Here’s to Barbiecore and to no longer being “not like other girls”
Barbiecore has entered the fashion zeitgeist as the hottest fashion trend of the summer, courtesy of director Greta Gerwig, whose highly-anticipated, upcoming Barbie movie has everyone excited to see Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling grace the screen in hot pink neon. Barbiecore is a fashion movement filled with a flood of hot pink and magenta colors, usually being worn on dresses, skirts, and platform heels, allowing girls to embrace unapologetic girliness and femininity, like Barbie herself. It is the latest in a long line of fashion trends sweeping the world of fashion, but its relevance goes beyond good looking clothes.
Barbiecore offers a rebuttal of the “not like other girls phenomenon,” a form of denouncing femininity, in which girls proudly declare themselves as being “not like other girls,” in order to gain more respect for themselves and to make themselves seem more desirable to boys. The term “not like other girls,” hints at a low-maintenance girl who isn’t afraid to eat lots of food, isn’t shrill, and doesn’t care about her appearance, but does so by putting down the type of girl who does care about all of those things. Pushback against the “not like other girls” trope has been long standing, with its sexist connotations being emphasized.
Barbiecore is a celebration of femininity by letting girls know that it is okay to be like other girls, wearing pink and caring about your appearance. The implicit joy of these bright colors is a welcome change from other fashion movements. It’s warm and cheerful, implying and prioritizing the happiness of the wearer.
Encouragingly, Barbiecore has caught on in a big way, with celebrities stepping out in full pink. Female celebrities who have exuded this girl power aesthetic include:
Zendaya, Lana Condor, Sydney Sweeney, Hwasa, Anne Hathway, Ariana DeBose, Ashley Park, Anya Taylor-Joy, Kylie Jenner, Lizzo, Hailey Bieber, Florence Pugh, and Kim Kardashian.
The verdict is in: Barbiecore has been the answer to our “not like other girls” prayers. Now, if you say that you’re like other girls, the response should be: come on Barbie, let's go party.
How to get the Barbiecore look:
There are a few hallmarks for the Barbiecore look. Barbiecore is all about the cohesion and the soft lines of the silhouette. Outfits are typically form fitting and polished, giving an elevated look to casual clothes worn on a daily basis. Think Cher from Clueless.
Barbiecore can be either minimalist or maximalist. Like the original mattel doll, you can come with whatever accessories you'd like.
Articles of clothing to buy:
- Platform heels
- Plastic skirts
- Heavily-patterned Y2K vintage
- Fuzzy slippers
- Heart shaped glasses
- Hairbands
Colors to look out for: (hint: there’s so much pink)
- Bubblegum pink
- Hot pink
- Magenta
- Neon/highlighter colors
Reminder: the louder the hue, the better.
Makeup:
With this also comes an unapologetic attitude towards makeup
- Lip gloss
- Pink eyeshadow
- A touch of glitter
- Pink nails (either pale pink or a darker shade)
Once you get the Barbiecore look down, you’ll be a Barbie girl in a Barbie world.