Fans are dressing up to see the Barbie movie, a very Barbie thing to do

Pink was everywhere. I could see it even before I entered the theatre.

One or two people in bright pink outfits isn’t unusual in a crowded space, but it became clear as I walked toward the movie theater that the pink-clad group I was following wasn’t alone. Dozens of people sporting pink ensembles were all heading to see Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie. The event was attended by people of all ages and genders. A father wearing a tropical shirt posed with his pink-clad daughter, posing against a backdrop. Meanwhile, lines of people dressed in pink waited in line. While some people opted to wear pink from head to foot, others wore bright pink shades or a shirt. The movie that they came to watch was very clear. (The chorus of “Hi, Barbie!” from one pink group to another certainly cemented that; as seen in one of the movie’s first trailers, that’s how all the Barbies in Barbieland greet each other.)

As it turns out, the dress-up vibe at my screening wasn’t an anomaly. Many people around the world are attending screenings in fancy dress. BarbieWearing either their pinkest outfit or their most spectacular fashion. If you’ve been to a theater this past week or so, even if you weren’t seeing BarbieYou have probably observed this phenomenon.

Fans dressing up in ways that reflect the movie they’re seeing is still a popular way to express excitement for the experience; just ask anyone who went to a Hunger Games or Harry Potter midnight premiere back in the day. But there’s a certain energy in the Barbie dress-ups that feels a little different. For one, it’s not just the premiere getting the hype, but any Barbie screening. (A friend told me that her Tuesday-evening screening was packed with people who’d dressed for the occasion.) It seems that everyone is wearing their best festive attire for this movie experience.

“I just loved seeing so many girlies all dressed up and excited for a movie tbh,” Lauryl Fischer tells Polygon via DM. “I feel like that kind of fervor is usually only for huge fantasy franchises.”

“I saw a mom and a daughter dress up,” says Mandy Stoffel. “It’s a nice reminder for those of us who are adults — like, why not put on your most fun clothes for a Monday?”

“Though it was not the whole theater, seeing so many people, especially one group of older women who were hanging out near us before the movie, made this truly a wonderful time of just existing in this shared experience,” Chloe Rostron-Manning says via email.

Petrana Radilovic/Polygon

Petrana Radilovic/Polygon

The other thing that separates Barbie from some of these big franchise dress-ups is that it’s just been a Long-term:It’s been a long time since the people have been this excited about a film. Many of the people I spoke to told me that they haven’t been this pumped to go to the theater in ages.

“I actually have You can never have enough of your own? been this excited for a movie,” says Vera Westwood.

“It’s a cultural movie reset right now! People haven’t been going back to the movies since COVID, and this energy is really special,” says Jonathan Souza.

“The internet just takes stuff and runs with it,” adds Darby Flynn.

Petrana Radilovic/Polygon

Photos courtesy Chloe Rostron Manning

Jonathan, Darby and their friends attended the play at the theatre. Barbie/OppenheimerDouble feature with mid-day costume changes from black suits into bright outfits. Combination costumes are what some people wear when they watch the Barbenheimer double feature.

Via Instagram, Noble Nolan tells me that she and her fiancé did the double feature over two days, and it made perfect sense for them to do a joint costume, with her in Barbie colors and him in Oppenheimer vintage.

“We had seen all of the memes and thought it would be fun to dress up to match the memes,” she says. “Especially because my personal style is fun, feminine, and pink, and my fiancé loves ’40s-style clothing. Everything we wore, we already own!”

While I was in the theatre, I noticed a few Barbenheimer shirts, as well as people wearing suits and pink ties. One suit, however, stood out for its all-pink color. The sexism is not limited to the gender. OppenheimerBarbie is still the star of this show.

Fashion has been a part of Barbie’s identity for many years. While Barbie is a big brand name, the movie itself isn’t a franchise installment, and it has a different fan base from the big blockbusters that usually invite costuming. It’s unabashedly girly and unapologetically feminine, which invites a special experience that is unlike other theater trips. It’s a sea of pink outfits and cheerful “Hi, Barbie!” greetings as theatergoers zero in on other people in fun outfits.

“Seeing everyone in pink was so thrilling. I felt like I was a part of something,” says Clementine Henthorn. “I loved how many women, girls, and femme-presenting people there were. I’ve never been to a movie with that energy.”