While Y2K trends have been very much in style, Barbiecore takes the kitschy aesthetic one step further. This is in reference not just to the bubblegum-pink red carpet looks we’ve seen from the likes of Maison Valentino and Miu Miu but also, more specifically, the colourful, textural combinations that are built upon the conventional traits and characteristics of Mattel’s quintessential American fashion doll. Barbie — brought to life in 1959 by Ruth Handler in a strapless, black-and-white-striped bathing suit, tiny gold hoops, and black heels — is today most synonymous with a look more akin to Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods in “Legally Blonde.”
This summer, all-pink-everything Barbiecore Barbie fashion encourages us to embrace that same sense of fearlessness and tap into the overaccessorised, monochromatic style, with Cardi B, Lizzo, Kim Kardashian, and Dua Lipa taking the reins.
Lizzo in a head-to-toe Valentino pink skater dress. Photo: Getty Images
From Cardi’s head-to-toe Chanel outfit and Lizzo’s Valentino skater dress and opera gloves to Kardashian and Lipa decked out in Balenciaga, Barbie fashion inspiration is readily available from celebrity Instagrams. While piling on lots of pink is key, bold statement accessories such as towering platform heels, retro-shaped glasses, and gloves are not to be overlooked.
We can, in part, attribute the excitement building around this aesthetic to Greta Gerwig’s highly anticipated “Barbie” movie, starring Margot Robbie and a platinum-blond Ryan Gosling. And while the movie is not set to be released until July 21, 2023, Barbiecore Barbie fashion is already in full swing, and the film stills do it justice.
Ahead, we’ve compiled some of our favourite celebrity Barbiecore Barbie fashion takes to date.
Backgrid / EVGA, GUMU
Cardi B Wearing Barbiecore in West Hollywood
Cardi B looked Barbie-esque in West Hollywood on February 13. She wore a Chanel two-piece set, consisting of a pink tweed bouclé crop top and high-waisted skirt, complete with white lace-up open-toe heels, a fuzzy white Chanel bag, and chunky silver jewellery, including her large silver Playboy-bunny statement necklace.
Getty / Anna Webber
Lizzo Wearing Barbiecore at Her LA Screening
Lizzo looked vibrant at her “Lizzo’s Watch Out For the Big Grrrls” premiere in a hot-pink ensemble from Valentino’s fall/winter 2022 pink collection. She wore a pleated skater minidress with matching bright-pink opera gloves, pink tights, and platform pumps, giving huge Barbie fashion vibes.
Getty / Samir Hussein
Dua Lipa Wearing Barbiecore For Her "Future Nostalgia" Tour
Olivia Rodrigo Wearing Barbiecore at Her LA Premiere
Rodrigo put her own edgy rock-star twist on the Barbiecore aesthetic at her “Driving Home 2 U (A Sour Film)” premiere in LA. She wore a Fancì Club two-piece set consisting of a black corset top adorned with pale-pink bows and a matching miniskirt. She finished the ensemble with coordinating opera gloves, black GCDS platform heels, and Wolford knee-high stockings.
Getty / Axelle/Bauer-Griffin
Sydney Sweeney Wearing Barbiecore at the MTV Awards
Sweeney channeled her inner Barbie in this all-pink Miu Miu ensemble on the MTV Movie & TV Awards red carpet on June 5. She wore a low-rise crystal-encrusted miniskirt with a thigh slit closed by two leather belt buckles, a pale-pink georgette shirt with embroidery, and platform metallic heels.
Getty / Dimitrios Kambouris
Penélope Cruz Wearing Barbiecore at a Chanel Dinner
Cruz looked beautiful in a simple yet elegant pink Chanel maxi dress by Virginie Viard at a Tribeca Festival Artists dinner hosted by Chanel in New York City on June 13. The floor-length design came etched with a subtle grid pattern and thick straps with buttons at the base. Cruz paired it with a matching hot-pink quilted clutch.
Getty / Jeff Kravitz
Sabrina Carpenter Wearing Barbiecore at the Kid's Choice Awards
Carpenter appealed to Barbiecore in many different ways when she stepped out in this David Koma dress at Nickelodeon’s Kid’s Choice Awards on April 9 in Santa Monica. From the baby-pink bodice of the number to the bedazzled detailing along the sides and across the chest, her outfit, topped off with Brian Atwood platforms, was both trendy and sweet.
Getty / NBC
Millie Bobby Brown Wearing Barbiecore on "The Tonight Show"
Though her Raisa Vanessa outfit might have been purple, Brown looked identical to the timeless Barbie doll herself with her long blond hair, pin-up style, off-the-shoulder feathered top, metallic latex pants, and platforms while being interviewed by Jimmy Fallon on May 13 in NYC.
Backgrid / PORJ, EVGA
Roz Wearing Barbiecore at a Hollywood Launch Party
Model Roz channeled her inner Barbie in a pink knit midi dress and matching opera gloves at the Hervé Léger x Law Roach collection launch party in Hollywood on June 15. She teamed the dress with a pink Valentino Rockstud bag and hot-pink pumps.
