty, pink was fully entrenched in the fashion trends of the next 80 years and thusly in the bridesmaids' dresses of the period.
In the 50s rationing was over and thus there was a significant increase in what people were spending on weddings, they became larger gatherings and more was spent on outfits. Pink bridesmaid dresses were very popular as they followed the celebrity fashion trends of the time, and pink satin bridesmaid dresses were even more so. More variety appeared at weddings in the 60s as trends began changing faster and fashion subcultures, such as mod, started arising. Some chose softer, blush pink bridesmaid dresses whilst some went brighter, opting instead for hot pink bridesmaid dresses or dresses in bold patterns. Pale pink bridesmaid dresses came back again in the 70s as there was a resurgence in Renaissance fashion, harkening back to the light pink bridesmaid dresses that were seen in the 1700s. These also went well with the popular, bohemian styles of the decade, with flower crowns matching pink floral bridesmaid dresses and lots of lace. Trends seemed to reconvene in the 80s, with a far more distinctive look for every formal occasion, weddings included. Many of us will have wedding photos of the time that show a plethora of blush pink bridesmaid dresses, often deliberately unflattering in order not to show up the bride. Pink dropped out of style in the 90s, when darker, moodier colours were taking the stage. It was also when the tradition of having all the bridesmaids match was really at its peak with brides often insisting on not just the same dress but also the same hair and makeup for each bridesmaid.
We’ve seen everything from dusty pink bridesmaid dresses to hot pink bridesmaid dresses and most recently, blush pink bridesmaid dresses took the stage. Now we’re on to more recent trends, the 2000s saw a sleeker, simpler approach to wedding fashion, loosening the strict rules of the 90s and allowing some brighter colours back in. Dusky pink bridesmaid dresses regained popularity along with other colours seen in the 80s but without the same exaggerated silhouettes or purposely unfavourable cuts. In 2010 the rules were broken even more. Bridesmaids were now encouraged to be individuals, often each having their own colour to wear. Pink bridesmaid dresses in all shades were coming into fashion as no one colour was what was being worn. Pantone had multiple shades of pink listed as colour of the year between 2010 and 2020 showing that pink was indeed here to stay.
Currently, the individual nature of bridesmaids is still being celebrated, so an exact trend is hard to pin down. Bridesmaid dresses in blush pink and dusty pink remain popular as the current colour of the year confirms they’re very much on trend but what is coming over the horizon? As with most trends, pink included, they often go from one extreme to the next. We expect to see a larger portion of people opting for bold and vibrant colours such as hot pink bridesmaid dresses and bright pink bridesmaid dresses. These will likely be teamed with another vibrant colour such as buttercup yellow or gold. With individuality being key, we also expect to see more of our plus-size pink bridesmaid dresses being sold, as all shapes and sizes are being celebrated equally. This isn’t to say our most popular pale pink bridesmaid dresses be kicked to the curb but we look forward to the bolder, hotter pinks we expect to see in the coming year. Needless to say, whatever the current trend, pink will be involved and we’ll be here for it.