From hot-pink to friendship bracelets, girly-inspired glitzy glam fashion is not just a moment—it’s a movement.
Women everywhere are embracing femininity through clothing in what fashionistas are calling the “girlhood trend.” This trip down memory lane seems to encourage every femme fatale to connect with their inner little girl while embracing femininity, too. Events like Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, the Barbie movie and Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour are encouraging women everywhere to have a little fun.
Friendship Bracelets
It seems Swifties aren’t the only ones obsessed with friendship bracelets. Taylor Swift’s phenomenally successful summer Eras Tour appeared to unite women of all ages.
Swift’s music, specifically her album Midnights, sparked the friendship bracelet trend. What began as a concert keepsake transformed into a widespread phenomenon as women proudly wore colorful bracelets.
The Babe Standard, a small boutique in the Northland’s Iron District, hosted a free friendship bracelet-making station during Swift’s visit to KC. “Women were just sitting down and making best friends with other girls and doing what would be perceived as a childish activity, just for the sake of having fun,” owner Ashley Donnell says.
“Girls are coming in groups and doing them,” Donnell says. “Sister bracelets, friendship bracelets, mom and daughter.”
Barbie & Return to Girlhood
As everyone knows, it was a Barbie summer, with Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie breaking box office records with its empowering take on girlhood and all that’s bold, pink and glittery. “Fashion-wise, we’re seeing girls gravitate more towards bold colors,” Donnell says.
Despite the protagonist’s unnatural look, the nuanced Barbie movie inspired a national conversation, challenging unrealistic beauty norms and urging women to celebrate authenticity. “It definitely has influenced fashion and more so the way that women think about themselves and how they think about each other,” says Gracie Key, a local fashion designer and Kansas City Fashion Week event manager. “Pink has been literally everywhere—luggage, dishes, cars—everywhere pink. It goes beyond fashion.”
It’s a statement. Seeing Barbie became a special occasion, inspiring viewers to reflect on their “best Barbie” selves and how their clothing reflects their identity.
Glitz & Glamour
Another popular singer-songwriter adding her personal spin on femininity is Beyoncé. Her traveling musical extravaganza, the Renaissance Tour, debuted this summer and hits KC on October 1. Her music and elaborate glitzy glam costume changes have encouraged women to embrace individuality and recognize that each woman’s story is a masterpiece in progress.
“We’re seeing our customers becoming less minimalistic, wanting more statement styles,” Donnell says. “We’ve seen a lot more requests for feminine details like pearls or sparkles.” Donnell credits much of these trends to the extravagance seen in the costumes and clothes worn by Beyoncé, Swift and Barbie movie actors.
Maximalism has been a fashion trend for months, emphasizing fun in personal style. Women have donned sparkly cowboy hats and spandex bodysuits inspired by Queen Bey’s iconic looks. “People are really getting into any sort of fringe,” Key says. “Sparkles and rhinestones are having a resurgence.”
