Wearing Brooks Brothers French cuff shirt, Corinne Collection pink sweater, Yohji Yamamoto belted long jacket, Prada mules, Monies earrings and Anne & Valentin eyeglasses
According to W Magazine, Pink is the color to wear in 2017. Now pink is not often a color I wear and I do not have much of it in my wardrobe. Nor am I trend follower. But rather than reject a trend on its face, I thought I might investigate it in a deeper way before making my final decision about pink. In my fashion bibliography this past weekend I referenced an article that looked at the history of the color pink in fashion and it got me thinking about the color in different ways. So this week, today and Wednesday, I will be interrogating the color pink.
The only way historically for me that pink gets to make an appearance in my wardrobe is when it is paired with black, leaning more heavily on the black. Even though I wore a pink pussy hat to the Women’s March, I really prefer the one offered by my talented friend Mireia Lopez (Milo Tricot) and pictured below. It satisfies my ever constant need to be subversive, supports good causes and will be very practical tomorrow during our expected blizzard.
I think this propensity is because I have the same gender bias that everyone else does about this color: that pink is girly, soft and feminine and reflects my internal ambivalence about everything. This bias creeps into my styling where I pair this soft, pearly pink sweater with an oversized Brooks Brothers shirt, a tailored long jacket and mules studded with metal. Somehow I am expressing through my choices, the sociological vulnerability I feel and have mentioned before (and thus the preference for the black pussy hat). Let’s see how I feel on Wednesday after I do my reading.
Further Reading:
Like all interesting and complex things, the color pink in today’s world offers us both challenges and opportunities and I invite you to explore them with me by sharing your thoughts about why you do or do not wear pink and the readings I have referenced.
My sense is that pink garments can look great when the fabric is very beautiful. Many women can’t pay for cashmere and the pink garments I see on the street, bought in response to relentless marketing, look disposable. I fear the landfills will be groaning with pink garments in a matter of months.
My sense is that pink garments can look great when the fabric is very beautiful. Many women can’t pay for cashmere and the pink garments I see on the street, bought in response to relentless marketing, look disposable. I fear the landfills will be groaning with pink garments in a matter of months.
Pink can be a flattering color for fair complexions, especially with light hair. I prefer to push my pink attire toward the red or raspberry realm. Pink has connotations of softness. I like the drama of red!
Pink can be a flattering color for fair complexions, especially with light hair. I prefer to push my pink attire toward the red or raspberry realm. Pink has connotations of softness. I like the drama of red!
Pink is India’s navy isn’t it? I think it can be very strong, especially worn with orange or red.I think it is the garment and not the colour that makes it "girly"- or possibly the wearer!
I loved the reclaiming of Hot Pink in the Pussy hats worn in the Women’s March. Loved the sea of pink solidarity in the photographs. There are so many shades of pink and many meanings. The article forgot Jackie Kennedy and her iconic pink suit, a power color. And in contrast to the pink that Hilary wore in the 1990’s, I saw a photo of Kelly Ann Conway yesterday dressed in a light pink dress trying to "soften" her image. I always love to wear a paler pink in the spring as so many beautiful shades are reflected in the succession of blooming trees. I long to be in solidarity with the trees. Even though our culture has chosen pink to represent little girls, I have seen so many little girls over the years choose that color for themselves. A natural attraction. The other day I watched a mom walk by with two daughters all dressed in shades from pink to magenta, each in their respective color. Magenta was my favorite crayon in the big crayon box. I like to wear that shade in the summer. Finally, as I live in denim, shades of pink look happy with denim.
Aside from the beautiful photograph above, it was hard for me to focus on the topic of pink in its singularity as it applied to sociological gender assignment. I found a desire to respond to the intrigue of the inquiry; however, each time I attempted to focus on the topic I got…well, a block. Not because of an inability to articulate on the issue, rather because, after allowing the issue to construct itself in my head over a few days, in my perspective it connects to several other, to say the least, issues tied to restrictive gender assignment. Perhaps the categorization of colors blue and pink after the war became a way to subjugate American society, remind women where their place truly was after the war, after they returned home from working as Riveter Rosies. And therein lies the tension: subjugate, which lead me to muse on the history of the corset, bra, and other contemporary, million dollar businesses, that sell garments and instructional advice to women, often by women, to keep women’s bodies and minds in place, in control due primarily to the objectification of women’s bodies. Our freedom and liberation today, laughingly espoused so often by editorial leadership, where bottom line is profit, is a form of psychological waterboarding for women, globally. Lol…so bring up pink, and this is what I think.
C.e.Dorr
Aristolelian Style and a Big Dog
Aside from the beautiful photograph above, it was hard for me to focus on the topic of pink in its singularity as it applied to sociological gender assignment. I found a desire to respond to the intrigue of the inquiry; however, each time I attempted to focus on the topic I got…well, a block. Not because of an inability to articulate on the issue, rather because, after allowing the issue to construct itself in my head over a few days, in my perspective it connects to several other, to say the least, issues tied to restrictive gender assignment. Perhaps the categorization of colors blue and pink after the war became a way to subjugate American society, remind women where their place truly was after the war, after they returned home from working as Riveter Rosies. And therein lies the tension: subjugate, which lead me to muse on the history of the corset, bra, and other contemporary, million dollar businesses, that sell garments and instructional advice to women, often by women, to keep women’s bodies and minds in place, in control due primarily to the objectification of women’s bodies. Our freedom and liberation today, laughingly espoused so often by editorial leadership, where bottom line is profit, is a form of psychological waterboarding for women, globally. Lol…so bring up pink, and this is what I think.
C.e.Dorr
Aristolelian Style and a Big Dog
I continue to love reading your blog and Instagram posts, loving your unique style (it has a sense of theatre for me) and energy, your creativity – again theatricality. Fabulous!
I continue to love reading your blog and Instagram posts, loving your unique style (it has a sense of theatre for me) and energy, your creativity – again theatricality. Fabulous!
Testing
Testing
I prefer the black pussy hats too, although I would wear a pink one to show support for the Women’s March. Your sweater is such a subtle shade of pink it almost doesn’t register as pink for me. I didn’t wear pink for a very long time, partly because of the "girly" connotation, but I have come to appreciate the power of a hit of hot pink, and whenever I wear my hot pink down-filled jacket I feel like a beacon of joy amongst the sea of black winter coats surrounding me.
I prefer the black pussy hats too, although I would wear a pink one to show support for the Women’s March. Your sweater is such a subtle shade of pink it almost doesn’t register as pink for me. I didn’t wear pink for a very long time, partly because of the "girly" connotation, but I have come to appreciate the power of a hit of hot pink, and whenever I wear my hot pink down-filled jacket I feel like a beacon of joy amongst the sea of black winter coats surrounding me.
I don’t have any pink in my wardrobe but I’m open to experiment. As your photo proves, it’s how you wear it.
I don’t have any pink in my wardrobe but I’m open to experiment. As your photo proves, it’s how you wear it.
Love this outfit and your shoes and your hair and glasses. That’s a lot to love, don’t you think. Very well styled.
Greetje
Love this outfit and your shoes and your hair and glasses. That’s a lot to love, don’t you think. Very well styled.
Greetje
Hello and thank you. I’ve struggled with all pinks forever. When younger , it clashed with my skin tone and it connoted weakness to me…a watered down, weakened red if you will. A color Barbie wore…not a strong. connected, capable. relevant woman. As I have grayed and given myself permission for many more adventures I’m testing the waters of purples (also a no-no in my wardrobe.) Pale pink (balanced with lots of black and white as you wear so well) is now on the table for me. It is definitely an exercise in pushing down my resistance for all the sociological reasons you mention on this, your following blog and the articles you have referenced. Thank you for your inspired and thoughtful writing…I’m so happy to have someone that provides support for my ongoing desire to address my sometimes rigid approaches and attitudes toward clothing. color, and the biases a 65 yr old women may have acquired over time. Thank you Lyn.
Thank you so much for your comment. I have found that when I do challenge my assumptions it often opens up new worlds. I also always try to do this for my students as well as even though young they have unexamined bias’ and assumptions that often hinder them from thinking about something in new and exciting ways.
Hello and thank you. I’ve struggled with all pinks forever. When younger , it clashed with my skin tone and it connoted weakness to me…a watered down, weakened red if you will. A color Barbie wore…not a strong. connected, capable. relevant woman. As I have grayed and given myself permission for many more adventures I’m testing the waters of purples (also a no-no in my wardrobe.) Pale pink (balanced with lots of black and white as you wear so well) is now on the table for me. It is definitely an exercise in pushing down my resistance for all the sociological reasons you mention on this, your following blog and the articles you have referenced. Thank you for your inspired and thoughtful writing…I’m so happy to have someone that provides support for my ongoing desire to address my sometimes rigid approaches and attitudes toward clothing. color, and the biases a 65 yr old women may have acquired over time. Thank you Lyn.
Thank you so much for your comment. I have found that when I do challenge my assumptions it often opens up new worlds. I also always try to do this for my students as well as even though young they have unexamined bias’ and assumptions that often hinder them from thinking about something in new and exciting ways.
Initially I was put off pink for the longest time because it was ingrained in me that dusky girls don’t look goodin pink. As I challenged myself to break theese societal teachings and expiriment with colours, I found out that I do look kickass in most shades of pink.
Initially I was put off pink for the longest time because it was ingrained in me that dusky girls don’t look goodin pink. As I challenged myself to break theese societal teachings and expiriment with colours, I found out that I do look kickass in most shades of pink.