Why is blue a masculine colour and pink a feminine colour?

Answer 1

Because it's blue for beauty and pink makes the boys wink. Doh!!!

Answer 2

Only in the west. In India, pink is a masculine colour, as is blue.

Answer 3

personally i dont agree with gender specifics, but it is the way society and tradition has developed and bought us up! pathetic! Men look great in pink! women wear blue all the time. Its a colour how can it portray status and characteristics of a person!!

Answer 4

This goes back to the time when male wore more conservative colurs and any pretty shades were worn only by females. Nowadays men can wear any colour so this rule doesn't or shouldn't exist any more.

Answer 5

specific, they have been used socially to symbolize the sexes a minimum of in western way of existence, not sure if it's time-honored...i'm bowled over u don't be responsive to this, you by no potential observed something, toy present, outfits, sign, balloons etc. for a clean born

Answer 6

cos if u walked down the road in pink youd look like a di....k

Answer 7

Although blue is traditionally associated with infant or baby boys as pink is associated with infant/baby girls, there have also been periods in which pink was considered proper for boys and blue for girls, and times when no set colour convention appears to have been in place. [2]

At one point pink was considered more of a boy's color, (as a watered-down red, which is a fierce color) and blue was more for girls. The associate of pink with bold, dramatic red clearly affected its use for boys. An American newspaper in 1914 advised mothers, "If you like the color note on the little one's garments, use pink for the boy and blue for the girl, if you are a follower of convention." [The Sunday Sentinal, March 29, 1914.] "There has been a great diversity of opinion on the subject, but the generally accepted rule is pink for the boy and blue for the girl. 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." [Ladies Home Journal, June, 1918] Pink continued to be used for both boys' and girls' clothing through the early 1960s, though it is becoming more and more associated with femininity.


Symbolism and expressions

Picasso's Self-portrait with Cloak (1901)Blue often denotes injury, such as in the phrase "black and blue," since it is the colour of a bruise. Blue is used also as a word to denote a sad or melancholy state, as in depression, or simply a state of deep contemplation (however, the phrase "blue skies," referring to sunny weather, implies cheerfulness). Symbolically, blue is associated with that state, such as the term blue period to describe Pablo Picasso's work from 1901 to 1904.

The Blessed Virgin Mary is generally depicted wearing blue.
Blue is associated with water; on coloured maps, oceans, lakes, and streams usually appear blue.
Light blue is often associated with the cold. When with white, blue is associated with ice and snow; and by extension, winter.
Blue can be associated with France, Quebec and the French Language. The term Les Bleus is often used in a sporting context. In all but motor sports, the Italian colour is light blue, and Italian athletes are called Azzurri.
Gradients of Blue and other smooth, relaxing visual techniques incorporating Blue are considered calming and soothing, perhaps related to its association with water and to the sky.
Blue, when shown visually on a large scale, and when not directly trying to look smooth and relaxing, is occasionally associated with the idea of infinity.
Blue has the connotation of conservatism, tradition, and stability (when in political context), as opposed to red which seems more radical, which is probably why blue is used more by conservative parties.
Blue is often a colour used to symbolise honesty and trustworthiness. Hence it is used by mortgage companies and banks, as well as the clothing of businesspeople. This is possibly another reason for the Democratic Party's appropriation of the colour. Connected to this, blue traditionally is associated with the Christian virtue faith. Hence, it may also mean naivité, being "blue-eyed". In Scandinavia this expression is used for people who are easily tricked or cheated.
In old Australian slang, a "blue" can also describe a fight or an argument. Men with red hair may be nicknamed "Bluey". The phrase "true blue" also means "genuine" (example : "He's a true blue Aussie").


The color pink also has an association with female genitalia. Used as a slang term to refer to female genitalia. Pink is the color of the Breast Cancer Awareness ribbon. Pink was chosen partially because it is so strongly associated with femininity.
Pink is also associated with gays, lesbians, and bisexuals, often in the form of a pink triangle. This symbolic usage stems from the symbols used by the Nazis to label their prisoners in the concentration camps [2]. Where Jews were forced to wear the familiar yellow stars of David, and Roma people were forced to wear a black triangle; men imprisoned on accusations of homosexuality or same-sex sexual activity were forced to wear a pink triangle. Nowadays, it is often worn with pride. A Dutch newsgroup about homosexuality is called nl.roze, roze being the Dutch word for pink. In Britain, Pink News is a leading gay newspaper and online news service. In business, the pink pound or pink dollar refers to the spending power of the GLBT community. Advertising agencies call the gay market the pink economy. There is a magazine called Pink for the GLBT community which has different editions for various metropolitan areas [3]. Sometimes the expression that is as gay as pink tea is used when someone or something reminds one of homosexuality. (The only tea that is actually pink is herbal hibiscus tea, which is appropriate since Hibiscus was the person who founded the popular gay liberation theatre troupe the Cockettes on 31 December 1969 in San Francisco). (See also lavender for its GLBT associations.)

You really got read all this!!!

Answer 8

good question, has made me think. i was doing a course a while ago and one of the teacher's referred to this she said that it goes right back to cavemen and the difference in male and female genitalia.

Answer 9

would you like a pink outfit ivan ?

Answer 10

my partner wears pink.....and the worse thing is....he looks pretty good too!
the shite head!