Outfits Inspired by Strawberry Shortcake Characters, News In Progress

If you grew up in any decade from the 1980s to the 2000s, there’s a good chance you’ve collected, or at least heard of, Strawberry Shortcake dolls. Creator Muriel Fahrion initially designed the franchise’s titular character to appear on American Greetings cards, but toy industry mogul Bernie Loomis asked her to design a toy line instead. Since its inception, the franchise has touched the hearts of millions worldwide, and with the recent rise of the cottagecore aesthetic, the beloved food-themed, originally country-esque, characters have the potential to reach a whole new generation.

Taking inspiration from the generation-spanning franchise, I created a collection of fun fashion moodboards that integrate eight characters’ aesthetics and modern trends. You can mix and match the different pieces to create your own unique look inspired by Strawberry Shortcake and her friends. Many accessory items came from artists on Etsy, and some clothing items are from small businesses and ethical brands.

The namesake character of the franchise, Strawberry Shortcake, is a kind and caring friend who lives in a strawberry-shaped house with her cat, Custard, and dog, Pupcake. Strawberry-themed clothes and accessories have risen in popularity this year, thanks to the cottagecore aesthetic and Lirika Matoshi’s viral strawberry dress, so there are plenty of cute options on the market. I even found some accessories and masks featuring the Strawberry Shortcake character on Etsy.

Tops: strawberry print tee, striped pink tee
Sweaters: striped sweater, red cardigan
Bottoms: corduroy skirt, jeans
Shoes: Mary Jane flats
Hair accessories: hat, red and green bows, strawberry and mushroom hair clips, strawberry scrunchie
Masks: gingham mask, Strawberry Shortcake masks, floral mask
Other accessories: Strawberry Shortcake keychain, basket purse, strawberry necklace, Strawberry Shortcake earrings, nail polish 1, nail polish 2, nail polish 3, strawberry shoelaces, striped socks

Angel Cake is a polite young girl who lives in the aptly-named Cakewalk area of Strawberryland. I took inspiration from her soft color palette and girly style, especially her lilac hat decorated with flowers. It was fairly easy to find pieces to match her look, thanks to the popularity of the soft girl aesthetic, and I drew inspiration from influencers like douxfairy.

Tops: pink camisole, pink striped tee
Sweaters: floral cardigan, rhinestone button cardigan
Denim: overall dress, jeans
Shoes: checkered Vans
Hair accessories: sprinkle bow, bucket hat, scrunchies, purple bows, flower clips, donut clip
Jewelry: butterfly necklace, daisy choker, flower earrings
Other accessories: striped socks, pink backpack

Orange Blossom is one of Strawberry’s friends with a passion for gardening and helping others. She’s down to earth and loves nature, so I used earthy tones and floral patterns, as well as adding a butterfly print mask as a nod to her pet butterfly from the original 1980 doll line.

Tops: crew neck top, floral peasant top
Bottoms: plaid pants, tan skirt
Hair accessories: flower bucket hat, velvet scrunchies, flower clip
Bags: wicker purse, orange crossbody
Masks: butterfly print, floral print
Other accessories: friendship bracelet, heart drop earrings, phone case, flower socks, glitter nail polish, orange nail polish 1, orange nail polish 2

Ginger Snap is a baker with a pet named Chocolate Chipmunk. She’s one of Strawberry Shortcake’s first friends when she moves to Strawberryland, and extends a sweet, welcoming hand, along with some cookies. I stuck to her main color scheme, adding some accessories that nod to her occupation and love of baking.

Tops: purple mesh top, white blouse, purple tee
Bottoms: tie-waist jeans, brown skirt, purple skirt, bread overalls
Jackets: purple jacket, shearling jacket top
Accessories: “cookies” beanie, denim scrunchie, cookie purse, gingerbread necklace, denim hat

Blueberry Muffin is a fun-loving girl with a retro, yet cozy, style. She lives in a cabin-like house in the middle of a forest, so I tried to put together outfits she could wear while exploring the forest or spending time with friends in her home.

Tops: tie top, lettuce trim tee
Sweaters: check cardigan, cloud sweater
Jacket: shearling denim jacket
Bottoms: button jeans, gray jeans, floral skirt, plaid skirt
Hair accessories: plaid scrunchie, blueberry bow, blueberry clips
Other accessories: blueberry mask, patchwork bag, newsboy cap, purple belt, purple heels

Lemon Meringue has a sweet, preppy style that reflects her bubbly personality. In the most recent iterations of the franchise, she owns a hair salon, so I made sure to throw in some fun hair accessories.

Tops: lace-up top, striped sweater, striped long-sleeve, collar sweater, tie-strap top
Bottoms: denim skirt, turquoise midi skirt, overall dress
Outerwear: yellow cardigan
Shoes: blue and yellow sneakers
Accessories: mask and scrunchie set, green hair clips, lemon crossbody bag
Jewelry: lemon slab earrings, lemon slice bracelet, lace bracelet, lemonade necklace

Crepe Suzette is a Parisian girl who loves cooking. I drew from her French background, modeling French street fashion, and chic style, as well as her rich color scheme. You can piece together these items for either a casual or sophisticated look.

Tops: “mon chéri” sweatshirt, raspberry top, pink long sleeve top, white button top, cherry bodysuit
Sweater: purple cardigan
Bottoms: velvet flare pants, pink flounce skirt, raspberry pleated skirt
Dress: lavender dress
Shoes: glitter ballet flats
Hair accessories: wool beret, cherry hair clips
Other accessories: crepe charm, red and purple scarf, plaid purse, cherry mask, cherry tassel earrings

Rainbow Sherbert is perhaps the most colorful character in the Strawberry Shortcake franchise, and it was fun finding so many bright, Y2K-influenced pieces for this moodboard. Since it’s rare to find such colorful clothes at everyday retailers, I sourced most of these from small businesses, as well as eco-conscious retailer Lucy & Yak.