Pretty in Pink

Pink is Lucie’s favorite color—at least it used to be. She came home wrapped in a pink blankie, slept in her pink puppy bed, wore a pink collar, and ate kibble from a pink bowl. Then Punk’n, our orange Jeep Wrangler, drove into our lives. Lucie’s favorite color is now orange.

However, as a tribute to Lucie’s puppyhood, I’ll share pink’s fascinating history:

It all started in 1745 with fifteen-year-old King Louis XV of France. The monarchy was concerned about its continuity, so the Duke of Bourbon was appointed to find a bride for the King. He introduced His Majesty to ninety-nine princesses.  King Louis fell instantly in love with Marie Leszcynska of Poland.

All was perfect in paradise until Marie almost died during the birth of her tenth child. Enough was enough.  Marie was finished with Louie. No problem. The King turned to his glamorous mistress, Madame de Pompadour. Whatever she fancied French women followed. Madame de Pompadour loved colors—yellow, sky blue, green, violet, and crimson all enjoyed their 15 minutes of fame.  

Eventually, the King retired Madame de Pompadour from her role as his maîtresse déclarée, but she remained an icon. Come to find out, Madame’s favorite color was bright pink—even her wig was pink. And suddenly everything, for both royalty and commoners, was pink . . . pink . . . pink. To be specific, “Pompadour Pink.”

Fun facts about pink:

·         Pink was first recognized as a color in 800 BCE in Homer’s Odyssey.

·         Pink is named after the frilled edges of Pinks—a flowering plant.

·         Shakespeare is credited with coining the phrase “Pretty in Pink” back in the late 1500s.

·         During the 1920s, Flappers dabbed pink rouge just above their knees to encourage men to gaze at their thighs.

·         In 1953, pink was solidified as a feminine color after Mamie Eisenhower wore a pink dress to her husband’s inauguration and Marilyn Monroe wore the iconic pink dress in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. (Pink is now gender neutral.)

·         By the 1960s, Jackie Kennedy’s obsession with pink elevated it to symbolize luxury.

·         Pink is calming color associated with love and kindness.

·    If you are a purist and want to make pink icing, grate beet root, add a drop of lemon juice, and strain the juice into your icing mix.  Another option is to buy a container of Betty Crocker’s strawberry frosting.  

·         The term “shocking pink” was invented by 20th-century fashion icon and adventurist Elsa Schiaparelli (Coco Chanel’s rival).

·         Elvis Presley owned a pink 1955 Cadillac.

·         Pink as a symbol for unity began in 1991 when the pink ribbon became the official international symbol for breast cancer awareness.

Pretty in Pink

Judith Kolva, Artist