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Misinterpreted

New Beginning

 

Gloria's Back

I totally forgot about her, but not without good reasons. She is my first petite character, not Susie nor Rachel as mentioned in my earlier entries. Memories are not enough evidence.

Plus Size Problems Part 2

Dear Niel,

I tried the new dress you have made specially for me and I love it! At first, I thought the huge prints will make me look bigger but then what's the point of denying the fact? It's bold and fun just like me. I like how it shows off my legs. I also like the cool belt! Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me.
 

I thought my fashion woes would end with the arrival of the curvy Barbie dolls. I was hoping that I can share clothes with them. When I found out that they can share clothes with dolls having the original body size, I felt something is wrong. I knew that I still have very limited clothing options.

How can a curvy girl share clothes with one who is not? What kind of delusion is that? Dolls of different body types sharing the same size of clothes trivializes the fashion problems of plus size people. How can other people understand the frustration and the difficulty of someone bigger trying to find the right size of clothes? Mattel decided to just sweep our frustrations under the rug by adjusting the curvy body so it won't be too big, so it will still fit the clothes meant for the original body size. It's like the fashion industry telling fat people to be slimmer so they can fit in the clothes the fashion industry makes.

These curvy dolls could have communicated this fashion frustration to kids and collectors had the dolls been curvier. Mattel could have addressed the issue with the fashion industry's lack of attention to the plus size figure by making a separate set of clothes made specially for the curvy dolls. Mattel could have done so much with the new body but they took the easy way and designed the curvy body to make the fashion problems seem almost non-existent. It just shows that Mattel is part of what's wrong in the fashion industry and at the same time denying something is wrong.

Different bodies being able to wear the same size of clothes isn't a celebration of diversity. It's forcing people to fit in one size.

But you get it. You get me, Niel. You understand that I can show off my style even if my body is bigger, even if I don't have a pronounced waist. You understand that I can have this body and still be beautiful. I'm so lucky.

Feeling loved,

Vernie

Divide

Wannabes

Tough

Mob

30

To be or not to be Barbie

The Real Barbie

Together Again

They were like this before.

Plus Size Problems

Dear Niel,

I'm happy you didn't make a sock dress for me. You took time to create a pattern just for me. I feel special knowing that unlike others, the patterns cannot be shared by a number of dolls. It's especially made for me.

I know my love for fashion doesn't show because I don't aspire to be anorexic like some fashion models but I do appreciate beautiful clothes and styling. Not a lot of fashion designers would want to dress me. Manufacturers would rather not risk spending extra capital on to solve plus size problems in fashion.

They stereotyped us as people who doesn't care about the way we look just because of our size. They think we can settle with dated and shapeless clothes that lacks character. I even heard someone say that I can just borrow Ken's pants. The nerve!

My love affair with fashion is unrequited but you loved me back.

I'm glad you didn't style me like Melissa McCarthy, fully covered. I like showing my arms even if they're big. I'm also happy that you didn't make me wear dyke fashion like Rosie O'Donnell even if we have the same body and we're both lesbians.

I really appreciate what you have done for me. Please don't take it the wrong way if I expected more. Let's be honest. The clothes the you've made me are pretty basic. I know I need to build my basic wardrobe, too, but I'm looking forward to you making something that shows my character. You know how I am. I'm far from basic.

Feeling Loved,

Vernie

Rachel

I learned from fellow hobbyists that the petite dolls are about the current Skipper's height, which is shorter than the teen Skipper dolls. Susie isn't my first petite, Rachel is.

Since there is no assurance that the new bodies will land locally and since I have a headless Skipper body lying around and a shrunken Raquelle head, too, I might as well make my own petite.

My First Petite

It's Susie. She has better articulation. She's able to fit in a lot of Barbie clothes and shoes. I've had her for years although I seldom play with her. She seemed out of place in Barbie's circle of friends.

I don't know if I'll be getting any of the new petite dolls. I have dolls that can stand in for petites like the teen Skipper size dolls.