For a good chunk of the last year, Barbiecore dominated beauty and fashion headlines. Celebrities and average citizens alike have been indulging in pink outfits, makeup, and manicures — and no one was participating in the trend more than Barbie herself, Margot Robbie.
The acclaimed actor has found countless ways to wear Barbie-inspired looks and implement various shades of pink into her event looks, sometimes uncannily recreating the styles worn by actual Barbie dolls of the past. But while there wasn't even a hint of pink in her Critics' Choice ensemble, her nails were easily the most true-to-Barbie manicure she's worn so far.
Margot Robbie, who was nominated for Best Actress, almost perfectly matched the Critics' Choice red carpet in the rosette-detailed, off-the-shoulder Balmain gown. But she didn't blend in one bit, thanks in part to glowing makeup in neutral tones and a romantic, super-loose, low bun with middle-parted tendrils tucked behind her ears. And while her manicure might have been especially subtle, it was actually a huge wink to Barbie.
Nail artist Tom Bachik posted a close-up of his work, which included a combination of Chanel Les Vernis shades Légende and Ballerina on Robbie's short nails. He wrote, “Our nail inspiration was effortless glamour. We wanted the nails to be tonal to her skin to help narrow the nail and elongate the fingers, almost mannequin-esque.” But as someone who avidly collected Barbie dolls in the '80s, her nails remind me less of a mannequin and more of an actual Barbie hand.
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See, the Barbies I know never wore “nail polish.” In fact, you can barely make out an actual fingernail on those tiny hands of hers — which is what makes Robbie's short, skin-matching manicure so accurate. And you can't tell me that her huge Lorraine Schwartz diamond ring isn't a tribute to the big sparklers Barbie has been known to wear. (Though, hopefully, Robbie was wearing a band instead of the ring piercing her hand like the dolls' rings infamously did.)
Although this nod to Barbie was more subdued than many of Robbie's previous looks, we have a feeling it's not the last one we'll see. After all, the award-show season is far from over.
This story first appeared in Allure.
