Pink Bridesmaid Dress

Red hair and pink — Photo: Pavlo Plakhotia/Shutterstock

Q: I have to wear a hot pink and black bridesmaid dress for my friend's wedding. I have natural red hair that I would say is a medium auburn color and right now I have partial blonde highlights.

I'm wondering if I should keep the blonde highlights or dye my hair a darker auburn color. I like my hair both colors but am wondering what would look better with the hot pink dress... help!

A: Well, my first instinct is to shriek that you should beg the bride to reconsider the choice of a hot pink dress for any bridesmaid who has red hair. Pink is not a color generally suggested for any redhead.

However, things aren't quite so simplistic. There are red heads, and there are RED heads. The levels of redness and the particulars of the shade of the color can vary widely and make a big difference in the outcome of the matched colors.

It's very hard to make a determination on what will "look best" when I cannot see the precise color and shade of your hair. One recommendation I can make is to consider using a temporary hair color (or at least a semi-permanent color) to tone-down the amount of red in your hair.

By using a light shade of color (something similar to your hair's blonde highlighting) that has a green color base, you can neutralize the redness of your hair for the occasion, without committing to a dramatic color change that would have to be reversed afterward.

What I would prefer that you do is to speak to your stylist and take the dress with you if possible, and have him/her assist you in making the necessary adjustments (if there are any). It is entirely possible that your particular shade of auburn would not clash with the dress you will need to wear and that you can avoid having to do anything to adjust the color of your hair.

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See also:

Red hair Q&A

Tips for redheads

Redheads, sun sensitivity and color clash