The Battle Of Pink Vs. Blue
February 16, 2012
American Studies Professor Paoletti's new book follows trends in choosing children's clothing by gender.
American Studies Professor Paoletti's new book follows trends in choosing children's clothing by gender.By Quinn Kelley, The Diamondback
Although today it might seem normal to buy a 3-year-old boy a pair of pants, a more appropriate choice at the turn of the 20th century would have been a dress — in pink, white or blue, depending on the parents' preference — according to a university professor's new book on the relationship between gender and clothing.
American Studies Associate Professor Jo Paoletti's book, Pink and Blue: Telling the Boys from the Girls in America, — released Jan. 16 — explores gendered trends in children's clothing from the 1880s to the present.
She said she focused on trends in young children because at an early age, people start receiving messages about what is and is not socially acceptable for either gender to do, say and wear. These messages, she said, can negatively impact how society views gender and how children identify themselves as they grow up.
"I'm focusing in on children under 7 because I really wanted to just look at when gender identity was being formed and when it's first being expressed by the child," she said.
Read more...