The Pink Princess
Aug 17, 2009 More Saving
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In the last few years, there has been a new colour invading high fashion and personal accessories: the colour pink. Pink lovers are finding new ways to incorporate their favourite colour, using pink as a fashion statement that seems to represent a whole outlook on life, even become an obsession. How did this trend start?
The History of Pink - Pink has been used as a colour in fashion and make-up for centuries. However, it was only after the second World War that pink became associated with femininity. Before World War II, baby boys were often dressed in pink, as red was viewed as a masculine colour, and pink was just a “watered down” red. (By contrast, baby girls were typically dressed in blue.) However, after World War II, pink began to be associated with traditional womanhood.
During the booming post-war economy of the 1950s, women were finding their way back out of the factories and into the home. The stronger economy led to a rise in the sale of consumer goods and make-up. As women began to purchase pink nail polish and blushes (where pink symbolized health and vitality), pink began to become more heavily associated with women. The phrase “think pink” began to appear in sales to women after appearing as a song in the 1957 film “Funny Face,” starring 1950s icon Audrey Hepburn. At the same time, the Barbie doll was introduced, and capitalized on the rising pink associations. Later, in the 1960s, pink was used as an ironic way to undercut masculinity, as in the “Pink Panther” film. Pink continued its rise as a cheeky, feminine symbol in songs like “Pink Cadillac” and “Pretty in Pink” in the 1980s. In 2000, a new singer with hot pink hair even arrived on the scene, going by the name Pink.
What Started the Current Pink Obsession? - The real cause of the current pink obsession may be the 2001 film “Legally Blond.” In the film, Reese Witherspoon stars as Elle Woods, a law student with a pink-clad Chihuahua who manages to overcome the sexism of her cruel boyfriend and the legal system by pluckiness and a love of the colour pink. The film, which depicts how a woman can simultaneously be intelligent and sexy, was so popular that it was even turned into a Broadway musical. The popularity of pink climbed as women began to embrace the colour as the perfect symbol of modern femininity.
Pink Home Decor - Pink began to make its way out of the make-up bag and into a wide range of products for decorating the home in pink things. Home decorators can now consider using pink not only for cute accent accessories but as the dominant colour for an entire room. For the bed room, the pink lover can find pink sheets, pink blankets, and even a pink shag carpet. For the bathroom, there are now pink toothbrushes and shower curtains to create a fun and pretty colour scheme. Pink kitchen accessories are also now becoming available. Decorators and pink lovers can even find pink kettles and toasters, or a pink microwave oven.
Pink Motoring - Those who love pink do not just want it for the home, however. Pink car accessories are now the rage, with pink flashlights, key chains, and even car mats for pink floors. Travellers heading overseas may decide to purchase pink luggage, which not only makes a statement but is easy to spot at the airport.
A Psychology of Pink - A “pink princess” is the nickname given to women devoted to the colour pink. Pink princesses embrace pink as a whole identity, a personal statement and an outlook on life. Edith Piaf’s song “Ma Vie En Rose” translates well for these pink lovers: “My Life in Pink.” The colour offers a wonderful combination of associations: on the one hand, pink is soft and flirty, but it is also elegant and fashionable. The growing field of colour psychology makes even more dramatic claims about pink, arguing that the presence of pink even has the power to soothe. Studies suggest that even criminals may behave better when surrounded by the colour pink.
The current obsession with pink may be a short-term trend, but it is also possible that it is part of a rising new view of life. Pink lovers are trying to “see the world through rose-colored glasses,” to surround themselves with one more tool for happiness.
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