Men in Pink: A Fashion Revolution?

Cam'ron, an edgy hip-hop star, was among the first to shamelessly cloak himself in baby pink. Donning the soft color in perfect coordination, from headband to Timberlands, Cam'ron set in motion a trend that has made pink the signature color of more than baby girls and girlie women.

It's now a fixture in the wardrobe of fashion-forward men.

"I don't care what kind of man you are," said Neal Falletti, a sales associate at Express Men's in San Diego, Calif. "Pink is in right now."

Beginners don't have to move to the forefront of the pink revolution immediately, according to Falletti, they can start with a few well-placed articles of clothing.

"Starting with a pink satin tie will dress up any suit," said Falletti.

Even if dressing up suits isn't one's particular fashion interest, Falletti said a splash of pink complements most outfits.

After embracing the men-in-pink fashion phenomena, most men move on to fitting their preferences into their wardrobe.

"The best shade of pink for a man is carnation pink," said Mark Cutolo, a senior English major. "It's not too light and not too dark."

In many of the major men's clothing stores, such as Kaufmann's Men's, Express Men's and Old Navy, much of the clothing displayed has some degree of a pink accent.

"You won't see a whole outfit in pink," said Brian Grieie, a sales associate at Kaufmann's Men's store. "But there are definitely some pieces to work with."

While most acknowledge the advent of the softer shades and accents, male clothing stores haven't completely forsaken the more traditional colors associated with men's fashion. Stores are still stocked full of the whites, blues, grays and black articles of clothing to which most men have grown accustomed.

"Men tend to wear blues and blacks," said Gregory Brown, a junior undecided major. "We wear lots of solids and anything with a brand name on it."

Andrew Poreda, a sophomore undecided major, said he isn't interested in joining the wave of men in pink.

"I don't wear pink because I don't find it very attractive," said Poreda. "It's especially bad for men to wear."

Others said thinking pink usually means thinking about other things associated with the color, and not just girls.

"I have associated pink with breast cancer awareness," said Gregory Brown, a junior undecided major. "That's one of the reasons I wouldn't wear it."

While many have their reasons for sticking to what they are accustomed and steering clear of the barrage of manly pink, some believe it's about time men are given fair treatment in the world of clothing colors.

"I don't think it's fair that women are the only ones who can wear pink," said Cutolo. "Men should have the same color options as women do."

As with most cases when men step out of the realm of what is considered manly behavior, the term "metrosexual" has been applied to those who embrace the pink trend.

According to dictionary.com, the term means a "young, urban, usually heterosexual male who is concerned with fashion and grooming."

"I guess I am metrosexual," said Sean Stamp, a sophomore engineering physics major. "I don't see anything wrong with wearing pink, it's just a color."

Stamp said when it comes to his style he sticks with the stores that work for him and the clothing styles they carry.

"The stores I buy clothes from don't make a lot of pink clothes for guys," said Stamp. "Maybe if they did I would buy more."

Cutolo has a few words of encouragement for those men who might still be resistant to stepping into the light pink.

"Take charge men and wear pink," he said. "There is no reason to hide from such a beautiful color."