One of the buzziest moments in a panoply of promotion leading up to the debut of “Barbie” was a trailer that showed a scene between Margot Robbie’s Barbie and Kate McKinnon. McKinnon’s “Weird Barbie” explains to Robbie that she must choose between Barbieland-appropriate sparkly high-heeled pumps and a pair of Birkenstock sandals. The latter are the footwear chosen to represent the real world, where Barbie must venture to remedy her existential crisis — and her suddenly flattened feet.
The trailer garnered chuckles, and even a theory that Barbie may be a lesbian, with deep dives on the historical connection between Birkenstocks and lesbian culture (the teaser also showed Barbie on a road trip, singing along to the Indigo Girls). In a broader view, it was a choice that most women could relate to: the age-old dilemma of choosing between the beauty of high heels or the comfort of flats.
As it turns out, those Birkenstocks become Barbie’s happily ever after. And the choice Barbie makes to wear them helps to cement the film’s central message, which is expectedly about feminism but also about the reality of feminism existing in an imperfect world that is not the happy-go-lucky, girl-power bubble of Barbieland but instead a complex environment still centered on patriarchal standards that are unaccommodating to women and to feminism (and increasingly so, though the film shied away from any politic statements on women’s bodies). Barbie’s journey teaches her about value of true self-discovery and self-acceptance once the veil of patriarchy and objectification is lifted, but it also teaches her about how striving for feminism is still worthwhile even if it doesn’t achieve perfect results. And maybe better to nix the “Barbie feet challenge” and give it a go wearing sensible shoes.
That director Greta Gerwig and partner Noah Baumbach (the couple wrote the screenplay together) chose footwear as an allegory to explain the exhausting complexities and body and beauty politics that come with living as a woman shows just how powerful a pair of shoes can be in this real world.
The Birkenstock message also casts a sense of irony on the marathon of a press tour that Margot Robbie did, up until the SAG-AFTRA actors’ union strike was announced last week. Robbie and her stylist Andrew Mukamal unveiled a parade of historical Barbie looks as she jetted from L.A. to Sydney to Seoul to Mexico City and beyond (with Mukamal still revealing new looks that were shelved from the red carpet due to the actors’ strike). From Original Barbie in a black-and-white striped swimsuit to Totally Hair Barbie in a Pucci mini dress, the looks were completed with what everyone who has ever played with the doll knows as “Barbie shoes”: high-heel pumps and sandals that are molded to her famously permanently-arched feet.
For many of the looks, Robbie and Mukamal teamed up with Manolo Blahnik to recreate the most perfect, human-sized versions of those “Barbie shoes.” There were the designer’s classic BB pumps — an already perfect interpretation of the doll heel — done in hot pink, white, and a pink-and-white, plus the peep-toe Jada mule done a black, pink and clear PVC.
There’s no escaping the fact that Robbie’s press tour heels contradict the film’s message — though one could argue that having the actress show up on the red carpet in a pair of Arizonas could be seen as a spoiler, in addition to ruining the fantasy and legacy of the Barbie aesthetic. But as it just so happens, Manolo Blahnik already has a Birkenstock collaboration under his belt. We can only hope and wish to see a Barbie-fied version of that partnership to drive home the film’s message — and prove that sometimes, you can have it all.
Below, a closer look at the rest of the film’s biggest and best fashion moments:
Barbie’s Chanel bags
It was easy to spot the double C’s in Barbie’s closet when she wakes up to her perfect day in the beginning of the film. Later on, Barbie also sports a pink quilted heart-shaped Chanel bag that is destined to be a collector’s item. To be determined on the bag’s commercial availability.
Ken’s Stallone getup
While in the real world, Ryan Gosling’s Ken discovers not just the idea of patriarchy but a look that he pinpoints as the visual definition of it: Sylvester Stallone in his “Rocky” heyday of overt machismo. He replicates the look in a full-length mink coat, bandana, Adidas boxing shoes and leather fanny pack decked out with “Ken” in a Metallica font — all of which we see as he takes over Barbieland with his “Kenergy” and uber-masculine “Mojo Dojo Casa House.”
The “Kenough” tie-dyed hoodie
The Kens learn their own lessons in the film, much of which have to do with the role that toxic masculinity plays in preventing the Kens from feeling, identifying and expressing their own emotions, and not adhering to the stereotypical expectations of masculinity. Ken’s emotional progress culminates in a teary-eyed goodbye to Barbie while wearing a tie-dyed, self-affirmation hoodie that reads “Kenough.” We hope it catches on.
The Barbies’ disco party looks
Barbie’s disco house party lives up to its glitter dream fantasy, complete with Dua Lipa’s vocals (and her cameo as Mermaid Barbie). Each doll gets a sequin treatment in jumpsuits, dresses and other shimmery, delectable looks. Later on, when Ken throws Barbie’s clothes out of her house, we catch a glimpse of her paisley palazzo pants and other groovy, historical party pieces. Party on.
The Barbie-and-Ken Rollerblade and Western couple’s looks
Some of the earliest sneak peeks of the film came last summer, when paparazzi spotted Robbie and Gosling decked out in two key looks: matching neon, early ’90s-era Rollerblade looks (including bike shorts and historically accurate thong leotard) for the couple, and later, his-and-hers Western looks in pink and black leather fringe. These two looks become central to Ken and Barbie’s real world adventures.
Barbie’s “Swiftie” boots
That Barbie wears white Western boots not once but twice in the film seems like a callout to the Swifties, who have claimed the boot as theirs this summer.
The Kens’ battle gear
To distract the Kens from ratifying a new constitution that would confirm Barbieland as a patriarchy, the Barbies make their doll boyfriends jealous by texting with unnamed parties and flirting with other Kens on the beach. The Kens turn on each other and announce a sunrise battle on Malibu Beach. They come armed with the only gear they have: tennis rackets, lacrosse sticks and golf clubs, and they are outfitted in their best country club attire. Later on in the battle, they morph into a dance sequence, wearing all black with hot pink socks and black leather loafers, a nod to the vintage looks out of “Grease” or “West Side Story” that says a lot about midcentury stereotypical masculinity.
Allan’s stripes of neutrality
Audiences already know from the movie’s trailers to expect Allan (the historical friend of Ken male doll) to be a running punch line. His awkwardness is brilliantly executed by Michael Cera, the doll reveals in a scene that Allan has already escaped Barbieland for the real world, which is how the boy band N’Sync came to be formed. Later, Allan becomes a key ally for the Barbies as they take back Barbieland from Ken’s patriarchal invasion. His striped shirt and shorts — historically accurate from the doll’s 1964 debut — represent that safe ally role sartorially.
Kate McKinnon’s “Weird Barbie”
The actress’s “Weird Barbie” character is at first a running joke among the Barbies. She becomes not only an oracle of sorts for Barbie in her existential dilemma but also a teaching moment on kindness and judging those who are “other.” McKinnon’s Weird Barbie is also the most gender non-conforming doll in a film that is heavy on gendered identities and the expression of them through fashion. Weird Barbie’s waistless babydoll dress, paint splatters, haircut and experimental eye makeup would also fit in well at an art party.
