IN DEFENSE OF PINK: THE HER-STOry of the powerful color because who said pink was soft?

From Barbiecore to bubblegum runways, pink is having a major moment — again. It’s the color of softness, sass, sweetness, and strength. But would you believe us if we told you pink wasn’t always for girls?

Before it became the unofficial color of femininity, pink had a radically different rep. Let’s step into the HER-story of how pink went from neutral to “girly,” from dismissed to powerful, and why this bold hue deserves a permanent spot in your power palette.

Pink at Birth: No Gender Attached 🎀

Once upon a time, babies — all babies — wore white. Not because of fashion, but practicality: White cotton dresses were easy to bleach. Gowns made diaper changes simple. Color? Irrelevant.

Even as pastels were introduced into nurseries, pink and blue were not gender-specific. Pink was worn by boys and girls — and so was blue. In fact, many early 20th-century style guides recommended pink for boys, describing it as a “stronger,” more commanding color. Blue? “Delicate and dainty” — perfectly suited for little girls. Stylists even based color choices on eye color and hair tone, not gender.

When Did Pink Become “Girly”?

The shift wasn’t overnight. But after World War II, society pushed women out of the workforce and back into traditional homemaking roles. With that came a surge in hyper-feminine marketing — and pink took center stage.

A few pivotal moments gave pink its “girl” label:

👗 First Lady Mamie Eisenhower wore a rhinestone-studded pink gown to the 1953 inaugural ball. She was so associated with pink, people nicknamed it “Mamie Pink.”

🎬 In 1957, the musical Funny Face gave us the iconic number “Think Pink” — encouraging women to embrace the shade in every aspect of their lives… even if the singer herself quipped she wouldn’t be caught dead in it.

🚿 Brands began wrapping sanitary pads in pink, and entire bathrooms and kitchens were drenched in it. Pink became the domestic aesthetic.

Pink, Rejected & Reclaimed

By the 1960s and ’70s, during the women’s liberation movement, feminists rejected traditional gender coding — including pink. Neutral clothing and minimalist color palettes became part of the feminist uniform.

But pink never disappeared.

In the 1980s, prenatal technology changed everything. Once sonograms allowed parents to know their baby’s gender ahead of birth, marketers ran with it. Stores flooded shelves with blue-for-boy, pink-for-girl items. Gendered baby showers and eventually gender reveal parties cemented the binary.

And so, pink became the ultimate signal of girlhood — but not always in a positive light.

Pretty, Powerful & Misunderstood

For years, pink was synonymous with being soft, sweet, even superficial.But smart women knew how to play the game.

💗 In the 1960s, Donna Mae Mims, the first woman to win a national racing title, wore all pink to stand out in male-dominated races. Her femininity was her secret weapon.

💗 In the 2000s, Elle Woods (Legally Blonde) and the Mean Girls crew proved that pink didn’t equal powerless — it meant underestimated.

Pink could be armor. It could be disarming. And yes, it could be devastatingly smart.

Enter: Barbiecore & the Era of Glam Pink 💅

Fast forward to today: pink is back, and she’s bolder than ever.

💗In 2022, Valentino dropped an entire collection in vibrant hot pink, coining the shade “Valentino Pink PP.”

💗Celebs like Zendaya, Florence Pugh, and Anne Hathaway stunned in all-pink power looks.

💗Even icons like Billy Porter and Harry Styles proved that pink is genderless — and fearless.

• 
  

Thanks to Barbiecore — a trend born from Y2K nostalgia and the hype around Margot Robbie’s Barbie film — pink has evolved from pastel and passive to bold and unapologetic.

It’s not just a color. It’s a statement.

Celebrate the Power of Pink

Whether you wear it on your lips, your suit, or your nails — pink is more than pretty. It’s powerful. And now, it’s yours to reclaim and redefine. National Pink Day is celebrated every year on June 23.

But honestly? Every day is a good day to wear pink — especially if it makes you feel confident, seen, and unapologetically you.

If She Can Wear Pink, So You Can Too

Pink was never the problem. The box society tried to put it in was. What once symbolized limitations now shines as a beacon of liberation and choice.

So wear the pink. Be the pink. Own the pink.

And remember — if she can wear pink and still be taken seriously, so can you. 💋