Playmobil-core
the compelling argument for dressing like a German toy
My journey into Playmobil-core started with a rugby shirt. More specifically, this Kule rugby shirt I found on Poshmark early last year. I liked it, but I didn’t love it—the tighter fit and delicate cotton weren’t giving the ease I was looking for. A year later, after an ungodly amount of time scrolling on eBay, I ended up getting a colorful striped rugby shirt from the Gap. It’s quite oversized, the sleeves are cuffed like a sweatshirt, and it’s made of a heavy cotton that hangs rather than drapes. I love it—so much so that I ended up buying yet another one on eBay about a month later!
I don’t think I’m alone in feeling drawn to these brightly colored, simplistic silhouettes—‘kindercore’ came for the design world years ago, and I fell hard for that, too. (Two of my main pieces of living room furniture are bright yellow!) But fashion didn’t embrace kindercore to nearly the same degree as the interior design world did. Recently, though, not only have I seen people embracing this look online, I’ve also seen them out and about in the real world wearing it, too. And somehow, it seems as though no one has coined the term ‘Playmobil-core’ to describe this aesthetic.1
I see Playmobil-core as the natural merger and evolution of several trends from the last couple of years: the stiff perfection and neon hues of Barbiecore, the Pinterest-accelerated ‘pop of red’, the exaggerated silhouette of the barrel leg jean, the rising star of SNL’s Sarah Sherman and her clown-inspired wardrobe, the playfulness of Sandy Liang’s bows on bows, even the hyperbolic cartoonishness of the MSCHF Big Red Boots.
Playmobil-core is largely genderless, nullifying many of the critiques and connotations that accompany trends more closely tied to traditional femininity or girlhood.2 It’s also decidedly not delicate. Playmobil-core relies on the more durable fabrics of childhood: denim, cotton, wool—nothing flimsy or fussy. Perhaps Playmobil-core is fashion’s answer for those of us who don’t necessarily feel connected to more traditionally feminine-coded styles, but still yearn for a sense of playfulness in getting dressed.
Playmobil-core ideally evokes that sense of playfulness and childlike wonder, but it can risk coming across as infantile if not approached thoughtfully. Still, I find the choice to sartorially infantilize oneself an evocative gesture from the generations for whom traditional markers of adulthood have remained painfully out of reach. When security and achievement in adulthood feel unattainable, why not lean into the simplicity and uncomplicated joys of childhood instead? (Playmobil-core is also a pointed departure from quiet luxury—it’s loud and label-agnostic, not intended to signal wealth or status.)
A flood of color begets a vibe shift—Playmobil-core feels like a choice, a turn towards resoluteness, if not optimism. There’s a power, an energy to a solid wall of color. In head to toe Playmobil-core, we are clear-eyed and standing up straight, ready to face the world (even with the inscrutable smile and empty head of a Playmobil figurine).
So what do I see as style markers of Playmobil-core? Tunics and leggings, a-line silhouettes, nothing either stereotypically feminine or overtly masculine. Stripes, primary and secondary colors. Anything boxy and structured. Smocks, overall jumpers, mock turtlenecks, sweater vests. Basic pants, simple shoes. Here are a few examples:
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Except for me, back in March of this year when I mentioned the rugby shirt in a week of outfits post =)
It’s also a way to deflect male attention without needing to fade into the background to do so!
Adorable! 🥰
This reminds me of how inspired I was by the way my kids’ preschool teachers dress—lots of sturdy fabrics to stand up to playing in the mud, bright colors and occasionally patterns or other motifs (cats, unicorns) that would delight the children, and also the parents like me! 🤩