I Believe in Pink

“I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.”

-Aubrey Hepburn

Growing up in a binary world there was nothing worse than a boy having any association with pink. Because of this, I was drawn to the color as it had a significant connection to the feminine that I was so drawn to.

Things haven’t changed that much. At least not with how enamored I am by the color.

But in a historical sense, the color has changed significantly.

According to Gadriana, pink was not always a color choice exclusive to girls. In a time way before Barbie and Disney Princesses helped carve a way for what is now a deeply rooted stereotype, pink was a gender neutral color that was loved and worn by both sexes of the European bourgeoisie in the 18th century. In fact, pink was a unisex color that was often perceived as more masculine than feminine because it was considered to be a sub-color to red, a color that adorned men’s uniforms at the time because it was regarded as more powerful than blue. That’s why, if we look back at historical paintings of noble families and their garments, especially those coming from 19th century England, we will find boys that were dressed in pink.

This reminds me how high heels were originally designed for men for, if you can believe it, practical purposes. This is kind of ironic as most of the stilettos I own are the most impractical shoes one could even imagine. But I digress.

Pink had a strong grip on me while growing up and that hold still has me today. Pink can be bright and pink can be soft and subtle but today pink is mostly associated with femininity and I wear it proudly.

Love, Hannah