Was pink originally the color for boys and blue for girls?
Dear Cecil: I came across a piece of information that said that in the first half of the 20th century, pink was a boy’s color while blue was a girl’s color. But it didn’t say why the colors switched. I figured if anyone knew, it would be you, Cecil. Or at least you’d make up a good story and pretend you knew. — Jay B. Cecil replies: Quiet, churl. I never pretend. I merely put the truth in a daring new light. Before we take up your question, we need to address one that the average reader is likely to think is more pertinent: You’re telling me that, once upon a time, the color for boys was pink? Let me put it this way — some people sure thought it was. In the 1800s most infants were dressed in white, and gender differences weren’t highlighted until well after the kids were able to walk. Both boys and girls wore dresses or short skirts until age five or six. Differences in clothing were subtle: boys’ dresses buttoned up the front, for example, while girls’ buttoned up the back. Why no att
