3/9/09

Barbie Turns 50 Today!!!!

Is this hard core reality, or what? Can you believe they are finally making Barbie for real?

You are right, they aren't. This is just a pic of a rendition of what 5o looks like.

Hmmmm, what do you think? I'd say she's a tad overworked.

I've never known whether to take it as a compliment when people have said, "Oh, you look like Barbie!" LOL. It's my coloring, my long hair, my height. I don't know. Regardless, I hope I age a little better than "this" Barbie. She's still a "doll" though!!!!

Honestly, we give way too much attention to how a person looks. duh. I guess that's the one thing that is a common denominator with the ageless Barbie...some things never change.

Here's Barbie's backdrop:

Barbie in the Making!
Was Barbie an Original?

Sorry, to disappoint. No, she wasn't. She has German ancestry. Sort of. Like me. LOL You see, my ancestors left Switzerland and headed for Germany with the unrest in their home country. Barbie, on the other hand had a "sister", older, I might add, named Bild Lilli.

Bild has not received the due press she deserves. Bild was a racy lady based on a German cartoon. Ruth Handler found her while visiting Germany. She brought her home for her daughter "Barbie" to play with. Ruth convinced her hubby and his company Mattel that America needed a doll like Bild and "Barbie" was born, March 9, 1959.

Tell me Barbie and Bild don't look like twins. Maybe they were separated at birth!


Barbie is the Root of Eating Disorders and Other Such Maladies?

Barbie has remained the most controversial doll of all time. Yet, she continues to see approximately 3 barbies every second of the day, bringing in $3.6 billion in revenue every year. Just about every North American girl has owned one at some point in their lives. By the way, "Fulla", a Barbie like sister, is sold in the Mid-East to better rep that particular culture.

Barbie's Body, Is it for Real?!
At 50 years old, she still carries her fab figure. While the original Barbie was more curvy-- 36-18-38, at 5'9, in 1994 Barbie went under REduction augmentation. She's closer to 34-22-34. She's still tall with long blond hair. Has she had an "uplift" lately? Probably not. Exercising. Probably yes.

The average woman is 5' 4", weighs 145 lbs., and wears between a size 11-14. Her measurements are approximately 36"/30"/41". And there's a 50-50 percent chance that she's on a diet. By the way, plastic surgery is at an all time high with females.

There is an 80% chance girls, by the time they are in the fourth-grade, will have been on at least one diet. Ten-years-old. Wow! And by the time she they are in college, there is a 19 percent chance they will develop an eating disorder (see my recent series). Time Magazine

Does this mean it's Barbie's fault?

Barbie Is a Workaholic?
She has had every kind of occupation any woman could ever desire. (Well, where is my Pilates Barbie? I need to discuss this with Mattel.)

Opponents continue to complain. Why?

Goodness, Barbie is not one person. She is all of us. In some way or the other. No matter the size, shape, or color. She is who "you" make her to be. Goodness, folks, she's NOT real. She's a doll. What doll ever really looked like a REAL person. Not many. Images in the media are all air brushed and timeless.

Think about it. Girls are MORE exposed to REAL people than dolls. Let's face it, parents do have the power to teach appropriate attitudes about how a girl or boy views their self-worth, and their body images.

My Barbie Days
Vintage Barbie is from 1959 to 1972 (with Mod era dolls released from about 1966 through 1972. All other Barbie dolls are considered Modern Barbie.

No, I'm not vintage!!! I had the Mod era Barbie. I also had Francie, Ken, Midge, Skipper, and what was the little girl's name? Hmmmm, starts with at "T". UH, oh yes, "Tutti" who was Todd's twin sister.

Do I remember the countless hours "playing Barbies". And as far as I know I can't blame Barbie for any of my rebellious actions! Neither can she take credit for my view on bust size...or any other anatomy size. I'm not one of those who believes Barbie has that much control over our minds.

My oldest daughter's generation had Cabbage Patch dolls. Did that mean the dolls caused that generation to want to look like them? What do you think?! Oh, yes, I know some of you, including my hubby, believe they (C.P's) were possessed.

Regardless, dolls have been around for eons. Personally, I believe we have a lot more to worry about seizing the minds of our children besides these dolls.

Give Barbie a break!

Resources:

PHOTO of 50 yr old Barbie is by a Brazilian artist according to AARP (3/09)
The Book: Barbie and Ruth, Harper 2009

Shop Shop
Barbie has a Facebook? Yes!!! She has nearly 80,000 fans!
History on Bild clk here.
Barbie's Birthday Party at Bloomingdales!
NOTE: Scroll and Look at the video on the previous post!
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