Men Wearing Pink

Ask A Woman:  Pulling off Pink

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Dear Beth:

What’s your opinion on men who wear pink?  I know it seems like a stupid question for anyone over the age of 12 to ask, but males are associated with blue, and females pink from a very young age.  I myself like pink and catch some heat from friends over my pink polo, pink dress shirt, and pink tie.  I even have some pink striped socks.  It seems like pink has regained favor in men’s fashion over the last five years or so.  Do you think someone has to be at least a little showy in their style to pull it off?

– Brett

 

Hi Brett,

Pink has definitely emerged as a color for men.  True, it’s not for everyone.  Gender-color rules are pervasive, and it can be hard to feel confident wearing something you’ve been socialized to see as only for girls.  Coming from someone who wears a skirt or dress almost every day, I very much understand this hesitation to “cross over.”  In fact, my secret dream is to be Janelle Monae in this video, with her tux highwaters and sockless wingtips.  Seriously, how cool is that chick?  And how refreshing is it to see a talented female artist who doesn’t take off all her clothes for her music video?  Wait, what was your question?  Shoot.  Made a wrong turn at Tangentville.

If a man likes pink, I’m all for it. You can be a conservative dresser and still incorporate pink into your wardrobe. The key is paler shades of pink, and small prints. Look at this light pink and white shirt with small checks and this pink and white striped shirt with very thin stripes. This pink tie has a subtle print.  This polo is such a pale color of pink, it’s nearly white. Incidentally, very pale colors look best on folks with darker skin. If you have pale skin, then the polo above is just going to wash out your complexion. Wear a darker/brighter shade of pink if you are pale, like this salmon-colored polo. It may not look as conservative, but it will be so much more flattering.

Another key to wearing pink is that you want to wear one piece at a time. A pink shirt with a pink tie is overkill. Pick one or the other, and then make sure your other pieces are more neutral colors like gray, so that different parts of your ensemble aren’t competing with each other.

By the way, a bit of gentle ribbing from not so sartorial-minded friends is to be expected. We’re a gender-role driven society, and traditional wisdom holds that the worst thing a man can do is embrace anything that is typically female. However, you and I know that the true worst thing a man can do is wear this pair of jeans.

-Beth

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