For the most part, it’s pretty obvious that Emily is a baby girl – the majority of her clothes, for example, are pink (as are most of the baby girls’ clothes in the shops, it seems), she often wears skirts and dresses, and jeans embroidered with flowers and butterflies, and when she’s out in the pushchair is frequently covered with a pink blanket.
The other day, however, I dressed Emily in an outfit that wasn’t pink but was still very pretty – a turquoise top and trousers, decorated with white polka dots, white lace trim and a dash of pink ribbon. Teamed with her butterfly print coat, matching flowery socks and a pink hat, she looked fantastic – and very much a baby girl.
So I was rather taken aback when, while having lunch in a café, a woman walked up to our table, looked at our daughter snoozing in her car seat, and said, “He looks very cosy, doesn’t he?”
Admittedly, she wasn’t wearing her pink hat at the time and was covered in a beige blanket, but it still surprised me that in that frilly little outfit – which was visible beneath her covers – anyone could possibly think she was a boy.
Although I have no sons myself, several friends and relatives have little boys and I’ve grown used to shopping for them – and I can honestly say that in all the time I’ve been buying them gifts I’ve never bought any of them a frilly turquoise two-piece. And if I did, it certainly wouldn’t have a pink ribbon trim.
I pointed out Emily’s hat and the woman realised her mistake. Interesting though, how we’re so used to seeing little boys in blue and little girls in pink that the slightest glimpse of blue clothing (irrespective of other details) can lead to such confusion. Maybe next time we go out I’ll dress Emily in something bright orange, just to keep everybody else guessing.