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Enjoy this curated selection of theme-related dances for celebrations and holidays, or find a dance associated with a special calendar day, or EVEN your own birthday!
Mar 8
Dancing Shoes Day
Purdy Pink Shoes
Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day
Today's Musings, History & Folklore
"🎶 He wears tan shoes with pink shoelaces
A polka dot vest and man, oh, man
Tan shoes with pink shoelaces
And a big Panama with a purple hat band!"
~ Pink Shoe Laces, Dodie Stevens, 1959
Think Pink, Dancers! How about some pink shoelaces? Or even Purdy Pink Dancing Shoes!
The devisor, Elaine Hoag, dedicated this dance to Ardbrae member, Deborah Connors, who dances in “purdy” hot pink shoes and brings so much energy and joy to her dancing."
In many English dialects—especially Scottish, Irish, and rural Northern English speech, and colloquial southern or midwestern American English, “pretty” can be pronounced something like “priddy,” “prutty,” or “purdy.”
Pink has been fashionable at many points in Western history, especially among the upper classes. In the 18th century, pink silk coats, waistcoats, and gowns were popular in aristocratic fashion across Europe. At the time, pink was seen simply as a lighter shade of red—a color associated with power, wealth, and military strength—so it was considered perfectly appropriate, and even stylish, for men. Portraits from the Rococo era often show gentlemen wearing elegant rose-colored suits, demonstrating that pink was once a refined and fashionable male color.
The modern idea that pink is mainly for girls developed much later. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, some clothing guides actually recommended pink for boys and blue for girls, because pink’s connection to red made it seem stronger and more masculine. It was not until the mid-20th century, especially in the 1940s and 1950s, that marketing and postwar consumer culture firmly linked pink with femininity. Today, you can get dancing ghillies in many colours besides the traditional black - even hot pink!
But remember, dancers, your teacher is watching your feet during this lively jig, giving you a chance to show off your best technique, no matter what colour dancing shoes! Keep your own eyes up so you can quickly reorient yourselves from a reel across to another reel lengthwise down the middle! And Petronella in time to make that last turn with your partner! Whew!! 🕺 💃 👀 🖤 💗 💗 💗 🩰 🩰 🩰
Purdy Pink Shoes
Pink has had several distinct moments of popularity in fashion over the last century, often reflecting broader cultural moods. In the early 1900s and into the 1920s, pink was commonly worn by both men and women. In fact, many fashion guides of the period described pink as a strong, lively color suitable for boys, while softer blues were sometimes suggested for girls. By the 1930s and 1940s, pink became especially associated with femininity, appearing frequently in women’s dresses, cosmetics, and Hollywood glamour styling.
One of pink’s most recognizable fashion peaks came in the 1950s. After the austerity of World War II, bright and cheerful colors became popular again, and pink symbolized optimism and modern consumer culture. Designer Elsa Schiaparelli had earlier popularized a bold shade called “shocking pink,” and the decade saw pink everywhere—from evening gowns and suburban housewares to the famous “Think Pink!” sequence in the 1957 film Funny Face. During this period, pink became strongly coded as a feminine color in Western culture.
Pink resurfaced in different forms in later decades. In the 1980s, bold neon pinks and magentas appeared in athletic wear, power fashion, and pop culture, reflecting the decade’s love of bright synthetic colors. In the early 2000s, pink again surged in popularity with the rise of “millennial pink,” a softer dusty shade used widely in fashion, branding, and interior design. Over the past decade, pink has also been embraced in gender-neutral and menswear contexts, signaling a broader cultural shift away from rigid color rules.
And most recently in 2023, a pink surge was widely called “Barbiecore,” sparked by the release of the movie Barbie. This sparked a revival of bright pink clothing, accessories, and even home décor!
And if you yourself would like an unusual colour pair of ghillies, the Colourz line by Billy Forsyth may be just what you're looking for!
Click the dance cribs or description below to link to a printable version of the dance!
