Pretty in Pink

Photo via Drake's instagram (@champagnepapi), author's edit

Call it what you want. The trend has been dubbed everything from "not-pink pink," to "Tumblr pink," to "Laduree-macaron-pink." The powder pink color has been spreading across the fashion industry like wildfire. Not only is it a trend in womenswear, but men are pulling it off too (please see Drizzy above). Pink has always been a controversial color in the menswear market as it has been seen as a traditionally feminine color. But as our society grows and changes, we have realized that perhaps gender doesn't have color. The color discrimination, otherwise known as Blue vs. Pink, between the sexes is still apparent in our culture today-- just walk into any convenience store and you'll notice the difference in branding for men's and women's hygiene products, for example. In fact, gender discrimination through such branding has been adequately labeled as the "Pink Tax," i.e. women have to pay more for the same product as men because the product is marketed toward them.

Photo via Just Jared

However, as the pink (or whatever you want to call it) trend spreads at a rapid pace, men and women alike are embracing the color as a neutral one. In fact, the color has become so on trend among the general population that Pantone announced Rose Quartz as one of the two colors of 2016. As Laurie Pressman, VP of Pantone Color Institute stated, "Rose Quartz is about the rosy glow that comes along with good health. [It's] also connected to this gender blurring we've been seeing over the last five years. Pink is no longer just for girls and blue for boys." 

Photo Source: X

While Pantone's Color of the Year decision arguably has significant cultural influence, the powder pink trend can be seen on the runway since the Fall/Winter shows of 2013 (seen above) and has continued to blossom ever since. Celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Rihanna have sported trendy pink apparel for many years; the picture of her above was taken in 2014, though she continues to display the trend today.

Photo via Tumblr user colemarryme

It's become "aesthetic," in the words of many Tumblr users. Branding in a non-gender discriminatory way has become overwhelmingly popular with the use of this color-- we recommend checking out an MTV writer's tweet on the subject. It's Acne Studios' signature color, as well as that of Thinx ads and Glossier campaigns. Pink, perhaps, isn't what it used to be. The fact it's resurfacing in a non-bright and thus non-obnoxious form, pink is more sophisticated than ever. It's minimalist. It's chic. It's pink, no gender attached.