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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

What's wrong with blue clothes for girls?

39 replies

StormGlass · 05/09/2012 20:50

I was out shopping today, and while in Boots, stopped to look at the baby clothes to see if there was anything I liked for DS.

A couple came along, with a baby girl in a pushchair, and started looking at the clothes too. The dad picked up a white sundress with a pattern of blue birds on it, and said "How about this for [popular girls name]?" The mum took one look, and said "No, it's got blue on it"

I found that a little depressing. Why can't a little girl have a sundress with blue on it? Surely no-one's going to think she's a boy, given that it's a dress, just because it's got blue birds on it?

I find this obsession with colour coded baby clothes very annoying.

OP posts:
StormGlass · 05/09/2012 21:34

FastidiaBlueberry, loving the historical explanation that reverses todays blue / pink expectations Grin

OP posts:
kim147 · 05/09/2012 21:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FarloWearsAGoldRibbon · 05/09/2012 21:15

DD has been in blue often since she was born. It was her favourite colour for years.

IvanaNap · 05/09/2012 21:14

Oh I used to love blue too as a young 'un - until I realised it really didn't suit me (v.pale skin + blue = death warmed up)

greenhill · 05/09/2012 21:13

My favourite colour was blue as a child in the 70's and my DM had problems trying to buy blue dresses, but it was easy to buy blue trousers, so have great photos of me in every colour except pink.

Plenty of men I worked with had pink shirts, so they don't question their colour choices.

I dress my DD in a variety of colours, but as soon as she went to school she told me that her favourite colour is pink and that it is a girl colour. Sigh.

FastidiaBlueberry · 05/09/2012 21:12

Blue is the traditional colour for girls, as it was always associated with the virgin mary and therefore considered suitable. Red was good for boys as it was associated with Saint Joseph and was a "strong" colour. The red would fade in the wash over time to become pink hence pink being a boy's colour until the early 20th century when there was a bit of a fashion change.

So next time someone goes on about tradition, tell 'em about that one.

IvanaNap · 05/09/2012 21:12

maybe they were shopping for a specific outfit / occasion?

Nothing wrong with children in any colour, obviously. Stupid peppa pig with her "pink is a silly colour for a football kit" Hmm

YouForgotToCallMePeppa · 05/09/2012 21:10

I was once told off by a woman in a shop for transporting my DD in a blue pram. It was a boy's pram, apparently Confused.

PretzelTime · 05/09/2012 21:09

I must be gay just like 99% of the female population - I'm wearing blue jeans right now!

AGoldenOrange · 05/09/2012 21:08

DD is always wearing blue my fav colour

I was informed by one woman that I will turn my dd gay Hmm

rosy71 · 05/09/2012 21:05

How silly. My favourite colour as a child was blue.

PretzelTime · 05/09/2012 21:04

It's really odd because adult women are 'allowed' to wear blue. Why can't little girls wear it, would they look too manly in blue? Confused

Nagoo · 05/09/2012 21:00

The woman in clarks today was looking through the book as I was asking if they had any baby shoes not in pink or purple. She saw some grey ones and tried to flick past them as they were 'the boys design'.

24Hours · 05/09/2012 20:52

Agree, its daft and depressing