There is no doubt Margot Robbie looked stunning at the 2024 Oscars. However, many of us were expecting a grand finale to a whole year of spectacular looks inspired by Barbie, and that didn’t happen.
We didn’t see pink, feathers, or a fantasy glamour in her black Versace gown. What happened?
Various theories have emerged on social media, which all seem quite convincing, and perhaps are happening at the same time.
Black as a Protest
Let’s start with the most unlikely theory.
It is said that Margot Robbie wore a black dress at the Oscars as a protest for being ignored along with Greta Gerwig, by the Academy in the nominations for Best Actress and Best Director.
It was such a scandal that Barbie, who precisely spoke about patriarchy and men’s domination in the real world, became a reality when Ryan Gosling was nominated for Best Actor and not their co-star Margot Robbie.
She gave the spotlight to America Ferrera
It is said that Margot Robbie’s black dress was a sisterly gesture to Best Supporting Actress nominee, America Ferrera, who was serving Barbie fantasy on this red carpet.
As we mentioned before, it was a scandal that neither Margot Robbie nor Greta Gerwig was nominated, but that sparked another important conversation: yes, it’s a shame that there were no nominations for them, but America did receive a nomination and that’s something we should totally talk about! The Honduran-American actress has represented Latina women in Hollywood throughout her career and in unconventional roles far from clichés.
America also wore a beautiful pink Versace. It is said that Margot would have given the spotlight to America.
The End of a Cycle
This seems more likely.
Andrew Mukamal was Margot Robbie’s stylist and the genius behind all those wonderful Barbie looks we saw throughout a year of promotion. He also confirmed what we already suspected: red carpets are another opportunity to promote movies, and studios know it well.
So, it’s logical to think that after any kind of Barbie promotion is already over, there’s no reason for Margot to continue giving us outfits inspired by the famous doll.
This is how Margot Robbie said goodbye to her Barbie era, and in a way, mourned that character.
