"For most of history, pink was just another color. It was worn equally by men and women," Jennifer Wright states in a recent article about the history of the color published by our sister site Racked. The history of pink is well-documented and involves quite a lot of interesting twists and turns.
How did pink become a girly color?
In 1927, Time magazine surveyed 10 major departments stores across the country. The publication wanted to know how each store associated the colors pink and blue with boys and girls — and the answers were surprisingly mixed.
Up to this point, most children dressed in gender-neutral clothing and typically wore white because it was easy to bleach and keep clean. It wasn’t until the 1950s that the color pink became a “girly” color.
Mamie Eisenhower, 1953. (National Archives)
Many historians point to Dwight Eisenhower’s presidential inauguration as a pivotal moment in the history of pink. Mamie Eisenhower, the new first lady, arrived at the inaugural ball in a stunning pink ball gown studded with 2,000 rhinestones. Mrs. Eisenhower’s favorite color was pink, and newspapers and fashion designers across the country quickly latched on to her colorful style and charming domesticity. It was a welcome reprieve from the last decade of war, when women typically wore much simpler styles and were hard at work in factories.
As you’ll see in the video above, the color pink has evolved beyond a hue associated with traditional women. In fact, many women since Mrs. Eisenhower have used pink in more calculated ways, including current presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton.
