Where did the blue & pink baby ribbons come from?
When leaving the hospital, babies are swaddled in a blanket, which is often decorated with colored ribbons. For boys, it is blue or light blue, while, for girls, it is red or pink. So, why these particular colors?
The tradition is rooted in royal times. In the Russian Empire, the highest state awards were the ‘Order of St. Andrew’ — for men; and the ‘Order of St. Catherine’ — for women. Order insignia was worn on the ribbons: in the first case, on blue, in the second, on red.
Portrait of Peter the Great by Jean-Marc Nattier, (1717); Portrait of Catherine I by Jean-Marc Nattier (1717)
Emperor Paul I ordered that each newborn member of the imperial house be awarded them at baptism.
So, a new tradition appeared, which eventually spread to all newborns — not only high-born.
