Yes, the color pink was indeed associated with boys in the past. The association of pink with femininity is a relatively recent development. Here’s a brief history:
In the 18th century, both boys and girls of the upper classes wore pink and blue uniformly1. Pink was even considered to be a masculine color1.
Pink was related to the mother color of red, which was seen as ardent, passionate, active, and aggressive1. An article published in 1918 stated that the generally accepted rule was pink for boys and blue for girls1.
However, by the 1890s and early 20th century, manufacturers attempted to sell more children’s clothes by color-coding them1. Some manufacturers branded pink for boys and blue for girls, and vice versa1.
The acquisition of two 18th-century paintings by American millionaire Henry Huntington started turning the tide in favor of pink being a girls’ color1. The paintings were “The Blue Boy” (depicting a boy dressed in blue) and “Pinkie” (portraying a girl in pink attire) and their purchase was widely publicized in the American press1.
The current convention of pink for girls and blue for boys wasn’t established until the 1940s2.
So, while pink is overwhelmingly associated with delicacy and femininity today, this wasn’t always the case. It’s interesting how societal norms and perceptions can change over time!
1. cnn.com2. smithsonianmag.com3. colorsexplained.com4. en.wikipedia.org5. link.springer.com