Inspiration in the color pink.

The history of pink.

The word “pink” was originally the name of a flower (the dianthus) and entered English in the 14th century.

In the Middle Ages, pink color paints were commonly used in religious paintings in Europe, but not in much else. At the time, pink was a rare find in fashion.

Pink color gained greater popularity in art in the Renaissance.

By the Renaissance, pink color was the standard hue used by artists to achieveartists brushed more lifelike hands and faces in painting.

By the 1700s, the color pink enjoyed its fashion heyday in the courts of Europe.

Fashionistas of the 18th century would dress with pink frill, pink lace, pink scarves, and even pink wigs. Madame de Pompadour (1721–1764), the mistress of King Louis XV of France, was well known for her stunning pink color clothes. Who knows? Perhaps it was this amorous peak of pink that makes us look at pink as a color of love today.

The color pink across culture.

Pink is often associated with femininity in Western culture.

That isn’t a global association, though. It’s also a relatively new one. Because pink is considered “pale red,” in the Middle Ages, it was seen as a youthful or boyish version of the crimson red favored in men’s clothing. Until about one hundred years ago, pink was thought of as a masculine color in Europe and the Americas.

By the 1950s, pink had shifted from a “boy’s color” to one for girls.

The origin of the switch might have been the overall shift in clothing. Children — boys and girls — were usually dressed in white before then, because white could be bleached and kept clean. With the boom in post-war production and consumerism, more colorful clothing hit the markets. The color pink became a favorite for young girls.

The color pink also tells a different story in different cultures.

Around the world, pink can mean different things to different cultures. In South Korea, pink symbolizes trust. In Latin America, colonial-era architecture favors shades of pink. In Japan, pink is worn by more men than women.