There was a time when I thought the color pink was really dumb – as it represented a weakness or diminished women’s power. I bought into that way of thinking – or at least I felt like I had to, if I wanted to identify as a “modern woman.” As I’ve added pinks and corals (http://www.youbecheeky.com/blog/secret-meeting-in-europe-controls-what-you-buy/) into my Cheeky line, I’ve thought a lot about this.

Yes, I grew up during the burgeoning feminist movement and even though I didn’t see myself as a feminist per se, popular culture wanted to convince the world that strong, modern and empowered women could and should do it all. Remember the perfume commercial with the chick in the power suit singing, “Bringing home the bacon, frying it up in a pan and never never never let you forget you’re a man”? I don’t think she’d ever wear pink, right? (Except maybe on her lips?)

And even this thing of baby/little girls getting pink stuff and baby/little boys getting blue stuff is weird when you stop and think about it. Who says this is how it’s supposed to go? My eyes were opened up to this not always being the case when I heard the 2014 NPR Morning Edition podcast “Girls Are Taught To 'Think Pink,' But That Wasn't Always So.” https://www.npr.org/2014/04/01/297159948/girls-are-taught-to-think-pink-but-that-wasnt-always-so. One-hundred years ago boys actually wore pink and girls actually wore blue.

Then I started going to Burning Man—the ultimate alternative and fringey self-expression thing to do. I had this awesome (IMO) idea to have our theme camp be all about PINK. At the time (2001), it felt pretty edgy to push the pink boundary (more stories on my Burning Man adventures another time). That seems so funny now. Heck, one of my bestie’s 13-year old son currently wears pink to school! That NEVER would’ve gone down when I was in school…

During my Burning man days, I broke through my pink block so much so, that it seeped into my living room and bedroom color scheme! These days, I fully acknowledge its’ gorgeousness. I LOVE pink flowers, pink décor and even pink buildings! 

https://www.royal-hawaiian.com/overview/

In all honesty though, I still struggle a little bit with wearing pink! For those of you who battle with pink like I do, topping a black dress with a pink sweater, might just strike the right balance for you. Just the other night I had a breakthrough! I wore black pants, a black top with blue, yellow & fuchsia flowers and topped it off with this little number!

 http://www.youbecheeky.com/popcorn-knit-poncho/

What color story do you have? Do you feel pretty in pink?

{P.S. There is THIS, too...https://www.pussyhatproject.com/}