I Woke Up Like This

Even if there seems to be an unofficial embargo on the sales of dark-skinned Barbie Fashionista (and Made to Move) dolls locally, we still get to enjoy partial diversity. Hurray with sarcasm! But seriously, I commend certain dolls in the line up, one of which is the Glam Team Barbie doll with the Asha face mold. This is reminiscent of the doll dubbed as the albino Desiree from last year. They express the same experimentation on skin color not usually used on certain face molds. Carlyle Nuera, the designer of the two dolls, already did it with OOAK dolls at 2015 Madrid Fashion Doll Convention. It was nice to see a repeat of that idea in a more accessible level. This could lead to more unusual dolls like dark-skinned Raquelle and Ryan, but with the unofficial embargo on the sales of dark-skinned dolls locally, I have to jump through hoops to get one. With my numerous dolls that already satisfy me, I don't feel like exerting extra effort to get a new doll. It has to be available in local toy stores or else I won't buy.

I'd like to believe that the Barbie Fashionista line promotes diversity and being different even if I usually find Mattel insincere (as discussed in my earlier blog entries). Given that this Glam Team doll is ubiquitous, I want to give my doll a certain difference from other Glam Team dolls. She had a dental extraction, head shrinking and a full repaint.

I wanted her eyebrows to be almost faint. I wanted the eye makeup very light but I don't want the attention to be taken away from the eyes so the full lips should be muted. Would you believe her if she says, "I woke up like this"?

I'm satisfied with this no make-up make-up look. The repaint is done, for now. I'm still figuring out the hair style I want for her and her character. She's giving me a fairy vibe, though, or least she looks like that she's not from anywhere I know.

Divisoria Deadpool

Ever had that feeling of wanting to buy a toy, any toy, even if you don't really want it? You then make up justifications of buying the toy, like you can sell it if you're sure you don't want it, or you can customize it to something you really want.

That's the case for this 4-inch Divisoria Deadpool action doll. This gray-black suit is Deadpool's uniform when he was a member of the X-force, the more millitant version of the X-men. Hasbro released an official X-force Deadpool (middle and right images above). It can be seen how the gray Divisoria Deadpool is different from the official release, from the scabbard, to the belt pouches and the holster. This Divisoria figure won't pass as the original. No wonder, online sellers are not selling this.

The same thing can't be said about the red Divisoria Deadpool. It looks like the original X-men Origins comic version Deadpool. The gray Deadpool is just a repaint of the red, except maybe for the head. They have different head sculpts. The gray is bigger.

A lot of Deadpool stuff are being sold in Divisoria. They have the Marvel Legends and Select scales. I only care about the 4-inch stuff. The red or gray Deadpool is being sold for PhP500 each.

I found this toy car while thrifting. I thought it was cute with the opening doors. The 4-inch dolls could also fit in. It is missing the roof but I don't care. I might create a makeshift roof or I could just leave it as is. It's a Lil Bratz Lil' Coupe.

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