No, Not Aquamarine—This "Dated" Colour Trend Makes Shorts and Skirts Look Cooler in 2026
Forget teal blue; neon pink is the colour trend Gen Z's best dressed are wearing this summer. Scroll to find out why.
If you’re an avid reader of Who What Wear UK, I’m sure you’re aware that we’re a sucker for a bold, new colour trend. Be it beachy blues or sickly sweet chartreuse, reporting on the hues shaping fashion is where we shine. But the colour news I’m about to bring to you today surprised even me: neon pink is back.
Now, if you were around during the turn of the millennium, I’m sure you're aware no colour symbolises Y2K quite like neon pink. As celebrity culture reached a fever pitch, so too did its influence on fashion. Think …Baby One More Time-era Britney Spears or Lindsey Lohan in Mean Girls. And lest we forget the ultimate poster girls for pink, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie. Their lives dominated the tabloids and our television screens, so it makes sense that their wardrobes became just as influential.
Cue the Juicy Couture velour tracksuits, borderline-trashy Paul's Boutique bags, iconic Motorola Razr phone (which just so happened to be my very first) and the stacks of clunky Claire’s bangles; this fluorescent shade of pink was impossible to escape.
But as we turned the corner into an era dominated by quiet luxury, the vivid shade disappeared. Over the years we’ve had glimpses of its triumphant return (Barbie!), but in summer 2026, neon pink is officially back, if a touch different.
Decidedly less rich-girl-out-of-water and significantly more rock and roll, this time around, neon pink feels cooler and grittier than before. The closest it gets is Avril Lavigne pre-(alleged) body-swap, or P!nk's rebellious early-2000s aesthetic. And Gen Z can’t get enough.
With maximalism a mantra of Gen Z's styling toolkit, neon pink feels like a dopamine-infused sign of life. The appeal lies in its ability to create deliberate contrast: a minimalist tank top instantly feels more directional when paired with an electric-pink bra peeking through, whilst midi skirts and ballet flats come alive with the vibrant flash of colour.
Need further proof? The coolest Gen Z celebrity It girls have already caught on. See Addison Rae's retina-searing hues in her "Headphones On" music video (and subsequent tour), Devon Lee Carlson's playful satin pumps and anything Zara Larsson wears that isn't aqua; they’ve proved this colour works both on and off the stage. If you're ready to infuse your own wardrobe with acid-bright neon pink, scroll for my roundup of the best bits on the market right now.
Shop the Neon Pink Fashion Trend
