Barbiecore Fashion Trend, According to Fashion Experts

Beaming from the front seat of her hot pink convertible, dressed in a blue and white striped halter with a matching bracelet and headband, Margot Robbie looks just like Barbie in the flesh. In this case, that's a good thing, especially since the actress plays the iconic character in the live-action movie. Robbie's stellar acting abilities undoubtedly contribute to her as Barbie's doppelganger—but her wardrobe seals the deal. With its colorful palette that exudes confidence and fun, Barbie's dream closet has inspired a Barbiecore fashion trend that we just can't seem to shake.

Although Barbie was first introduced to the world wearing a black and white swimsuit, matching sunnies, gold hoops, and black pumps, it wouldn't take long for her to shed that swimwear for the looks donned across the franchise. Over 200 outfits have represented the fictitious persona's many impressive career paths, including doctors and nurses, astronauts, Air Force pilots, and President of the United States of America.

We spoke to designers and stylists to learn about the history of the Barbiecore fashion trend and how they recommend pulling it off today.

The Origins of Barbie

Barbara Millicent Roberts made her debut on the American toy market in 1959, but "Barbie" was never meant to be just a pretty plaything. Created by the co-founder of Mattel, Ruth Handler, the true intention was to give young girls a doll that doubled as a role model.

As Barbie added to her resumé and her look evolved (Mattel now has a much more inclusive offering in terms of body type and skin tones), part of the draw was the doll's bold fashion sense. In many cases, Barbie served as a child's first experience with "grown-up" style and was the inspiration they needed to experiment with clothes outside their world of play pretend. For many designers, Barbie was a muse.

This was the case for Mary Furtas, the founder and creative director of slow fashion brand Cultnaked. Furtas tells InStyle that hand-sewing Barbie clothing is what allowed her first to explore her creativity as a fashion designer. "I experimented with my first-ever designs on her," says Furtas. "I think a lot of designers first grew interested in the field by doing that."

For Shea Daspin, a fashion stylist and the creative director of vintage and one-off clothing brand Laser Kitten, Barbie was an inspirational role model. "It's easy to associate her with material objects and the color pink, but I think she represents a lot more," Daspin tells InStyle. "She represents ambition and female agency, and that can manifest in how someone dresses, or who they decide they want to become."

Barbiecore Throughout the Years

Early 2000s

It's safe to say Barbiecore as a fashion movement has been building even before we caught sight of Robbie in the titular role. For instance, Tyra Banks took on the doll's tailored aesthetic as Eve in the 2000 Disney film Life-Size, and Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde circa 2001 was essentially a Barbie girl in a lawyer's world.

The 2010s

We also saw many glimpses of the trend sprinkled throughout the 2010s: Nicki Minaj often sported some serious Barbie-inspired looks after her own Barbie doll hit the market in 2011. In 2015, footwear designer Sophia Webster collaborated with Barbie on a collection of limited-edition shoes the same year. We also can't forget Gigi Hadid's shiny, millennial pink, Kreist pantsuit from 2017, which she wore with matching, pink velvet Aquazzura platforms. The look is still one of our favorites in fashion history.

Kacey Musgraves also had an iconic Barbie outfit at the 2019 Met Gala: A floor-length, hot pink motorcycle dress designed by Moschino (a very Barbiecore brand!), complete with a matching hairdryer clutch, cat-eye sunglasses, chandelier teardrop diamond earrings, and shiny silver pumps from Aldo. The look was almost an exact replica of the Barbie x Moschino doll.

Women aren't the only ones honing in on the Barbiecore craze. Pete Davidson had his own Ken doll moment in 2019 when the SNL comedian graced the cover of Paper Magazine looking very much made of plastic—and it was fantastic. Even Jay-Z hopped on the trend when he and Queen Bey dressed up as Barbie and Ken for Halloween 2016.

Barbiecore Today

Like the beloved doll, what constitutes Barbiecore is ever-evolving. "Barbie is inspired by pop culture and fashion," says Kim Culmone, the SVP and Global Head of Design for Dolls at Mattel, which includes Barbie, American Girl, and Dolls. "And like many of us, her style evolves to be reflective of today's trends and culture." Today, it's Barbie's authentic playfulness and bright, bold color palette that people are trying to inject into their daily routines.

So, how can Barbiecore translate into your wardrobe? Well, pink does remain Barbie's go-to shade. "Pink has always been Barbie's favorite color—she even has her own signature 'Barbie Pink' Pantone shade, PMS 219," says Culmone. "For Barbie, pink represents limitless potential and is a symbol of female empowerment, which is such a perfect fit with the brand's purpose."

In a time when power dressing reigns supreme, Barbiecore encompasses all things empowered, bold, and bright, so if pink isn't your color of choice, you can stick to hues that are more "you," or experiment with other statement-making shades like orange and red.

As for specific pieces to add to your wardrobe, suits and matching sets are obvious staples, but fashion designer Betsey Johnson wants you to remember that Barbie has always been symbolic of a blank canvas, inviting people to envision their own style amidst the trends.

"Especially millennial women who grew up with Barbie—specific aesthetic lines are blurred more and more every day," Johnson tells InStyle. You can mix the vacation look with the workplace look, or mix genres, like pretty and punk. Her advice? Shop for pieces that are "simple, sleek, [that you] can mix and match for any occasion."

Ahead, we picked out a few great Barbiecore pieces to help you get started.

Shop Barbiecore Fashion

Artesano Siena Panama Straw Hat

Barbie is an accessory queen and perfectly styles her fave additions with her outfit. She'd take this hat, for instance, and wear it along with her Sunday best. Or she'd use it during a daytime date to her favorite museum.

A New Day Mini Twist Crossbody Bag

Again, there's no rule that says Barbiecore has to be exclusively pink. These pastels, and other bold colors, also fall squarely into the trend. This is a piece that's versatile and easy to style with a monochromatic yellow look or a coastal grandmother outfit for a pop of color.

Funboy x Barbie™ Dream Swim Georgia Top

In addition to pink and yellow, white and orange scream Barbie to me. Also throw in a '70s floral pattern and we get quintessential Barbie girl. You could wear this bathing suit top as it's intended, or you could wear it with a maxi skirt for a flirtatious look.

Zara Ribbed Midi Dress

This is a simple garment, and that's exactly why it's a Barbiecore staple. It's a great color, accentuates your shape, and makes a great traveling outfit. You can easily dress it up—by wearing heels and statement gold jewelry—or dress it down by pairing it with sneakers and a subtle necklace.

Valentino Garavani Tan-Go Platform Pump in Patent Leather

How else would Barbie strut from meeting to meeting if not in hot-pink Valentinos? These pumps may not be super versatile, but they're comfy and will add vibrancy to muted outfits. Plus, the patent leather makes them easy to maintain clean.

Maeve Bow-Tie Tank

We also love Barbie—and the designers who create her looks—for paying attention to the details. If Barbie is wearing a wardrobe staple like a white tank top, she's going to make sure it has bows at the shoulders. No basic basics here!

Bonbonwhims Baby Blue Rainbow Lucy Ring

Let's end this Barbiecore shopping roundup the way we kicked it off: with accessories! We found classic hats and purses, but jewelry is also critical to Barbie-inspired outfits. And, in our opinion, the more whimsical, the better. That's why we love this bubble-gum-meets-gems ring from Bonbon Whims.

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