There is literally no way around this trend. Whether you watch Barbie, Oppenheimer or go for the “Barbenheimer” experience, Greta Gerwigs movie will influence the whole season in the fashion industry. We show you how to master the Barbiecore style for men to be the best Ken for your Barbie (or Alan).
What is Barbiecore?
The trend of Barbiecore has gained major upwind since the movie was announced and release in July this year. The main characteristics that make this trend are, besides the obvious, the color Pink also everything that resembles the style of Ken, portrayed by Ryan Gosling in the movie. From cowboy style to Y2K influences, there are many aspects that shape this aesthetic. While you might think that this trend is very temporary, we actually can detect the beginnings of it in the last year, where Valentino came out with a completely pink collection. The cowboy boot has also creeped its way back into our wardrobes over the past seasons. The Barbiecore trend therefore is not only for the girls and will most probably make its way into the upcoming fashion seasons as well.
What are the Main Pieces for the Barbiecore Look?
When it comes to creating a Barbiecore inspired look for men, there are certain pieces you should look out for. We tell you what to go for and later on show you how to style them properly.
- Anything Pink: This might be the most obvious tip you’ll find in our list. Barbie as a franchise is branded in pink. If the patriarchy taught you that pink is only for the girls, we will prove you differently.
- Pastels: If you look at the runway outfits that Ryan Gosling wore for the Barbie promotion, you will notice a lot of pastels. That is totally on brand with the Barbiecore aesthetic, and we love to see those colors not only in Spring.
- Cowboy themes: We don’t want to spoiler for anyone that hasn’t seen the movie yet, but we can tell you that horses will play a role. For anyone that is confused right now, we were too for a bit. Regardless, the cowboy look is one crucial part of Ken and therefore the Barbiecore for men. From boots to belt buckles or fringes, all these details have made their comeback in this aesthetic.
- Palm Trees: Barbieland is the home to Ken and Barbie. Since there are a lot of palm trees, they are also present in the designs. Some Barbie dolls were also Malibu theme. Now we have also seen many major brands do a palm tree print in the current season, from AMIRI to (obviously) Palm Angels. We are fully on to this trend.
- Denim: The all denim look is not just for Justin and Britney. Since Ken is also an all American guy, the all over denim look is also very on brand. In the promo photos, we see Ryan Gosling wear the denim vest and jeans.
Our Barbiecore Looks for Men
Now it’s time to show you how you can pull off the Barbiecore look as a man in real life. We have selected the best pieces and created looks that will make all the Kens proud. You can be sure that all the Barbies will say Hi to you when wearing those outfits.
1. The Stereotypical Look
- Hoodie – Mattel “Kenough”
- Jeans – Levi’s straight leg light wash
- Sneakers – Off-White Out of Office mid-top sneakers
- Bucket Hat – Off-White logo-embroidered bucket hat
What would a Barbiecore guide be, without the OG Mattel Hoodie from the movie. Sadly, it is currently sold out, but feel free to check the link in case the stock it back up. This Hoodie is the centerpiece, so we wanted to keep the rest quite simple by adding some classic Levi’s and Off-White accessories in neutral tones.
2. The Cowboy Look
- Jacket – Just Cavalli fringed hem jacket
- Pants – AMI Paris flared bootcut trousers
- Shirt – BODE Buckaroo bead-embellished shirt
- Bracelet – Ferrari horse-motif double bracelet
- Boots – Saint Laurent Wyatt suede boots
Right after leaving the cinema, we knew that we had to create a wearable version of the cowboy look from Ken in the “real world”. Just Cavalli gave us the perfect fringed jacket for this look that is not too in your face. Our favorite in this look must be the BODE shirt, that has an actual Cowboy embroidered on it. With the boot cut pants, the look is wearable but still very reminiscent of the cowboy theme. If you are really brave, we would pair some cowboy boots with it, otherwise just tone it down with some adidas Sambas (you can find them in our Street Style guide).
3. The Horse Look
- Jacket – Daniele Alessandrini horse-print bomber jacket
- T-Shirt – Uniqlo basic cotton T-shirt
- Pants – Marni cargo-pocket wool trousers
- Necklace – Ferrari Prancing Horse necklace
- Bag – Thom Browne horse shaped leather bag
- Sneakers – AMIRI M.A. Court high-top sneakers
We are still sad, that the patriarchy in fact is not all about horses. To somehow get over it, we wanted to tribute all the beautiful creatures in our next look. Surprisingly, it was very easy to find some cool pieces that have some sort of horse reverence on them. The highlight of this look must be the 90s jacket from Daniele Alessandrini, that has horses printed on the midnight blue bomber. The navy cargo pants and our favorite Uniqlo basic make it a nice daytime look. Since Ken always wears a bandana, we wanted to incorporate the signature print in the selection of shoes. If you feel like going all in on the horse theme, we found the perfect necklace from Ferrari and a wicked horse shaped bag.
4. The Malibu Look
- Shirt – Alexander McQueen rear logo-print short-sleeved shirt
- Pants – AMIRI x The Webster Palm Tree Carpenter jeans
- Belt – Palm Angels palm tree buckle leather belt
- Sunglasses – Palm Angels Lala rectangle-frame sunglasses
- Sandals – Birkenstock Arizona double-strap sandals
Of course, there has to be a pink look in a Barbiecore outfit guide. When we found these pants, there was no doubt about it that they are perfect. The Palm Trees at the bottom of the legs and the soft pink color just scream Barbie and Ken. With the pink shirt, the look is almost complete, but we wanted to go even further. This magnificent belt from Palm Angels really hits the spot with this outfit. The Birkenstock give it that laid back vibe. If you take a close look, you can even find some more palm tree details on the sunglasses. We love it!
5. The Denim Look
- Jacket – ERL star-pattern cotton denim shirt
- Shorts – ERL star patterned-jacquard denim shorts
- T-Shirt – Uniqlo basic cotton T-shirt
- Sunglasses – Off-White Virgil square-frame sunglasses
- Bracelet – Emanuele Biocchi freshwater pearl bracelet
- Sneakers – Vans Sk8-Hi top sneakers
Our last look is all on the denim. This amazing ERL set with the star pattern on the denim pieces from their new collection is 100% Barbiecore. The rest of the outfit again is very toned down. If the matching set is a bit too much for you, just wear the separate and pair some navy or black with it. We can totally see this look going from your mojo dojo casa house onto the streets of the real world.
In case you didn’t get all the references in the article, we highly suggest you go watch the Barbie Movie, since our whole crew loved it. And if this wasn’t (k)enough for you, we have more fashion for you in our Street Style guide, our guide on belt bags or go take a look at our shorts selection. We wish you lots of Kenergy and always remember: You are Kenough!
**Disclosure: We only recommend products we would use ourselves, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This post may contain affiliate links that we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
