Pink and Blush Girls' Party Dresses, Ages 3-12

The shade of pink reads differently depending on a child's skin tone. On warm, olive skin, the shades that lean orange, such as peach, salmon and coral, usually look livelier; on fair, pink-toned skin, blush, blush rose and dusty rose sit more softly. On dark-haired children the saturated pinks hold their own, while on fair-haired children the softer shades bring the face forward.

Here the season decides the fabric as much as the colour. At summer weddings, pale pinks look airy in light fabrics such as chiffon and organza; at winter ceremonies, satin and layered tulle give a fuller look in shades with some depth, such as dusty rose or blush rose. The lighting of the venue matters too, since under warm yellow light blush tones can shift a little towards honey.

The setting where the ceremony is photographed also steers the colour. Very pale blush can look washed out in front of a white wall or a white tablecloth; in places like that, a slightly more defined shade such as salmon or coral makes the choice easier. If the venue has a colour scheme of its own, with decorations leaning red for example, the cooler blush tones sit better than the pinks that lean orange.