Barbie - is it all her fault? (Part One: The Problem)

If you haven't heard the news by now, Barbie turned 50 years old back in March. That's right, ladies, she's getting up there. It's a real wonder how she keeps up her youthful appearance. Could it be one of those reverse-aging pills that keep popping up in advertisements on the internet? I wonder... ;)

There's no denying that this "supermodel doll" has raised lots controversy over the years and been the source of too many lawsuits, as well as suffering occasional physical decapitations by the likes of "Sid" from Toy Story. But, all of that aside, what is the real deal behind this cultural icon? Is she a good girl or a bad girl? And how did we get so far from Kansas, anyway?

The doll was first introduced in 1959, after an American woman named Ruth Handler felt that there was an unmet need for a "grown-up doll". Up until that period, dollies had mostly been made in the form of children. But along came this Marilyn Monroe-ish girl in a striped swimsuit and ponytail and tada! A new cultural phenomenon was born. Over the years, she has undergone many transformations, both to her body and her style of dress. The glamorous gowns of the 60s were replaced by the funky trends of the 70s and so on, until now we've got Barbie clad in little more than a tank top and miniskirt.

I think, from the start, the whole idea of giving a child an adult doll is not the best idea in the world. It's comparable to letting your four year old watch an adult movie, or giving your eight year old a mature novel to peruse. It introduces them to "grown-up" subjects and ideas, usually long before they should be aware of them. Very young girls should not (in my opinion, anyway) be obsessing about shoes and clothing, thinking about dating that hunky "Ken doll", and et cetera. It's completely unnecessary and can be downright dangerous.

Then there is the whole issue regarding Barbie's "perfect figure". It has been a concern over the years that young girls and women will hold her up as a standard that, in case you were wondering, is literally impossible to attain. According to research, if she were scaled up to human size, she would be 5'9" and measure 36" (bust), 18" (waist) and 33" (hips). Basically, she would have some serious dietary issues. Not only are her torso proportions unrealistic, she's got extra long legs and tiny feet. If she were real, she wouldn't be able to stand. She'd just fold up and fall over. (I may be interesting to note that Barbie's waist shape was altered and "thickened" in 2000.)

A "Barbie-fied" makeup advertisement

It's a known fact that these days "the pressure is on" for young women to be as "skinny" as possible. The question is - has Barbie helped contribute to this? Fortunately, she's managed to keep a pretty face with color in her cheeks (albeit a little too heavily makeup-ed), which is more than most supermodels accomplish these days. Browsing through high fashion runway show images, I am always struck by how extremely unattractive the makeup and expressions of the models are. The message is sadly clear - "body size is all that matters". Beautiful faces and personalities are out, girls, and it's sad.

To be continued... Drop in on Thursday to read the rest of my thoughts (The Solution).
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Remember, Fashion Week starts on Sunday!!! I'll put up an official opening post on Saturday with all the info on putting your photos up on your blog or in the Fashion Week Web album! I hope you're ready - I sure am! :)


Images: telegraph.co.uk / toymania.com / welovebeauty.com