‘Barbie-foot heels’ are the latest Barbiecore trend to slip into

Are you a Barbie girl in this Barbie world? Then you must step out in style.

Clear heels aren’t limited to strip clubs anymore: they’re the latest Barbiecore trend all the fashionistas are slipping on this season.

Clear heels have had a 51% increase in products added to the market in the last 30 days, a representative from retail data analytics tracker Trendalytics confirmed to The Post, noting it’s a drastic jump as trends typically average a 2% to 8% increase in response to demand.

And it’s no surprise. With more than 427.9 million views on TikTok, fashionistas all around the world are embracing their love for the beloved doll and pink hues, the latter of which just so happens to be Pantone’s Color of the Year.

“Barbiecore is the summer’s latest fashion trend influencing everything from clothing to home decor, and we are here for it,” Kim Culmone, senior vice president and global head of design Barbie and fashion dolls at Mattel Inc., told The Post.

“Fashion is a form of self-expression and Barbiecore celebrates living boldly and authentically.”

Whether styling their outfit to rush to theaters on July 21 to see the “Barbie” movie or waiting for a table at the Malibu Barbie Cafe in downtown Manhattan, fans of the iconic character are on theme from head to toe, with A-listers leading the clear heel parade.

Stars from Jennifer Lopez, 53, to Hailey Bieber, 26, have been spotted out and about in their transparent slides — and shoe stores are bracing for the Barbie boom.


Jennifer Lopez is seen outside ABC Studio on May 04, 2023
Jennifer Lopez, 53, stepped out in New York City in May and walked through crowds of fans in 6-inch clear Valentino pumps.
GC Images

Hailey Bieber is seen out and about on June 15, 2023
Hailey Bieber, 26, celebrated the one-year anniversary of her skin care brand Rhode Skin this month in a custom Vivienne Westwood minidress with transparent Gianvito Rossi mules.
GC Images

While the heel matches practically anything from Barbie’s lab coats to ballgowns, it’s also a symbol of bold but transparent confidence and power.

“Barbie is an astronaut some days and a teacher another and while she’s about fun and playfulness and being flirty she’s an icon for owning that soft, fine and feminine spirit,” New York fashion consultant and trend forecaster Kendall Becker told The Post.

The 27-year-old grew up playing with Barbies and credits the fashion-focused dolls for sparking her love for fashion.

“I think this whole ethos of playing into femininity is just so important right now. And it really also goes with owning your femininity in a strong way.”

It also doesn’t hurt that clear heels help elongate the legs, perk up the tush and “embrace the fun confidence that Barbie also does,” Becker noted.


Steve Madden Signal heel in Clear
Clear heels have increased in the retail market by 51% in the last month — a huge spike compared to average trends.
Steve Madden

Steve Madden Clearer heel in Clear
Steve Madden immediately released several pink and clear heels after the “Barbie” movie teaser trailer premiered.
Steve Madden

Clear heels match with other current popular empowering styles, including naked fashion and Y2K trends, but are a perfect fit for the Barbiecore fascination as the barely visible shoe makes anyone appear as if they have a foot arched as dramatically as Barbie’s plastic pointed feet.

Barbie, played by Margot Robbie, 32, caused a frenzy with her perfectly posed feet earlier this year when a teaser trailer for the highly anticipated movie featured a now iconic — and, of course, meme’d — shot of the star’s feet.

The trailer begins with a shot of Robbie’s legs walking in sparkly, fuzzy pink high heels before she slips out barefoot and enters relevé — where her toes are on the floor while her heels remain in the air — as an ode to the way the Mattel doll’s feet are designed. The pointed foot is further referred to in several pivotal moments in the sneak peek.

Fans flipped, including Chrissy Teigen, who fanatically tweeted about the scene.

“I need to know everything about this shot. How many takes, if she held onto something, was she harnessed, is the landing mark sticky, are they her feet, who did the pedicure, really just a documentary on this shot,” Teigen tweeted.

For inquiring minds, Robbie revealed to Time magazine on Tuesday that it took eight takes, she held onto a bar for assistance and it was indeed her feet on film.


Video grabs from Barbie trailer with shoe
The “Barbie” trailer begins with a shot of Robbie walking in sparkly, fuzzy pink high heels before she slips out barefoot and enters relevé.
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Scene from Barbie trailer
The pointed foot is further referred to in several pivotal moments in the sneak peek and has pushed the trend of “Barbie-foot heels” into shopping bags around the country.
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Teigen wasn’t the only one clamoring for more Barbie. Brands like Steve Madden took note and immediately pushed out more Barbiecore.

“The first thing we did was add more pink slides to the line,” Christina Ciglar, creative director of retail at Steve Madden, told The Post of their response to the trailer.

The popular brand is also pushing several clear heels, including the Lessa platform heel ($109), the Clearer heel ($89) and the Signal heel ($89), which all perfectly fit the trend.

“Barbiecore is about the vibe of Barbie: being over the top while remaining down to earth, bubbly and joyful, but still humble. This comes in many colors besides pink,” Ciglar explained.

“Being light and playful and having fun with your fashion. It’s hard not to love Barbie’s style.”