Revisiting The Past: Aesthetic Pastel Combos in Pastel Aesthetics

Hero: Olga K, IG @krsvch

The spring season of 2023 was a lot about Danish Pastel Aesthetic. This spring trend of combining different pastel hues together to create a fresh look has been popular since the 1960s and is now making a comeback in the fashion world. The combination of soft pastel colors like baby blue, peach, lavender, mint green, pastel yellow and of course, all the whites and off-whites.

It’s super easy to wear this style in the spring because it’s all flowers and pinks anyway, but then there’s the other aspect of this aesthetic: Danish pastel aesthetic is known to combine different pastel hues together, which is what makes it look so fresh.

Combining pastels is not actually new, it was popular in the 1960s too, but it hasn’t been trendy for so long that the fashion feels as good as new.

Let’s look at how to do pastel mixing in summer 2023.

What two pastel colors go together?

It might be true that there is no right or wrong in fashion, but it sure is true that the color combo you pick will influence the aesthetic mood.

Still, for spring 2023, you can mix quite liberally. If you’re not sure, use a pastel palette picking tool and match different pastel hues together, then see if they make for a fresh look.

It gets a bit harder to pair real clothes because every fabric has its own texture, but as long as you don’t mix too many different materials, you should be fine.

For instance, a pastel shirt made of a polyester blend will not clash with a mini skirt or culottes from a similar light material. But if you wanted to combine it with a crochet skirt, that might not be as simple. Crochet is a much heavier material than a poly blend and so the full outfit might not look as good as you would expect just from the color combo.

IG @j.m.a.l.o.n.e

Either way, let’s look at some pastel color combos inspo.

1. Mint green x Peach

Pairing light greens with peaches is a fresh combination that still isn’t played-out for spring 2023.

The two colors are similar in shade but contrast enough to add dimension when put together. And as long as there is green, the outfit comes off with its own spring vibe.

IG @laurenmhaynails

2. Lavender x Light Yellow

Lavender and light yellow are the perfect artsy pastel combo.

Both colors are soft but not dull, and even more importantly, they are one of the most famous pastel Danish color combos. The two hues play off each other to create a unique pastel aesthetic that is both cool and romantic at the same time.

Photo @plantiful.life.of.erin and bedsheets via @bedandbutterofficial

3. Baby Blue x Off-White

Baby blue and off-white are one of the color combos more typical to summer than spring. This is because the combo evokes the blue sea and the sky with just a few clouds on it.

It is a subtle combination that pairs two soft shades of blue and white, but still manages to be eye-catching. It’s also perfect if you want to go for a more minimalistic look that will not draw attention. We can’t be in the limelight every single day, right?

IG @ldtr_bts

4. Rose x Pistachio Green

Rose and pistachio green is the most Danish pastel aesthetic color combo you can find. The absolute classic of that aesthetic is to use these two pastels in a 60s retro checkered pattern. The two light hues are quite similar in that they are both upbeat, making them perfect to pair together and create a unique look that’s still very spring-appropriate. It’s also easy to wear because it goes with everything: denim, linen, flowy dresses…

5. Mint Green x Lavender

Mint green and lavender is a spring color combo of 2021 that has not lost its charm in spring 2023.

The two shades are very different from one another, but when paired together they make for an incredibly fresh look. The cool mint contrasts the light lavender perfectly to create a unique spring aesthetic you can wear both day and night.

Pastel patterns and pattern clashing

The original 60s and 70s aesthetics used a lot of patterns. The 60s had their influence in art deco and its geometric shapes, which was then applied to the world-shattering trend of the mini skirt. But the 70s didn’t dial that tendency down. They took those patterns and mixed them with floral prints. And that is something you can also do in spring 2023.

The key with pattern clashing is to make sure the colors match, so that even if the shapes are different, it will still look like a coherent outfit. Pick your two pastel hues and combine them into a pattern. For instance, if you want to pair mint green and peach in spring 2023, pick a shirt with a checkered print in those two colors. A skirt or culottes could be the same color combination, but with flowers instead of squares.

Digital wall art / wallpaper from Etsy: marssuart

By combining different pastel hues together and playing around with shapes and prints, you can create a spring look that is unique to spring 2023. As long as the pastels are matching and complementing each other, you will get a danish-pastel aesthetic outfit that will be stylish for springtime.

So don’t hesitate to mix up your spring wardrobe with some fresh spring pastel combos!