pink phenomenon.

My adoration for the colors purple and cobalt blue shouldn't be a surprise to my long-time readers, but it may be a surprise to my newer ones {yay!}. But here's the truth: I've never been a huge fan of pink. I don't really know why, I just haven't gravitated toward the color like most women do. I admit that I do find beauty in the hue...as in this photo that jcd from cornflake dreams so kindly sent me this week:
{source}
It's funny though, a few of my favorite pieces of clothing are pink...like my engagement shoot dress from Banana and my beloved J.Crew Jackie cardigan. From there though, I struggle to find anything else I love in pink, other than maybe cotton candy or this pink Holga.

{image via weheartit}
{image via weheartit}
I've always been intrigued at my lacking interest in the color pink. So, when I heard an interview on princesses and the color pink on the Diane Rehm show this week, I couldn't turn it off

{As a funny sidenote, I'm a huge fan of NPR because it helps to fill all the time I spend in my car. It literally helped me stay awake on countless drives from North Carolina back to DC during our long distance days.}

The interviewee was Peggy Orenstein--the author of Cinderella Ate My Daughter, with a byline which reads: "Dispatches from the Front Lines of the New Girlie-Girl Culture."

{source}
Though I cannot claim to have read the book {it's currently sitting in my Barnes & Noble online shopping cart}, the interview got my brain spinning. Orenstein argues that {my beloved} Disney may have contributed to this trend. In 2000, the company noticed an opportunity in the world of princesses and jumped on it. In nine years, Disney generated $4 billion by creating 26,000 different princess products {source}. Her hypothesis projects that girls are growing up faster because of this thrust toward pink at such an early age. Ok, not just pink, but the whole "princess" genre.

All of this hit me pretty hard...I finally figured out why I had NO attachment to the color pink. Born in 1985, my parents didn't have the ultrasound technology to predict what breed I'd be, so they didn't bathe me in pink from the beginning. We moved shortly after I was born and my bedroom just happened to have primary colored polka-dot wallpaper, paired with a giraffe border. No princesses. No pink. In fact, the only princess-y thing I remember owning was the marvelous Pretty Pretty Princess game. I loved that game!

{source}
Putting my own self revelations aside, it got me to thinking. What will life be like for my potential future baby {v}'s?? If we have girls, will we be expected to pink-ify their lives? 

Before I get slaughtered by the pink lovers out there, I like pink. I just don't love it. 
I appreciated being able to choose my favorite color, unlike the current generation who seems to be handed the color pink.

I'm sure I could be stirring the pot here, but what are your thoughts? 
Are girls growing up too fast? Could the princesses in pink be to blame?

Thanks again to Brooke, KelseyKLBJessica, Ms. Z, and Ashton who joined me in sharing their Friday's Fancies yesterday--and an even bigger thank you to Jillian for posting her second edition! I hope these ladies will join me again soon...and that you might consider linking up too :)

Hope you all have a fantastic Saturday--I'm really looking forward to a rendez-vous with Kristen from A Kapple A Day, one of my favorite fellow bloggers! 

Until tomorrow! xoxo, {av}

P.S. Don't forget to enter the lovely Minted giveaway...plenty of opportunities to win! And you're a goofball if you haven't entered this fabulous jewelry giveaway too...

37 comments:

  1. Wowie -- what a great post! I have to go out and buy that book ASAP. I have read Schoolgirls by Orenstein for a college class and we actually talked about pink and princess's effect on girls in one of my other classes.
    For that class, we also had an assignment to go to ToysRUs and investigate some things. What I found was disgusting. Painful stereotypes of boys and girls and different races. My poor future children will never see the inside of that store if I have anything to say about it.
    I have to agree with your opinion of pink too. I definitely don't love it, but I like it. It's one of those things that wasn't thrust upon me, which I'm really grateful for.
    Have a great weekend!
    <3 leigh

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  2. i'm with you on the pink...But i have been finding myself more drawn to softer pinks, paired with another natural hue...I think it can be done in a romantic way. Ive totally had the same thought about my future baby girl...decisions decisions...lol

    and yay for 1985 babys! holler.

    OH and my husband and I used to listen to NPR every morning. loved it. miss it.

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  3. I don't really like pink either... I never have. I don't hate it it's just not a color I gravitate towards. I love aqua and lavender and more ocean type colors instead....

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  4. I definitely agree. Although Pink is my favorite color now, I used to really dislike it. I thought it was so not original to like Pink like every other girl and even when my daughter was born, I tried not putting her into so much pink just because It's so cliche to do, but it's hard not to now haha.

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  5. Oh, I do like pink but then again, there really isn't a color I don't love. I love color! I always wanted a pink room as a kid. I do think it's pushed on girls and blue for boys. xo

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  6. I definitely believe that girls are growing up too fast. There are tons of contributors, but the largest is Disney. I did a study on this a few years ago for one of my college courses and it was quite disturbing. Not only is Disney incredibly sexist [that's a completely different topic], the company portrays girls as needing to grow up quickly, find prince charming, and have babies.

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  7. That's a lot of pink! And I LOVE that little camera, if only it was available in Blue or red! ;D
    http://happeningsofrainbowing.blogspot.com/

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  8. i love this post! as a little girl i LOVED pink.. i had polka dot, striped anddd pink bow wallpaper in my bedroom (wowzah just thinking about it makes me a little nauseous). i was also a BIG fan of the little mermaid..and all of the other princesses (pretty pretty princess was my fave game too!) i also had two brothers and lots of boy neighbors so i think they helped balance things out. i eventually stopped playing with dolls and insisting on wearing bright flashy pink clothes. Disney princesses, american dolls, and barbies were all influencing toys but i think i would rather have my own daughter play with an american doll than a bratz doll or look up to the miley cyrus's of the world. i want to try to create a balanced environment for my kids- more unisex activities so they don't feel like they are confined in traditional gender roles. and im thinking yellow! blue or green for babies rooms :) xoxo jcd

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  9. PS i am so jealous about your blog rendez-vous with kristen!! tell her i say HI! :) and beee sure to comment again on my giveaway since you were sweet enough to add a link in this post!

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  10. Great post! I adore adore pink but not for it's girliness implications etc. I didn't even have barbies growing up and my parents definitely did not bathe me in all things pink- maybe that's why I don't automatically associate it with princesses and the like. I actually think it can defy the convention of such things when used in places it's not usually seen...my living room is pink because I wanted it that colour sort of thing- the girl decided- not the boy. Prior to the whole Panton announcement, I actually found pink for grown ups kind of edgy because if you didn't use it in sterotypical girly way, then it was actually quite fresh...still feel that way but hoping it doesn't become over saturated and loose it's edge.

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  11. ! I loved this post for a few reasons. First off, I love the way you write and what you choose to write about. This is the first time I am stopping by your blog, and I love it! I also loved this post because I love color, but I rarely wear color. Neutrals fill my closet and my first go-to color is mustard yellow. Not so girly...But your points about pink are quite true. I think while growing up, for the most part, I noticed girls would default to pink as their "favorite color"--i.e. their lunch box, their nail polish color, their prom dress. And I refer to "them" as a detachment from myself because, like you, I never shared this love for the color pink. There's obviously more behind the color than meets the eye (heh, literal pun), but I can't say there's anything wrong with that. Like I said, I love color, and how colors translate from one person to the next will always amaze me. Okay, I'll end here. Sorry for the long, random comment!!

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  12. This post gave me a lot to think about, I mean... It makes so much sense, I never realized the effect the-princess-influence has on little girls, "so interesting." Thank you so much for sharing, even though I like pink, I wouldn't decorate my future little girl's room with pink, just because its never good to influence children that way. They have to be encouraged to create their own sense of style, rather than having adults assigning them a favorite color.

    by the way, I grabbed your button... Xo

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  13. When I got my first "big girl" bed, my mom and I went to Laura Ashley and decorated my bedroom in pink and ivory stripes, with pink and lavender hydrangeas. And after all that pink exposure, I painted by bedroom yellow and never looked back! I feel the same way about pink-it can be absolutely lovely, but it's not my first pick.

    As for child-rearing in a world of princesses and real housewives, I think the most important thing is to let your kids find their own way, as much as possible!

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  14. Sometimes every girl needs a little pink even if we fight it!

    Ramblings of a Small Town Girl

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  15. I love the colors black, pink, lilac, grey, mint green and golden yellow! I'm not sure that i could ever just choose one color, though. :]

    xo.

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  16. Beautiful! I'm visiting from Saturday Around the World - lovely pink is like a little prince color...Pink make strong men weak, pink can create a calming effect in jail cells ... Fabulous post.
    Cheers
    Iela

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  17. I've never been a fan of pink either with the exception of some nail polish and flowers or really soft pinks used well. These images are pretty great though - I do love me some pink cotton candy!

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  18. I really like that photo Jillian sent you. Can't get enough of flowers (:

    This is a super interesting post and I'm seriously tempted to buy that book as well. I love learning about human behavior and stuff like this.

    I was born in '86, so my parents didn't know my gender either. Even though they didn't bathe me in girlyness, I still gravitated towards everything girly. I loved Barbies and ballerina tootoos.

    This whole girly-girl culture is probably, like you said, a conglomerate of things. All young children go through a phase where they are developing self-identity for the first time and they also seek guidelines to help them. So, the gravitation that little girls have towards things their culture defines as 'female' makes sense--there's no doubt that our culture is HUGELY influencing how little girls define themselves.

    It's crazy to think about (:

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  19. 1--boys used to wear pink centuries ago...i find that interesting. i'm not a pink girl either, but i'm incorporating more into my wardrobe, well for next month at least.
    2--purple (aubergine) is my faveeee color
    3--i've been in a cobalt blue mood--go see my blog & you'll see.

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  20. I definitely think that girls are growing up way too fast! I don't think it is because of the "princess" thing, but rather because of all the movies and tv shows. It's like girls are expected to grow up now! I absolutely love the color pink, but I never had a pink room or pink bedding. My mom chose green to do my room in. I think it's nice when girls don't like pink, just because it goes against the majority. However, pink is near and dear to my heart.

    I always love your posts, sweet friend! So jealous that you and Kristen are having a get together! Why do I have to live so far away??

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  21. I loved pretty pretty princess!! Such a great game.

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  22. Hi there! I am one of those "new readers," and also a new follower :) Glad to have found you!
    I'm not a girly girl or even close, but I do absolutely love pink (stationary, dishes, jewelry, etc.)
    Cheers!
    Meri
    merigoesround.blogspot.com

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  23. im a 1985er too!
    i'm not sure pink is to blame - it's been associated with girls for far longer than the current generation to be at fault. i think it's just a personal preference thing.
    cause, like you, i like it - but don't love it.

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  24. you have such a lovely photos on your blog! very stylish & artsy! if you have a second, take a visit on my blog & become a follower... well only if you want to ;)

    www.brittanyst.blogspot.com
    www.etsy.com/shop/ladybop

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  25. This truly made me giggle. Pink is like a fine wine for some people. You have to have an acquired taste for it I suppose. It's harder for some than others, but there's nothing wrong with cobalt blue! Oh my favorite!

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  26. Um...I love pink. And I love those peonies...but I understand how you might not like it too much. I'm just super girly :)

    Visiting from Saturdays Around the World!

    Much love,
    Joelle

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  27. I remember when I was really little I was OBSESSED with the Little Mermaid, not necessarily other "princess's". My favorite colors were ones that remained me of Ariel the mermaid, so my favorite color was green. Haha. But I guess if then my inspiration when I was little was a character then it makes sense that girls that love princess's would love pink. I never even thought of that! Very interesting

    <3Chelsea Elizabeth
    http://organizedxxmess.blogspot.com

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  28. I'm not a pink fan either, and I never really have been. Like you, I never had a pink room or a fascination with princesses. I've only ever liked sleeping beauty, only because my mom called me that when I wouldn't wake up in the morning. And the only pink in my rooms were when I had the idea to paint two walls yellow and two walls a dark pink, almost a cranberry color actually, so I guess that doesn't even really count. I agree with the whole princess fascination girls are getting shoved in their faces these days. I know if I ever have a little girl, I won't be pushing any colors or ideas or fascinations her way. I'll be letting her choose her own favorite color!! Great post girlfriend! xoxo

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  29. I not a huge pink fan as well but I find some stuff very pretty in pink. I think I have the same with colour red...Hmm...Love those flowers you posted:) Thay are so pretty! Wish you a relaxing Sunday,sweetie
    Kisses

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  30. Wow! A lot of pink! Exactly what I needed to make my Sunday sweetest! THank you...
    Your newest italian follower!
    Laura@RicevereconStile

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  31. Pink is my favorite color however when I was younger it use to be my least favorite color. I am your newest follower

    xo

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  32. I just dont know how I feel about that. I heard another study somewhere (probably NPR which I'm addicted to!!) that they use the color pink on the walls in prisons to calm and soothe prisoners because its a color that does not illicit violence or something along those lines. I mean, I LOVED Disney princesses, but my favorite color is yellow (people could argue because I love Belle and her ballgown!). I think the problem with the girls growing up to fast is probably due to parents putting them in bikinis at a young age and letting them watch the CW in elementary school. I used to teach Pre-K and interestingly enough, most of the little girls wore a lot of brown, blue, and purple and sometimes pink. At 4, their parents are probably picking their clothes. On another note, Disney didn't write the fairy tales, the Brother's Grimm and Hans CHristian Andersen did. Disney just dumbed them down and removed most of the scary death bits. I feel like people are so quick to blame Disney, but really it comes down to how the parents raise their children and letting girls (or boys) dress in pink or explaining that going to college and being smart is just as worthwhile as finding a prince charming as my parents did...I dunno...seems a little weak for an explanation as to why girls are growing up faster.

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  33. great post! i've heard lots about the influence of disney on both male and female development - reinforcing gender stereotypes etc, but i love me some disney! i mean how GREAT are those movies? i still enjoy them to this day and if it's made me have unrealistic expectations about men or how i should wear my hair, i'm AOK with that. i'm with you on not *loving* pink. it's a great color, but i prefer paler shades. to me, it doesn't have to be pink to be girly.

    xo.ashley

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  34. I'm SO happy you all liked this post--or at least found it thought-provoking ;) I was worried I'd face blog suicide by admitting that I am not pink's biggest fan. Thank you all for putting in your two cents! Your comments mean the world to me! xoxo {av}

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  35. I also loved Pretty Pretty Princess AND my Barbie doll collection. Despite playing with these toys as a kid, I think I have grown into a relatively well-adjusted adult. Our society needs to stop over-analyzing this stuff. Let kids be kids!

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