‘Academic Barbie’, 27, says individuals cannot consider she’s a uni lecturer however does not care

Fashion marketing lecturer Katie Lloyd, 27, said she is not always taken seriously due to her age and style. But she loves being compared to Legally Blonde’s Elle Woods

An ‘academic Barbie’ says people assume she’s a clueless fresher – and are stunned when she reveals she’s actually the university lecturer. Katie Lloyd bagged a doctorate in marketing and strategy in March after spending four years completing her PHD all while rocking trendy outfits and bouncy blowouts.

The 27-year-old says people often assume fashion is a ‘fluffy’ subject and says she is not always taken seriously due to her age and the stylish way she dresses for 9am lectures.

But the fashion marketing lecturer at Cardiff Metropolitan University says she’ll never change her aesthetic and loves being compared to Legally Blonde’s Elle Woods or a real-life Barbie doll.

Also working part-time as a bridal model, Katie hopes to inspire other women to follow an academic career path and smash the stereotype of what a person in academia should look like.

Katie, of Bromyard, Herefordshire, said: “I think being a young female in academia is massive. There is a bit of a stereotype that you have to be older and to be an expert you need age behind you. It’s nice to be able to push those boundaries.

“When I would go to events and would say I teach fashion marketing, people don’t really take you seriously. When you say the word ‘fashion’ immediately people think it’s a fluffy subject.

“I might look like a young girl that’s blonde and give that stereotypical ‘Elle Woods’ look. But when I stand up, people all of a sudden listen and realise I know my stuff and it [fashion] is a really interesting topic. I love fashion, make-up and getting glam – even if it’s for my 9am lecture.

“It’s great that I’m there owning how I want to look and my own personality comes across in how I dress and do my make-up and my identity. I get mistaken for being a student all the time. When it’s the first week back, people will always ask me if I need any help or know where I’m going.”

Katie graduated from Cardiff Metropolitan University in 2020 with a first-class degree in fashion marketing management. She then went on to achieve a distinction in her digital marketing and data management masters in 2022 alongside working as a personal stylist on social media.

While also working as a bridal model and a full-time university lecturer, Katie then began studying for her PHD in 2022 on a full-time scholarship. For her thesis she researched how social media influencers deal with online hate and this saw her interview Love Island and Married at First Sight stars.

And, when she submitted her PHD, she said it was one of her proudest life moments. Katie said: “I think people do sometimes judge me for my age and how I look before they listen to what I’ve got to say.

“It goes back to not being taken seriously as there is almost a bit of a tradition that an academic or a lecturer has to dress quite plainly. When I was told I had passed and was now a doctor, it was quite a surreal moment. I was so proud of myself. It was one true moment in my life where I knew I deserved this and I had worked hard for it.”

In the future Katie hopes to open her own influencer agency following the extensive research she conducted to complete her PHD. She is now urging other women to consider an academic career as she says it’s important for there to be diversity in the space. Katie said: “I’m not going to change how I look for my job role, I love expressing myself.

“I’ve had a couple of people compare me to Elle Woods as I have a little sausage dog too. I also get Barbie and in my bio on social media, I have myself as ‘academic Barbie’. Around the office it’s become a bit of a running joke. If someone asks ‘who’s Katie’ they’ll say it’s the blonde one that looks like Barbie.

“As a woman in research it’s hard to have your voice heard but being able to push the boundaries and navigate this, it’s so important to be done. I’m one of those people that will keep knocking on those doors until I’m heard.”