'Barbie' vs 'Oppenheimer': How to display your summer box office pick on the golf course

Box-office Style

Calling all movie lovers. With the highly anticipated releases of Greta Gerwig’s "Barbie" and Christopher Nolan’s "Oppenheimer," cinema enthusiasts—and seemingly everyone under the sun, including, yes, golfers—have taken style inspirations from these two summer blockbusters.

Dressers of all kinds have wholeheartedly dipped their wardrobes in the splashy magentas and funky prints of the beloved (or passionately hated) plastic perfect that is the Barbie doll, brought to life this summer by Margot Robbie, who, as it happens, is no stranger to the golf course. In fact, the Australian Hall of Famer Jan Stephenson has reportedly said that she and Robbie have talked about her playing Stephenson in a movie. (Casual.)

Meanwhile, the fictionalized biopic centering around the creator of the atomic bomb has many embracing retro, 1940s sleek silhouettes and neutral palettes.

To make the most of this wild cultural moment, we’ve rounded up a list of fabulous, and dare we say hilarious, ways you can rep your love for “Barbie,” or “Oppenheimer,” (or both) on the course. Oh, and, to make this even more fun, we’ve offered unisex and matching options for your perusal, so you can gather all the Barbies and Kens in your life and play a highly fashionable, highly memorable summer round.

The Cali cool resort wear brand has golf-specific his-and-her sets in a variety of tropical and vibrant patterns. We love this best-selling midi-floral print in juicy watermelon hues, which comes in a men’s collared golf shirt and a ladies’ sleeveless golf polo, all made in a boutique outpost in Portugal and finished with coconut buttons and recycled polyester.

These luxe USGA-standard golf gloves are crafted with premium AA Cabretta leather and come at an equally irresistible price. Just one of the fun colors offered in the flagship G/FORE glove collection, it’s easy to dream of having an entire room in your, ahem, Barbie Dreamhouse just for golf gloves. This bubbly gum pink fit is warm and fresh, but the lavender and sunshine pastel colors are also easy favorites.

The picture-perfect pink golf polo is now on sale. A zesty raspberry hue meets a sweat-wicking, pique fabric that keeps air moving while you’re on the course. Pair with floral motif-swim shorts, khaki trousers or, for a night on the town or post-round drinks, light jeans or summer’s favorite seersucker.

With dramatically pleated hems, a sweet peter-pan collar and delicate asymmetrical frills piped along the side, we’re pretty sure this is what modern golf Barbie would wear to the driving range. Paired with, we’re just assuming here, bespoke matching pink heels—with spikes.

This recently launched Infinity Ace colorway is kaleidoscopic and groovy, with slight iridescence and tangerine accents. The shoe has all the soft cushioning and mesh overlays we’ve come to expect from hi-tech golf shoes, plus extra support around the high-stress areas, like your ankles. The pièce de résistance is in the soles, which feature psychedelic taffy-colored artwork for added whimsy.

To add a touch of pink to your on-course look, without going full Barbie, we love this thin stripped polo from Rhoback. The white stripes balance the pink expertly to allow for a touch of color in an upscale and classic way.

With traditional elements of menswear fashion, like the sharp V-neck sweater vest silhouette and straight-line fit, this double jacquard knit is made with luxurious and hearty mercerized cotton and befitted with a geometric, retro club design.

We begin with a transitory item, an über-soft graphic cotton sweatshirt with a mod aesthetic and perhaps even Barbie-core lavender hue. The monochromatic print, however, is oh so Oppenheimer, with its fuzzy digital photos and high-science numbers (3) and x-marks-the-spot motif. And the golfer is clearly playing the first course ever designed on the moon, so, innovation!

All great anti-heroes wear gloves—on and off the course. This vintage mustard hue and authentic-to-the-period lambskin leather is so pre-war era, and in a nod to the styles of yore, we’re wearing golf gloves on both hands, for added glamour and drama, which we think the Oppenheimer costume designer would approve of.

With a sweeping “M” cursive script print and a sandy sepia tone, this knit performance polo also features a 3-button placket to complete the subtle, while still feminine, menswear-inspired look.

Any polo titled “Attack Mode” means business on the course. This tailored-fit shirt is also packed with technology, including recycled HD-Damask and satin labels, natural shell buttons and gold-standard organic extra-long staple Peruvian Pima cotton. Sustainable and soft, you can feel great about wearing this breathable, range-enhancing polo, while being a total killer on the course.

We love the minimalist severity of this streamlined shirt, as well as the nostalgic and cool mock-neck collar that adds a bit of high-fashion and reverence to any golf look. Moisture-wicking, quick-drying and UV-protecting, layer this over your tailored neutral golf trousers for a true Oppenheimer-esque look, and finish it off with your good ‘ole wing-tipped golf shoes.

We’ve been inspired to revisit the classic golf hat styles sported by pros in the 1940s, commonly called newsboy, flat or ivy caps. This 2023 collab has all the fixings from 21st century performance wear technology, coupled with a stylish, throwback silhouette.