A fun, committed stepmom embracing her stepson’s pop-punk aesthetic and Halloween spirit with playful flair.
Critics are calling the faux blood and 'Bite Me' caption a desperate grab for relevance, noting she’s been trying too hard to fit into the Barker family dynamic since marrying Travis.
Kourtney wore a $629 Jonquil vintage dress; Landon turned 23; the second cake read 'Nobody likes you when you’re 23' referencing Blink-182’s 'What’s My Age Again?'
Kourtney is leaning into the goth aesthetic to stay relevant in the Barker orbit, but the internet is already judging the effort.
Kourtney Kardashian is officially dipping her toe into the murky waters of step-parenting drama by going full vampire for her stepson Landon Barker’s 23rd birthday. The Poosh founder, 47, took to Instagram to showcase a look that screams 'trying too hard' or 'committing to the bit,' depending on who you ask. Dressed in a black lace slip dress from the lingerie brand Jonquil, Kourtney paired the $629 vintage piece with a sheer black duster and doubled up on cross necklaces.
But the real tea? The trickle of faux blood dripping down her chin. She captioned the post simply, “bite me,” a phrase that feels less like a playful joke and more like a defensive shield against the inevitable backlash.
The party, themed “Vampire’s Ball,” was clearly designed to appease the pop-punk sensibilities of Landon’s dad, Travis Barker. But Kourtney seemed to steal the spotlight, matching her stepson’s faux blood drip for the photos. Hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimons chimed in, sharing snaps of the glam and noting that he pinned back Kourtney’s signature bangs for the occasion.
It’s a calculated move to look less like the mom-next-door and more like a member of the Barker brood, but does it read as authentic or as a costume change for the cameras? The internet is split, with some praising the commitment and others rolling their eyes at the performative gore. Let’s talk about the cakes, because that’s where the receipts get spicy.
Landon blew out candles on a black cake spattered with faux-blood glaze, keeping with the theme. But the second cake? It was topped with 23 black candles and the words “Nobody likes you when you’re 23,” a direct nod to Travis’s hit Blink-182 song “What’s My Age Again?” It’s a clever reference, sure, but it also highlights the age gap and the cultural chasm Kourtney is trying to bridge.
Is she really connecting with her stepson’s world, or is she just borrowing his dad’s nostalgia to feel young? Other guests joined in the theatrics, with Alabama Barker rocking a fire-red wig and Alix Earle showing up in a busty latex minidress. Notably, Alix’s sister Ashtin, who wore a sheer lace getup, has been dating Landon for the past few weeks.
This adds another layer to the party: it’s not just a birthday bash, it’s a strategic networking event for the Barker-Kardashian clan to solidify their grip on the influencer and music scenes. Kourtney’s vampire look might be the headline, but the real story is the family’s relentless push for cultural relevance. Bite me, indeed.
