These Under-$100 Vacation Outfits Kept Me Chic & Breezy On A Tropical Island

Serving cute ‘fits while on vacation is always a top priority of mine — but as we all know, it’s much harder to pull this off when you’re going somewhere very hot and humid. As a shopping writer who grew up in a subtropical climate, I know that the ultimate test of a travel outfit‘s potential is whether or not it can keep you breezy and chic in soaring temperatures. So when Love, Bonito invited me on a trip to Singapore to put its wares to the test with a packed itinerary planned by Visit Singapore, I was all too eager to RSVP “yes”.

You may not have heard of Love, Bonito, but the female-founded company is a household name in Southeast Asia and is popular for its trendy, vacation-ready pieces at wallet-friendly price points (most items retail for under $100). The brand is available online to U.S. customers and has just opened a pop-up store in NYC’s SoHo.

Singapore, on the other hand, needs no introduction. If Crazy Rich Asians happens to be your comfort movie (I mean, same), you probably have this destination on your bucket list. While the blockbuster movie certainly gave the world a glimpse into life on the island nation, casual viewers might not realize that the tropical paradise in the film exists practically year-round. The average temperature in Singapore hovers between 76°F to 89°F 365 days a year, with a humidity index that soars up to 100%. In other words, it’s the perfect testing ground for Love, Bonito’s summery designs. I hit the ground running alongside six other content creators — all fellow Asian-American women I admire and adore.

I was asked by the trip organizers to come without any luggage, in order to road test Love, Bonito’s best-selling styles, as well as products from several of Singapore’s emerging designers. Keep reading to find out my top-recommended affordable outfits for adventuring in high heat, with lots of Singaporean travel highlights thrown in for good measure.

Affordable Vacation Dresses for All-Day Exploring

Love, Bonito Katrine Padded Tiered Maxi Dress, $65

I was personally thrilled to set foot in Singapore again: it was the first international country I ever visited as a kid, but my memories of the country were contained to its mega-malls and hawker centers (similar to food courts you find in America, but with much better and cheaper street food). Thankfully, I experienced much more of the cultural offerings this time. We hit up the impressive National Gallery Of Singapore for a tour of Southeast Asian paintings, followed by art-inspired cocktails on the rooftop bar, Smoke & Mirrors. We then found ourselves in the sidecar of a vintage Vespa, Bond villain style, and cruised through some of the city’s most iconic landmarks.

Temperatures were hitting the low 90s when we were doing all this sightseeing, but I felt cool as a cucumber in my Katrine Padded Tiered Maxi Dress. The low neckline and exposed back gave my body plenty of space to air out, but the V-neck hit just the right point on my sternum that it didn’t feel too risqué. The tiered, frilly bottom made it very easy to move around on a Vespa sidecar, and the dramatic puff sleeves drew me so much attention. And the side pockets? you gotta love them. If you’re looking for a dress that pulls double shifts from day to night and keeps you airy and cozy throughout, this is the one.

More affordable vacation dresses from Love, Bonito:

Summer Dresses For The Most Killer Vacation Outfit Check

Love, Bonito Cereza Padded Textured Cut Out Dress, $65

The next dress I tried was perfect for an afternoon exploring the local boutiques in Katong and Joo Chiat. These streets are fronted with eclectic pastel buildings, and are literally made for Accidentally Wes Anderson TikToks. Not gonna lie: I felt like hot stuff in this little cornflower blue number. I matched perfectly with the colorful Peranakan shophouses (a blend between Chinese and Malay/Indonesian architecture) in the background.

This dress was also the perfect balance of sexy while still feeling daytime appropriate. As someone who has a heavier bust but likes to dress on the modest side, I’m often self-conscious about the amount of cleavage I am showing. There’s also a whole category of strapless, spaghetti things I stay away from, since I often need to wear a proper wired bra underneath to support my girls. This cut-out dress was such a nice way to go braless, though. The bust was padded, and the wraparound elastic design felt supportive around my boobs without digging into my skin. The side cut-outs showed a little bit of skin, but in a way that was comfortable.

More padded colorful summer dresses from Love, Bonito:

Looks For Outdoor Adventures In The Heat

Love, Bonito Jaelia Crop Camisole Top, $25

Even if Singapore’s climate makes it dress weather nearly 24/7, there are inevitably days in a tourist itinerary where you need something a bit more on the outdoorsy side. While Love, Bonito has plenty of gorgeous dresses, its shorts and tops don’t disappoint either. If you can walk two hours under the scorching sun without wanting to rip all your clothes off in anger, your outfit truly deserves the summer fashion MVP status. The outfit I had on while exploring Gardens By The Bay, Singapore’s awe-inspiring futuristic forest, passed that test with flying colors.

It was the middle of the afternoon, aka the hottest time of the day, as we walked through the fairy-tale-like Cloud Forest — a man-made attraction with vertiginous waterfalls that looked straight out of Avatar — and gawked at the futuristic “supertrees”. It was boiling hot, but my ensemble was working overtime to keep me from fainting. My fitted Jaelia Crop Camisole Top had boning on the sides, which really managed to hold me in despite the scarce amount of fabric and thin straps.

I’ve been leaning into styling sports bra-like tops with a button-down shirt — a combo that maximizes the amount of breeze passing through your body — so the yellow linen shirt was right up my alley. I loved the dopamine-inducing hue and the mother-of-pearl effect buttons. Meanwhile, the tie-waisted paperbag skorts made it possible to climb up and down the stairs without flashing everyone. While this wouldn’t be something you would wear on a proper hike, this would be a great look for days you’re hitting up a higher step count.

More summer tops from Love, Bonito:

Evening Looks That Don’t Make You Break A Sweat

I’ve waxed poetic about Love, Bonito’s more casual styles that won’t break the break, but don’t get me wrong: the brand absolutely delivered more formal looks, too. My favorite was the Arwen Square Neck Column Dress. The dress was figure-hugging, but I loved how the front slit was balanced out by the wide straps. I amped up the quiet luxury vibe with a vintage gold crane brooch, pearl-accented heeled sandals, and a micro-purse from Charles & Keith. Feeling like Astrid Leong-Teo, I wore this outfit to drinks at Marina Bay Sands, the 57-story architectural landmark of a hotel (side note: getting to stay at MBS, as the locals call it, the very hotel featured in that ending scene from Crazy Rich Asians? A total dream-come-true). This is the kind of LBD that looks cute on warm nights out on vacay, but also transition easily into your office wardrobe.

The brand’s evening looks are also easy to accessorize and switch up if you’re on a longer trip and want to repeat outfits. One of my favorite vacation styling tricks is to pack a variety of skinny silk scarves with me: they add a pop of color and pattern intrigue, and instantly elevate the whole look. I like braiding them into my hair, knotting them into bows to accessorize messy top buns, or tying them across the waist as scarf belts. When I went out to dinner at Clarke Quay, a buzzy neighborhood for restaurants and nightlife, I jazzed up my yellow sleeveless top and khaki linen shorts with a thrifted orange scarf. This little detail instantly snatched the whole getup.

As a bonus, I found Love, Bonito’s clothes to be super petite-friendly. The midi dresses hit me at a flattering calf length, and none of the pants I tried on overwhelmed me in terms of shape and length; the proportions all hit right.

More nighttime looks from Love, Bonito:

More Singaporean fashion brands you should know

I knew I’d come back from Singapore with my belly happy and suitcases full, but what really took me by surprise was the country’s highly underrated fashion scene. Besides Love, Bonito, there are tons of other great homegrown designers worth checking out.

I got to test drive several cute seasonal pieces from Charles & Keith, a fashion and accessories brand with a sizable international footprint. Raffia has been tipped by our fashion team as this summer’s standout trend, so I know I’ll be wearing my Espadrille Wedges and Ashby Raffia Tote Bag to the ground.

Another Singaporean discovery I wouldn’t shut up about? The indie jewelry brand Hey Maeve, which just opened its highly aesthetic flagship in the city (if you can’t make it to SG anytime soon, the brand also offers free shipping to the U.S. on orders over $75). I was utterly charmed by the bestselling, ribbon-shaped My Gift Is You Earrings and California Poppy Choker, both of which are 18K yellow gold-plated. They are the kind of eye-catching yet highly wearable jewelry that get people chasing you down the street, asking where you got it.

Our top picks from Charles & Keith:

Our top picks from Hey Maeve:

Why You Should Visit Singapore

While much of this story was dedicated to Singaporean fashion, it wasn’t the only thing that seriously impressed me. I can’t recommend Singapore enough as a long-haul destination — especially if you are traveling solo or with your best friends. It offers the bustling pace of a world city juxtaposed with lush tropical greenery, plus sunshine and warmth practically every day. You can conveniently hop between experiences on the opposite spectrums of old and new in a matter of hours, from having cocktails in the highest infinity pool in the world to exploring heritage buildings and hidden alleyways at Kampong Glam.

And if you’re a foodie, Singapore is pure heaven. I can confidently say that you can close your eyes, stroll into any hawker center, and taste incredible food that will cost you less than a matcha latte stateside. Some of my favorite cheap delicacies include kaya toast (a scrumptious coconut butter toast locals like to eat with soft-boiled egg for breakfast), Hainanese chicken rice, and prawn mee (stir-fried thick noodles with prawn). And of course, pandan: any dessert that contains this fragrant tropical leaf will blow your mind. You can find all this tastiness at Tiong Bahru Food Center.

It goes without saying, but the hotel scene here is just incredible: you’ve got big legacy names like The Raffles and Fullerton Hotel, but there is always a new opening around the corner, and you get a lot of bang for your buck in terms of amenities and the level of service. We checked into the recently opened Pullman Singapore Orchard, a skyscraper hotel within walking distance of some of the city’s most famous shopping malls. The average nightly price is around $250 — very decent, considering it’s a five-star hotel in a top location. You get to lounge at an Instagrammable outdoor swimming pool, while the highly attentive staff will serve you delicious Singapore Sling (a refreshing national cocktail).

Even if you don’t have a Crazy Rich Asians travel budget, Singapore has so much to offer. And with these affordable Love, Bonito bestsellers, you can channel main character energy without breaking the bank.

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

5 Tried-&-Tested Travel Outfits From R29 Editors

The Best Shoes For Traveling, According To Experts

Quince Is A Gold Mine For Affordable Travel Outfit

How To Get The Perfect Tie-Dye Every Time, According To Fashion Designers

The process of at-home tie-dyeing is far from new. In fact, we’ve been doing it since we were kids — at sleepovers, summer camps, and oh-so-many birthday parties. But as adults, upon feeling the need to add a ‘70s-inspired punch to our wardrobes, we often choose to purchase something pre-dyed rather than doing the work ourselves. Now though, returning to our former DIY glory days is back in trend. Even better, you don’t need to buy any new clothing — just use whatever’s at home. 

“I love the transformative nature of dyeing: taking something you’ve had and giving it a second life,” says Christina Tung, the founder of SVNR, a DIY jewelry and ready-to-wear brand that specializes in tie-dyed slip dresses. Abacaxi designer Sheena Sood agrees, assuring that the process is hard to mess up. “With tie-dye, I really love that you basically can never go wrong,” she says. “I always enjoy seeing the surprise as the design is revealed.” 

While, both designers agree that there’s beauty in the resulting design, no matter how it turns out, there is some technique that goes into making sure that certain colors don’t mix to form a not-so-flattering brown hue you’ll never want to wear. With that in mind, the designers behind our favorite tie-dye fashions were more than happy to share how they get the perfect at-home spiral every time. Ahead, their tips.

Step 1: Pick Your Materials

Before any dyeing can commence, you have to pick out what exactly it is that you’re going to tie-dye (sweatshirts, T-shirts, tube socks, and cotton underwear are easy to come by and perfect for at-home wear), and what materials you’re going to use to do it. 

According to Hillary Taymour, the designer behind cult sustainable brand Collina Strada, all you need are some brightly colored vegetables, her favorites being beets and turmeric. Tung, on the other hand, prefers using Dharma Trading dye powders. You’ll also need soap (if using used clothing), buckets or pots for your dye (Sood warns against using kitchen pots, FYI), a squirt bottle (if you prefer to apply the dye rather than dunk the clothing in it), rubber bands or clamps depending on your preferred method (more on that below), gloves, and a place to dry your finished products (a clothing line or drying rack will work).

Step 2: Mix Your Dye With Warm Water

Once you’ve chosen what dyes to use, just add them to a squirt bottle or pot/bucket with warm water and mix together. “I like the colors to be a bit uneven and complex so I’ll mix the red with a bit of green and other colors so that results are a bit earthier, unexpected, and not so bright and perfect,” Tung says. 

Sood goes a step further: “Add some salt as a mordant for cotton or vinegar if dyeing wool, and then stir until completely mixed,” she says. “You don’t want any chunks of dye sitting at the bottom or flecks sitting at the top.”

Step 3: Create A Tie-Dye Pattern With Rubber Bands

There are tons of different patterns to choose from when tie-dyeing. According to Sood, you can scrunch and tie your garment with rubber bands, fold your garment and clamp it together, or even stitch your garment together to create various effects. 

“I love experimenting with Shibori, the Japanese art of tie-dyeing, to create motifs and different patterns,” she says. “It can become very intricate and detailed or abstract depending on how much time you have on your hands.” She also uses a technique called Tegumo, which “involves creating circular pleats and tying them with rubber bands to create either circular-, diamond-, or square-shaped motifs.” She also suggests tying a marble or di inside of the aforementioned circular pleats and using an Indian technique called Leheriya, which involves twisting fabric diagonally and wrapping it with a rope to create stripes. 

Kara Jubin, the designer behind up-and-coming indie label KkCo, prefers a more natural tie-dye method. “I have been really into a ‘watercolor’ finish lately, so I do a light twist, but tie and knot lightly so the colors could bleed into the knots and blend into each other.” So, too, does Taymour, who has an affinity for the more traditional spiral method. “You pinch the middle of a garment and spin it into a pizza shape,” she says. “From there, you rubber-band it into pizza slices and add any color you want in all the pizza wedges.” In addition to tie-dyeing, you can now add pizza-ordering to the night’s list of activities.

Step 4: Soak Your Rubber-Banded Garment In Water

Before dyeing, it’s important to soak your garment in warm water to get the fibers ready to take in the dye. Sood suggests adding a little bit of soap and some synthrapol — a laundry soap designed specifically to be used before dyeing fabrics — to the warm water mixture. “If it’s a used garment rather than new, you’ll want to make sure it’s been thoroughly washed beforehand. The fibers need to be clean and rid of any other chemicals before dyeing,” she says. Jubin suggests a 20-minute soak.

Step 5: Put On Gloves & Add Your Dye

“I always get lazy and don’t wear gloves, so my hands constantly look radioactive,” says Tung. Noted! Once your gloves are on, start dipping your garment or pouring the dye mixture onto it. For darker shades, you can soak your garment in a bath of dye. The longer you let it soak, the darker your garment will become.

Step 6: Wrap In Cling Wrap & Let Sit

Once you feel like your design is finished, take it out of the dye and wrap it in plastic wrap to keep the moisture locked in. As for how long to let it sit, it’s up to you. “I like to let my dyed pieces sit for 6 to 8 hours,” says Taymour, while Jubin suggests 12-plus hours. “24 hours is usually a sweet spot for me, but I’ve let some things sit for up to 48 hours before,” she says. “While tie-dyeing, I never have an empty cup,” Jubin jokes. “I’m currently drinking a Muller Thurgau from the Schmitt winery in Germany.”

Step 7: Rinse Until The Water Runs Clear

Whether you chose to soak your design for 6 or 48 hours, once the buzzer buzzes, you need to then rinse out all of the dye using cold water. Take out the garment once the water runs clear.

Step 8: Wash (Alone) On A Cold Cycle

The last step in the tie-dye process is to wash your newly technicolor garment in the washing machine using cold water. Important: wash it alone. Dyeing one item of clothing every color of the rainbow is one thing, dyeing an entire load is a whole other story. Jubin also recommends washing the garment while it’s still knotted. “This helps preserve any excess dye from bleeding into any tighter knots. I then unknot and wash again with cold water,” she says. 

Now it’s your turn. Grab a cocktail, switch on your favorite playlist, and get to work.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

6 Tools You Need To Start Upcycling Your Clothes

TikTok Made Me Turn Jeans Into A Denim Maxi Skirt

TikTok's DIY Leave-In Conditioner Shocked Me

We’re Reclaiming The Romantic Y2K Flower Choker Trend

The flower choker trend has made its comeback from the '90s and 2000s, and we're totally embracing it. This year, rosette fashion has found its way onto red carpets on the likes of Zendaya and Camila Morrone to Harry Styles and Paul Mescal. So we at Refinery29 predicated that flower chokers would be a go-to accessory trend for summer 2023. And from the looks of it, we were right.

But where does one wear a flower choker? We think the whimsical yet edgy accessory can be your new wedding guest accessory (or even a unique bridal accessory if you're the one getting married). So we've compiled a range of flower choker styles, from classic roses to colorful orchids in small and large sizes and an array of colors. Whether you're looking for a large black flower choker to match any of your summer wedding guest dresses or dainty pink one to take on the Barbiecore trend, we've got you covered.

We're all about romantic details, so read on to find some of the most elegant flower chokers to cart up and elevate your style.

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. All product details reflect the price and availability at the time of publication. If you buy or click on something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

For more can't-miss shopping stories delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our Most Wanted newsletter.

Anthropologie Rosette Wrap Necklace

Today's flower chokers are very romantic, as seen through this Anthropologie style. The wrap-around choker is silky, flouncy, ethereal, and we love it.

Shop Anthropologie

Anthropologie Rosette Wrap Necklace, $, available at Anthropologie

8 Other Reasons Flower Choker

If you're looking for gothic elements, a thick ribbon and a flower in a color that stands out is the way to go.

Shop Revolve

8 Other Reasons Flower Choker, $, available at Revolve

Free People Melody Choker

Free People's chunky flower choker actually has a metal clasp in the back to keep it secure around your neck and long ribbons that flow in the front as decoration.

Shop Free People

Free People Melody Choker, $, available at Free People

Qiuseadu Big Rosette Velvet Silk Choker

If your next wedding is next week, check out Amazon for classic and affordable flower chokers that'll arrive quickly.

Shop Amazon

Qiuseadu Big Rosette Velvet Silk Choker, $, available at Amazon

Urban Outfitters Velvet Rosette Wrap Choker Necklace

You can be demure with your flower choker, or you can go bold with a full, bright satin rose.

Shop Urban Outfitters

Urban Outfitters Velvet Rosette Wrap Choker Necklace, $, available at Urban Outfitters

Casa Clara Nalani Choker

Have a beach wedding and want to make this trend more tropical? You can go beyond the basics and choose another flower like an Anthurium.

Shop Revolve

Casa Clara Nalani Choker, $, available at Revolve

Reclaimed Vintage Flower Corsage Choker Necklace

This delicate choker has a unique rope design that's very retro and very beachy.

Shop Asos

Reclaimed Vintage Flower Corsage Choker Necklace, $, available at ASOS

Lulus Dramatic Finish Flower Choker Necklace

Lulus offers a tried-and-true black flower choker. The large chiffon rosette and wrap-around tie are chic and classic.

Shop Lulus

Lulus Dramatic Finish Flower Choker Necklace, $, available at Lulus

Cider Rose Decor Choker Necklace

If large rosettes feel too out there for you, opt for a smaller, more delicate design that offers subtle elegance.

Shop Cider

cider Rose Decor Choker Necklace, $, available at Cider

Amanda Uprichard x Revolve Mandy Rose Choker

A bright red and nearly theatrical choker will make a bold statement for any outfit.

Shop Revolve

Amanda Uprichard X Revolve Mandy Rose Choker, $, available at Revolve

Urban Outfitters Velvet Rosette Choker Necklace

Throw on a sundress, clip on a dainty velvet ribbon choker, and take on the day.

Shop Urban Outfitters

Urban Outfitters Velvet Rosette Choker Necklace, $, available at Urban Outfitters

Cotton On Double Cord Choker Necklace

While many chokers have one band or several strings that can be wrapped around multiple times, this style has two cords that offer a sleek, unique look.

Shop Cotton On

Cotton On Double Cord Choker Necklace, $, available at Cotton On

Petit Moments Orchid Flower Necklace

If your summer vacation plans include Hawaii, opt for a colorful orchid flower and a rope choker.

Shop Revolve

petit moments Orchid Flower Necklace, $, available at Revolve

Iuviwey Camellia Flower Lace-up Choker

Another not-so-average flower choker to elevate your evening wear. We're loving the faux camellia flower and double ribbon design.

Shop Amazon

iuviwey Camellia Flower Lace-up Choker, $, available at Amazon

Lele Sadoughi Handmade Silk Rosette Ribbon Choker Necklace

Elevate your outfit with an intricate silk flower choker that'll have you gaining nonstop compliments.

Shop Anthropologie

Lele Sadoughi Handmade Silk Rosette Ribbon Choker Necklace, $, available at Anthropologie

Asos Design Choker Necklace with Corsage

Slightly less structured, this flouncy Asos flower choker can be styled for casual and fancy looks and occasions.

Shop Asos

ASOS DESIGN Choker Necklace with Corsage, $, available at ASOS

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Top Summer Accessory Trends: Belts, Hats, Bags

For Love & Lemons Is Reviving The ‘90s Daisy Trend

Shine On With 2023's Top Jewelry Trends

The Deeper Meaning Behind The Color-Filled Barbie Costumes

You don’t need to watch more than the first few minutes of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie to realize the impact of fashion in the film. As soon as Barbie (played by Margot Robbie) steps onscreen — dressed as Mattel’s first-ever adult doll in a black-and-white swimsuit, cat-eye sunglasses, and heeled mules — the children instantly smash the baby dolls they used to play with to worship at the altar of the style icon. “My main inspiration was to stick closely to the history of Barbie. To look into the Mattel back catalog and find looks for different moments in the movie,” Barbie costume designer Jacqueline Durran tells Refinery29 of the film’s wardrobing. 

After consulting the archives, Durran — who won an Oscar in 2020 for her costume work on Gerwig’s Little Women — put her own spin on the beloved styles. Aside from some looks, including pieces from Chanel (for whom Robbie serves as an ambassador) like a heart-shaped vintage bag and a pink mini dress, the costumes were created by Durran’s team from scratch: “We not only made the clothes but we also made the fabric. We chose the colors and we made the prints and then we made the clothes.”

When designing the costumes, she envisioned full looks not unlike ones found in a Barbie box. “I wanted to reference how you play with Barbie and how you dress Barbie, and I wanted sometimes to be conscious of the clothes coming in a pack so that you have the dress, the shoes, the bag,” says Durran, referencing Robbie’s first Barbie Land look — a gingham midi dress and daisy jewelry that she switches for a gingham mini, shell jewelry, and floppy hat once she leaves the house for the beach — which she considers one of her favorite fashion moments from the film. “It was all thought of as one look… If someone were playing with her, then she would have the dress at home and, by the time she was at the beach, she would be in the other thing because you would have changed her.”

When Durran wasn’t referencing vintage dolls like 1994’s Hot Skatin’ Barbie that inspired the roller-skating look that will make for plenty of 2023 Halloween costumes, she tried to think from Barbie’s point of view. “The pink cowboy suit, it took us a while to work out. [I had to think,] What would Barbie choose to wear when she arrives in the real world? What would the Barbie logic be for the thing that would make her fit in in America?… Western was perfect,” she says. This type of in-her-shoes thinking is how the pink jumpsuit became the uniform of resistance for the Barbies during the film’s turning point. “The thing about a Barbie is that she’s always perfectly dressed for whatever she’s doing. [So I asked myself,] If Barbie’s doing this kind of heist, what would she wear? She’d have to wear a boilersuit,” says Durran.

While every Barbie — ranging from President (Issa Rae) to Doctor (Hari Nef) and Mermaid (Dua Lipa) — has her signature aesthetic, it’s Kate McKinnon’s Weird Barbie — a doll that owes her roughly chopped hair and pen face marks to rough play — steals the fashion spotlight with looks ranging from a voluminous dress with puff sleeves and tulle hemline (paired with yellow snakeskin boots, no less) to a cropped jacket with silver shoulder detailing that wouldn’t look out of place front-row at an avant-garde runway show. Durran says that McKinnon’s character’s look “turned into being a really high-fashion” aesthetic after she considered two different options. “Weird Barbie could have been scrappy and not particularly fashionable and just messy but it felt like it would be more interesting in the movie if there was a distinction between the stereotypical Barbie — who’s quite mainstream fashion, accessible, and very easy to understand — and then someone who’s very high-fashion and conceptual.”

Despite the individual costume choices, all the looks seamlessly came together for group scenes that went from a sequin-filled disco house party to a beach get-together, that saw everyone in different outfits in various pastel shades of pink, blue, and green. “I made a quite controlled kind of group of color combinations that we had to stick to while we were designing the prints and printing for the clothes, so there was lots of variation but it didn’t clash,” says Durran.

As Robbie’s character undergoes a personal transformation midway through the film, the clothes reflect the inner journey. In a scene that marks Barbie hitting her lowest point literally (that has since been turned into a meme), Robbie is laying on the ground in a paler version of the pastel gingham babydoll dress that she was previously wearing. “We made two versions of the look — one with a brighter color and one with a faded color,” says Durran. “We wanted to have the feeling that it that she’s beginning to change at that point.” This shift becomes more obvious as Robbie trades her A-line hemlines, Peter Pan collars, and maximalist accessories that span from cutesy bows and berets to colorful chunky jewelry for a simple bias-cut yellow dress and a single heart necklace by Missoma in one of the final scenes of the film: “We wanted to be to be more conscious of her as a human being [rather than a doll].”

Ken also undergoes a makeover (albeit a more controversial one) after returning to Barbie Land and ditching soft pastel looks for a furry coat, paired with boxing gloves and Adidas high-tops, a look that was inspired by a photo of Sylvester Stallone, as well as Ken’s newfound interest in sports, which Durran amplified by sourcing vintage sportswear. To add to the over-the-top display of his new aesthetic that also leans into Western and Americana, in one scene, Gosling comically sports several wristwatches at the same time. “[In the real world in the film,] a woman has asked him the time. He thought that was so great so then he wore four watches,” explains Durran. As for the Ken-branded underwear that sent the internet spinning? “That was Ryan’s idea,” says Durran. “About a day before we shot, he said, ‘Don’t you think it would be funny if I had Ken underwear? And I said, ‘It would be really funny!’ And so we just ran and got it made.”

With so many layers and Easter eggs in Barbie’s costumes, it’s no wonder that, over the past week, people have made going to the movies an experience akin to a red-carpet event. Will you be wearing the heeled feather shoes (custom-made for Robbie by Gina Shoes) or Birkenstocks? In the words of Weird Barbie, “The choice is now yours.”

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

14 Pinkest, Most Stylish Barbie Fashion Brand Col

Come On, Barbie, Let's Get Dressed Up

Zara x Barbie Collab Features Pink Gingham Dress