It wasn’t until my first daughter was born that I realized how early color stereotypes can begin affecting children. I dressed my eldest daughter in Baby Gap, which back then sold mostly blue jeans, blue jumpers and blue dresses. It was remarkable to see how comments from strangers were affected by the color of clothing my daughter happened to be wearing. When she was dressed in blue, many of the comments were about how strong or smart “he” was. When she wore pink, they often talked about what a beautiful or sweet baby she was. My girls are all these things and more. It was astonishing to see how a simple color change can effect people’s perceptions of such a young child.
As my daughters grew older, they had a rainbow of colorful clothes. It was my goal for them to find their own identity without the influence of a lot of media. In comparison to what my oldest daughter was exposed to a decade earlier, my youngest was inundated by the princess pink culture, even though our household was fairly “princess-free.”
When it was imperative for her to wear glasses to improve her vision, she decided one day that, “Princesses don’t wear glasses.” It was at that moment that I decided to create an adventurous, heroic and age-appropriate princess who just happens to wear glasses and my daughter’s favorite color (pink).
With a little help from my daughter, I wrote Princesses Wear Glasses. We didn’t include a heroic prince; in our book, the princess saves the day. I wanted to make sure princess-loving kids who wear glasses all over the country would hear this story, so I created a social enterprise that not only helps redefine what it means to wear glasses, but also what it means to be a princess. The stories and products are not about the way a child looks from the outside— it’s what they have on the inside. It is about what they can see and what they can do. It is about their ability to go on adventures, take risks and help someone in need.
A princess can be heroic! Just because she is wearing pink or likes ballet does not mean she cannot climb trees, look for dragons or save the day. It is my hope that we can change the view of pink as passive and into the thought that pink and any color in the rainbow can be POWERFUL–and so much more!
Pink
Pink makes you want to party with balloons and streamers.
It always gives you a case of the screamers.
It’s jumpy and it’s pumpy and it makes you want to play.
If you’re with pink it’s going to be a happy day!
Anne Ellsworth, Grade 3
Since 2010, Peeps Eyewear has been on a mission to empower children to love their glasses, increase awareness about the importance of early child vision health and donate frames to children in need.
Peeps Eyewear is designed so that a child can be the hero of their own story, wearing their glasses. Books and accessories can be customized with your child’s name, hair color and personal dedication.
Enter to win our Valentine’s Day Give Away. Two lucky winners can choose either:
1) A customized 5×7 Princesses Wear Glasses book and NEW customized Princess Peeps cuddly glasses case. Choose your hair color for your book and soft doll glasses case. Your child’s name can be featured throughout the empowering story!
Or
2) An awesome Eyepower Kids Wear t-shirt featuring our glasses wearing Power Peeps character, Super Steve, or Princess Peeps character, Princess Annie.
To win, simply place a comment below with your thoughts about the color pink (or any color in the rainbow). Two winners will be randomly chosen.
About our NEW cuddly glasses case: “Lift the back flap of this very special glasses case to store your child’s glasses. A back pocket holds our book, “Princesses Wear Glasses.” The squeezable princess case is just the right size to sit in your child’s lap and read to. Hang the case on a bedpost or door handle using the gross grain carrying handle. The soft princess can even wear your child’s glasses at night. Just slip temples through the durable button holes and specially designed temple sleeves to keep them in place. Brown, Black, Blonde or Red hair color options. (Boy line coming soon!)
Be a part of our Facebook community or learn more about our products and the work we do at Peeps Eyewear.
Kristin Ellsworth is the founder of the social enterprise Peeps Eyewear and is an Executive Board Member of Prevent Blindness Wisconsin. She is also the co-founder of the Great Glasses Play Day.
Photos by Eye Power Kids Wear and Peeps Eyewear.
Thank you for writing a book that empower girls to who wear glasses. It’s such a hard transition for kids and their parents to accept glasses and like themselves in the process. I’d love for my daughter to read “Princesses wear glasses” .
Hi Jordan! Thank you! I hope you win!!! We also offer a download of the story, feel free to email us at anytime at: info@peepseyewear.com and I’ll send you more information. I hope your child embraces glasses, I bet s/he looks awesome in them!
Pingback: Powerful Pink - A Peeps Eyewear Giveaway : Eye Power Kids Wear
Pink is my favorite color it can make you feel sweet and strong at the same time!
Hi Valerie! I agree–The power of pink! Thank you for sharing!
I love pink. My daughter has pink glasses and is always smiling ear to ear when people compliment her.
Thank you! My daughter feels the same way. It has been rewarding to see girls smiling ear to ear…seeing this amazing world clearly wearing glasses!!!!
Pink…. a life changing color for me. Growing up a tomboy…pink was my least favorite color. Six years ago I found out I was having a girl and I had no idea what to expect. As she grew into her own little being…..everything in my life became pink and glittery…foreign! I am so thankful for the color pink and my daughter Olivia…because both of them have opened my eyes up to a whole new life…a life I wouldnt change for anything. Tutus, dance classes, ballet, princesses, barbies, glitter, dressup, glasses, eyepatches, etc. Pink lovers…though girly….still fierce!
“Pink lovers…though girly…still fierce!” LOVE IT!!!!! Thank you for your comment!
You are welcome, and thanks for all you do as well to empower these little ones and their parents!!!!
Who won…who won…who won!!!!!!! ♥♥♥
Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! We hope your day is positively pink! The lucky winners of the give away are Megan M. and Erin M.!!!! We will be contacting them today and appreciate everyone’s participation. Thank you so much!!!
Pink is such a fun color. My little girl has worn glasses since she was 4 months old and never liked them until she got her last pair of pink glasses. It is amazing how much she likes them because they make her feel special.
That is what is so amazing, that SHE feels special! Whatever color of the rainbow our kids like, it is great that we support their preferences when we can. I’m so glad she likes her glasses!!!!
I’m so not a pink person, but my girls are. I try to indulge it, while still offering a full range of options to them. My youngest, our L4E, is in a “I’m apink princess, but princess’s don’t wear glasses” phase right now. It’s a new challenge we’re working through.
Thank you! That is exactly how my daughter felt. I hope she sees that powerful princesses can wear glasses and that she identifies with lots of different empowering characters in glasses. If you think she might enjoy playing with paper dolls, we have fun, free paper doll downloads for children on our site: http://peepseyewear.com/kids-fun.html Thanks again for sharing!
Growing up pink was my most favorite color so only fitting that I was blessed with two very girly girls. I 💗 pink!
I’m now a pink lover, too! February is an awesome month to celebrate all the positive images of pink! Thank you for your comment!
Love this! My princess loves pink and her glasses too! Love that you are writing such empowering things for girls 🙂
Thank you, Heather!!! So glad she LOVES her glasses and pink, too! Hope she imagines she is an adventurous princess proudly wearing glasses!
Pink surrounds my daily life as a mom of two little girls. Although I’d be more than happy to celebrate dinosaurs, trucks, and/or the color blue, my two girly girls prefer anything princess related. Pink is precious! 🙂
Thank you! Girls can be pink, precious, powerful and pretty much anything they want to be!!!!
My sons favorite color is pink and when I asked him what color glasses he wanted he said pink. There wasn’t any pink ones in his size so he choose blue. My son would love to read about a super hero with glasses. He told me today that a kid at his preschool takes his glasses from him so I love this idea.
Thank you, Nicolle! Sports Illustrated did a cover of a male athlete sporting pink a couple of years ago and he looked awesome! We’re working on Super Hero book and can’t wait for children to read it. Best wishes to your son!
In a household of boys, pink isn’t a color that is often found around here. But, every Mother’s Day I receive pink carnations which mean “I’ll never forget you” from my boys. ❤
What a great way to express their love and appreciation–another way Pink is Powerful! Thank you for sharing!
Pink is a color I’m surrounded with through my whole house! As we just found out yesterday my little one needed glasses we are new to this! She loves pink and loves being a princess! Can’t wait for the book to come out so we can read it to here and show her it’s ok to wear glasses! I showed her the shirt you guys make and she said “Princess with glasses like me!” Melts my heart! She’s been through a lot in her 3 years! This would be a great prize to win!
I’m so glad her vision was addressed at an early age, she is lucky to have her glasses to see her world more clearly! And what a great way to start, wearing glasses in a color she loves. I hope you find the perfect pair for her. Princesses can be powerful and pink! Best wishes!
Pink! I have 3 daughters and their room is pepto-kind-of pink! Ha, but it’s ok as I know they admire other colors. Would love to have a digital copy of the book! My lil’ Olivia has been in glasses for just a short few months and she looks great in a pink/black frame!
Pink and black–VERY cool!!! I hope she is rocking her glasses and enjoying that pepto room! Thank you for your comments!
I like pink for boys or girls but it’s hard when the things you buy (like clothes) force you to one color or the other. My DD has a green room with pink accents. My other friend refused pink for her daughter and went all purple.
We agree! It would be great if more pink products crossed the aisle and pink toys and clothes were desired by boys and girls. In the 1980’s many men proudly sported pink shirts, ties and sweaters and looked awesome!
Pingback: Powerful pink Valentine’s giveaway from Peeps Eyewear | little four eyes
My little girls and I LOVE pink! Thanks for the chance! 🙂
Thanks, Jaylynn! My daughter does, too. There was an ad on the Super Bowl tonight for the new GoldieBlox toy company. One of their toys includes a book about a Princess Engineer (who happens to wear Pink).
We hope you win! Thank you so much for sharing. Pink is such a happy color!
My daughter is getting her first pair of glasses in two weeks! She is not that excited about it (she’s 3 and already wears a contact and a patch so I understand her reluctance to yet another thing on her face). But the one this that she is excited about is that I told her she could pick the colour of her glasses; she has decided on either pink or purple!
She has great taste in colors! My daughter was less than excited to patch and wear glasses. One of the things we did to comfort and encourage her was to grab a stack of books and read together while she patched. She loved our quiet together time. Wearing contacts must be especially hard. Sending best wishes for your daughter — powerful in pink or purple!
I love pink and my daughters first frames were pink. It was so exciting for my daughter to be able to choose the color of her glasses this time (she’s two). She picked purple. Neat to see her making her own choices.
Purple is such a great color for glasses! It coordinates with so many other colors. I hope she is proud to wear purple and proud to wear her glasses! Thank you!
With two little girls, I am surrounded with pink 🙂
My house is like a christmas tree – I love reds and greens. Red help me feel strong and green is relaxing.
Your home sounds wonderful!!! Green can be such a relaxing color — a perfect wall color. We agree, girls are surrounded with pink. We’re hoping more colors of the rainbow are represented in children’s products and when products are pink, more represent power, joy and so much more!
Pink reminds me of our good friend, Kelton who sadly passed from cancer in 2010. His favorite color was pink & yet he was the most likeable, popular, well-spirited kid you could ever hope to meet. I wear pink often & think of him & dress my girls in pink often because… well… they like it! But its certainly not their favorite… Monster Girl (the oldest) will tell you she only loves red & Princess Cthulhu (the youngest) likes purple. But they both agree they “like” pink… It’s just not their favorite xb
Pink has symbolized strength for many. I hope pink helped Kelton feel strong, joyful and comforted, and that wearing pink does the same for you. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thank you, Thank you for writing an encouraging book for little girls. My daughter’s favorite color is pink, and her first pair of glasses happened to be pink- her choice. She loves princesses and she would adore your book. Such a clever and powerful message to our cuties in glasses. I felt so alone when I first learned my kids both needed glasses, but know I am among some inspiring and great people. Thanks for doing all you have done!!
Thank you!!! We are really proud to have a powerful princess character showing kids it is great to wear glasses! So glad to be a part of the glasses wearing community.
For 19 years I was the mom of boys. My entire world was denim, blue, black, and masculine. We finally had a girl and now it’s a pink explosion! Pink was well worth the wait!
A pink explosion, a rainbow explosion, is an awesome way to celebrate having a full of awesome girl!!! Thank you!!!
I just love this! Princess DO wear glasses and it makes them even more SPECTACULAR!!!
Thank you!!! I absolutely agree! They are a great way to express yourself–so many colors and styles to choose from now. Glasses Rock!!!
My little princess, Violet Brielle, wears glasses and I am so happy to find out about you! I love everything you do. Violet is a survivor of Retinoblastoma and currently wears glasses for protection of her good vision eye. Your sparkly princess frames are definitely on our list of wants! While we adore pink, Violet is our special color. This little princess makes us see the color Violet as a color of bravery, strength and miracles.
Pink describes my two daughters. Pink cheeks, pink dresses, and pink shoes. Pink is powerful and peaceful. I am thrilled that my girls like pink….as well as all of the other colors in the rainbow. Now that my 8 month old (bilateral cataracts plus glaucoma) wears glasses, we love products like yours that show her that glasses can make her powerful – especially if they are pink! 🙂
Turquoise blue with a rainbow of butterflies = our three year old daughter’s eyeglass frames design. She gets lots of comments from older adults saying back when they wore children’s prescription glasses the frames were so boring but now kids glasses can look fun. The Peepseyewear soft-storage pocket on the book sounds like a nice way to have a bedtime practice for putting glasses away. One question I have for the book personalization: in addition to choosing hair color, is it possible to customize the boy or girl’s skin color?
Hi Julie! We are working at adding skin colors and hope to have it completed soon. I love the idea of a rainbow of butterflies on your daughter’s glasses–they sound awesome! Our kids are lucky to have so many fun glasses to choose from.
We love pink at our house, but I chose a plum color her frames. I just like the way the darker frames look with her fair hair and complexion. Same for our little guy. He is one, and rocks blue specs.
If she could choose the color herself, she would pick orange glasses! haha Maybe next time we order, we will go with the Orange miraflex. 😉
The orange Miraflex are so cute!!! It sounds like your home is filled with all the colors of the rainbow, including Pink! Thanks for sharing 🙂
My son loves super Heros! He would adore that superhero shirt!
I hope he wins! The shirt comes in orange or aquamarine! Thanks for entering!!
Lavender, pink, blue, green…each of my kids have a different favorite color. And of course, my L4E has lavender glasses 🙂 would love the princess tshirt for her!
My little one would LOVE pink glittery glasses. 🙂
Thank you, Tiffnay! We hope she wins! She may choose any of the frames we carry for the Valentine’s 2015 give away. 🙂