Fat Barbie

Barbie as she is normally would never be able to walk through the door. If she was real and alive, she couldn't hold up her head. Her neck is too thin and too long for the weight of her head. There is not enough space in the belly for the ribs and even not enough space for the organs. And we young girls think Barbie is a beautiful woman and picture her as an example… Way too unrealistic if you know her portions are way out of control.   

Besides that, Barbie has a white skin, blond hair and blue eyes. Isn’t that a little unrealistic too? In this multicultural society?    

What is it?   

Mattel is launching new types of Barbie! A couple of different body shapes, lots of new skin tones, twenty-two eye colors, twenty-four hairstyles and tons of new good fitting clothes and accessories! And thus Barbies are getting more and more realistic.   

Sussex University in 2006 did research on the development of the self image of girls. They found that girls could develop a distorted self image by playing with dolls.    

On the other hand Colmone says: "Girls look very different at the world than adults do." "They are more influenced by their parents and friends.”   

Mattel also knew that they couldn’t  hold on to their old Barbie design. This because of the difference between human beings and because of people who felt discriminated. And that’s why, after 57 years, they changed the Barbie design. .   

Why is it cool?   

Well everything of it is cool because when I was a kid I always wanted different Barbies! They all had a different personality to me, and therefore they couldn’t look the same… Well they had to change… If I didn’t had to live on a student budget I would probably run to the store and would buy tons of new Barbie stuff.   

For the kids, girls, and boys the new Barbie sizes and colors are awesome. They can choose the dolls where they can relate to and in this way they will learn that people aren’t all white, blond, blue eyed and skinny as hell.    

Does it have future growth potential?   

I hope so! It would really be nice to give my future kids these different shaped dolls,. However, I think that it had to change because of the diversity of the world we live in. If we would look a thousand years into the future, we would again have a new Barbie. Because then every culture will probably be mixed, and we will all look the same. Until that has happened, this new Barbie look should work well.   

Trend   

Without a doubt the new Barbie fits in the trend Shifting Identities. She shifted her Identity, the company shifted identity and the best part: the playing kids can discover plenty of identities. Cultural diversity and Fit for misfits are two smaller trends that fit here.   

Quality of Life   

The change in something that is an part of the material wellbeing, effects the physical wellbeing and emotional wellbeing in a positive way.   

http://www.nu.nl/lifestyle/4205510/barbie-pop-krijgt-eerst-in-57-jaar-verschillende-lichaamstypen.html   

http://www.nu.nl/lifestyle/3692825/lichaam-barbie-niet-realistisch-maar-praktisch.html   

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/barbie-adds-tall-curvy-and-petite-body-styles-a6839001.html   

http://kids.barbie.com/nl-nl