Pastel Styling, Served Like Dessert

Welcome in.

You’ve arrived at the sweet-treat pastel masterclass, taught by none other than Jentestore the pastel pâtissier. Today’s lesson? How to layer using color like a cake artist.

©es.wikipedia.org

 

There’s a particular sugar-high feeling that pastel colors evoke. From here on, consider this your guide to “tasting fashion” as deliciously as dessert. Just like stacking cake layers and choosing cream and toppings, you can build your own pastel look by layering colors and textures, each sweet in its own way.

Ready to sample the sweetest looks from FW25? Forks ready.

 

Flavor One: Go Deep on One Shade

You’ve seen it at matcha cafés. That numbered scale from soft jade to punch-you-in-the-face green. It’s all matcha, but the deeper it gets, the richer it tastes. Same rule applies to tone-on-tone styling. One color, different saturations. Not repetition, but refinement.

 

©leafkyoto.net GUCCI 25FW ©hypebeast.kr

 

In FW25, baby pink stood out as the headliner among pastel shades.

ALL-IN, the pastel palace of Paris, came through hot. Designed by Benjamin Barron and Bror August Vestbø, this upcycling brand served a full sugar-rush set: camisoles in soft pink, shorts in hot pink, pajama tees with polka dots that felt like strawberry milk dressed itself.

 

ALL-IN 25FW ©pairsproject.com ©@augustbarron

 

Charli XCX wore one in her party 4 u video, in case you needed proof it’s hot-girl certified.

 

©@infocharlixcx ©@thekimbino

 

Meanwhile, MAGLIANO dropped a pink suit and layered it with a sherbet-tinged vest. The model looked cool enough to ignore you, but the energy was pure peach candy. Still hesitant about full-pink immersion? Dior Men knew the cheat code. A pink jacket with tie detail, matching top underneath, and basic black pants for that sweet-salty contrast. Think strawberry mousse with a licorice base.

 

MAGLIANO 25FW ©vogue.com

Dior Men 25FW ©showstudio.com

 

AURALEE’s tone-on-tone look wrapped the body in a soft butter yellow, radiating warmth from top to hem. As your gaze moves downward, the saturation subtly deepens, like flavor building through the layers of a lemon cheesecake. It’s got that rare mix of casual effortlessness on the surface, but styled just enough to look intentional. Sabato De Sarno’s GUCCI also leaned into this pastel palette. A lilac bag, green-toned top, and matching skirt came together with the balance of a dessert plate stacked with three different macarons. Sweet, light, and perfectly portioned.

 

Dior Men 25FW ©showstudio.com

  

Even brands with a sharper edge joined the dessert party. KIKO KOSTADINOV and Vivienne Westwood suited up their male models in mint and olive jackets layered over baby-blue ties and shirts. Just picture a parfait of pistachio, mint chip, and blueberry cream stacked high. Tonal, textured, and surprisingly craveable.

 

KIKO KOSTADINOV 25FW Vivienne Westwood 25FW ©hypebeast.com

 

Flavor 2: Mix Flavors to balance the bite

Picture a bowl of shaved ice topped with red beans, matcha ice cream, and a slice of cheesecake. Each element tastes different, but together they balance like magic. That’s the spirit of tone-in-tone styling. It’s about combining varied colors in one outfit, while keeping the look cohesive. Done right, the result is vibrant and refined.

 

Our favorite tone-in-tone moment this season was AURALEE’s “rainbow rice cake” styling. Director Ryota Iwai noted that the goal was to show how personality emerges when different pieces come together.

 

AURALEE 25FW ©fashionsnap.com

 

Remember as a kid, expecting all yellow candies to taste like banana and pink to taste like strawberry, only to realize they were all the same inside? Styling pastels like these works similarly where even though the palette may vary, the real key is harmony across the look. Think: pink cardigan, layered with blue and yellow tops. Diverse, but seamlessly blended.

One combo dominated FW25: pink plus gray. Baby pink adds brightness like strawberry cream. Gray tones it down without dulling the mood. MSGM styled pink shirts with gray suits. AURALEE tucked a pastel shirt under a gray jacket, plus a hint of butter yellow. The result was a look that felt layered like cake, with each slice adding something new.

 

 

Then came two standout menswear looks: prim and proper at KENZO, mischievous at LOUIS VUITTON. Both used pink to tie things together. Which proves one thing: gray, beige, and pink go together like vanilla, caramel, and strawberry. Unexpectedly perfect.

 

KENZO 25FW LOUIS VUITTON 25FW ©showstudio.com

  

KIKO KOSTADINOV threw pink into a moody gray dress. Suddenly, it wasn’t brooding; it was chocolate cake with a strawberry drizzle. GUCCI kept it crisp. White shirt, tie, and a lilac cardigan tossed on top like sugar dust. Pastels don’t ask for attention, they earn it by disarming you.

 

KIKO KOSTADINOV 25FW GUCCI 25FW ©wwd.com ©fashionsnap.com

 

KAMIYA’s 25FW looked like something Tokyo skate kids might throw on. Layered pink shirts under cardigans and jackets, with gray peeking out like vanilla cream behind strawberry frosting. We saw this look and made a mental note: this fall, one baby pink shirt must be acquired.

 

KAMIYA 25FW ©fashionsnap.com ©miharayasuhiro.jp

 

Pink kept shining through the season, especially in combo with lilac and green. Think: strawberry macaron, lavender cream, olive pistachio garnish. SANDY LIANG and CASABLANCA both styled it into their feminine silhouettes. Not bold enough with a pink dress alone? Add a bright olive vest as a finishing “topping.”

 

SANDY LIANG 25FW CASABLANCA 25FW ©showstudio.com ©fashionsnap.com
GUCCI 25FW Doublet 25FW ©hypebeast.kr

 

MIU MIU’s FW25 delivered a masterclass in tone-on-tone. Most iconic: pastel pink paired with brown. A bit like biting into strawberry milk chocolate. Even better, the pastel knee-highs sealed the look like a cherry on top.

 

MIU MIU 25FW ©fashionsnap.com ©miumiu.com

   

Pastels as dessert. That you wear. Some days, you commit to one flavor. Others, you layer with reckless, delicious abandon. Either way, when you walk out the door dressed in your favorite look, it feels the same as biting into the perfect slice of cake. Sweet, rich, and entirely yours.