One of her favourite shades is hot right now, and the brighter the better. Style director Louise Hilsz reports. Read on to learn more.
It's time to think pink! Remember when the "Grandmillennial" trend took the fashion world by storm? Well, there's a new sartorial sensation stirring up the style scene, inspired by none other than Barbie. Minus the plastic, this trend — coined "Barbiecore" — is fantastic! The pink aesthetic has become a fashion staple in the past year, but donning it in the hottest hue is the latest craze. Aligning with the highly-anticipated Barbie film slated to premiere in 2023, pink has been top of mind for many since photos of Margot Robbie in the role of the iconic Mattel doll were captured on set in June. But the Greta Gerwig-helmed film isn't the only reason we living in a real-life Barbie world. The fad phenomenon has been a trend on the rise since the 2022 Valentino Fall runway show debuted in March. After the fashion house's creative director, Pierpaolo Piccioli, Dubbed Valentino Pink PP, stars have graced everything from red carpets to festival stages in the popular pigment. From when the trend took off to what the wardrobe entails, here's everything to know about the Barbiecore craze.
Images: 2022 Valentino Fall runway show and Margot Robbie in the role of the iconic Mattel doll
There's simply one colour that encapsulates the essence of Barbicore, which is — you guessed it — pink! With Barbie Core, the hotter the hue, the better. "A much-welcomed mood-booster after the last few years, 'Barbiecore' is all about embracing vibrant hues — particularly the doll's signature hot pink — in everyday life," Etsy trend expert Dayna Isom Johnson said in a statement to Good Morning America. She added, "And with many nostalgic for simpler, sunnier, and more carefree times, it only makes sense that this '80s-inspired, unapologetically pink aesthetic is taking centre stage as the 'it' style of the summer."
Barbie's Evolution from 1959 to 2022
Silhouettes range from latex mini dresses to dainty fit-and-flares, while details include everything from feathers to the Barbie staple: sparkles. Shoes vary just like the toy's endless options between ultra-high pumps and jelly block heels. Furthermore, holographic and fluorescent accessories and plastic hair clips make fabulous additions. Though hot pink is preferred, other shades such as bubblegum and fuchsia embody the Barbiecore vibe. The colour is only one part of the trend, as the second part is channelling the proper decade, which spans the 1980s to the early 2000s.
The classic Barbie doll has evolved tremendously since it was first created in 1959 and has become more and more inclusive through the decades. While the first black Barbie doll, Christie, was introduced in 1969, Mattel gave Barbie a 21st-century makeover as part of its 2016 #TheDollEvolves campaign. Now, she comes in curvy, petite, and tall frames and in various skin tones and hairstyles. Same with her male counterpart, Ken, who has also been diversified since first hitting the shelves.
As of 2020, the Barbie Fashionistas line features 176 male and female dolls with nine different body types, 35 skin tones, and 94 hairstyles. In 2022, the toy company expanded its diverse Fashionistas line and added a doll with behind-the-ear hearing aids, a doll with a prosthetic leg, and a Ken doll with vitiligo. On par with Mattel's mission, Barbiecore breaks down stereotypes and is a statement on feminism, Los Angeles-based fashion blogger Chazlyn Yvonne Stunson told Insider. "I think we have changed the way we think about the stereotypical Barbie girl with blonde hair and the perfect body. Nowadays, we are seeing all kinds of individuals, such as myself, partake in the aesthetic," the blogger added.
Source Grazia magazine
Get the Barbiecore look in your wardrobe
Maaike Mist dress, $395. Maggie Marilyn Power To You Blazer, $1495. Mi Piaci Rico Platform Sandal, $300. Aje. Amaya Beaded Logo Tee, $225.
Get the Barbiecore look in your beauty
MAC Matte Lipstick in Candy Yum Yum, $38. GHD Helios Hair Dryer in Orchid Pink, $360. ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS Norvina Pro Pigment Palette Vol. 6 for Face and Body, $128. OPI Tokyo, All Your Dreams in Vending Machines, $20.
Get the Barbiecore look in your home
Resene Smitten paint is available from Resene ColorShops. Kartell Madame Pucci chair, $2230. Resene Wall Covering Collection FJ40511 is available from Resene Colour Shops. Versace Home Virtus Faux Fur Cushion - Pink, $589.