The ‘Pinkoween’ Trend: Time Traveling with Pink

Pinkoween? Really?

I know, I had the same reaction, because when I think of the pink craze on Halloween, I agree with Morticia Addams:

When the color is on its own, I have never been a big pink person. I don’t have any beef with the color nor anything is represents. It just usually isn’t my thing. So, this year, when one of the big Halloween décor trends was “Pinkoween.”I couldn’t help but cringe a little.

Pink is not a Halloween color in my world.

Yet, when you match pink with various colors, it represents a different era. If you want your Halloween to look a little retro or even vintage, pink is the perfect place to start.

For my final Halloween DIY trend, let’s take a look at how pink contributes to the look of different eras, by giving the same item different looks.

Use a template of an easy Halloween shape (bat, ghost, skull, etc.). You can cut one out on paper, or find some cheap paper or wood templates.

I raided a dollar store and found a pack of simple witch hats. I am going to show you five different eras, so make sure you have enough. They are all identical for now…until we add some color, especially pink.

First, get some pink paint and cover the entire surface of each one with a solid coat. Yes, they are still identical, and very much a plain Pinkoween shade.

Now it is time to look at different eras, starting way back:

For The “Classical” Era, add gold and white.

The time when composers like Mozart lived, saw light colors trimmed with floral and similar flourishes along walls and doors in the homes of the more wealthy.

To get this look, draw some simple brush flourish brush strokes along the edges in white, and then go over with some gold to add detail.

For the Nifty 50s, add silver and black.

From the malt shops to the fashions to the cars, the nostalgic, cartoony stereotype of the 50s is pink and black (or silver if you want a chrome edge). Polka dots and stripes are simple to do, or you can add poodle or car logo.

For the Groovy 70s, add orange, yellow, and white.

A lot of the Pinkoween I am seeing this year goes hand-in-hand with the disco ball and bling pumpkins and skulls. This pink is from the time of the Brady Bunch, Partridge Family and even Saturday Night Fever. There is something distinctly 70s about these colors.

Paint some white daisy or flower petals with yellow or orange centers and leaves. Draw some stems in brown for a very 70s look.

For the Anarchy 80s, add black.

There’s a fine line between 80s and 50s style, because there was a big 50s throwback trend in the 80s. Yet, the pink and black of the 80s could also be more rebellious. Even the Sex Pistols had some pink album covers. Some letters or shapes stenciled in a graffiti type manner will do the trick. It’s pink…but it’s punk!

For the 90s, add teal or turquoise and purple.

There are memes about the patterns of the 90s being distinct especially with the color teal being teams up with everything from paper cups to Taco Bell interiors to sports teams’ logos. You see a lot of teal with pink and/or purple in this era. The 90s was also a time when designers around the world thought everything that came out of Santa Fe, N.M. was pink and bright turquoise. You could not escape these colors.

This is really easy to do. Take a paint brush or sponge and dab on some of that teal or blue, in any pattern. Next, use a thin brush or even purple crayon and draw some wavy lines over it. That is instant 90s!

Pinkoween may be unappealing to some and delightful to others, but the color pink is pretty versatile, and when given the right friends, it will take us all back in time.