Home Creators Posts Import Register Favorites Logout

Content

I’ve been on a huge nostalgia kick lately, watching a lot of movies from the 80s and 90s and thinking about the music I used to listen to as a kid. I recently saw an article about ‘barbiecore,’ and it got me thinking about how much I loved this style as a kid. I was one of those girly girls who LOVED playing with barbies and anything glittery and pink. The bigger and fluffier their dresses, the better! I now no longer think of myself that way - I wear mostly black - but I still really appreciate that colorful style and it was definitely a huge inspiration for this character of mine (along with My Little Pony and early 00’s rave fashion). So drawing these was a very indulgent exercise. I tried to capture a few different fashion styles throughout the 90s that had a big impact on me as kid / teenager! Are any of them familiar to you?

Files

Comments

Mandy Kool

Oh my word!! These are fantastic. I just adore No Girl and all her iterations. Mixed with 90’s fashion is bringing me back. 😂

YesitsTijl

Oh wow, been a while since I’ve seen no girl pop up. I love this version! Reminds me a bit of a barbie my sister and I had when we were kids. “Workin’out barbie” she had suction cups under her shes so she could stick and dance, and she came with a cassette tape, I still remember the tune 😂

Celila

gah that's bringing me back 🤣 i definitely had trousers like the girl on the right (and a crop top, though i was more a sneakers, t-shirt & shorts kinda girl 🤣), i'm an early 80s kid, so i was a teenager & young adult in the 90s. i love how some 90s vibes in fashion are coming back a tiny blip and then they disappear again. like neon colours or colour blocking etc. ;D honestly, 70s/80s/90s music will instantly improve my mood, 80s & 90s movies too. back then, there wasn't any internet, no social media or streaming services, so all i did was watching the same movies or listening to the same songs and soundtracks over and over again and drawing. now these songs and movies almost instantly make me want to draw, like a pavlovian response 🤣 i should take advantage of this 🤔🤓 back to your art itself: i love your form language as well as your colours. i've been staring at the drawings since you posted them and i don't understand how the lines can seem flowy yet angular at the same time, it's gorgeous work!!

Ray

I was the goth tomboy growing up, and I destroyed all of my Barbies lol. I also destroyed my sister's My Little Pony collection (sorry sis). So this style is lost on me unfortunately. But it looks cool!

Jaimee (edited)

Comment edits

2026-09-13 21:00 this is amazing!! I definitely fondly remember playing with my barbie dolls and roleplaying them with my childhood friends as pregnant women starting families 🤣 I spent more time setting up the 'house' than the actual story itself though LOL
2022-08-02 15:06

Anonymous

Sailor scout, b girl, and ska/sk8r grrl, yessssss!

Anonymous

I've been listening to a lot of 80's music or even "new 80's" music (Todrick Hall anyone??). Love these drawings, huge inspiration to try and emulate. I do a lot of studies on your work!

Rye Mi

oooh this brings back memories 😄

Kat Craig (edited)

Comment edits

2026-09-13 21:00 Ah so many awesome colors! I never even heard of Barbiecore LOL. But as a kid and pre-teen I was definitely into Barbies, Neon pinks, yellows, greens etc. I also was a HUGE Jem and The Holograms fan and these are giving me those vibes as well <3
2022-08-02 15:46 Ah so many awesome colors! I never even heard of Barbiecore LOL. But as a kid and pre-teen I was definitely into Barbies, Neon pinks, yellows, greens etc. I also was a HUGE Jem and The Holograms fan and these are giving me those vibes as well <3

Ah so many awesome colors! I never even heard of Barbiecore LOL. But as a kid and pre-teen I was definitely into Barbies, Neon pinks, yellows, greens etc. I also was a HUGE Jem and The Holograms fan and these are giving me those vibes as well <3

FaroreNightclaw

Right side was totally me! Except I didn't wear midriff-bearing tops super often, I was more the 'long sleeve tight-fighting shirt or fishnet with camisole/spaghetti strap tank top overtop' type. I have a Pinterest board of 'vaporwave' and 80s/90s retro fashion I keep as a theme for one of my characters, there's some great stuff on there if you're interested! It's guys/unisex/girls clothing altogether.

Samantha Lane

I’ve been thinking a lot about the power of nostalgia lately. Stranger Things was such a nostalgic trip for me - one example, I hadn’t listened to Metallica (one of my favourite bands) in so long and now they’re all over the internet. And yesterday I nearly bought a print just because it contained a character from a cartoon I used to watch in the 80’s, and it wasn’t even my favourite character from the show! So I do love the colours you’ve used here, and I see a very TLC outfit on one them. My favourite 80’s characters always seemed to have a side-kick-steed of some kind, it would be fun to draw them too.

Joshua Baker

I love these designs! In other news… I JUST RECEIVED MY SIGNED BOOK!!! I wanted to thank you for all your hard work. The new paintings in there are beautiful!! I’ve read through 40 pages so far. Great work, Lois!

Adam Blake

that's funny, someone I work with started singing today "I'm a Barbie girrrl, in a Barbie worrrlld" - you're welcome lol

Loish

haha yes a sidekick! that would be a lot of fun to add to this character. I LOVED tlc's music and style, that really brings me back.

Loish

ohhh that's great! i'd love to see it! the one on the right is also closest to stuff that i wore as a teenager. i loved the hot topic stuff.

Loish

oh yeah, i mixed and matched so many toys to create the settings for the barbies. the scale was often really off, but it was fun haha!

Jennifer Hart

Wow! Did you use references for this?

Hajar

Love the skirt ❤️

A

holographic 🙂👍

Corivana - Patreon currently suspended! (edited)

Comment edits

2026-09-13 21:00 Bondage pants and crop tops all day. &lt;3 :D
2022-08-04 15:05 Bondage pants and crop tops all day. <3 :D

Bondage pants and crop tops all day. <3 :D

Pachouli Fish

Omg I'm such a fan of this, Loish. My favorite colors as a kid. And I had pants like that in high school - my dad HATED them LMAO. Long live JNCO Jeans and Lisa Frank!

Danica Robbemond

Soooooo fun! I love this! Maybe I’ll do a barbie core drawing next! :)

Lux Stupica

I wore JNCOs all the time in the 90's too!!! I was just looking at Loish's drawings thinking about how I would have LOVED them in high school and then I saw your comment!

andy_illustrates

I LOVE these - I see Sailor Moon in one of them but I might be entirely wrong hahaha. I loved barbies and my little pony, but rejected pink for the longest time as a teenager because I thought it wasn't cool to like it. Thankfully I've grown out of that and now my favourite colour combos are pink and yellow hehe. Thanks for sharing!

Loish

haha yeah i also had an anti-pink phase for a while! i'm glad that style affiliations are less extreme these days, people can mix and match more.

Tyler Hinkelman

Takes me back to the dj days when i first learned to play on vinyl.. phat pants, glowsticks and candy lol