To be or not to be Barbie

The Real Barbie

Together Again

They were like this before.

A Doll of The World Entry

There are a lot of Dolls of the World (DOTW) peg warmers in the various local toy stores. There is no news of any upcoming dolls in that line. It might as well be dead. Ever wonder how that happened?

Starting 1980, Mattel released Barbie dolls with various ethnicities, like the first Black and Oriental Barbie dolls. Although criticized for a lot of cultural misappropriations or lack of authenticity, it wasn't enough to totally kill the line. It brought different faces to Barbie's circle. It was actually one of the major selling points for these dolls.

Now, ethnic diversity can be had from different Barbie lines. This was one of the reasons why the Barbie Basics was a hit. It was the same for the university cheerleader dolls. (The Barbie look flopped partly because they insisted on including the Mackie and Aphrodite molds a number of times.) With these lines, you get the diversity in ethnicity without the cultural misappropriation. Plus, the idea of getting just one doll is not enough. Collectors welcome the diversity so most bought a few, if not all, of the dolls in a line.

Now the same formula is being used for the current Fashionista line up. You don't have to pay a "collector" price for a DOTW doll just to harvest the head. It is now easier to snag a Lea/Kayla, Mbili or Goddess face molds. These are usually reserved for the collector and exclusive dolls. You also get a reusable piece of clothing with no cultural issues, hopefully.

So what's the point of collectors buying DOTW these days? I'm really fine with them gone AS LONG AS the diversity is present in at least one of their lines available globally.

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