Meet 'real Barbie' who fears she'll scare off potential Kens with extreme look
Meet the 'real life Barbie' who models her clothes, car and 'Dreamhouse' on the iconic doll - but worries her obsession will put Mr Right off.
Katie Loveday, 18, has dressed in all pink for as long as she can remember - and had a big collection of over 100 Barbie and Bratz dolls.
But she stopped wearing her favourite colour in secondary school after feeling the pressure to dress like her friends and classmates.
She returned to her staple style once she left school in 2020 and now, she feels more like herself, but is worried her extreme look will shock potential partners.
Katie, who is self-employed and runs her own clothing business, from Sleaford, Lincolnshire, said: “Since I can remember, I’ve always had loads of Barbies. I always got them as presents for birthdays - and Bratz dolls too.
Strictly's Molly Rainford and Tyler West fuel romance rumours while on tour
Katie loves all things pink (Tom Maddick SWNS)“I had all the limited-edition dolls - like the Dream Wedding Barbie and the one which came with the pink car. I dressed them up in all pink.
“Mum noticed my obsession and would always buy me pink clothes, as she loves it, too. Sometimes I worry men think my look is immature - whether it’s the all-pink, or how revealing my clothes can be.
“They can be really intimidated - male friends have said they’d never walk up to me and ask for my number because they just don’t think they’d be able to get it. I just want a man who loves my confidence - and someone who can join in!”
She fears her obsession will scare off men as they find her intimidating (Tom Maddick SWNS)Katie’s mum, Alison, 55, loves baby pink and has kitted her house out in lots of pink decor. “My mum is very bling and sparkly,” Katie added.
“She has a baby pink style, whereas I love all shades of pink. We’re a very fashion-oriented family - and she loves to sew and crochet, just the same as me.”
Katie felt forced into wearing 'normal clothes' as a teen (Katie Loveday SWNS)
Now she is embracing her unique look (Tom Maddick SWNS)Having dressed up in all pink since she was a toddler, Katie’s style began to change in year seven. Katie explained: “I wanted to copy everyone else a bit - my style became very basic and very plain.
“I was wearing plain white t-shirts, white shoes and skinny jeans all the time. I felt very insecure in those outfits - and I couldn’t understand why.
"Once I’d finished school and become a more independent person, I realised I didn’t actually look good in any of those clothes - I was just wearing what I thought other people wanted me to wear.”
She has countless all-pink outfits (Tom Maddick SWNS)Throughout lockdown in 2020, Katie confesses her love for pink became an "addiction". She reflected: “I remember in lockdown I had so much time on my hands, I just felt like I wanted to start expressing myself more.
“Even adding the smallest accents of pink to my make-up - my confidence grew, and I felt so much more like myself. I’d got my individuality back.”
Nail salon refuses to serve disabled teen saying it 'doesn't do people like her'
The 'real life Barbie' is now looking to paint her car pink (Tom Maddick SWNS)Now, Katie, who has a walk-in wardrobe, spends “a good chunk" of her paycheck on pink clothes every month - and refuses to wear anything that isn’t a shade of the colour. “If I’m out shopping my eyes just naturally draw to pink things - there’s no point trying to wear anything else," she said.
“I shop online for new bits every single day - I have ‘new collection’ alerts on so many of my apps and have even managed to adjust it so it’s only pink clothing. Then, when I’ve worn the outfits a few times, I usually just sell them on my Depop and buy more.”
Despite re-discovering her unique style, Katie worries her look will scare dates off. She admitted: “I just expect people I’m dating to walk into my room and think the all-pink is too much.
Her entire image is based on the iconic doll (Tom Maddick SWNS)“I worry most people also want a partner who dresses more chill - while I base my entire look on the Barbies of my childhood.” The interior of Katie’s car, her bedroom and all her home decor is covered in pink - and thanks to the upcoming Barbie film - she’s looking to paint the outside of her blue car entirely pink.
She added: “I need the pink car so badly - all the covers and interiors in my car are pink - but I’m definitely going to be painting the whole thing in the future.
“I’m not even a film person, but I’m so excited for Barbie to come out. Childhood me would go absolutely crazy seeing her style represented onscreen. I just know when I watch it, I’ll be like: ‘I need that outfit’. I’m already trying to find a dupe for those pink shoes.”
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
