Can Men Wear Pink? The Runways Think So

J.Crew and the color pink are back in the news again. Fourteen years after a photo of then creative director Jenna Lyons painting her son’s nails pink appeared in a catalog—and sent the internet into a tizzy—the company’s men’s division is getting flak, notably from conservatives, for offering a baby-pink fair isle holiday sweater.

The notion that pink is for girls and blue is for boys started as a marketing ploy decades ago. J.Crew is now breaking with that tired tradition—and that of the ugly Christmas sweater—with this pastel pleaser. Embracing the change, customers have made the $168.00 sweater one of the top selling items on the site today. (Sizes X-small and XXL are currently sold out on jcrew.com).

Whatever shade of pink you prefer, from fuchsia to rose petal, here’s style inspiration from men’s runway shows, past and present.