Europop band Aqua may have been the first to extol the virtues of “Barbie dolls living in a Barbie world,” but now we’re all realizing that life in plastic can really be wonderful. Dolls are no longer just childhood mascots.She is the star of the summer blockbuster of the same name and Leader of the global fashion trend known as Barbiecore. Yes, Barbie is truly everything, so it’s no wonder everyone wants to adopt her signature style. Her #barbiecore aesthetic, which boasts more than 420 million views on TikTok alone, is the bubblegum-pink dopamine rush of fashion that inspires her.Searches for “Barbiecore” on Pinterest have also increased by 980% as of July 2023, according to a spokesperson for the image-sharing platform. TMZ.
But in case you’re living at the bottom of your toy box, this is prime time to jump on the trend. After all, the highly anticipated barbie The movie premieres today, July 21st, so it’s *officially* Barbie’s world and we’re just living in it!
Ready to jump on the #barbie bandwagon? with barbie Now that the movie is showing in movie theaters across the country, it’s time for internet trends to move from Dollhouse to IRL. Ahead, a fashion expert explains everything you need to know about Barbiecore, including what it is, when the trend started, and how to get the look. Come on, Barbie, let’s go to the party!
What is Barbiecore?
Inspired by the doll’s kitschy outfits, the Barbiecore aesthetic is typically monochromatic, with plenty of pink hues, and flashy designs that incorporate funky silhouettes like minidresses and larger-than-life platform shoes. It has a unique look.
Imagination never stops in the world of Barbie, especially when it comes to style. The quintessential Barbiecore aesthetic is unapologetically bright and bold, unabashedly fun and deeply feminine, enhanced by silhouettes that are both nostalgic and modern. “The best translations of Barbiecore from the past are from the early ’80s, when it seemed sassy and very feminine, with trends like miniskirts, flirty baby T-shirts, minidresses, and of course the influx of pink color. ” says style expert Kendall Becker. It’s all about maximalism as well, and the costumes are usually decorated with lots of glitter and sparkles.
Meet the experts:
Kendall Becker is a trend forecaster, stylist, and director of fashion and media relations at Trendalytics.
Rian Phin is a fashion critic and content creator based in New York City.
Brandii Stuart is a vintage clothing style expert based in New York City.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, no other celebrity is leading the Barbiecore trend. barbie Star Margot Robbie. “After photos of Margot Robbie wearing pink were leaked in June, [2022], searches for pink surged by 416%,” says the 2022 Year in Fashion report, hosted by global fashion shopping app Lyst. She basically wears nothing but Barbiecore haute couture at premiere events and red carpets during movie promotions.
See all barbie The cast’s best Barbiecore moments:
But the trend goes beyond maximalism and hot pink. For many, Barbiecore celebrates femininity, freedom, and women reclaiming and embracing their power in all its forms. “[Barbiecore] “I feel like it’s very much in line with the essence of what a picture-perfect or typical woman would wear,” says Becker. Similarly, “There’s strength inside Barbie too. Barbie could be an astronaut or a doctor, but she embraces her positivity and intelligence and does it all while wearing hot pink.” ” explains Becker. “This spirit also applies to her 80s [which was marked by fashion trends heavily inspired by Barbie]It was a time when women challenged men in the workforce, fought back with unique power suits, and turned heads with bold colors. ”
When did the Barbiecore trend start?
Long before the term “Barbiecore” was coined to describe a fashion trend, Mattel toys have always had a strong influence on fashion. Barbie doll first hit store shelves in the late 1950s, and the blue-eyed, blonde-haired beauty quickly became a child’s favorite for a variety of reasons: lavish outfits and a lavish lifestyle. It gained popularity as a doll. Despite the countless controversies surrounding Barbie over the years (her unnatural body proportions, her praise of “excessive materialism,” etc.), her cultural impact is undeniable.
Although the exact origins of this trend are unknown, Barbie-inspired fashion and influence most poignantly swept the world in the 1980s and 1990s, according to fashion critic and content creator Leanne Finn. That’s what it means. Decades later, when David LaChapelle’s glossy Lil’ Kim photo trickled onto Tumblr in the 2010s, she explained that it became extremely popular online thanks to the nostalgic feelings it evoked in her. do.
“Barbiecore has always been around. Its bright pink hue and girly aesthetic is something we’ve been wearing for decades,” adds Brandi Stewart, a second-hand style expert. Masu. She cited Versace in the ’90s as a brand that embraced Barbiecore, which was helmed by Gianni Versace. “Moschino’s spring 2015 collection is also full of Barbie-like moments from other designers, including Oscar de la Renta and Chanel.”
By the early ’80s, the idea of dressing up as a “doll” had become mainstream. For example, consider a movie like this: mean girls, This chronicles “The Plastics,” a group of popular teenage girls who dress in Barbie-style pink clothes on Wednesdays. Legally Blonde, The film depicts Elle Woods (played by Reese Witherspoon) as a not-so-smart, but quick-witted, ambitious lawyer whose entire closet is made up of pink, fur, and sparkle. Masu.Don’t forget the yellow tweed set that is synonymous with ignoranceCher Horowitz – What Margot Robbie drew inspiration from for her work barbie The press tour and Life-sizestarring Lindsay Lohan and Tyra Banks, quite literally embodied fashion from doll to reality.
Celebrities who seemed to have peaked in popularity in the early 2000s have also become commonly associated with Barbie’s aesthetic. She ranges from Y2K socialite Paris Hilton to rapper Nicki Minaj, who has been responsible for plastic dolls since the beginning of her career and whose fans are famously referred to as “.” Barbs. “The 2015 Moschino Barbie Collection goes hand-in-hand with Nicki Minaj’s eerie take on the Barbie aesthetic. [Barbie] Return to fashion zeitgeist [in the 2010s]” says Finn.
After that, the Barbie hype died down for a while, and then Barbie reappeared on the runway at Valentino’s Fall/Winter 2022 show, and it was this collection that arguably put the trend on the map again. Of the 81 looks, most of them are made from head to toe in hot pink, developed by designer and creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli directly with Pantone, the company that leads his color insights. I was there.
After A-listers like Anne Hathaway, Florence Pugh, Lizzo and Beyoncé were caught wearing the new ‘It’ colorway on the red carpet, others naturally followed suit.
However, “even before Valentino’s Fall/Winter 2022 collection, there was already a movement in fashion for a bolder, sexier, more sartorial feel. It stems from subtle desires within fashion and lifestyle,” Becker explains. “That said, this collection really embodies the epitome of that spirit, from how women want to dress to how they embrace their femininity and stand up for themselves as women. Everything reflected the cultural zeitgeist, all of which was expressed through fashion.”
Recently, early photos were leaked. barbie Becker added that the film sparked further discussion about how women are seen in the world, especially what they wear.
“Between taking a political stance on clothing and the sartorial lens going on in fashion, a perfect storm was created for the birth of Barbiecore.”
Born and raised in Memphis, India, Robbie is a freelance journalist based in New York City. She graduated from the Indian School of News in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Design and a minor in Fashion and her Communication. Her byline has also appeared in NYLON, Highsnobiety, Harper’s Bazaar, Arch Digest, Teen Vogue, Byrdie, and more. When India actually has free time, she enjoys improving her Korean, making TikTok videos, and overdrafting her bank account. You can follow India on Twitter @india_roby and her Instagram @indiajde.