The History of Pink Oxfords

Originally, pink oxford shirts were only available for men and boys. However, in the late 1940s, Brooks Brothers suddenly sold out of small-sized pink oxfords. The buying frenzy was attributed to women’s interest in the shirts. To meet this demand, the retailer reached out to fashion editors and with their help, Brooks Brothers created a pink oxford shirt that was cut for women. It sold out almost immediately and showed that the “Ivy League” look emerging in postwar America was not just for men – many women wanted to dress that way, too. Although Brooks Brothers didn’t offer a dedicated women’s collection beyond the essentials until 1976, the pink oxford shirt was picked up by different retailers and became a classic element of women’s preppy style (and remains so to this day).