Barbiecore: The Barbie-inspired trend that's taking over and how to get the look

25/04/2023
Lana Andelane

Compilation of Barbie paparazzi shots of Margot Robbie and fashion items against a pink background — Photo credit: Photo illustration - Newshub; Images - Getty Images, Superette, Mi Piaci, Stolen Girlfriends Club, Smith & Caughey's, COOP

As many of us have learned from social media, life in plastic isn't always fantastic - but you can always feel the glamour in pink.

With Greta Gerwig's highly anticipated Barbie feature film slated for release this July, pink is hot and here to stay. It's a Barbie world, and we're just living in it.

While the aficionados will know the aesthetic has been around for a hot minute, 'Barbiecore' is continuing to burgeon on the likes of #FashionTok and Instagram after pap snaps of Margot Robbie portraying the Mattel doll were captured on set last year, adding fuel to every fashionistas' fire. It's not just rose-tinted glasses: pink is literally everywhere.

Ahead of the film's release, content creators, influencers and even celebrities alike have been hopping on the inspired-by-Barbie bandwagon, from Hailey Bieber to Anne Hathaway. Sartorial savants got the memo on a pink Post-it months ago, and now here come the hordes: it's time to think pink.

Barbiecore has also ramped up following the release of Barbie's official trailer earlier this month, with clear touchpoints allowing the trend to truly take flight (in a pink plane, of course). From Robbie's bejewelled, pink pom-pommed mules, plastic purses, monochrome hues and hair bows to her pink plaid playsuit with a matching sun hat, the style is set to become a staple for the American summer - or of course, the New Zealand winter.

Along with Barbie, the 2022 Valentino Fall Ready-to-Wear Fashion Show has also been hailed as a key player in the recent rise of the all-things-pink aesthetic, with its entirely pink runway show and 22 Barbie-pink looks. However, the origins of Barbiecore can be traced back to Pinterest in 2019, with other popular 'core' aesthetics - think cottagecore, gothcore and fairycore - also popularised on the likes of Instagram and tumblr in the 2010s.

Nowadays, the hashtag 'Barbiecore' has amassed almost 290 million views on TikTok, and as reported by Good Morning America, searches for hot pink fashion-related items on Etsy were up 35 percent year-on-year in July 2022, a month after the on-set photos of Robbie as Barbie went viral.

How to be a Barbie girl

Apart from the obvious (think pink, people), the aesthetic largely harks back to the Mattel doll's late-'90s-early-'00s heyday. Nineties babies, you know what it is: think back to the good old days of play dates and the cute outfits you dressed your dolls in. The style can go in a few directions, from stereotypically sexy and glamorous - latex mini dresses, sparkles, and ultra-high platform pumps - to girlier, daintier and more traditional 1960s-esque ensembles, like two-piece sets, checks, flared frocks, headwear and hair bows. Add in the popular 2000s trends like hair clips, jelly heels, loud prints and plastic purses, and you have Barbiecore - plus, all the hot pink you can get your hands on.

Other takes on Barbiecore even incorporate sartorial touchpoints from the 1980s: think rollerblades, smatterings of fluoro and neon, cowboy boots, cycling shorts and spandex.

Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling papped on the set of Barbie in June 2022. Photo credit: Getty Images

In popular culture, the red carpets were pretty-in-pink for much of 2022, with celebrities embracing Barbiecore with open arms at the likes of the Grammys, Coachella and the Met Gala.

Trickling into 2023, the trend has continued to appear on celebrities aplenty: Brooke Shields donned a hot pink suit and matching pumps to Time's Women of the Year gala, and in February, Sabrina Carpenter stopped by the Stella McCartney X Adidas Party in an outfit that looked straight out of Barbie's box, circa 2001. Earlier this month, Anya Taylor-Joy also rocked Barbiecore in a bubblegum pink leather corseted dress while attending Michelle Yeoh's star-studded London Oscars party.

Get the look

Although we're heading into the cooler months in Aotearoa, Barbiecore is still very much achievable. Here's some of our top picks and remember: imagination, life is your creation. Don't be afraid to put your own spin on the trend or incorporate elements into your own personal style. A monochrome pink outfit with matching platform pumps might not be for everyone, but you can still pay homage to Barbie with hints of hot pink hues - it's all in the accessories.

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