What Colours To Wear With Pink Shorts: 7 Foolproof Shirt Options

Amidst the sun-kissed days of summer, pink emerges as a pillar of vitality for men’s style, and especially shorts. It brings a refreshing twist to traditional neutrals, adding a dash of playfulness to any outfit, whether smart or casual.

Perhaps it’s the inherent femininity of the colour that plays into the hands of the wearer, helping him exude confidence and modernity through an embrace of the unconventional. Of course, in the early 20th century, pink was in fact considered a masculine colour, symbolising strength and passion. It was only later that cultural shifts and marketing strategies intertwined pink with femininity. Now, we need to make up for lost time.

As for what works well with pink, you have a plethora of options, since it can be very versatile depending on the tone. Crisp white shirts provide a classic and timeless combination, imbuing an air of sophistication to the pink canvas. For a bolder statement, navy blue establishes a striking contrast that oozes charm and confidence, while earthy tones, such as khaki or olive green evoke a rugged yet refined allure.

In the heat of summer, pink constantly proves itself as the quintessential choice for confident dressers.

Pink shorts with a white shirt

What’s not to love about a pink and white combination? Of course, white goes well with every colour under the sun, but with pink there is something uniquely elegant and sophisticated about the pairing.

Given the neutral background that white offers, you’d do well to choose interesting fabrics for your shorts, with textural finishes such as linen or terry cloth. Or opt instead for really clean, tailored cuts to add a more polished aesthetic.

Pink drawstring shorts with a white grandad collar shirt

These pink shorts have a subtle textural effect to them which instantly upgrades this fit. The layering of the cotton tee and shirt gives good tonal vibes, especially with the lo-fi white sneakers.

The grandad collar is a nice touch too, ensuring that the whole look remains supremely relaxed.

Pale pink chino shorts with a white polo shirt

The pink chino shorts are a no-brainer for any wardrobe that prefers a preppy summer aesthetic, while the white piqué cotton polo shirt just reinforces the collegiate credentials.

The look is sporty, but the addition of the suede loafers ensures it has plenty of old-school style to it.

Peach-pink tailored shorts with a white Cuban collar shirt

There’s nothing complicated about this look, but it’s one of our go-to summer fits. The Cuban collar shirt is non-negotiable, and has been on trend for quite a few years now.

The stripe details in the cloth really complement the tailored finish of the shorts, too.

The addition of the white socks and kicks give it a clean contemporary look.

Pink shorts with a blue shirt

Pink and blue is one of our favourite colour combinations because there is something inherently preppy going on when these two get together. The pairing just smacks of Hamptons off-duty style, especially when pastel tones are involved.

Blue is of course very versatile but it really comes up trumps when texture comes into play in the shape of denim, chambray or linen.

Pink swim shorts with a blue denim shirt

The pink shorts might be eye-catching, but the magic of this look is the juxtaposition of textures as well as colours.

The denim shirt brings a subtle element of natural texture, which plays off against the shiny nylon of the shorts, while the striped green T-shirt is a really clever device to break up the big colours with a geometric pattern. Top marks.

Pastel pink drawstring shorts with a blue linen shirt

Once again, subtle textural differences in the shirt, Henley and shorts give this look depth. All of the tones are soft and complementary, too, adding to the air of casual sophistication.

You could just as easily swap out the sandals for a pair of sneakers, or even some suede loafers to give the ensemble a smartly dishevelled vibe.

Coral pink drawstring shorts with a blue denim shirt

It’s the confident contrast that gives this look its energy. The denim shirt is a classic piece of Americana but it has been completely repurposed by styling it with these coral pink shorts.

The sneakers and socks add to the outfit by giving off modern preppy vibes, too.

Pink shorts with a green shirt

Out of all the pink colour combinations here, green is without doubt the most versatile and diverse. No matter what shade of either colour you use, they combine tremendously effectively to make stylish dance partners.

Pastel pinks work very well with both vibrant green tones and pastels, as well as darker earthy shades such as olive green and khaki, while the stronger pink tones have no problem assimilating with the entire green spectrum, too.

If you’re ever in doubt as to what to pair with pink, go green every time.

Pale pink shorts with a khaki green shirt

Here’s a laid-back combination that actually puts pink in the shade. Opting for a very pale tone of shorts hands all the style impetus over to the khaki green shirt, both of which are set off nicely by the navy canvas shoes.

You could also easily dial up the volume of the look with some louder pink shorts if you felt so inclined.

Pink chino shorts with a green patterned short-sleeve shirt

Olive green is always a great pairing with pink, but what we love here is the injection of blue and pink accents in the shirt pattern. Add to that the fact that it’s neatly layered on top of a simple white tee and complementary white sneakers and you have a winning look.

The layering, albeit simple, really gives the outfit depth.

Pale pink drawstring shorts with a light green polo shirt

Preppy casual at its best, this combination is straight out of the Ralph Lauren Preppy 101 manual.

The two tones work perfectly together, and it’s a smart move going with the deck shoes for added preppy authenticity.

Pink shorts with a grey shirt

When you want to dial back the volume of your pink shorts, utilising grey tops is the way to go, especially light tones. The grey acts as a natural dampener to the more vibrant pink, while also being a great complement to pastel shades.

Besides that, grey is a simple colour to layer with, helping you to incorporate other tones into your look.

Pink jersey shorts with a grey striped short-sleeve shirt

What we love about this look, besides the tones, are the interesting textural effects. The soft jersey shorts combined with the striped textural shirt work nicely together, but adding the neutral tee gives the outfit another dimension.

The soft suede slip-ons are another tactile element that elevate the ensemble.

Pink drawstring shorts with a clay grey T-shirt

Over-complicating looks rarely works out well. Simple is most often best, as evidenced by this very low-key fit which combines bright pink shorts with a clay grey-tone tee and canvas sneakers. Effortless.

You could style it up with a denim or chambray overshirt if you wished but keep it minimal and you can’t go wrong.

Pink drawstring shorts with a grey crew neck sweatshirt

Another one from the modern preppy archives, we love the classic collegiate cool that the grey loopback sweatshirt brings to the look.

As if that wasn’t enough, the preppiness is further emphasised by the peak of a yellow OCBD shirt.

The addition of sneakers rather than loafers or deck shoes gives the ensemble a contemporary finish.

Pink shorts with a navy shirt

The versatility of navy goes without saying, but it is especially effective as a foil for pink shades in the summer, bringing a touch of elegant conservatism to an outfit.

It doesn’t matter what type of pink you choose either – the dark nuances of navy fabrics create a chic and understated canvas against which the bolder pink tones can have their say.

Pink Bermuda shorts with a striped navy T-shirt

A very easy yet effective summer look, the combination of these pink Bermuda shorts with a fine stripe navy tee proves that these two tones are a perfect match.

There’s nothing complicated about it, and the addition of the fresh white sneakers neatly bookends the ensemble.

Coral pink chino shorts with a navy polo shirt

Once again, this off-duty look keeps things super simple by pairing the loose pink shorts with an equally loose navy polo shirt.

The baggy aesthetic keeps it looking modern and relaxed, while the minimalist polo gives the fit a clean contemporary finish.

Pink cotton shorts with a navy long-sleeved T-shirt

The deep tone of the navy long-sleeved tee here really complements the hue of the pink shorts well, and while it would work nicely as a regular tee, the full sleeves gives the look a slightly more polished finish. A navy Henley would work just as well here too.

The fresh white sneakers serve up a crisp look, but you could also swap them out for navy espadrilles for a more relaxed vacation option.

Pink shorts with a black shirt

While most people would naturally veer towards more neutral pairings with pink, forming a strong contrast with black shirts can be a really effective way to bring out the best in colour.

It doesn’t matter if you prefer bold pinks or pastels, a black top half creates a confident dichotomy that helps present pink’s smarter side.

Pastel pink shorts with a black polo shirt

Pairing pastel pink shorts with a black knitted polo shirt is a modern classic combination in the making. The tailored cut of the shorts really sets the tone here, accentuated by the beautiful fitted style of the polo, to create what is a slick and svelte summer outfit.

It’s about as elevated as a shorts and polo combo gets, and yet so easy to pull off.

Pink shorts with a black short-sleeve shirt

Two’s company and three’s most certainly not a crowd when it comes to this tri-tone look. The bold pink shorts are the fulcrum about which the black and white revolve.

The simple layering is on point, and even though three elements of the look are black, it still feels vibrant and colourful.

Pink patterned shorts with a black T-shirt

A super-casual sports look can still benefit from an injection of pink, as evidenced by this fit.

Any other colour of shorts might fall flat against the dominant black tee, but this pink patterned pair add something unique and fun to the look.

Pink shorts with a beige shirt

Beige gets a bad rap for being boring but when it comes to summer menswear, it’s a great neutral canvas to set off stronger tones of pink, or to create a soft-tone aesthetic with pastel shades.

Either way, it’s a super-easy colour to style your pink shorts with and always looks effortlessly cool.

Coral pink cargo shorts with a beige T-shirt

Off-duty cool doesn’t get much more chic than this combination. The dusty pink cargo shorts bring the relaxed vibes, while the clean-cut beige tee and sandals reinforce the elegant simplicity of it all.

Sophisticated without barely lifting a finger.

Pink chino shorts with a striped beige camp collar shirt

Pink is an excellent resortwear tone as it complements a tan nicely and works really well with lighter coloured short-sleeved shirts.

This camp collar design adds an element of geometric finesse with the stripes, layered over a crisp white tee for a preppy look.

Baby pink shorts with a beige short-sleeve shirt

Even when the shade of pink in the shorts is quite bold, beige asserts itself as a good sparring partner, bringing down the volume of the look.

It’s a great fit for a casual resortwear look by the pool or at the beach.