The proliferation of purloined Pink

Now, I have nothing against the color Pink. Pink is a female thing - and, it's a good thing. I think it is the ideal hue for lipstick, nail polish and women's delicate unmentionables.

When used to color things feminine, Pink can be delightful and delicious, emblematic or exotic, romantic or raucous, pretty and powerful, focused or infinite - and on and on. When used to represent groups such as the political pariahs who call themselves, 'CodePink' - or a gaggle of tacky transvestites prancing on parade at Mardi Gras, Pink becomes a victim of grotesque misuse that borders on esoteric criminality.

Insofar as males adopting the color Pink as a sort of fashion statement that is somehow weirdly expected to connote masculine bravado standing tall against the norm - - plus, the politically-correct acknowledgment of 'one's feminine side' - - it is to me, pure pap and to coin a phrase that seems to apply - - it is 'puke-able'.

The first and only man who could wear a pink ribbon around a top hat, or wear a pink belt or pink socks, was Fred Astaire. He could dress like that in musical films because it was part of his total presentation and because he was Fred Astaire - it worked. And, he could get away with it and we accepted it because he possessed the ultimate style that no one else has shown, before or since.

Present day talking heads on TV, news anchors, politicians, sports commentators, hair stylists, and celebrity wannabees take note. Bag it. You look stupid. Unless you can dance and sing like Fred Astaire, don't bother.

Men's neckties come in an endless rainbow of solid hues, repp stripes (originally, Regimental and University colors), paisley patterns, patriotic symbols, fine art reproductions and flora & fauna themes - to name a few. By the way, all men's neckwear is obscenely overpriced these days. However, a wardrobe of a mere dozen or so neckties if properly selected and knotted correctly, will serve notice to the observant, that you are a gentlemen who is confident in his own appearance and is not concerned with trumpeting his masculinity through the affectation of wearing the feminine color, Pink.

Does anyone recall seeing Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, Cary Grant or John Wayne wear pink? Of course not. Eisenhower? Patton? Lou Gehrig?
Vince Lombardi? Chuck Yeager? Winston Churchill? Abraham Lincoln? Count Basie? Nope. The closest to pink one might have seen on a real man since Mr. Astaire, was the 'pinky' ring worn by Mr. Sinatra. I can live with that.

Pink has its place but, it ain't in a real man's necktie, a pink-on-pink shirt or pocket kerchief.

Got it?

Conservative Commentary by MORT KUFF © 2011