The only 5 things you need to nail the Barbiecore trend

There has never been a better time to "think pink"

Updated on 27 Jul 2022, 16:30 BST

Natalie SalmonFashion Digital Editor

Among the star-studded guests at almost every red carpet this year, there seems to be but one unspoken rule: Barbie mania. While you may have heard of 'Cottagecore' already, 'Barbiecore' is probably new to your vocabulary. (Add a core to the end of the word and voila it’s a trend.) But Barbiecore has actually been not so quietly creeping into popculture for the last couple of months.

Shades of red dominated the Oscars looks back in March but just a week later on at the Grammys in Las Vegas, it was all about hot pink. Earlier this month Anne Hathaway sent the fashion world into a spin as she stepped out to attend the Valentino Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 22/23 show. The actress looked phenomenal in head-to-toe pink. Anne's sequined ensemble sparked fashion mania online – causing fans to gush over her incredible outfit. "This is the kind of Barbie content I crave," one Instagram user said. Featuring long sleeves, a playful mini silhouette, a high neckline, bustier ruffled and all-over Barbie pink sequin material, the dress is one of Anne's most hypnotic looks to date.

Anne Hathaway is a fan of the 'Barbiecore' trend

Pierpaolo Piccioli's AW22 'Pink PP' show for Valentino's could be to blame, but ever since we first saw those leaked images of Margot Robbie dressed as Barbie... could it be that we all secretly want to be Barbie girls?

How did the Barbiecore trend start?

Creative Director Pierpaolo Piccioli's Autumn/Winter 2022 show for Valentino is probably the most obvious place to start. Back in March he showed which was almost exclusively pink. An unabashedly pink shade which was created by Pantone for the show, officially titled ‘Valentino Pink PP’. The pink shade in question was oh-so Barbie, and it was seen on almost everything in the show, from clothing to makeup and hoisery. “I wanted to use one colour to highlight fashion as cut, design, silhouette, shapes, volumes, textures,” explained Pierpaolo Piccioli of the collection.

Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling star as Barbie and Ken in the live-action flick

Plus few films have been as hotly anticipated as Margot Robbie's upcoming Barbie flick. The film is based on the eponymous and world-famous doll by Mattel, is the first ever Barbie live-action movie. So far we have been fascinated by the sneak pictures we’ve seen emerging from set, and those already iconic costumes, which are being designed by the Oscar-award winning Jacqueline Durran. Durran has worked on films such as Pride & Prejudice, Little Women, Atonement, Anna Karenina and Beauty and the Beast. Heard of those ones? Yeah we thought so. The costume designer has a whopping 8 Oscar nominations and 2 Oscar wins. It seems as though she will be working very closely with Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig on designing the looks for Barbie. So far Durran’s Barbie costumes seem to take their style queues from late 80’s early 90’s Barbie looks. An iconic era for Mattel’s iconic doll. Margot Robbie was spotted in neon lycra alongside a matching Ken played by Ryan Gosling in this now-viral look.

More than a fashion movement, Barbiecore is also a philosophy. According to Business Insider, "Barbiecore is a Gen Z and Millennial response to the quarantining and social distancing from the pandemic, a sexual coming-out moment of sorts, version 2.0 of hot-girl summer. The look, which LGBTQ icons like Lil Nas X and Laverne Cox have embraced, is a feminist statement. It flips the script on stereotypes — specifically that if you wear pink, you're not smart — and expands the notion of femininity to include people beyond blonde, white, heterosexual, cisgender women, industry experts and enthusiasts said. "

We round up the 5 things you need to get the Barbiecore look: