Pink, mauve, fuschia—whatever we’re calling it, we’ve been seeing it in spades this awards season. In varying doses and shades, Regina King, Julia Butters, Laura Dern, Chris Rock, and Idina Menzel all picked up the baton on Sunday’s Oscars red carpet.
Any number of explanations could be ventured: in the color’s brighter forms, an optimistic reaction to dire political circumstances; a covert understanding among leading celebrity stylists; residual interest from last year’s greatest Oscars hits; a feedback loop whereby subjects of fashion intrigue embody the latest commentary on the world they inhabit. Also, it’s a nice color.
Whatever the origin, the likes of Timothée Chalamet, Andrew Scott, and Mahershala Ali, have been spotted in pink suits on the past few big-name red carpets. And once you’re willing to look, pink is everywhere, or at least it could be. One person who will presumably be missing from this year’s Oscars is best supporting actor nominee Joe Pesci. There was never much reason to be bullish on him showing up, but while we’re playing fantasy styling, wouldn’t the color have been a good option for him too? In the run-up to this year’s awards, if you weren’t too busy revisiting the 2000 Oscars, you could’ve returned to his 1991 acceptance speech for the same award, short and sweet, with him dressed in black and white, set against a vivid pink background.