Note: This post contains light spoilers for the Barbie movie.
The Barbie movie inspired so many perfectly campy Barbie Halloween costumes, it might seem impossible to choose. Don’t worry, we get it! The Barbie costume team did such an enchanting job with their designs that it’s hard to pick just one look for your pink-maxing, bimbo-core Halloween saga.
Margot Robbie’s Stereotypical Barbie has jaw-dropping outfits we trust you’ve already seen, so let’s take a look at some of the other available options. Think along the lines of President Barbie’s fancy dress, the fruitiest Ken doll costumes we can find, and some potential group fits so you can match with all your besties. (Who doesn't love a coordinated look?)
Oh, and honey? These Barbie outfits are going to be queer, just like the doll herself. Don’t believe me? Just ask Waylon Smithers, a Barbie-loving gay icon.
Without further ado, here are 10 costume ideas about dolls, for the dolls.
Kate McKinnon’s Weird Barbie has an iconic look. Her chopped-up hair, doodled-on face, and paint-streaked pink dress are unforgettable. This Barbie costume is a great DIY project for any of us with choppy mullets that can easily be bleached and moved around into odd positions. Just snag a pink dress with puffed sleeves and get to work with those clothing markers. Don’t forget to draw on your face too — and make sure you carry around a loose Birkenstock and pink high heel for extra effect. Copying the Barbie reference to the trans allegorical classic The Matrix gets you queer bonus points.
Ryan Gosling’s Ken absolutely serves the fur coat look when Barbie returns to Barbieland. The floor-length coat is a show-stopper, but the accents really make him stand out. The black fringe vest that pokes out from beneath the coat is sensual; the black sweatpants, black bandana, and sneakers are easy to figure out; and the pendant necklace, “KEN” gold chain, and belt will make you pop on the dance floor. You’ll probably need to DIY the “KEN” chain, but everything else can be hacked, found thrifting, or borrowed from a kind friend. Get ready to feel the night air hit your bare chest.
This is an underrated Barbie and Ken Halloween costume: Dua Lipa and John Cena’s mermaid cameos were fantastic, and I bet you could modify some Spirit Halloween mermaid costumes to fulfill your desires.
Mermaid Barbie is all about sticking with blue, pink, or purple, so get yourself a colorful wig, a matching necklace, a sparkly clamshell top, and a pre-made mermaid tail. For a Kenmaid take, all you need is a blond wig, a blue mermaid tail, a blue shell pendant necklace, and a few cheap brewskis.
Issa Rae looks good in every President Barbie outfit there is, but we’re going to focus on her fancy pale pink and gold dress for this piece. Add a stunning gold necklace and a pink and gold sash that says “president” and you’re good to go. If you’re skillful with a sewing machine, you should start adding all the gold accents to the pink dress now. If not, try and find one used! The sash can be handmade from a long strip of glossy pink fabric and some careful drawing. All that’s left is to find a large yet elegant gold necklace to finish off the look.
Hari Nef’s Doctor Barbie party look is certainly glamorous and to die for — but I think the more iconic Barbie M.D. look might just be her beach fit. (Yes, the one she’s wearing when she looks at Barbie’s weird gross human feet.) The cute sailor-esque outfit is instantly memorable, especially with the long red hair and little sailor hat combo. A little beach-blue polka dot romper with some sailor-like accents is the trick to nailing this. Just add some pearl bracelets, a red wig, and a sailor’s cap in the “Dixie Cup” style.
Here’s an underrated Barbie group costume idea: the Mattel Boardroom is full of pompous jerks dressed in suits with very little understanding of the world. These gentlemen all wear suits with different colored ties. (Most notably, the CEO has a slightly pink shirt and a pink tie.) It’s an easy excuse to bust out that suit you got tailored for a wedding and haven’t had a chance to wear since. Or get weird with it and crop a bunch of button-up shirts together! Just make sure to put up a united front and stick by the CEO.
There was no way this Ken costume wouldn’t be on the list, lest we forget the iconic — though brief — appearance of his cock ring during the film. So bust out your circular rings, folks! It’s time to affix them onto a chain.
This Ken outfit involves a purple mesh crop top, a glittering purple pleather vest, and some tight black pants. Don’t be afraid to add some charms to the necklace, too. If you don’t have a lot of sewing experience, it’s probably best to thrift the pieces you need for this look, though you could try and make the vest yourself from glossy polyester fabric that has a pleather look to it.
The opening scene of this masterpiece features a giant Barbie and a big host of girls who have been forced to play with baby dolls for too long. As a fun deep cut for Halloween, go as one of those malcontent little girls. They all wear dresses in various shades of brown with simple patterns and tend to look a bit downtrodden. For added effect, carry around a baby doll and smash it into the ground in euphoric bliss when you see someone in a Barbie costume! Wear your Doc Martens Mary Janes as a reference to the shot of a lost shoe. This costume might be in your wardrobe already — and if not, it’s going to be easy to find at a thrift store no matter how last minute it is.
This costume is best for people ready to do some more involved Barbie cosplay, by which I mean ready to hot glue a bunch of foam together and make it pink. There’s a Barbie Statue of Liberty in the background of Barbie Land with a pink candy-striped dress, a pink crown, and a pink torch. You might need to make the crown and torch from scratch or paint over a store-bought Statue of Liberty costume, and you’ll definitely need pink body paint. The truly ambitious could even craft shoes that double as the pale green base she’s standing on.
Last but not least, here’s another great group costume. Go to a party as the team of feminist Barbie insurrectionists clad in matching pink jumpsuits. Look at some of the stills from the movie to pick out a variety of cool sunglasses (call dibs on the heart ones) and your squad is ready to roll. Different hairstyles can add a pop of variety to the matching look, and if anyone wants to claim deprogrammed President Barbie, feel free to make a pink sash with blue text.
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