All the details about the famed Barbiecore trend
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Schenelle Dsouza- 19 minutes read
Schenelle Dsouza
Fashion trends might come and go but the Barbiecore trend will live on. The highly anticipated Barbie movie might have helped reignite the trend, but Barbiecore existed long before Greta Gerwig’s upcoming release, and will probably live on for decades to come.
But what is the Barbiecore trend?
For the unaware, Barbiecore is a fashion trend associated with Barbie of course. It is all about the colour pink and an ensemble that is meant to resemble Barbie’s aesthetic – right from the clothes to the makeup and accessories, the entire look is Barbie themed. While often associated with young girls, Barbie is popular among growing women too. She is beautiful, graceful and confident, so why not?
The good, the bad and the glam
The Barbie Doll made her graceful debut at the 1959 Toy Fair in New York and has since been an important part of pop culture, not only for young girls who love their collection of Barbie dolls, but also for growing women.
‘Why’ is often the first question that pops up when anyone talks about Barbie as a symbol of inspiration. This is because her body image is the first and only aspect taken into consideration. Doctors, child specialists, therapists and countless experts have often deemed Barbie as a sexual object presenting false perceptions of beauty and body image to growing girls. And while part of that might be true, it is hard to ignore the storytelling aspect of the Barbie doll, through which she inspires women everywhere.
Even though people see Barbie for her beautiful blonde hair, her skinny waist, her glamorous outfits and stiletto-ready feet, Barbie has always represented more than her appearance. She has taken on countless different roles, be it a supermodel, a flight attendant, a businesswoman, or a teacher, the list goes on. Barbie’s lack of a discernable personality is what makes her so special, her different characters presenting young girls everywhere with possibilities of who they can be, which is whoever they want to be!
Sure the thin, white-skinned, blonde-haired doll lacked a certain diversity that could be seen as a problem initially. However, Barbie has transformed over the years showcasing more diversity and inclusivity. Today, Barbie comes in different forms, from dark-skinned dolls with dreadlocks to curvy dolls with evident belly pooches, and even physically challenged dolls with wheelchairs and hearing aids, not to mention a Ken doll with Vitiligo, Barbie has certainly come a long way in her journey of representation.
Barbie Promotions
While the Barbiecore fashion trend was on the down low until now, it has managed to grab the spotlight, and just in time for Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie. The trailer alone was enough to compel both women and men to bring out their best Barbie-inspired looks. Especially since Margot Robbie has been giving us some stunning real-life Barbie looks during the film’s promotions. Here are some of our favourite looks.
One of the most iconic looks from Barbie’s promotions was this striped minidress by Hervé Léger. The dress even made its way into the teaser of the trailer. Margot picked this look for the Sydney promotions and even paired it with the white-rimmed cat eye sunglasses and peep-toe heels from Manolo Blahnik. The actress accentuated the look with Barbie’s iconic high ponytail, the whole look being a reference to the original Barbie doll from 1959.
The Sydney promotions commenced with a Celebration Party which saw Margot grace the red carpet in a shiny metallic minidress by Versace. The look was a complete modern rendition of Barbie with minimal jewellery and no over-the-top accessories.
For Beverley Hills, Margot decided to go for a slightly modern ensemble with a chic cutout dress from Valentino paired with a yellow quilted bag from Manolo Blahnik inspired by the 2012 “Pink and Fabulous” Barbie.
Another chic, modern look from Barbie’s Las Vegas promotions, Margot referenced her on-screen character with this adorable bralette and wrap-around skirt set by Prada. Bright pink Louboutin mules and a glitzy anklet completed the look.
This stunning quilted look comes from Moschino’s famed Spring 2015 collection chosen for promotion in Seol. This look featured a matching pink skirt, cropped top and jacket paired with an adorable hair bow and a heart-shaped pink purse all embellished with rhinestones. This look was inspired by The Sparkling Pink Barbie.
During media promotions in Korea, Margot was seen dressed in a pink and white skirt suit set with colour block heels, a boater hat and matching accessories. This particular look represented the ‘Day’ out of the Day to Night dual look from the 1985 version of the doll.
Taking a break from pink, Margot opted for a stunning black sparkle dress with a tulle detail by Italian designer Schiaparelli. She paired the look with long black gloves, black mules, and a statement choker. The look was inspired by the vintage “Solo in the Spotlight” Barbie with details copied down to the T.
How to slay the Barbiecore trend
The Barbiecore trend is strong as ever, and fans anticipating the movie’s release on July 21 are eagerly readying their best Barbie looks. If you’re one of them, struggling to put a look together, here’s how you can slay the Barbie trend.
Pink and lots of pink is the thumb rule to slay the Barbiecore trend. It doesn’t matter what shade of pink you choose, bright, dull, soft, or dark. In fact, don’t be afraid to layer different shades of pink.
When it comes to the outfit itself, picking elements with heavy layers like frills, lace, tulle and embellishments really helps bring out the adorable Barbie aesthetic.
Accessories are key. Have you ever seen Barbie without her accessories? Earrings, rings, bracelets, necklaces, bags, sunglasses, hairbands and bandannas, the choices are endless. While pink is the ideal colour of choice, don’t shy away from a little mix and match.
Makeup is another important aspect of Barbie’s aesthetic. It need not be loud and gaudy; instead, opt for soft pink makeup with natural-looking layers. If you’re feeling a little extra, a set of fluttery false eyelashes hurt no one!
Check out these Barbie-themed collections from brands around the world.
Aldo X Barbie Collection
Aldo’s pop-up collections are always a hit and their latest Barbie-inspired collection is no less. A 19-piece collection, the Aldo x Barbie collection combines Aldo’s signature style with Barbie’s aesthetic delivering a chic lineup of footwear, bags and jewellery, the Aldo x Barbie collection has chic offerings of Y2K kitten heels and stilettos adorned with rhinestones, pink mini handbags with and playful details such as bejewelled B monogramming and dynamic Barbie logos.
Barbie x Fossil
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Joining the Barbiecore trend, Fossil also unveiled a Barbie-themed collection. For the collection, the brand reinvented some of its iconic pieces in the Barbie aesthetic. For example, the Carlie timepiece which is a customizable watch with an interchangeable strap and chevron top ring; or the Raquel watch designed with a custom-cut crystal flower charm, a bright pink pointed-toe heel, a roller skate and a classic pink car. Apart from timepieces, the collection also features accessories like the Liza camera bag, Penrose wallet crossbody, the Watch Ring with a five-petal flower design inspired by Barbie’s floral logo, the Barbie locket necklace and the earring stud set, etc.
Barbie Edits
Balmain
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Jimmy Choo
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Michael Kors
