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The reviews are in, and, shocker, Barbie totally rules. The Greta Gerwig (of Little Women and Lady Bird acclaim) film released July 21 to certified fresh reviews and a frenzy of internet activity centered around deeply human themes of feminism, empowerment and Ryan Gosling’s innate Kenergy.
The “Barbie” Movie Is Better Than It Has Any Business Being
The Greta Gerwig film blends feel-good camp with moving real-world anxietiesBut more than an hour-fifty-four movie-musical-fanjerk about horse-loving Mattel toys and the patriarchy, Barbie has induced a cultural phenomenon from the moment the trailer dropped, thanks in large part to a design palette one can only describe as Pepto Bismol-chic.
These iconic aesthetics of Barbie & Co. have spawned innumerable collabs (Barbie baby cooler! Barbie AirBnb! Barbie Burger King!), caused a global shortage in pink paint, and of course, sent interest for pink skyrocketing into the stratosphere. Pantone christened Viva Magenta as 2023’s color of the year. Lyst’s annual “Year In Fashion” report cited a 400% rise in demand for apparel in shades ranging from Fuschia to Flamingo. The bona fide crazy surrounding the film is all more than enough to unequivocally suspend Barbiecore as the trend of the year.
What Is “Barbiecore”?
For those less astute readers with no connection to internet culture, you may have yet to fully grasp Barbiecore’s breadth. Put simply, the latest “core” — one that’s racked up a cool half-billion searches on TikTok — is one that embraces anything (and we mean anything) pink as a direct homage to the world’s most famous toy.
A tight little Gosling number back in early May? Barbiecore. A star-studded red carpet premiere featuring every hue of pink (and Micheal Cera) imaginable? Most certainly Barbiecore. We think you see where we’re going here…those salmon pair of Brooks Brothers chinos you wear into the office on Thursdays? Like it or not, you are an active and eager participant in Barbiecore.
Given the near-zero chance at escape from a Barbenheimer-centric zeitgeist for the next six months, we can only advise that you lean into the Barbiecore skid and learn to channel whatever Kenergy you might possess via some serious pink apparel. The options we’ve rounded up for you are expansive — beachy cabana polos from Dandy del Mar and Sunspel, rugged dip-dyed chinos, even the odd rose J.Crew two-piece for that Barbie-themed wedding — and surprisingly solid, so go wild and play a little dress up. Below, the best Barbiecore menswear for a very Barbie summer.
The Best Barbiecore Menswear to Buy Right Now:
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