“All colors have complications. But I do think that pink is one of the most controversial ones -- and one of the most divisive, too. It arouses very strong emotions, whether good or bad." —Valerie Steele

How does the color pink make you feel? And what does it make you think about? Perhaps it conjures thoughts of love and romance, fresh flowers, feelings of femininity, bubblegum, or even Barbie dolls. When we were curating Valentine’s Day outfit ideas, pink clothes were an obvious choice. But it also got us thinking about how some people love to wear pink, while others wouldn’t be caught dead wearing it. And then we started wondering about the history of pink and why it can be such a polarizing color.

When you think about pink, the word “controversial” may not be top of mind. However, Valerie Steele, the director and chief curator of The Museum at FIT and author of the book "Pink: The History of a Punk, Pretty, Powerful Color," said, “All colors have complications. But I do think that pink is one of the most controversial ones -- and one of the most divisive, too. It arouses very strong emotions, whether good or bad." (CNN Style: “Refined, rebellious and not just for girls: A cultural history of pink”)

Societal attitudes about the color pink have changed over the centuries. Pink was fashionable amongst both male and female European aristocrats in the 1700s. And for a long time, the color was considered more appropriate for little boys because it was a pale shade of red, a masculine military color. An article published in June 1918 by the trade publication Earnshaw's Infants' Department said, “The generally accepted rule is pink for the boys, and blue for the girls. The reason is that pink, being a more decided and stronger color, is more suitable for the boy, while blue, which is more delicate and dainty, is prettier for the girl.” (Smithsonian Magazine: When Did Girls Start Wearing Pink?)

Shades of pastel pink were en vogue for many decades until Italian surrealist fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli made Shocking Pink her signature color in 1937. The ultra-bright magenta was a contrast to the muted tones that dominated fashion during World War II. “Using bright colors, especially pink, was a way for Schiaparelli to disconnect from the global conflict at hand and find a source of inspiration. The shock value of her designs challenged the preconceived ideas of color, especially pink, and set her apart as a designer.” (CR Fashion Book, How Schiaparelli Made Pink Hot Before Millennials)

Fast forward to modern day, and the meaning and the symbolism of the color pink is changing again. Women’s rights activists Jayna Zweiman and Krista Suh founded the Pussyhat Project™ in 2016 as a way to “make both a bold and powerful visual statement of solidarity” for women attending Women’s Marches around the world. In an interview with Clare Press for her book Rise & Resist: How to Change the World, Zweiman said, “The shocking bright color, in the middle of the winter, had this joyful power.” Suh said they chose pink “because today it represents the opposite of any patriarchal ideal.”

The color pink continues to evolve, and its prominence in fashion and in culture is constantly changing. "Pink is going through a generational shift," Steele said. "Society is increasingly moving away from the idea of it as a childish, over-sexualized hue. There's a shared recognition that pink can be pretty and powerful, feminine and feminist. Men are turning to it, too -- as (they did) in the 18th century. We're re-framing pink." (CNN Style: “Refined, rebellious and not just for girls: A cultural history of pink”)