Pink is a pale red color, which takes its name from the flower of the same name. According to surveys in Europe and the United States ![image]()
, pink is positively associated with love, beauty, charm, politeness, sensitivity, tenderness, sweetness, childhood, femininity, and the romantic. When combined with violet or black, it is associated with eroticism and seduction. Pink was first used as a color name in the late 17th century.
, pink is positively associated with love, beauty, charm, politeness, sensitivity, tenderness, sweetness, childhood, femininity, and the romantic. When combined with violet or black, it is associated with eroticism and seduction. Pink was first used as a color name in the late 17th century.
If you ask a woman at a cocktail party what her favorite color is and she replies, "Pink!" she is likely telling you more about herself than if she replied, "Orange ![image]()
!" While it's possible that the pink lady just loves shades on the red spectrum, we, as a society, have a ton of associations around the color. You’d be reasonable to expect that she’s trying to say that she is traditionally feminine and likes party dresses, roses on Valentine’s Day, babies, and kittens.
!" While it's possible that the pink lady just loves shades on the red spectrum, we, as a society, have a ton of associations around the color. You’d be reasonable to expect that she’s trying to say that she is traditionally feminine and likes party dresses, roses on Valentine’s Day, babies, and kittens.
But let’s step away from this bizarre cocktail party where fully grown adults are quizzed on their favorite colors (mine is periwinkle!). We should, instead, examine why pink is considered a "girly" color ![]()
, whereas pretty much every other color, except blue, is without gender association. Or, really, any associations at all.
, whereas pretty much every other color, except blue, is without gender association. Or, really, any associations at all.
It's practically engrained in us since birth: pink is for girls and blue is for boys. But has the color pink always been considered "girly"? Not really ![image]()
. For most of history, pink was just another color. It was worn equally by men and women. Men and women continued to wear pink well into the '20s, though pink had come to be seen as a flashy and flamboyant color on men.
. For most of history, pink was just another color. It was worn equally by men and women. Men and women continued to wear pink well into the '20s, though pink had come to be seen as a flashy and flamboyant color on men. 
Do you consider pink a feminine color![]()
Or does the shade have absolutely nothing to do with gender![]()
Or does the shade have absolutely nothing to do with gender 
