Barbiecore
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Etymology: From Barbie + -core.
Senses: examples: text: Ever since the first film stills of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie (set for release summer 2023) were revealed in June, featuring a neon pink lycra-clad Margot Robbie flirting with her Ken (Ryan Gosling), a new super-saccharine summer aesthetic has entered the fray: Meet Barbiecore.
ref: 2022 July 18, Chloe Street, “Think pink! Everybody get ready for Barbiecore”, in Evening Standard, page 9:
text: While she’s testing, Pink Sauce is trending on Twitter, mostly with people posting memes about how they or anyone else will surely perish if they eat the forbidden Barbiecore condiment.
ref: 2022 July 21, Samantha Cole, “Let Me Eat the TikTok 'Pink Sauce'”, in Vice:
text: A new tasty trend: pink liquorice hair / If you like the zing of pink but are bored with Barbiecore, then this barnet shade is for you: it takes the light and airy tones of roses and bubblegum and musses them up with something darker.
ref: 2022 August 21, “The Barometer”, in Priya Elan, editor, Style (The Sunday Times), page 4:
text: You probably don’t need to know about the clean-girl esthetic, or fashion trends like kidcore, pearlcore, Barbiecore or Dark Academia. Actually, Dark Academia’s pretty cool. But you definitely don’t need to know about vabbing. Seriously, don’t ask.
ref: 2022 October 11, Saleema Nawaz, “TikTok craze for heatless curls has changed my life”, in Montreal Gazette, page A4:
text: Vibrant pinks have already been enjoying a moment, as spotted in the Barbiecore home design trend and the myriad shades of magenta that have recently sashayed down runways.
ref: 2022 December 5, Rachel Kurzius, “The Pantone 2023 color of the year is bold and very ’90s”, in The Boston Globe, volume 302, number 158, page B6:
text: By now you’ve likely spotted the Barbiecore trend on celebs and runways. If you’re ready to dip your toe into the trend, this sequin mini dress is a slam dunk. If pink is a little too femme for your taste, this sequin number is available in a sophisticated copper shade as well.
ref: 2022 December 18, Laura White, “The Sparkliest, Spangliest Holiday Frocks At Target”, in HuffPost:
text: It is not exactly Barbiecore, but the Australian star of the upcoming film Barbie was still a vision – albeit a rather stiff one – in baby-pink Chanel haute couture, which reportedly included 30,000 elements of embroidery and took 750 hours to create.
ref: 2023 January 12, Amanda Chai, “Fashion Stars”, in The Straits Times:
text: This look also ties in well with the current Barbiecore trend.
ref: 2023 January 14, “French connection: Inspired by Emily in Paris? There are plenty of ways to get the French look with your hair…”, in Irish Daily Star:
text: Kate's choice to don her pink suit again now, at the height of the Barbiecore trend, shows the royal really does have her finger on the pulse. That, paired with her statement belt and the fact pearls are having a real fashion moment (courtesy of the Met Gala) is three big ticks from us.
ref: 2023 May 26, Natasha Harding, Alexandria Dale, “Kate Middleton just re-wore her Alexander McQueen baby pink trouser suit”, in Women's Health:
text: Related subtrends such as balletcore, Barbiecore and regency-core have drawn criticism for hypersexualising innocence and encouraging women to dress for the male gaze.
ref: 2024 March 21, Emma Russell, “Fit to be tied: why are bows absolutely everywhere in 2024?”, in The Guardian:
text: Meanwhile, BarbieCore taps into a playful, nostalgic love for all things pink and plastic, blending fashion with a sense of empowerment and self-expression.
ref: 2024 September 27, Nicole Chan, “Digital subcultures: Why Gen Z finds meaning in the margins”, in The Straits Times, Singapore:
qualifier: aesthetic
glosses: A style of fashion inspired by the fashion doll Barbie, characterized by hot pink colors and glamorous styling.