In 1918, an article in Ladies Home Journal advised: “The generally accepted rule is pink for the boys, and blue for the girls. The reason is that pink, being a more decided and stronger color, is more suitable for the boy, while blue, which is more delicate and dainty, is prettier for the girl.” [1]

In 1927, department stores like Filenes and Marshall Field were still suggesting pink for boys. The current fashion—pink is for girls, blue is for boys—didn’t get established until the 1940s.

Americans a century ago looked at the same colors, saw them completely differently than we do today and slotted them in differently to their cultural stereotypes.

The link between pink and femininity may be just a cultural construct.

References

Pink and Blue, nytimes.com
When Did Girls Start Wearing Pink?, smithsonianmag.com