# Men in pink shirts? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 26, 2002, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-in-pink-shirts/120937 "2002-07-26T14:30:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-in-pink-shirts/120937/41 "2002-07-26T19:51:12Z")
Dang! Where you people from? I guess you’re not all from Preppyville USA like me, 'cause in my world, pink shirts on men are perfectly ordinary. My pa wears a pink dress shirt all the time. But I will share a pink shirt story with you. I work in an outdoor sporting goods store. The local Catholic school was putting on a fashion show, and we were providing clothes for them. The kids were doing the modeling, but Father Albert was going to model some clothes, too. This was at the height of the Priests Molesting Boys scandal earlier this year. Father Albert came in to get his outfits, and I was the one helping him pick them out. As we were looking around the mens’ department, we came across a great looking shirt in a rather remarkable shade of watermelon pink. “How about this one?” I said. “I think, given the current _situation_,” he said, “I’d better not wear that shirt.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SUPERKARLENE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/22d042/32.png) [@SUPERKARLENE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SUPERKARLENE)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-in-pink-shirts/120937/42 "2002-07-26T19:59:17Z")
THEY COME IN SILK?! I had no idea. The only boxers I’ve ever seen were my brother’s, when I was doing laundry, and those were flannel. Wow. That changes my world-view! Silk boxers…who’d a thunk that? Ya learn something new everyday… 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-in-pink-shirts/120937/43 "2002-07-26T20:00:57Z")
Back to the pink shirt thing: answer depends entirely on a) the shade of pink and b) the man. Some guys can pull off the look, some can’t. Unfortunately, the ones who can’t are usually the ones who don’t know who they are. My dad looks great in pink shirts. However, no guy I’ve ever dated would have looked right in a pink shirt. I think one needs either olive-toned skin or a decent tan for the look to work. ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-in-pink-shirts/120937/44 "2002-07-26T20:04:26Z")
I’ve heard, though, that silk boxers can cause some, uh, unintended results when the wind hits 'em just right . . . But the ladies don’t need to worry about that. ---
**Author:** ![Belrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed655f/32.png) [@Belrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belrix)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-in-pink-shirts/120937/45 "2002-07-26T20:06:27Z")
I’ve never owned a pink shirt - probably never will - just not a good idea - nope, not manly, nope… I did own a pink tie once but that didn’t count. With my color blindness, I saw it as beige. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kaotic Newtral \* > **…pretty whatever-opposite-of-stern is…** Oh, and **Kaotic**? The opposite of “stern” is “bow”. -B ---
**Author:** ![seawitch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@seawitch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seawitch)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-in-pink-shirts/120937/46 "2002-07-26T20:45:38Z")
Pink shirts, kilts, cartoon ties - as long as y’all are nekkid underneath, I’m fine with it. 😃 Now for Ghod’s sake, will somebody take the hot pants away from **MachV**? He’s edging toward go-go boots, and I’m scared. ---
**Author:** ![Kaotic\_Newtral](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@Kaotic\_Newtral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaotic_Newtral)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-in-pink-shirts/120937/47 "2002-07-26T20:48:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by brondicon \* > \*\*I’ve heard, though, that silk boxers can cause some, uh, unintended results when the wind hits 'em just right . . . But the ladies don’t need to worry about that. \*\* Personally, I prefer to call that added functionality instead of unintended results. ---
**Author:** ![Kaotic\_Newtral](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@Kaotic\_Newtral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaotic_Newtral)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-in-pink-shirts/120937/48 "2002-07-26T20:50:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by seawitch \* > \*\*Now for Ghod’s sake, will somebody take the hot pants away from **MachV**? He’s edging toward go-go boots, and I’m scared. \*\* Not Again! Is it Friday already? ---
**Author:** ![SUPERKARLENE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/22d042/32.png) [@SUPERKARLENE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SUPERKARLENE)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-in-pink-shirts/120937/49 "2002-07-26T21:01:36Z")
For the less enlightened of us, why would silk boxers be a problem if the “wind hits them right”? ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-in-pink-shirts/120937/50 "2002-07-26T22:55:06Z")
Grrrrr. I wrote a nice, long, very amusing story about how I used to work in a law office, I was the only one with a pink shirt, and eventually all but one of the lawyers picked up on it and added pink shirts to their respective wardrobes. But the hamsters ate it, so you’ll just have to be satisfied with this. Grrrrr. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-in-pink-shirts/120937/51 "2002-07-26T23:07:03Z")
I will accept pink shirts as long as I can ban those coloured shirts with white colours and cuffs. _One_ colour please, gentlemen. ---
**Author:** ![Kalashnikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/2bfe46/32.png) [@Kalashnikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalashnikov)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-in-pink-shirts/120937/52 "2002-07-26T23:16:00Z")
Actually around about the mid 80’s pink was a “power color” for dress shirts. Peter Norton (of Norton Utilities fame) wore a pink dress shirt on the cover of one of his technical PC books and he looks good in it. I see nothing wrong with pink shirts occasionally, although I would think a guy was a bit odd if he wore them too frequently. Not femme necessarily, just odd. I dunno why. Also, I always thought those novelty ties were for people who were required to wear a tie but didn’t really want to. “The dress code says we have to wear ties, but it doesn’t say we have to wear NORMAL ties”. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-in-pink-shirts/120937/53 "2002-07-26T23:44:34Z")
When I was in junior high, my mother bought me a pink shirt. The girl I had the hots for thought it made me look like a sissy. I have not worn a pink shirt since. Nor will I ever wear a pink shirt. ---
**Author:** ![SUPERKARLENE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/22d042/32.png) [@SUPERKARLENE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SUPERKARLENE)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-in-pink-shirts/120937/54 "2002-07-27T03:41:31Z")
Racer, don’t let ONE bad pink shirt experience turn you off to the whole premise! Did the girl you were hot for TELL you that you were a sissy? Did she explicitly say “The pink shirt turns me off. Go find another shirt, sissy boy”? Our society is prejudiced against pink shirts. Shall we form the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Shirts? ---
**Author:** ![Osbie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/cdc98d/32.png) [@Osbie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Osbie)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-in-pink-shirts/120937/55 "2002-07-27T03:50:31Z")
Hmmm, didn’t Don Johnson wear a pink shirt now and then in _Miami Vice_ - a tank top, probably, but pink nonetheless? Are some of you trying to suggest that Crockett was anything less than 100% cool? ---
**Author:** ![Kaotic\_Newtral](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@Kaotic\_Newtral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaotic_Newtral)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-in-pink-shirts/120937/56 "2002-07-27T13:50:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Octavia Smythe-Bunion I. Esq. \* > \*\*Hmmm, didn’t Don Johnson wear a pink shirt now and then in _Miami Vice_ - a tank top, probably, but pink nonetheless? > > Are some of you trying to suggest that Crockett was anything less than 100% cool? \*\* Well, the facts speak for themselves…no suggestion needed. 😃 Adding the fact that it was a ‘pink’ tanktop just compounds the argument. A pink tanktop! Man…there aren’t any words to explain the mental condition of a man who would do such a thing. He should have been put away years ago! ---
**Author:** ![athene1765](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@athene1765](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athene1765)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-in-pink-shirts/120937/57 "2002-07-27T14:34:46Z")
Gotta say, Don Johnson always gave me the creeps. Though I remember equating “white and pink” with “beachy and yuppy” in the 80s. Not necessarily in a bad context, either. And about ties – My father is, on occasion, forced to wear a tie for meetings and suchlike. He is a computer programmer who got hired on after he retired from 30 years in the military, where he hated the occasional tie-wearing. Still hates it, madly. Won’t accept a job where he would have to wear a tie every day. Dad has no cartoon ties, however; he is far too stylin’. Instead, he has a fish tie. It looks like he has a salmon hanging from his throat – it’s a perfectly normal tie, it just has scales and a head painted on it. And it is pink. ---
**Author:** ![Kaotic\_Newtral](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@Kaotic\_Newtral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaotic_Newtral)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-in-pink-shirts/120937/58 "2002-07-27T14:41:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by athene1765 \* > \*\*And about ties – My father is, on occasion, forced to wear a tie for meetings and suchlike. He is a computer programmer who got hired on after he retired from 30 years in the military, where he hated the occasional tie-wearing. > And it is pink. \*\* Well, after 30 years in the military…if I see your dad with his pink fish-tie on, I’ll tell him he looks good in it. 🙂 He’s the only exception though! ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2002, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-in-pink-shirts/120937/59 "2002-07-28T02:26:14Z")
I am also of the generation that has it programmed into our heads that “pink is for girls”, and I have yet to see a pink shirt on a man that looked good, unless he was so incredibly gorgeous that you didn’t even notice he had clothes on. In my mind, pink is always associated with sweet and soft and baby-powder fresh and roses and brides and gentle, and I want to know what guys think of when they see pink that makes them think it’s a good color to buy. Now fushia (shocking pink) is a bold, strong color, and a dark-haired guy can carry it off. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2002, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-in-pink-shirts/120937/60 "2002-07-28T03:19:16Z")
It’s not pink, it’s fuschia! Can’t you just leave me alone?! (_runs into room crying, slams the door_) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-in-pink-shirts/120937.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-in-pink-shirts/120937.md?page=4)