Blues and pinks

[Judy Young]

Where and why did the custom of dressing baby girls in pink and baby boys in blue arise?

[incitatus]

Pinks Im not sure of. Blue for boys is reputed to come from the purple edging of the Roman boys toga.

[mrsrobinson]

In searching (unsuccessfully!) for an answer, I came across this on a trivia site:- "Before the First World War boys were often dressed in Pink, and girls in Blue. Pink was thought to be a stronger, more decided colour, and Blue was thought of as delicate and dainty. No one seems to know why the switch to the current gender distinction of 'Blue for a boy, and Pink for a girl' took place."