It is Barbie time! By that, we mean, it’s time for you to read Happy Medium Club: Volume 17 … AKA the Barbie Edition!!!
This volume has a gigantic place in our hearts because it was curated by SAMANTHA MOISA. If Barbie encompasses:
following your dreams
cherishing your friends
carrying the fashion industry on your back
…then Sam is very much a Barbie girl. Oh, today (July 19) is her birthday. Happy Birthday, Sam!
Here’s what’s inside HMC Vol. 17 (the Barbie edition)
Joel gets mushy about Sam
The most noteworthy Barbie collabs
Ranking the singles from the Barbie soundtrack…featuring Mikey XCX!
Affirmations for Barbie Season :)
FYI, this article might have some affiliate links from the Amazon Associates program and other online stores — which means we earn a small commission when you click on a link (at no extra cost to you). Holler with questions!
Inspo Vol. 1
“I’m so lucky to have her as my best friend.”
By Joel Moisa
Samantha believes in me with all her heart. Samantha craves inspiration.
On the daily, I see how Samantha finds things that challenge her to think outside of the box. Ads, architecture, magazines, music, clothes, the list goes on forever. If she sees something cool, she’ll stop to admire it. She’ll take a picture to remember it forever (she never deletes anything) so she can draw from it later.
I’m even more inspired by her determination to see her dreams come true because she doesn’t give up on them—or anyone else’s. If you tell her your dream she’ll respectfully remind you to not lose sight.
Samantha oozes inspiration! She is a huge reason why I started my blog. She believed in me, even when I didn’t think people would be interested in my writing.
She developed the creative direction for HMC and even came up with the name Happy Medium Club.
I’m so lucky to have her as my best friend. HMC is happy to have her on our board. And if you know Sam, please wish her a happy birthday. ❤️
Love you, Sammie.
Top 10 Barbie Collabs I Wish I Thought of Myself
“Barbie can, in fact, do anything.”
By Samantha Moisa
I forgot who told me that there is a global shortage of pink paint because of the making of Barbie, but I 100% believe them. The Barbie franchise has absolutely painted the town pink, and whether we like it or not — we are now officially living in Barbie’s world. (I, for one, LOVE IT.)
I was admittedly more of a Bratz girl growing up, but that’s not to say I didn’t have a whole bin (or two) of Barbie dolls & outfits. As a longtime fan, I’m thrilled to see the resurgence of Barbie. But as a marketing enthusiast, I’m FLOORED at all the ways they have breathed new life into the brand.
From media & press surrounding the movie…
Like this: Margot Robbie in iconic Barbie-inspired outfits during the press tour. (UGH)
& this: Vogue’s photoshoot of Barbie in various careers & now Barbie can add Vogue cover model to her resume. (I’M IN LOVE)
& this!!! Architectural Digest’s peek inside Barbie’s Dreamhouse. (OBSESSED)
…To the 100+ brand collaborations that have been so annoyingly good!!!
Here’s a countdown of my personal favorites:
#10 - Barbie x Homesick:
Honestly I need to just use their copy to describe this candle because it makes me want to buy it for my house RIGHT. NOW. -
“Experience Barbie's™ world with a scent inspired by the original empowerment icon and her unforgettable abode. Rose and jasmine accent three floors of dreamy Barbie™️ décor. A pristine pink couch overlooks the Malibu sunset as uplifting notes of lemon and sandalwood welcome you home.”
I’ve always wondered what Barbie’s house smelled like. Now, thanks to Homesick, we can also be welcomed home with uplifting notes of lemon and sandalwood!
#9 - Barbie x Impala:
Last June, Margot Robbie & Ryan Gosling were seen roller skating through Venice Beach while filming for the Barbie movie! The skates they were wearing were made by Impala, a Melbourne-based brand, and they just released the entire Barbie skate capsule so you can replicate the look and skate the streets in true Barbie fashion.
(While they’re already sold out on the Impala website, they’re also available at Zumiez, Tilly's, Zappos & other LA-based skate shops. If you don’t wanna sport bright yellow, there’s also a non-official Barbie collab colorway that’s reminiscent of a Dreamhouse playset, called “Fairy Floss.”)
#8 - Barbie x OPI:
I am adding every single color from OPI’s limited edition Barbie collection to my Amazon cart as we speak! The collection features nine different shades ranging from hot pink and light glittery pink to neon yellow and a blue creme shade. Each color is Barbie-themed and the names – “Hi Barbie,” “Bon Voyage to Reality!,” “Welcome to Barbie Land” and more – were conceptualized with Greta Gerwig herself.
(There are also two press-on nail kits available in the collection, so you don’t have to deal with the struggle of waiting for your cute pink nails to dry.)
#7.5 - Barbie x NYX
(I feel like I should add a #7.5 & give it to Barbie x NYX! The limited edition collection is - or WAS! - sitting right next to the Barbie x OPI collection inside of Ulta. Joel drove me to every Ulta in the city to look for “It’s a Barbie Party!” Butter Lip Gloss & “Dreamhouse Pink” Smooth Whip. My parents checked their Ulta & almost snagged me the last 3 shades in the store… only to discover that they were the samples. My dad acted fast & purchased them off the NYX website for me. They are now officially sold out everywhere, but business-savvy girlies are reselling them for 4x the price on Poshmark.)
#7 - Barbie x Ruggable:
Ruggable created a line of washable rugs with Palm Springs-inspired designs. These give Barbie vibes with a grown-up twist so you can put them in your living room without looking like you’re maybe a little tooooo dedicated to the Barbie aesthetic.
Who else is ready to turn your home into a DreamHouse? *raises hand*
#6 - Barbie x ALDO:
This limited-edition collaboration channels the Barbie aesthetic we know and love with shoes, shoulder bags, & jewelry. For those planning their outfits for the movie premiere, the Barbiestessy stilettos are the ultimate Barbie showstopper. What I loved MOST about the partnership is they intentionally created a shoe box that mimics the experience of buying a Barbie in its box. Recreate that nostalgic feeling by heading to ALDO and leaving with a box that’s bold, hot pink, and includes that signature clear window that displays your new favorite thing.
#5 - Barbie x FUNBOY:
Look, I don’t have a pool — nor do I have easy access to a pool this summer — but I still might buy myself a pool float from Funboy’s Barbie Collection! Funboy has actually had a longstanding partnership with Barbie, launching Barbie-themed collections over the years.
The Barbie: The Movie x FUNBOY collab is so special because the collection is based on the actual props used in the movie. The lineup of limited-edition inflatable pool floats features a sleek speed boat, a "B"-shaped float, a cool surfboard, and of course, tube floats that feature the iconic Barbie-pink color. This is the perfect summer partnership for a summer movie release.
#4 - Barbie x Cold Stone Creamery:
Speaking of ideal summer partnerships — Cold Stone introduced their newest Barbie-inspired creation: All That Glitters is Pink, a cotton candy-flavored ice cream with crushed-up graham cracker pie crust and whipped cream. Growing up, Barbie-themed flavored lip gloss, hair detanglers, and other trinkets of the Barbie world had a candy flavor or scent, making Cold Stone Creamery's cotton candy ice cream a fitting addition.
#3 - Barbie x Airbnb:
I’m always looking for fun Airbnbs to stay at, but none have ever compared to the real-life Malibu DreamHouse. The beachfront mansion previously came to Airbnb in 2019 for Mattel’s celebration of the doll’s 60th anniversary, and it has returned with Ken as the host. Bookings open July 17th for only two 1-night stays, so we, unfortunately, have zero to no chance against the hungry LA influencers. Despite that, I’m impressed that Airbnb strategically partners with brands, like Barbie, to create novelty lodging experiences that leave people wanting more.
#2 - Barbie x Xbox:
Xbox announced a multi-faceted crossover with Barbie. Part of that includes Xbox’s racing video game, Forza Horizon 5, featuring two Barbie-themed cars — a hot pink 1956 Chevrolet Corvette EV and Ken's silver 2022 GMC Hummer EV Pickup. They also created a line of diverse Barbies dressed in the latest Xbox gear. & at the centerpiece of the collab — Xbox gets a Barbie makeover with their hot pink Barbie controller with four interchangeable faceplates, each with its own unique design based on outfits from the Barbie movie & a pink Xbox Series S built into a triple-tiered Barbie DreamHouse.
I can go on about the details of this extensive collab, but what I want to highlight is that this is the first time seeing OFFICIAL Xbox controller faceplates (not created by a third party) & the first time an OFFICIAL Xbox console is being built into a collectible structure. In announcing their collab, they said:
“We’re honoring all that there is to love about this iconic role model: her persevering optimism, wide-ranging career journey and never-ending capacity for self-discovery.”
#1 - Barbie x BEIS:
Shay Mitchell will always have my top spot because everything she touches is gold. But in this specific case, it’s PINK! ALL of her bags are on my wishlist, and now I get to add her Barbie collection to the top of it. Her luggage set has been reimagined with a new pink colorway, and it drops on July 19th (which happens to be my birthday)! Coincidence? I think not.
_____
In a nutshell…
In an interview, Margot Robbie said that everything about the movie had to be so “authentically artificial,” which is such a great oxymoron to describe Barbie as a brand. I know this is all capitalism and yadadiyadyaaa. But I can’t help but admire the impact of a brand that knows what they are. Marketing teams everywhere are taking note because Barbie has completely knocked it out of the park when it comes to merchandising, strategic partnerships, & trendy, yet timeless, promotions.
All of this proves that Barbie can, in fact, do anything.
The Barbie movie comes out on July 21st & I’m in line with everyone who’s ready to dust off their Barbie jeeps & drive down a Fuschia-colored memory lane.
Ranking Singles from the Barbie Soundtrack
“If you want me to turn up at a party, queue this [redacted] up.”
By Mikey XCX
Eighth Place: Man I Am - Sam Smith
Sam Smith’s song hasn’t technically come out yet, as of the date of my writing this ranking, but I can safely and confidently say that this song will be in last place out of the original singles currently available.
Sam Smith’s recent outings, although Grammy-winning alongside personal favorite artist Kim Petras, have not been entirely successful. Their music is both incredibly generic and entirely uninspired, giving queer AI-generated content. I wouldn’t be surprised if Sam Smith was big business’ response to the SAG and WGA strikes, proving that AI can exist and create content out in the real world.
Seventh Place: Angel - PinkPantheress
If Irish jigs slayed, they would sound exactly like this song. I’m a big fan of PInkPantheress, and look forward to their future output. Boy is a Liar was a true obsession of mine, alongside a large portion of the United States.
I would say that PinkPantheress is the only artist in the mainstream currently tapping into any sort of bubblegum or hyperpop-esque sound in their work and, because of this, I’m incredibly on her side. However, Angel flows right in one ear and out the other, with no staying power besides the drum machine-driven violin jigs in the intro and post-choruses. Not a bad song by any means, it’s just outclassed by the other six singles.
Sixth Place: WATATI - KAROL G, Aldo Ranks
This song sounds so unlike the rest of the songs released so far, with a Latin-inspired synth beat, vaguely reminiscent of some of Bad Bunny’s work (specifically the song Tití Me Preguntó, at least, in its instrumentation) and is entirely in Spanish.
The song translates to a fairly standard, drop-it-like-it’s-hot track and is a fun listen! I look forward to seeing where in the Barbie film this song is plugged in, and anticipate that proper execution may bump this song up my ranking.
5th Place: Speed Drive - Charli XCX
Yes, I know. Ranking Charli this low hurts me too! My Twitter namesake, my Number 1 in pop music, the love of my life!
This song just commits almost every cardinal sin you can commit in my eyes by being shorter than two minutes with almost half of that runtime consisting of an interpolation of a sample from Hey Mickey the famous Toni Basil/Pitch Perfect Riff-Off go-to. Speed Drive is certainly a Charli XCX song, maintaining her signature high BPM slick production and constant desire to drive recklessly in a car!
4th Place: Barbie World (with Aqua) - Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice, Aqua
What would the Barbie movie be if it didn’t sample the classic by Aqua? My favorite Nicki Minaj era is her pop/rap era, and this shines perfectly in this song, with her witty lyrics shining through as usual (“It girls, but we ain’t playing tag” is officially in her pantheon of incredible turns of phrase).
Nicki shares this track with the girl single-handedly making the orphan Annie haircut as sexy as it was back in the ‘80s, our favorite drill beat rapper, Ice Spice. The two of them intermingle more than your typical shared track, alternating on the chorus and giving each other lines throughout each verse, using the sample and creating something entirely new and fun in which both this old and new-school rapper shine.
3rd Place: Barbie Dreams (feat. Kaliii) - FIFTY FIFTY, Kalii
Picture this, you’re at an arcade, playing the same game over and over, trying to collect the tickets required to get that Malibu Barbie up on the prize shelf (behind the counter, of course).
At the same time, the Dance Dance Revolution machine plays nearby, its speakers absolutely blasting Barbie Dreams. If that’s not the exact vision I want from a Barbie movie, then I don’t want the Barbie movie! I may as well just watch Oppenheimer! Luckily, Barbie Dreams executes this vision, the TikTok-famous FIFTY FIFTY sound sickeningly sweet on the chorus of this high-octane and high-pitched 00’s era bop.
2nd Place: What Was I Made For? - Billie Eilish
It may be Billie’s incredibly young age or the difficulty in distinguishing between her and her brother’s talent that clouds my judgment, but I never know what I’ll get from Ms. Eilish.
This song takes what could feel incredibly cliché, and delivers a moving song that works both for a plastic doll gaining sentience and a girl in her early twenties trying to find her way in the world. It’s not high-paced and upbeat like the rest of this soundtrack has shaped up to be and, even through that, it shines as a piece unto itself. Billie, you’ve got me in your corner, at least, for this single!
First Place: Dance the Night - Dua Lipa
It’s the disco dance track from the soundtrack, the first single, the one with the music video, and — the one that SLAYS!
Dua Lipa, amongst many artists (Jessie Ware, Kylie Minogue, Doja Cat, and Miley Cyrus, to name a few!) has been caught up in the 2020’s disco revival that peaked with the 2020 release of Future Nostalgia. Dua returns to this well again for Dance The Night and she has the recipe for success down to a science. The groovy bass gets me moving like Ken and Barbie in the trailer, and I can’t wait to watch Marvel’s Simu Liu and Arrested Development’s Michael Cera dance along under the tiny plastic disco ball in the movie. I love this song and, if you want to get me to turn up at a party, queue this shit up!!!
Wanna hear Mikey XCX say more things about music?
Check out the podcast he hosts alongside Andrew Ambrose Lee and Harper Thompson. It’s called I’ve Been Meaning to Listen to That. It’s SO good!
5 Affirmations for Barbie Season
By Dom Johnson
I’m working on a waaaaay-too-in-depth essay about the astrology of Barbie season. That’s all I can say about the matter for now. Not because it’s a secret or anything—but, rather, if I start talking about it, I won’t be able to stop. I am currently in full hyper-fixation mode. (In a good way, hopefully.) So stay tuned for some amateur astrology, over-sharing, and over-intellectualizing.
But I would be the captain of stupidity if I didn’t take my chance to participate in the Barbie Edition of HMC. So, I’d like to leave you with a few affirmations I wrote while researching the intersection of Barbie culture, new moons, and aggressive whimsy.
Scribble these affirmations on hot pink stick notes!
“I have an infinite capacity to radiate whatever the hell I want to radiate.”
“Watch me lead the way with an enchanting dance! My natural charisma and passion take center stage as I inspire others with my magnetic presence and unwavering enthusiasm.” (I do NOT remember writing this).
“I celebrate the boundless realms of creativity within me, embracing empathy and the transformative power of my dreams.”
“It is my right to like something for the sake of liking it. I don’t have to justify the validity, reasonability, or respectability of my interests to anyone.”
“I am so hot and so cool and so kind.”
Basically, just do whatever it takes to remind yourself that you are a Barbie Girl, life is fantastic, life is your creation, etc.
Keep an eye out for my pathologically long essay about the intersection of Barbie and the cosmos.
Happy Bits
We have not forgotten about Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). Just wait. 😈 BTW remember when she performed “Mean” at the Grammy’s and got a standing ovation. It was sooooooo good.
Job well done to the authors of this Wikipedia article about Barbenheimer AKA the “internet phenomenon that began circulating ahead of the theatrical release of two diametrically opposed films in genre, ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer,’ on July 21, 2023.”
Danielle, who you met in the previous volume, just bought a house. Yay! Here’s a list of cute/aspirational stuff she wants to buy to help transform her home into a Barbie Dream House.
Glass Title Coaster Set from Etsy.
Roma Storage Console from Urban Outfitters.
Nike Swoosh Planters from Etsy.
Everything in this room — as seen in Architectural Digest.
Check out our Barbie Dream Board on Pinterest for more pink stuff. 😊
Dom has more sh*t to say about plants
Four essential indoor plants for Barbie Girls:
Pink Nerve Plant. It’s visually stunning (with pink markings against dark green leaves) and also pretty high maintenance.
Pink Princess Philodendron. Visually stunning! VERY high maintenance!
Ponytail Palm. It’s got a ponytail in the name. Barbie wears ponytails, famously.
Pothos. Honestly, Pothos plants don’t really have much to do with Barbie. But they’re the perfect houseplant — so I’m going to put them on every list moving forward.
Speaking of Pothos! Don’t take your pothos for granted. Give your pothos some TLC. If its vines are balding (or not producing a consistent and hearty batch of leaves), you should try keiki cloning paste. It uses science and magic to encourage new growth — either for cuttings or rooted plants. It works on many different kinds of plants, but Ms. Pothos is a prime candidate. My friend David recommended keiki paste to me — it’s definitely working for his pothos. Look at them go.
Thanks for the recommendation, David!!!
Hey, thanks so much for reading!
Have a great day. See you in a few weeks for Volume 18. We promise only to mention Barbie 1-2 times. And do not forget to wish Samantha a happy birthday!!! OR ELSE.