The Barbie Set Had A Mean Girls-Esque Fashion Rule
Without a doubt, "Barbie" has become the cultural event of the summer, and with good reason. It's not only a smart sendup of gender politics, it's also one of the most enjoyable two hours you're likely to spend in a theater all year. That sense of joy and infectious spirit was also felt behind the scenes where most of the main cast bonded with star Margot Robbie throughout the production.
For starters, actor Simu Liu told People magazine that Robbie hosted a sleepover with all of the main Barbies featured in the film where "the Kens were allowed to either visit briefly or to phone in and say hi." There were also group chats and themed movie nights curated by Robbie and her husband and co-producer Tom Ackerly. That kind of connection is definitely a rarity in Hollywood, and the chemistry between the actors and director Greta Gerwig absolutely translated to the big screen.
That sense of fun continued well into shooting, where Robbie came up with a way to keep up morale on set by instituting a mandatory dress code inspired by the new classic teen comedy "Mean Girls." Written by Tina Fey, the 2004 parody of high school hierarchy focused on the ever-popular girl clique known as the Plastics who ruled over North Shore High with an iron fist.
While filming "Barbie," Robbie's fashion rule worked as a clever call back to one of the most quotable lines from "Mean Girls," uttered by Plastics underling Karen Smith (Amanda Seyfried): "On Wednesdays, we wear pink."
Wearing hot pink for a good cause
Granted, there should be no qualms or objections to wearing pink on the set of "Barbie." If you recall, the copious amount of the secondary color needed during production actually caused an international paint shortage. It's no surprise, then, that Robbie would incentivize the entire crew to wear a little pink to show some solidarity with the rest of the cast.
Barbie's number one himbo Ken, Ryan Gosling, mentioned Robbie's well-intentioned mandate, telling People:
"Margot had this pink day once a week, where everyone had to wear something pink. And if you didn't, you were fined. She would go around collecting the fines, and she would donate it to a charity."
Gosling went on to describe how members of the crew wound up really getting into the spirit of Robbie's charitable class act, showing the kind of special camaraderie that existed on the "Barbie" set. "What was really special was just how excited the male crew members were," he added. "At the end of the film, they all got together and, with their own money, made pink crew shirts with rainbow fringe." That's dedication.
The idea may have been inspired by the Plastics in "Mean Girls," but Gosling referenced another coming-of-age classic that took place in an all-boys prep school to drive home just how much the crew embraced Robbie's strict dress code.
"It was this opportunity for them to show their respect and admiration for what Margot and Greta were creating. It was almost like that scene at the end of 'Dead Poets Society,' where they all get on their desk and say, 'O captain! My captain!'"
"Barbie" is now playing in theaters for the foreseeable future, so you still have plenty of time to plan your pink outfit.