The idea is to show off and have fun.
With Margot Robbie making waves any time images from the set of Barbie are released, it’s no wonder why ‘Barbiecore’ is now suddenly trending.
Here’s a closer look at the trend, and how it is already impacting the fashion sphere.
While you might have thought that gendered fashion was a thing of the past, that wasn’t counting on the power of influence of this pop culture icon.
With the Barbie film currently filming in California, the world’s most famous doll is imposing her signature style on the catwalks, red carpets, and even our wardrobes.
Women have decided to move on from the comfort of loungewear to embrace more extravagant clothing styles, bright colours and mismatched patterns.
For some, the aesthetic is unsettling, especially at a time when designers and brands seemed to be moving toward less gendered fashion.
Nevertheless, the fact remains that all things pink, ultra-short, ultra-tight and ultra-kitsch appear to be on a mission to conquer our wardrobes, as part of a trend called ‘Barbiecore’.
Trends come thick and fast in fashion, and social networks have introduced a whole series of micro-trends for everyone to adapt or abandon.
That at least means that there’s something for everyone, but it also means that fashion feels a little bit all over the place.
The goth look, ‘cottagecore’, hiker style, the ‘weird girl’ aesthetic, the minimalism of the ‘coastal grandmother’ and sporty fashion were among the main trends of the season.
In other words, everything and anything goes.
But ‘Barbiecore’ seems to be the antithesis of all these trends, focusing on a stereotypical wardrobe in the extreme, channelling fun and ramped-up femininity.
Mention of the ‘Barbiecore’ aesthetic stirs up memories of Aqua’s song which was an ode to the dream life of the iconic doll.
In the video, we see the singer dressed in skirts and crop-tops, tight dresses, and other relics of the nineties, sporting perfectly styled hair.
This aesthetic above all translates into an explosion of pink, a colour already adopted by a host of stars.
Celebrities from across the world have jumped on the trend including Janhvi and Khushi Kapoor, Megan Fox, Anne Hathaway, Katrina Kaif and Sunny Leone.
The shocking-hot pink is a snub to millennial pink, the previously in-vogue, soft hue that was supposed to define a generation.
By rejecting the colour, Gen Z is also saying ‘no’ to the muted version of femininity that society has often ascribed to women, opting for a bolder version.
‘Barbiecore’ really only requires one essential ingredient – pink.
But the trend isn’t picky about which shade of pink you need to opt for. From the hottest of pinks to shades of bubblegum, any variety of the shade goes.
If you’re a maximalist, you can dress in it from head to toe and call it a day, but you can also work it into your existing wardrobe with a fun accessory or a girly, pink bag.
Like any fashion aesthetic, you can work with it to make it completely your own.
After two particularly gloomy years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the idea is to show off and have fun, summer being the ideal season to do both.
‘Barbiecore’ has the potential to get even bigger with the eponymous film, which industry experts anticipate to debut in July 2023.
The fact that it’s directed by Greta Gerwig, as well as the fact that it’s expected to feature a diverse cast could make the film, and thus the fashion trend, popular with more young consumers.
But even if this Barbie fad doesn’t last, Autumn could still be tinged with her favourite shade – pink.
The Fall-Winter 2022 shows proved a real ode to the vibrant colour, starting with Valentino, which splashed the shade on dozens of looks, both in women’s and men’s styles.
But the fashion house isn’t alone in bringing pink to its collections.
Michael Kors, Versace, Act No. 1 and Dolce & Gabbana are among the brands that hope to keep rose-tinted fashion on the agenda for a few more months.
One thing is for certain – ‘Barbiecore’ is a much-needed breath of fresh air.