The Fall of the Barbie Empire
Barbie, at least, had respect for herself. Dolls today respect NO ONE!
This is my first article, so please forgive my poor form.
I've had this subject on my mind for years now. I've searched most of RJ and haven't found an article like this. At first I wanted to target Bratz, but in retrospect [pun intended] I see that this way is more appropriate.
Barbie, at least, had respect for herself. Even when she was wearing a bikini on the beach, she wasn't standing on a street corner at night. Bratz, My Scene and whatever else passes for a "fashion" doll these days have no respect for themselves, and don't respect other people!! It's a sad fact that parents keep buying the dolls and that is making Mattel comprimise Barbie's image! This is ALL in MY OPINION, so if you don't like where I'm headed in my article, this is a free country, don't read anymore! But if you are interested in my views, here's my background and where I FEEL little girls fashion dolls went in the crapper.
I was a late bloomer in my "teenhood" so my guilty pleasure was playing with Barbie and all her cool friends. I was born in 1985, which makes me 22 years old [to save you the math problem]. I had one older step sister who played with Barbies, and my young mother who also loved to play with me. My mom gave me her old barbies to play with, but I remember very vividly my first BRAND NEW Barbies.
This perfect family of 4 came on the market in '85. My mom gave this to me for my third birthday, this version stayed popular for several years. I remember this so vividly, it was the beginning of a beautiful relationship. I would stay for hours in my room by myself, or with my older sister playing with this set.
This set was everything I knew I wanted when I was older. A happy little family of my own. Mrs. Heart was beautiful and modest in her party dress, and Mr. Heart looked handsome and smart in his blue suit coat. The children were precious and happy. It was a great gift for a little girl who at that time had no memories of her own father and what a happy family should be like.
I've had this subject on my mind for years now. I've searched most of RJ and haven't found an article like this. At first I wanted to target Bratz, but in retrospect [pun intended] I see that this way is more appropriate.
Barbie, at least, had respect for herself. Even when she was wearing a bikini on the beach, she wasn't standing on a street corner at night. Bratz, My Scene and whatever else passes for a "fashion" doll these days have no respect for themselves, and don't respect other people!! It's a sad fact that parents keep buying the dolls and that is making Mattel comprimise Barbie's image! This is ALL in MY OPINION, so if you don't like where I'm headed in my article, this is a free country, don't read anymore! But if you are interested in my views, here's my background and where I FEEL little girls fashion dolls went in the crapper.
I was a late bloomer in my "teenhood" so my guilty pleasure was playing with Barbie and all her cool friends. I was born in 1985, which makes me 22 years old [to save you the math problem]. I had one older step sister who played with Barbies, and my young mother who also loved to play with me. My mom gave me her old barbies to play with, but I remember very vividly my first BRAND NEW Barbies.
This perfect family of 4 came on the market in '85. My mom gave this to me for my third birthday, this version stayed popular for several years. I remember this so vividly, it was the beginning of a beautiful relationship. I would stay for hours in my room by myself, or with my older sister playing with this set.
This set was everything I knew I wanted when I was older. A happy little family of my own. Mrs. Heart was beautiful and modest in her party dress, and Mr. Heart looked handsome and smart in his blue suit coat. The children were precious and happy. It was a great gift for a little girl who at that time had no memories of her own father and what a happy family should be like.
My next few Barbies were special because I didn't get new toys often. While I had lots of toys, they were mostly from yard sales, unless it was my birthday or Christmas. And sometimes even then I got yard sale finds [which I loved just the same, I'm not complaining!]
I played with her all of the time but not very often in the water where her swimsuit changed colors in certain tempertures.
In 1990 My beloved Grandmother [we'll call her Nana, since that's what I've ALWAYS called her] bought this exquisite doll, brand new, just for me, that Christmas.
Since this doll was to be a collector's item, and was so expensive for her budget in the first place, she told me not to open the box and play with it. EVER, I assume. I did just that for a while, then my step sister convinced me otherwise. Oh boy.... I STILL catch heck over it today. Even though on Ebay in MINT condition she sells, on average, for 20 bucks. I think I had more fun playing with her. Now, I just wonder where she is now??
Moving on, I had one special Barbie I received in the 1st grade at school from my best friend. The doll must not have been very unique or special to any one else, because i can't find an image of her anywhere. She was dressed in a multi-colored two piece swimsuit, came with a pink hula skirt, and some kind of lip gloss you slid the top on and off. Her head has long since popped off from being played with so much.
Some years went by, I was happy with my little collection, and while I loved every new Barbie that came out, I knew we couldn't afford new dolls. Until they introduced the kind with joints.
THAT was the coolest thing since The Lion King. So one Christmas, I ventured to ask for my favorites, not knowing if I'd get them or not. When packages started appearing under the tree, I couldn't stand it. I had to hold them, feel the indentations, and try to look through the wrapping paper. Then [I was very naughty] whenever we went to the store I would go down the toy aisle and pick up the dolls on my list to see if they felt the same way. I was so good at it, my Nana was none the wiser, and I had no surprises come Christmas morning. I got every Barbie on my list. I was happy to have the Barbies, but disappointed that i knew ahead of time. I did not do that again.
OK, that was the last group of Barbies I got. When I hit true highschool, I didn't even go down the aisle to see what was new. I couldn't think far enough ahead to what the toys would be like when I have kids, especially daughters. In 2005 I started seeing and taking notice of these new things they called "Bratz."
The name was awful. I remember when being called a brat was the MAJOR offense in elementry school. The doll itself instantly reminded me of a hooker. I thought there was no way this concept would stick around. I was shocked to go to work one day and find my co-worker's FIVE year old daughter playing with the vulgur thing. I asked her mother why she bought it for her, and she simply and calmy answered that her daughter wanted it for her birthday. I wanted to ask her if her daughter wanted to play on the highway would she allow her to do that too??? But I bit my tongue, and kept my opinion to myself.
Since that day I've taken notice of several young children playing with the monstrosities. These "dolls" that on all levels should be targeted to adults into roll-playing sex games or something, are out in ALL toy aisles for pre-schoolers to toss in their parents baskets. And the PARENTS BUY THEM....why? Because the children run the show now.
They're even endorsed by a wonderful role model!
The Bratz dolls themselves upset me greatly, but the fact that Mattel had to change my beautiful, intelligent, succesful Barbie to keep up with the times REALLY makes me want to hurt their pocketbooks. Look at the trash they sell and call it Barbie.
And if you are thinking these are jokes, let me assure, they are really in stores dressed this way. I'm surprised the commercials don't say, "Pimp not included" or "Now comes with extra large purse for condoms and crack" COME ON PEOPLE!! If that doesn't upset you, how about these little gems...
WHY do these so called "babies" need to be dressed like that?? A BABY doll should have on jammies and take a bottle, say Momma and maybe wet it's diaper. Little six year old girls should NOT think that this is how you are supposed to dress. It's WRONG! It encourages sick, sick, SICK minded people! Go to www.familywatchdog.com and check out all the child molesters around your home. If you don't have more than one or two within 5 miles of you, you're VERY lucky.
Ok, I'll step down from my soapbox now. Thank you for sticking it out and reading my feelings on the subject. Let me leave you with some wonderful pictures of PAST Barbie that were made to inspire little girls to be successful in the RIGHT way, and not after dark!
and my favorite
I played with her all of the time but not very often in the water where her swimsuit changed colors in certain tempertures. In 1990 My beloved Grandmother [we'll call her Nana, since that's what I've ALWAYS called her] bought this exquisite doll, brand new, just for me, that Christmas.
Since this doll was to be a collector's item, and was so expensive for her budget in the first place, she told me not to open the box and play with it. EVER, I assume. I did just that for a while, then my step sister convinced me otherwise. Oh boy.... I STILL catch heck over it today. Even though on Ebay in MINT condition she sells, on average, for 20 bucks. I think I had more fun playing with her. Now, I just wonder where she is now??
Moving on, I had one special Barbie I received in the 1st grade at school from my best friend. The doll must not have been very unique or special to any one else, because i can't find an image of her anywhere. She was dressed in a multi-colored two piece swimsuit, came with a pink hula skirt, and some kind of lip gloss you slid the top on and off. Her head has long since popped off from being played with so much.
Some years went by, I was happy with my little collection, and while I loved every new Barbie that came out, I knew we couldn't afford new dolls. Until they introduced the kind with joints.
THAT was the coolest thing since The Lion King. So one Christmas, I ventured to ask for my favorites, not knowing if I'd get them or not. When packages started appearing under the tree, I couldn't stand it. I had to hold them, feel the indentations, and try to look through the wrapping paper. Then [I was very naughty] whenever we went to the store I would go down the toy aisle and pick up the dolls on my list to see if they felt the same way. I was so good at it, my Nana was none the wiser, and I had no surprises come Christmas morning. I got every Barbie on my list. I was happy to have the Barbies, but disappointed that i knew ahead of time. I did not do that again.
OK, that was the last group of Barbies I got. When I hit true highschool, I didn't even go down the aisle to see what was new. I couldn't think far enough ahead to what the toys would be like when I have kids, especially daughters. In 2005 I started seeing and taking notice of these new things they called "Bratz."
The name was awful. I remember when being called a brat was the MAJOR offense in elementry school. The doll itself instantly reminded me of a hooker. I thought there was no way this concept would stick around. I was shocked to go to work one day and find my co-worker's FIVE year old daughter playing with the vulgur thing. I asked her mother why she bought it for her, and she simply and calmy answered that her daughter wanted it for her birthday. I wanted to ask her if her daughter wanted to play on the highway would she allow her to do that too??? But I bit my tongue, and kept my opinion to myself. Since that day I've taken notice of several young children playing with the monstrosities. These "dolls" that on all levels should be targeted to adults into roll-playing sex games or something, are out in ALL toy aisles for pre-schoolers to toss in their parents baskets. And the PARENTS BUY THEM....why? Because the children run the show now.
They're even endorsed by a wonderful role model!
The Bratz dolls themselves upset me greatly, but the fact that Mattel had to change my beautiful, intelligent, succesful Barbie to keep up with the times REALLY makes me want to hurt their pocketbooks. Look at the trash they sell and call it Barbie.
And if you are thinking these are jokes, let me assure, they are really in stores dressed this way. I'm surprised the commercials don't say, "Pimp not included" or "Now comes with extra large purse for condoms and crack" COME ON PEOPLE!! If that doesn't upset you, how about these little gems...
WHY do these so called "babies" need to be dressed like that?? A BABY doll should have on jammies and take a bottle, say Momma and maybe wet it's diaper. Little six year old girls should NOT think that this is how you are supposed to dress. It's WRONG! It encourages sick, sick, SICK minded people! Go to www.familywatchdog.com and check out all the child molesters around your home. If you don't have more than one or two within 5 miles of you, you're VERY lucky.
Ok, I'll step down from my soapbox now. Thank you for sticking it out and reading my feelings on the subject. Let me leave you with some wonderful pictures of PAST Barbie that were made to inspire little girls to be successful in the RIGHT way, and not after dark!
and my favorite
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