Barbiecore- Pretty In Pink
Barbiecore, the newest aesthetic, invites everyone to look pretty in pink.
Background on Barbie Dolls
Mattel first introduced the Barbie doll back in 1959. Blonde and skinny, Barbie reinforced the beauty standard. Working to distance itself from this problematic past, the Barbie brand shifted towards inclusivity and celebrating all bodies as beautiful. There are currently over 170 different Barbie doll models with various body types, skin tones, hairstyles, and occupations. In 2020, the brand released a doll with a prosthetic leg and another with vitiligo. The focus is no longer on creating a doll that represents and reinforces the beauty standard, but rather creating dolls that consumers can relate to and feel empowered by.
Background on Barbiecore
The Barbiecore aesthetic is, you guessed it, linked to Barbie dolls. This aesthetic burst onto the scene in part due to Greta Gerwig’s upcoming 2023 Barbie movie. In April of this year, promotional pictures for the movie made their way onto social media, sparking the Barbiecore craze. This style of dressing then spread like wildfire.
The Barbiecore aesthetic can also be linked to high fashion runway shows. Valentino’s Autumn/Winter 2022 Collection, for instance, is all about hot pink. Every single garment in the
collection is either a classic black or the hottest of hot pinks. Pierpaolo Piccioli, the creative director at Valentino, believes the color pink serves as “a manifestation of the unconscious and a liberation from the need for realism” and that this shade “enhances individuality, capturing values and feelings.” Fashion houses Prada and Versace also included pink hues in their fall/winter 2022 runway looks.
Valentino Prada Versace
Another key player in Barbiecore’s rise in popularity is TikTok. The hashtag #barbiecore has garnered over 18.5 million views on the video-sharing platform. The hashtag #barbiecoreaesthetic has over 1.2 million views. Barbiecore content on TikTok includes outfit inspiration, hauls, breakdowns of the trend, and Barbie-inspired makeup tutorials.
Key Features of Barbiecore
The most obvious feature of Barbiecore is pink! While most celebrities, influencers, and fashion brands are embracing hot pink, any shade is Barbie-approved. This aesthetic is also quite feminine. Barbie loves a good tulle skirt or puffy dress. The backbone of this aesthetic, however, is empowerment. Fashion executive CeCe Vu believes Barbiecore is all about dressing in clothing that makes you feel confident. “You feel empowered and comfortable in your own skin. You love yourself. You’re not afraid to express what you want and what you stand for.”
Celebrities Embracing Barbiecore
Various celebrities have donned Barbie-approved attire, some sporting hot pink years ahead of the Barbiecore trend and others as recently as this season. Below is a roundup of some of our favorite celebrity Barbiecore ensembles.
Kacey Musgraves at the 2019 Met Gala
Sebastian Stan at the 2022 Met Gala
Kim Kardashian in Balenciaga, June 2022
Lizzo in Valentino, June 2022
How to Achieve This Style
Eager to try out this aesthetic for yourself? Our first tip for achieving this style is to wear pink! Opt for a full-on pink moment with a hot pink jumpsuit, or wear neutral tones paired with pink accessories for a more subdued look. Another Barbie-inspired closet must-have is plastic accessories such as hair clips and jelly shoes (which mimic the doll’s iconic plastic shoes). The real key to nailing the Barbiecore look, however, is to feel empowered in what you wear. Remember to dress for yourself, not anyone else. Don’t worry about your look being “too much” or “not enough;” dress in what makes you feel the most confident. If you want our opinion, however, we think you look pretty in pink.
