Olivia Rodrigo has sparked debate online after performing at Spotify's Billions Club show in Barcelona wearing a floral babydoll dress and knee-high Doc Martens. The 23-year-old singer, who recently became the first artist to have lead singles from her first three albums debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, faced criticism on social media for her outfit choice. One user on X questioned: 'Can Olivia Rodrigo dress like a normal pop star and stop trying to dress up like a toddler?' while another commented: 'I will never get people dressing like a baby.'
Rodrigo has frequently worn babydoll dresses, including in her music video for 'Drop Dead' filmed at the Palace of Versailles, where she wore a chemise and bloomers from Chloe's pre-fall 2026 collection. She also wore a pale pink custom babydoll dress by label Jane Doe to celebrate the opening of Feel Karaoke in Los Angeles. The album artwork for her forthcoming release features her in a Peter Pan-collared mini dress, Mary Jane pumps and socks.
Rock music researcher Dr James How notes that Rodrigo's style references Courtney Love, who used babydoll dresses as part of her 'Kinderwhore' aesthetic in the 1990s. 'Olivia Rodrigo has been making references to Courtney Love, so this is on brand,' How said. However, he added: 'Rodrigo is engaging with these great 1990s rock stars, who were really alternative, but I don't think she's playing with the meanings that they were. She looks really good – that's the difference.'
Babydoll dresses were first popularised during the Second World War due to material shortages, according to fashion historian Daniel Milford-Cottam. 'These shorter dresses were seen as a bright new version of femininity,' he said. The style saw a resurgence in the mid-Sixties as young women rejected looking like their mothers. How criticised the backlash against Rodrigo, saying: 'People don't allow artists, especially women, the freedom that they have to express themselves.'
