Retro Pastel Aesthetic: Get Retro Chic with these 20+ Pastel Looks

Looking to add some freshness and fun into your wardrobe? Embrace the vibrant pastel tones of spring.

You would have heard of the daring kawaii and of the very millennial Danish pastel aesthetic, which even has pastels in its name. Why not give these stylishly pastel trends a go for something different this season and go for full pastel retro? Turns out the late 60s were heavy on pastel colors, the pastel Danish style draws a lot from that.

Let’s look at some retro pastel aesthetic outfits and inspo for your early spring fancy.

Pastels as - Retro pastel fashion inspo

Pastel tones were heavily used in the 60s fashion and through the beginning of the 70s as well, before the heavier rock and hippie elements took full reign.

The vibe came partially from the classic 50s elegance still, it was just updated to cotton-candy sweet colors. And of course, the skirts got way shorter than every before.

The absolute classic for a 60s retro is the mod dress. Here below is a mix of 60s vintage clothes, 60s replikas and retro 60s-inspired fashion. Enjoy - more inspo at the end of the article.

Faiyaz Top and jeans from Princess Polly USA

Sage green polka dot dress Nellie from Princess Polly USA

60s retro inspired baloon sleeved mini, Etsy: BlackRabbitNYC

Replica sold on Etsy: swingingchinksshop

Vintage two-piece for spring or autumn, Etsy: ResearchedReworn

Baloon sleeve pastel green dress Warra, Princess Polly USA

Dusty blue mini dress Isabel, Princess Polly USA

Jaqueline dress from Miss Patina

Baby blue long sleeved mini dress Star Power, Princess Polly USA

Vintage sage green mini dress, Etsy: Shopexile

Vintage cosmic blue mod, Etsy: retrospectrovintage

60s retro inspired baloon sleeved mini, Etsy: BlackRabbitNYC

Vintage Peter Pan collar mini dress, Etsy: FlyingAppleVintage

60s vintage mod in what is now the classic Danish pastel combo, Etsy: GrooversVintages

Plain mod dress, vintage, Etsy: ShopExile

Vintage pink checker, Etsy: dustyrosevintage

Vintage key lime mod, Etsy: Farmhouse1861vintage

Two-tone pastel mod, replica from the 60s, Etsy: swingingchinksshop

So, to get a pastel aesthetic retro look, go for pastel clothes in classic mid century silhouettes like the A-line dress or a pastel mini dress for that mod look. To take it up a notch, don’t be afraid to use different pastels for your typical retro accessories like headbands or gloves.

To take your pastel look to the 70s, make it boho and mix textures like lace and knits. A pastel cardigan over a pastel print dress, or a pastel pinafore with a frilly shirt underneath it are some great combinations.

To take it to ultra chic levels you can also add items like pastel sunglasses and pastel jewelry pieces. You can take some inspiration from the iconic movie Grease, but it’s true that the costumes in there were mostly just pink. No other pastel colors were used as heavy as the baby pink.

If you are into digital art, there’s a lot of pastel wall papers for your devices everywhere, too.

How to combine different pastel colors into a single outfit

Pastel color combos are a great way to create either a sweet and softie or an edgy and fresh pastel aesthetic retro outfit.

What two pastel shades go together is entirely ruled by the vibe you are going for.

Sweet pastel combos:

• pastel pink and baby blue
• light yellow and light green
• pale lavender and off-white

Edgy pastel combos:

• pastel lavender and pale yellow
• baby blue and sage green
• lavender and pastel greens

To combine the different pastel shades, start with choosing one pastel as your main color - this will be your base or dominant pastel tone. Let’s say we go with lavender - a light, pastel shade of purple.

For the retro pastel aesthetic, you could wear a mini dress in that tone.

Now add a few accent pastels to layer onto the base pastel and make it look more interesting. In this case, think deeper lavender, a grayish purple that would look good on shoes.

Lastly, add different and contrasting tones, pastel or vibrant. A pastel yellow scarf or shirt under the lavender dress could work beautifully.

This is what adding a contrasting vibrant color does:

Resin earrings for retro contrast

You can also layer pastel tones in different textures and prints to create a more interesting look. For instance, pair a patterned pastel yellow shirt with a plain yellow mini skirt.

And finally, the accessories are so important here! If you for for the 60s retro pastel look, you need minimalist resin earrings in your favorite pastel colors.

Pink resin hearts, Etsy: Rayliemay

White resin hoops, Etsy: Leetie

Rose quartz acrylic statement earrings, Etsy: PaigesUnlimited

Resin link earrings, Etsy: BaubleSky

Dainty pink resin hoops, Etsy: FennaAndFei

Brighten up your wardrobe with a chic pastel aesthetic! The Kawaii trend is renowned for its use of soft, muted shades but there are plenty more ways to work the look. If you’re into retro vibes, why not try the ‘Danish Pastel’, inspired by late 60s styles? Start experimenting this spring and give those cute-hues an on-trend twist!