How To Keep Your Barbiecore On

Based on the popular childhood doll, the live-action movie Barbie made its international premiere in July 2023. There was a lot of buzz and media coverage about the franchise and the Barbiecore. In fact, the movie stars well-known actors like Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken. The soundtrack also features songs by various well-known singers, including Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice, Dua Lipa, and many others.

There have been Barbie dolls for over 60 years; many of you may have had one as a kid. She is well-known for her unique sense of style, variety of locations and jobs, and encouragement of young girls to follow their dreams and realise their potential. The Barbie movie brings the world of Barbie to life. So, it’s filled with everything you’d expect: style, beauty, and lots of pink!

Diversity and Inclusion

Negative reviews and controversy are inevitable with any movie or franchise. Barbie has long drawn criticism for its lack of diversity in terms of skin colour, body type, and disability. Barbie has consistently been a white, blonde doll with a slim body type. For this reason, many kids believe this to be the ideal. Numerous children who do not fit this stereotype struggle to find dolls that resemble them. So they may feel like they have nothing to strive for.

Barbie has recently introduced other characters to the collection to demonstrate a more diverse selection of dolls. Despite the fact that it still poses a problem because it serves as the brand’s ‘face’. In more recent years, Barbie has produced a doll with Down syndrome to demonstrate to those with the condition that they can still accomplish the same things as the original Barbie doll. 

However, the movie itself has a diverse cast with people of many races and skin tones. Some of them also go by the names Ken and Barbie, demonstrating that Barbie is not just one particular type of appearance.

What is Barbiecore?

Because of the social media buzz around the much-anticipated film, there have been several memes and trends surrounding Barbie. An emerging trend that has been around for quite some time and became bigger after July is Barbiecore. This trend is essentially Barbie’s everyday wardrobe in real-life outfits. We know that Margot Robbie sported some fabulous outfits in the movie.

Barbiecore is Hot Pink

In the film, Margot Robbie rocks a hot pink vest and bell-bottom trousers with sparkly stars on the bottom. Her pink necktie completes the appearance and evokes a western cowgirl dressed in the manner of Barbie from the 1970s.

Barbiecore is 80s Neon Prints

Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling wore matching neon-printed rollerblading suits, reminiscent of the Barbie rollerblading set that used to be available on the dolls. Margot is wearing a leotard with bright yellow shoulder and elbow guards. If you want to truly embrace the trend, get a companion to match you. Ryan’s outfit comprises a pink vest, shorts, and a gilet. He is wearing the identical sweatbands, rollerblades, and bum bag in fluorescent yellow. The look is reminiscent of 80s fitness chic and encourages Barbiecore followers to wear vibrant, vivid clothing.

Sparkle and Glitter

Barbiecore is not limited to pink clothing, as Margot Robbie’s disco dress reveals. The gold jumpsuit has silver embroidered sequins sewn all over it that sparkle on the dance floor amongst the flashing lights. Loud and intriguing textures complement Barbiecore’s bold colours.

Matching Co-ords

Ken frequently dons coordinated outfits that match. His denim vest and shorts outfit is frequently viewed on social media. His torso is visible due to the open vest, and his Calvin Klein boxers are just above the shorts’ waistline. He is also spotted sporting a shirt and short set with pink and green stripes during the movie, which is perfect beachwear.

Pastels

In the movie, Margot Robbie can also be seen donning numerous pastel hues and two-tone designs. She first appears in a midi-length baby pink and white gingham pleated dress, which is eventually shortened into a beach dress. Also noteworthy is that she accessorises her outfit extensively with matching items like jewellery, headwear, and hair accessories.

The cast dressed in Barbiecore attire for the press tour in the weeks before the film’s debut, which was very much in keeping with the overall theme of the film. While Ryan, who wore pink undertones, was seen on the cover of GQ, Margot is also seen wearing various styles and Barbie occupations in Vogue magazine.

The Barbie movie has already broken a number of records, making history’s first female-directed movie to earn $1 billion at the box office and setting a record for the first soundtrack to feature three simultaneous top-5 hits. Barbie debuted on Rotten Tomatoes with a stellar 91% rating. It is safe to say that Barbie has been a huge success with audiences. For those who haven’t seen it yet, you can now rent or buy Barbie from Amazon UK and US to stream from home. Share your comments about the movie with us on our social media channels!

Nazifa is a fashion and style contributor for SSEDITORIAL Magazine, although she occasionally contributes to sseditorial runway and education. She regularly talks about all facets of the fashion industry, including sustainability, social issues, style, and fashion. She also enjoys going to art galleries and exhibitions when she has free time.