Does wearing pink violate "Guy Code"?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 01:10:54 -0400

Response by TSgt Kenneth Ellis made Mar 16 at 2016 1:12 AM

TSgt Kenneth Ellis — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 01:12:16 -0400

Some people just call it Salmon.

Response by SGT Michael Thorin made Mar 16 at 2016 1:23 AM

SGT Michael Thorin — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 01:23:03 -0400

Absolutely not. While at Anaconda, at the transient housing we stayed in between missions, I noticed a pretty built up soldier walking to the showers in a pink robe, pink house shoes and a pink towel. On the way back through I asked him why pink.

His response was beautiful:

"I chose pink because no one in the mail showers would want to steal them, and if they did, it damn sure ain't going to be hard to find them."

Just a thought.

Response by SPC Nicholas Cureton made Mar 16 at 2016 1:40 AM

SPC Nicholas Cureton — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 01:40:46 -0400

I don't understand how guy code has anything to do with apparel choices. To me, guy code has more to do with respect and having your buddies back.

Response by Capt Mark Strobl made Mar 16 at 2016 1:59 AM

Capt Mark Strobl — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 01:59:44 -0400

A special "thank you" to (then) GySgt (Name Redacted) who would drop any MECEP, Midshipmen, or Officer Candidate who got caught wearing pink --or ANY pastel shade. To this day, his "guidance" has impacted my wardrobe. If it's not a primary color, black, brown, or grey, I just can't put it on. For his retirement, a group of us dressed up like Miami Vice extras ...and knocked out 50 push-ups each at his reception.

Response by CSM Carl Cunningham made Mar 16 at 2016 2:22 AM

CSM Carl Cunningham — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 02:22:01 -0400

Nope. I wear it frequently.

Response by PO1 Brian Austin made Mar 16 at 2016 2:28 AM

PO1 Brian Austin — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 02:28:16 -0400

Wife bought me a pink polo once. She said it was Salmon, i said it was pink. I did wear a few times. On board ship i used bright pink towels. My white towels were always getting stolen. No one ever took my pink towels.

Response by CPO Greg Frazho made Mar 16 at 2016 2:34 AM

CPO Greg Frazho — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 02:34:54 -0400

I wore pink laces in my hockey skates for months on end. The reason I did, besides being different, is because I know two women who have had AND beaten breast cancer. Now that they've both done it, I'm pulling the laces out.

Response by SSgt Mark Lines made Mar 16 at 2016 3:25 AM

SSgt Mark Lines — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 03:25:56 -0400

SGT Private RallyPoint Member At least here in Thailand... nope. Pink is one of the Royal colors, so you see men wearing pink all the time.

Response by PO2 Steven Erickson made Mar 16 at 2016 4:09 AM

PO2 Steven Erickson — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 04:09:55 -0400

If YOU bought it for yourself, hell yeah.

If it used to be WHITE but it was washed with something red, it depends on whether it was your fault.

If your girlfriend or wife bought it for you, no... but be ready to say that when confronted.

Response by Maj John Bell made Mar 16 at 2016 4:28 AM

Maj John Bell — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 04:28:51 -0400

It clashes with my Carhartt Bibs.

Response by PO1 Nathan Watts made Mar 16 at 2016 4:49 AM

PO1 Nathan Watts — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 04:49:37 -0400

No... but purple is another matter.
The only men that can pull off purple properly is Prince and various sports teams...
lol

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 16 at 2016 6:05 AM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 06:05:16 -0400

SGT Private RallyPoint Member real men wear pink!

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Mar 16 at 2016 6:31 AM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 06:31:43 -0400

No.

Pink and Blue historically were reversed on the Masculine/Feminine spectrum. Blue was a feminine color and pink was a masculine color. This was in the age before color televisions so our collective knowledge of it seems to be lost, but it was still there.

Response by Cpl Jeff N. made Mar 16 at 2016 7:13 AM

Cpl Jeff N. — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 07:13:40 -0400

Some of us can pull it off, others cannot. I cannot. You have to know your limitations. If you look in the mirror and it feels right, go with it. If it doesn't, that is the voice in your head you should listen to.

Response by SSG Leo Bell made Mar 16 at 2016 7:51 AM

SSG Leo Bell — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 07:51:50 -0400

I'll have to go with Col Jeff Neely. Some guys can pull it off and some can't. Wearing pink I think doesn't violate the guy code, don't get me wrong. I'm talking about a shirt or a pair of shorts and not at the same time. Wearing all pink definitely violates that code.

Response by LtCol David Gran made Mar 16 at 2016 8:12 AM

LtCol David Gran — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 08:12:01 -0400

The older I get the less I worry about what other people think. Damn the torpedoes rock the pink!

Response by SPC Greg Andle made Mar 16 at 2016 8:16 AM

SPC Greg Andle — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 08:16:37 -0400

A real man doesn't care what others think, and does what he wants

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Mar 16 at 2016 8:46 AM

Capt Seid Waddell — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 08:46:37 -0400

If anyone gives you grief about your pink clothes, hit them with your purse.

Response by Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth made Mar 16 at 2016 9:07 AM

Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 09:07:43 -0400

I could care less what others think. I have always wore it. But it took on a whole other meaning when my mother was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. I wear it now and it makes me think of how she was diagnosed and how she kicked Cancers butt and is still cancer free to this day and how many other women are suffering from the same thing. Reminds of what is important in life.

Response by PO3 Steven Sherrill made Mar 16 at 2016 9:22 AM

PO3 Steven Sherrill — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 09:22:20 -0400

SGT Private RallyPoint Member pink used to be the color of choice for male babies. I live in Florida, you cannot escape pink. It is everywhere. Beyond that, pink is the color that has become associated with breast cancer awareness. As a red blooded, heterosexual, man, I love breasts. I am all for raising awareness of something out to destroy them.

Response by COL Jean (John) F. B. made Mar 16 at 2016 9:30 AM

COL Jean (John) F. B. — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 09:30:16 -0400

SGT Private RallyPoint Member I wore a pink shirt/tie my wife bought me to work one day and was "chastised" by one man about it. I told him, "When I wear a pink shirt, all the ladies tell me how nice it looks. When you wear a pink shirt, it answers a lot of people's questions about you." That shut him up... :-)

Response by CPO Amb. Terry Earthwind Nichols made Mar 16 at 2016 10:06 AM

CPO Amb. Terry Earthwind Nichols — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 10:06:46 -0400

A manly man is a manly man in anything. Your self-confidence says it all.

Response by SSG Audwin Scott made Mar 16 at 2016 10:16 AM

SSG Audwin Scott — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 10:16:57 -0400

Wearing pink doesn't violate the man code, I don't wear pink often, but when I do I wear it well, stay pink my friend.... you see what I did there lol.

Response by PO2 Katie Benson made Mar 16 at 2016 10:34 AM

PO2 Katie Benson — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 10:34:36 -0400

You are funny, most men look nice in pink. If you do the research pink used to be a boys color!

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 16 at 2016 2:07 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 14:07:00 -0400

Historically, pink was a more prominent boy's/men's color and blue was a more prominent girl's/women's color. That changed at some point in the first third of the 1900s, but it is entirely just a cultural norm and not any sort of "code" issue.

Pink is still a good color for some combinations; a pink dress shirt and pink patterned-socks can look great in a dark suit, for example. And remember, pink is just a softer variation of red, which is considered a power-color.

Response by MSG Mitch Dowler made Mar 16 at 2016 3:50 PM

MSG Mitch Dowler — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 15:50:50 -0400

I'll just say wearing pink violates my code. With that said I am color blind to a certain extent and always in danger of my wife buying something for me that will embarrass me later.

Response by PO2 Peter Klein made Mar 16 at 2016 7:11 PM

PO2 Peter Klein — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 19:11:08 -0400

Pink shirt goes well with a blue blazer and the right tie. Don't forget slacks, say grey.

Response by SrA Matthew Knight made Mar 16 at 2016 8:17 PM

SrA Matthew Knight — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 20:17:44 -0400

Nah, color preference is irrelevant.