I’m not referring to the girly cocktail, the rebellious singer Alecia “P!nk” Moore, or a satin-jacket-wearing cool girl from Grease.

Heliconia plant in Maui

No, actually I’m the Pink Lady. It’s my favorite color. I was tickled pink when Pantone chose Honeysuckle as the 2011 Color of the Year. Lately I’ve been thinking about its virtues since summer has officially arrived. It reminds me of Hawaii, watermelon, and Shirley Temples, along with other warm memories like Barbie, cherry blossoms, and Nars Schiap lipstick. Oh, and Samantha Baker’s frothy bridesmaid dress in Sixteen Candles (wasn’t Jake Ryan the cutest?).

I’m a fan of bright pink, in particular:

Clockwise from top left: bracelet (gift), Lancôme Juicy Tube, Banana Republic elephant-print tank, Shanghai Tang top, J.Crew Jackie cardigan, Nekt “Rose Charmant” purse, Splendid waffle-knit tank, Nixon watch, (center) Jerome Gruet Paris flannel cosmetic purse.

Fair warning: if you layer on too much pink at any one time, you’ll look like a Pepto-Bismol spill or an overzealous Mary Kay consultant. But adding a measured dose of fuchsia or magenta to your outfit will give your spirits a boost—you just can’t be a shrinking violet.