Re: IML: In Defense of Pink, and Purple

["Eric" <gearhead@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

A few things come to mind about pink cars in the 50's. Foremost, the current 
1st Lady of the times was to have loved the color pink. Soon, an official 
"Mimi Eisenhower Pink" had spread the nation. Ok, so I hadn't even been born 
yet, but this is how I remember mom telling me the story describing 
something she saw that was pink,

"in that gawd-awful Mimi Eisenhower Pink"

Weather Mimi was crazy for pink is true or it was some corporation's 
marketing scheme, there was a lot of pink stuff by the time of my arrival to 
this world in 1961. Infact, I just purchased a 1961 Frigidaire Custom 
Imperial Flair range that was finished in appliance pink, as was everything 
else in this 1961 built kitchen it came out of.

Women were taking to the roads with the newly introduced power steering & 
brakes and clutchless driving. Enter all sorts of effeminate design themes: 
the Dodge LaFemme,  pastel paints, delicate appearing nylon fabrics in cars, 
etc, all things to make driving a comfort or visually appealing.

I remember by the time I was about 6 or so, I looked at my neighbor's 
purple, black and white '55 Dodge as being unusual as there weren't many 
other purple cars around. Well, what goes around comes around and by 1999, 
1955 purple was the rage again. Maybe there was a more secure sense in the 
nation about having a pink car in the driveway, but not all people enjoyed 
the fresh break of lighter pastels from the dreary war era maroons and olive 
drabs. My uncle used to cuss at the banana yellow '60 Olds he had to ride in 
when he was a youngster.

So, to pink Imperial owners, I'll go out on a limb and say that you have a 
Presidential sense of color, no matter how it annoys my dear ol' ma.  :-).

Eric
Portland, Oregon
_____________________________________________________________________________

From: "Clint and Laurie Carter" <imperialschooner@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: In defense of pink (was Re: IML: An Elvis Imperial?)

One of the reasons I purchased my '59 Crown is the Persian Pink color. I
think it's lovely. Check out the ads on the website for '59 and you'll find
a gorgeous Pink LeBaron in a two page layout that also features Estee
Lauder. Yes, Pink is a feminine color and that is another appealing
factor...I know these cars were marketed to women, as well as men. BTW, the
former owner of my car was a crusty, dusty old farmer. So I don't think the
color of the car determines what kind of person bought it.

Also, it is my opinion that in the late 1950's people were getting tired of
the stock blue, green, black, blah car colors of the 1940's. So we have a
plethora of pinks, coppers, bronze, etc. etc.

Laurie Carter
Ilwaco, WA USA
'59 Crown (The Pink Lady)
'65 Crown Coupe



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