- Warning: This content contains spoilers for the movie “Barbie,” directed by Greta Gerwig.
- Barbie wears a striking yellow dress at the end of the film, a departure from her usual style.
- This choice may be a tribute to suffragettes, who embraced yellow as a symbolic color in the late 1800s.
In the world of “Barbie,” where femininity reigns supreme, girls are empowered to pursue any occupation. The movie features Barbie taking on roles such as president (Issa Rae), lawyer (Sharon Rooney), and supreme court justice (Ana Cruz Kayne).
Given this celebration of women’s achievements, it is fitting for the film to pay homage to those who fought for women’s rights.
Main character Barbie, played by Margot Robbie, is unique in Barbie Land for not having a career. However, as she faces challenges with the male dolls, she becomes instrumental in uniting the Barbie community and leading them towards a common cause.
After reclaiming control of Barbie Land, Barbie undergoes a significant transformation. She appears wearing a modest yellow dress, a stark contrast to her previous pink-heavy wardrobe.
Considering director Greta Gerwig’s meticulous attention to detail, it is highly likely that the yellow dress carries symbolic meaning.
According to costume designer Jacqueline Durran, Barbie is closely linked to fashion, as her expression is expressed through clothing.
Warner Bros.
Interestingly, Mattel states that the yellow dress has been the most popular Barbie costume in the past five years, despite not being a widely recognized look.
Thus, it is likely that Stereotypical Barbie’s yellow dress represents her evolution from an iconic doll to a relatable figure.
She wears the dress as she embraces the freedom to express her emotions and acknowledges her imperfections. This transformation signifies her decision to leave Barbie Land behind and become a person with vulnerabilities, flaws, aspirations, and dreams. (In a pivotal scene, Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” plays while showcasing real women, with Eilish also wearing a yellow dress in the music video.)
The choice of the color yellow may also be a subtle reference to suffragettes who fought for women’s voting rights in the United States.
Suffragettes in Kansas adopted the state flower, the sunflower, as a symbol for their cause in 1867, which led to the association of yellow with the movement. Supporters were encouraged to wear yellow ribbons, buttons, and sashes as a display of solidarity.
The National Woman’s Party later adopted a flag with purple, white, and gold, representing loyalty, purity, and light, respectively. To this day, the International Woman Suffrage Alliance claims yellow as its symbolic color.
The IWSA states, “The color yellow or gold (for many practical purposes, they are the same color) had long been used by American suffragists and yellow and white came to be the colors that symbolized the international women’s suffrage movement.”
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