Pink and Blue Telling the Boys from the Girls in America [Paperback]

Jo B. Paolettis journey through the history of childrens clothing began when she posed the question, When did we start dressing girls in pink and boys in blue? To uncover the answer, she looks at advertising, catalogs, dolls, baby books, mommy blogs and discussion forums, and other popular media to examine the surprising shifts in attitudes toward color as a mark of gender in American childrens clothing. She chronicles the decline of the white dress for both boys and girls, the introduction of rompers in the early 20th century, the gendering of pink and blue, the resurgence of unisex fashions, and the origins of todays highly gender-specific baby and toddler clothing.

Recommended for: Those interested in the history of fashion, gender studies, and gender politics.Pink and Blue challenges the cultural panic over how childrens clothing affects gender and sexual identity. Paoletti shatters myths about what girls and boys 'naturally' like, and does so with details that will fascinate both the casual and professional reader.This is a fascinating piece of American social history, perhaps raising more questions than it answers. It is of potential interest to students and professionals in fields ranging from child development to gender studies to fashion to marketing, as well as to new and prospective parents.Pink and Blue is meticulously researched, with references to paper dolls, old retail catalogs and the arcane field of material culture studies. Her findings are fascinating.The author is skilled in writing to a wide audience.Paoletti delivers an insightful analysis of the origins, transformations and consequences of gender distinctions in childrens dress over the last 125 years. . . . A must-read.A terrific new book...if youre getting flack from someone for dressing your boy in pink or your girl in blue...hit them with a copy of Paolettis book. When they come to, maybe theyll read it and leave you alone.Ms. Paoletti has managed to cram a wealth of infl³-