If you’ve spent any amount of time online—or outside of your apartment—you’ve seen it: a single fluorescent shade of pink splashed across just about every billboard, store window, and fashionable passerby. Barbiecore, the trend sparked by Valentino's "Pink PP" show in Milan for the Fall/Winter 2022 season, has become an unlikely mainstay in fashion’s ever-changing ecosystem—and it’s not going away anytime soon. Between the upcoming Barbie movie’s seemingly-endless marketing budget, so-called Barbiecore is the little trend that could.
Working the color into your wardrobe can be tricky, especially in a time when quiet luxury—the brandless, neutral-toned aesthetic championed by another iconic character, Succession's Shiv Roy—is all the rage. If this isn’t proof of the internet’s tendency to make everything trend everywhere all at once, I don’t know what is. Either way, I am certifiably here for having a little more fun with my fashion, especially ahead of the Barbie movie’s release on July 21. Yes, I snagged day-off tickets.
I spoke to two celebrity stylists to get their take on precisely how to make the color work for you, no matter how neutral your current wardrobe is. The bottom line? Lean into the drama and energy. “I think that the fact that Barbie embraces the extra-ness that she possesses, it’s inspiring everyone to be their extra self, which I absolutely love,” says Zoe Gofman, a stylist who has worked with Adriana Lima. Keep scrolling to find out exactly how to make the color work for you.
How to Style Barbiecore for the Daytime
An easy way to make the hot pink hue work for you at the office or on your next errand run is to take a piece that you would normally wear in a neutral color—think: a T-shirt, a blazer, or a mini skirt—and turn it pink. Think: “A light pink short with a light pink blazer and light pink ballet flats," says Gofman.
How to Style Barbiecore for the Nighttime
Nighttime styling is where the Barbiecore aesthetic comes to life. Go all-out with a “pink mini dress with matching tights and platforms,” says Krista Roser, a stylist who has worked with country stars like Ashley Cooke. Accessories are also vital to nailing any pink nighttime-ready look. “Barbiecore is a part of the more-is-more world,” she says.
Hot Pink Clothes
A deep fuschia is only one of the many Barbiecore-inspired shades of pink trending this summer. Consider broadening your horizons with baby pink hues in frilly, ultra-femme silhouettes. Shop the perfect end-of-summer dresses, a few cute matching sets, and more below.
Hot Pink Shoes
If you've been following the top summer 2023 shoe trends, you'll know that statement-making shoes are in for this season. Whichever trend you lean into, pick a pair that comes in a hot pink hue.
Hot Pink Bags
Whether you opt for a cute new shoulder bag or a pink version of your favorite laptop backpack, one of these hot pink bags is begging to be added to your shopping cart.
Hot Pink Jewelry
Hot pink jewelry runs the gamut from in-your-face—chunky pieces are one of 2023's biggest jewelry trends, after all— to discreet. Jewelry is perhaps the easiest way to incorporate a trend into your daily life, so allow one of these pieces to refresh even the most simplistic outfits for the upcoming fall season.
Hot Pink Accessories
The Barbiecore trend is all about maxing out on playful pink accessories to achieve a totally pink-tinted lifestyle. Think pink hair ties, clips, and more.
Hot Pink Beauty
Barbie-inspired beauty is all about going all-out with your color. Try a pigmented hot pink cream blush, a fun pimple patch, or extra-cute nail polish.
Meet the Experts
Zoe ‘Zaz’ Gofman, is a New York and Los Angeles-based fashion stylist, wardrobe stylist, personal shopper and creative consultant. She is known for marrying her bold flair with her love for vintage pieces and the classic crispness of French fashion.
Growing up spending her summers in France, Zaz was continually immersed in and inspired by international fashion trends at a young age. She curated and refined her stylistic eye throughout young adulthood by sourcing and sewing textiles, working at local clothing stores, and being hired as a personal shopper in her hometown of New York City.
In addition, her passion for fashion, zaz possess a unique musical talent and went on to college at Tulane University, with the long-term goal of entering the music industry. Graduating from Tulane in 2020, Zaz began to think about ways to merge her creative interests as she sought to lay the foundation for her career path. However, that career path found her. Zaz’s intrepid style and unmatched confidence turned heads when she attended NYFW in September of 2021, catching the eye of big industry names and landing her a job as Shanina Shaik’s wardrobe stylist. since then, Zaz has taken on several additional clients including Adriana Lima, Meredith Duxbury, Elisha Herbert, Charlotte McKinney and more as well as styling for various brand campaigns and contributing her style expertise in articles for InStyle, Harper’s BAZAAR, People, etc. Whether she is styling someone for a night or dressing an entire brand campaign, Zoe is devoted to creating timeless looks that capture not only a moment, but also the people in that moment, and making them feel like they’re the only one in the room.
Country music stylist, Krista Roser, has a background in both womenswear and menswear which has enabled her to acquire a variety of clients in both the celebrity and editorial realms. Krista’s proverbial aesthetic of print, color and silhouette choices stay true to her clients’ style while highlighting their best features. She works with the likes of Florida Georgia Line, Tenille Arts,, Priscilla Block, Danielle Bradbery, Ryan Hurd and Parmalee. She has also found success styling athletes such as MMA fighter Mike Chandler and Tennessee Titans football player Taylor Lewan, among others. Editorially, her work has graced the pages of Billboard Magazine, People Magazine, Bello and Vulkan.
