Trendwatch 2009: Pale Pink Lips

There used to be a time when pale pink was the color of sweet girliness: Barbie, Strawberry Shortcake, Molly Ringwald; peony blossoms, Easter eggs, a child's first ballet class. And wasn't it almost yesterday that MAC had a line of girly pastel pinks for last spring's Sugarsweet collection?

Now, as fall approaches and springtime's promises are still out of reach, the pairing of pale pink lip color with strongly-colored eyes - from dark smoky eyeliner to vivid Technicolor lids - becomes more than just a "transition" look; it's a bracing shot of sugary politeness, the better to soften the bolder fashion statements of the coming months.

Check out this ad for MAC's Style Black collection...


...and the models in Michael Kors' Spring 2010 runway show during New York's Fashion Week (credit: WWD via Allure)...


...and the pages of Sephora's Beauty Central...



...AND - perhaps the most fun interpretation of them all, in my opinion - on the lips of Sandara Park and fellow members of the Korean girl group 2NE1, in this TLC-esque video for their Bollywood-flavored megahit "Fire."



Best of all, you don't have to wait until Spring to get pretty with pink, regardless of your skin color: October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Check out the pink-ribbon beauty products, fashion items, and other items available to benefit the Breast Cancer Research Fund.