A manly shade of....

Yeah... I know. Most guys in the Midwest United States wouldn't be caught dead in PINK. It was interesting to go into stores during this past holiday season. I truly hated some major retailers in Chicago (most notably the one that rhymes with Stacy's) as it was like I walked into a funeral home. The predominant color for men in the Midwest was black... or dark grey. Pity the intellect that equates manlyhood with a lack of color or better yet, one that can only match shades of black, white and grey. Blue would be an exception as it is the color of denim. While men are the only sex that is affected by color blindness, it doesn't mean the majority of men are stupid. London Fashion week turned up the heat considerably with the one color that makes men run to cover their gonads.
 

Know your Color History

During the Rococo Period (1720 to 1775), it was the most favored shade in Europe. It was and still is the "Navy Blue" of Portugal and India. Many public buildings were built with a pink facade or stucco. In the 19th century, it was the color for BOYS... considered young men. Prince Arthur of England was painted in pink and white.


The idea that BLUE being equated for boys actually developed in the late 1900s with the popularity of the sailor suit for boys. Color dye technology also changed the way people look at colors in the 1950s as color fastness was developed. Prior to that time, white was more often used for kids regardless of gender because one could bleach it to death as kids clothes needed to be washed more often. One can see pink in Chicago at the Edgewater Beach Condo Building. A landmark, this building was the epitome of style and sophistication in the 20's when Les Brown used to play in the ballroom. One still thinks pink when thinking hot summer days on the beach... though it still doesn't show up on men. Currently, pink is a color is reserved mostly for seniors. Men over a certain age will wear it in defiance of convention. Those are the smart ones - but why did they wait so long to don the color?

Most color analysts will tell you that it is equated with charm, politeness, sensitivity and romance. Those same analysts will say pink does not have a negative connotation but does not rank in the top choices. It has been know to stop traffic when worn by celebrities like Brad Pitt at Canne. Canali introduced an amazing selection of color sportcoats and suits in Spring 2012. They made me drool. The color that stood out from the pack was pink.

When mixed with an orange shirt, the result is electric energy. It screams youth, vitality and exuberance. It is the one color that also looks good on many skin tones. So why don't we see it more often? Occasionally one will see it paired in the palest of shades with a navy blue or black suit. This winter season, London says YES to pink in a big way.  Some designers like Burberry, Sasir Mazhar and Hardy Aimes had pink in more muted shades. The major portion of designers showed pink more boldly (including Astrid Andersen, Casely-Hayford, Richard Jones, Katie Eary and Tiger of Sweden). Sibling, going extremely fashion forward, showed an entire collection in pink. I will admit, THAT was a bit overboard. Shown is a suit that is one of the more subdued selections. Pink is a color that commands attention but also says warmth in personality. I am excited about seeing it more. Granted, London is much more adventuresome than the United States, particularly the Midwest. One can hope this is a trend that will catch on and move this way.. We will wait to see how long it takes before pink shows up.