Is Millennial Pink Going Out Of Style?

A more androgynous and muted take on your typical pink hue, millennial pink was at its popularity peak pre-pandemic and quickly became associated with the chic and unapologetic energy of twenty-somethings at the time. Perhaps best described as a muted blush, it's almost beige-like and has far fewer blue notes than your typical fuchsia or hot pink hue.

According to Glorify, the compatible nature of this contemporary color is one of the main reasons for its becoming so popular. It looks good on all skin tones, is muted enough for both genders, and works elegantly with pretty much all palettes — whether it's used as an accent color or more of a neutral.

But it's safe to say that while millennial pink is still most definitely around, it's clearly not as widely used in the home as it was pre-pandemic. After all, the velvet upholstery and metallic accents that dominated 2018 to 2020 have long since fizzled from fame — so is millennial pink set to soon face the same fate?

Rather than disappearing completely, millennial pink is definitely set to stick around — but just perhaps no longer in the main character role that it played before the pandemic. While it perfectly captured the subtly chic and unapologetically Instagrammable nature of life pre-pandemic, it just doesn't quite fit the more rejuvenated mood of life post-lockdown, where more of us are embracing bold and energizing tones.

But far from evaporating completely, millennial pink is simply evolving from a statement hue to a trusted staple. In fact, according to Head of Lifestyle and Interiors at WGSN, Gemma Riberti, it's actually morphed into more of a refined neutral: "Millennial pink can play on both sides: It has the reassuring and natural quality of a warm neutral that feels soft to the eye, while it can also work well in very clean and solid applications across hard materials and even tinted transparencies" (via Well + Good).

So, if millennial pink is no longer bold enough to fit the accent color bill, then what does? According to Real Homes, while we reached for cocooning and comforting tones like grays and beiges during the pandemic to make our homes feel safe and cozy, there has been a definite shift toward embracing bolder and more energizing hues now that the general mood is far more upbeat.

To be honest, millennial pink just feels a little too subtle and sophisticated for the current vibe. Instead, nature-focused tones like rich terracotta, sage green, and sunshine yellow are the statement colors of choice that seem to be making their mark in many of our homes. And with its clay-like connotations, millennial pink works well with these colors when used as a complementary neutral — as it's got far more warmth than cool-toned gray. So, while it may no longer be center-stage, it's definitely still a color that's sticking around.