If you are used to seeing vampire, goblin, princess or superhero costumes on Halloween, you might be surprised to hear that this year, a new costume is trending. Look no further than the hit film “Barbie” for this year’s hottest costume.
Halloween is expected to look a lot like Barbie’s Dreamland with the popularity of the film leading to a demand for Barbie and Ken costumes this year for all ages.
Dubbed #Barbieween on social media, a Virginia Tech assistant professor of fashion merchandising and design said nostalgia is at the root of the demand.
“The ‘Barbie’ film carries with it loads of nostalgia, even featuring costumes based on the designs worn by actual Barbies released, starting with the release of the original Barbie and including Barbie and Ken’s within the last 30 years,” said Dina Smith-Glaviana. “I am not surprised that adult consumers embrace Halloween costumes that embody nostalgia and recall their childhoods.”
A rise in the popularity of cosplay, wherein fans dress up as their favorite characters, contributes to the trend of Halloween drawing on pop culture.
“A huge element is fanship — more often referred to as fandom — where people identify with a character or series or simply just love it,” she said. “With the popularity of the film, we should expect more fans to want to dress up like Barbie and Ken. With the mainstreaming of fandom in recent years, it’s more socially acceptable for adult consumers to express their affinity or affect for films and television openly.”
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Crystal Graham
