Barbie’s got a big butt and I’m not sure why.
From a business standpoint for Mattel it makes sense. Barbie sales have been on a decline since her insufficient intellect became indisputable in 1992 with the Talking Barbie who declared, “Math is hard.”
Mattel, maker of Miss Barbara Millicent Roberts (her full name), has taken a beating over the years for producing a doll with unrealistic body proportions. And now, after 57 years, they’ve decided to offer Barbie in more realistic proportions.
In addition to various skin tones and hair color that includes blue, Barbie now comes in tall, petite and curvy. And curvy is just a nice way of saying Barbie’s got a bootie.
The updated Barbie also has new feet. The previous tippy-toe stance has been lowered a bit and she has two new shoe sizes -“B” and the Barbie logo. Barbie designer and former Project Runway contestant Robert Best told Time that the company didn’t want to label the shoes as size 1 and 2 for fear “someone would read into that as saying one’s better than the other.”
She comes in two different heights, short (sans bootie) and tall – which is really weird because the dimensions of the original Barbie already made her 5’9” which is already tall considering the average adult female height is 5-feet 5-inches.
Of course nobody was screaming about Barbie being too tall or too short. It was her unrealistic physical dimensions that seemed to cause the most consternation.
Transferred to a human body, Barbie would have a 39-inch bust, 33-inch hips and an 18-inch waist. Last person I ever heard of aiming for an 18-inch waist was Scarlett O’Hara in “Gone With The Wind” and that was with Mammy yanking on her corset strings. Even then she only managed to whittle Miss Scarlett’s waist down to a monstrous 20-inches.
I loved Barbie when I was girl. I played with my blonde bubblehead, blue-eyed Barbie until I ways beyond the normal age. I never thought about her proportions, my mind was focused on her swinging life as a Supreme Court justice driving a convertible, living in a fabulous Dream House, and occasionally going out with Ken (whose velvet hair I had rubbed into a bald spot that was oddly Oedipal). And, Ken never got to drive.
Later, I began to question the Barbie body and the impact of those unreasonable dimensions particularly compared to the reality of my jazzercising, “I-can’t-eat-more-cottage-cheese” Weight Watcher member adult self.
I had sons, so I wasn’t one of the moms “not” buying Barbie in protest, but I had friends with daughters and I heard them often wonder and worry if, by buying their daughter a Barbie, they were setting their daughter up for future disappointment.
Like many other dissatisfied women, Barbie is being made over. But will anything be different? Young girls must learn that who they are is not defined by their waist size, I’m just not sure Barbie’s narrow shoulders bear the majority of the blame for the reason why so many don’t.
Editor’s Note: Left are the new Barbies. Right is one of Brenda’s Barbies from, like, a bajillion years ago. Seriously. She still has it. Which is kinda scary-weird. But you gotta love that hair helmet –Andy
I love my bubbleheaded Barbie. Her pink lips, her vacant blue eyes and the straight pins I shoved through her head to give her pierced ears. She holds up well for 57.
Great column by Brenda…haven’t read anything of hers since she left the Journal, glad to see she’s still writing interesting things. My sister had a Barbie doll, loved it. She’s an American institution, was probably due for some changes (though not everyone would agree)…hats off to Brenda and welcome back!
Wait, are you saying Brenda’s an American institution or Barbie? Brenda’s definitely old enough to qualify – bwahahaha!
Nice – age jokes Andy? Respect your elders.
Thanks Jason – you’re right, Barbie is an institution, one that’s used to bringing in big money. And when it slows down, it’s time to change. Barbie’s gotta bring in the Benjamins.
I’m excited to read your work again!!
Aw, thank you! It’s hard to do without you. 🙂
Glad I raised boys. My nieces used to take off their heads so they could put on those tight, tiny clothes. I wonder if that would help me get into my jeans. Enjoyed your column Brenda. Used to read your stuff in the Flint Journal back when it was a real newspaper.
Brenda’s going to write at least a few more for the website, Pam. A lot of readers miss her.
Holy smokes Pam, I never thought of that. Maybe I should have taped my old bubblhead Barbie to the fridge instead of the pictures that I hoped would be inspiring. Maybe it’s not too late for me.
“Barbie’s got a big butt and I’m not sure why”
Times are a’changin’, especially after some 57 years.
Maybe Mattel has looked around enough at America and have given in to provide a doll that may be more in line with what the majority of America possesses…….. a big butt.
Loved it, Brenda!!! Happy to be reading you again. My younger sister and I each had an original Barbie. I don’t recall us focusing on the body type at all. What I do remember are the clothes. We had hundreds of outfits! Our mother had a friend who was a seamstress. She would take scrap materials of every description and make outfits, gowns, etc. If we had those dolls today and the collection of professionally sewn clothes, we could all drive brand new “real” convertibles to our brand new “real” dream homes.
Ok, don’t tell anybody Vera, but I still have the wedding dress, a gorgeous 50’s style yellow silk number and the black and white strapless bathing suit. We should get together, call your sister.
Wow, that would be worth a fortune. But if I had those items I don’t think I would be able to part with them. My sister lives in Phoenix. Let’s go!
I remember playing Barbies with my friends on the front porch. I never once thought of how skinny her body was. My two girls played with Barbies, and I never once thought it would have an influence on how they perseved how women should look. I don’t think they ever thought of it eigther. My opion is people read to much into some things that is not that important. Now I never owned a scale so my daughters could weigh them self’s all the time and worry about how much they weghed. It’s all how you raise and talk to your kids. Glad your back Brenda!
Denise, this is just my view, but I think a lot of that “body image comes from toys” stuff is way overstated. I think kids are smart enough to get that Barbie (like G.I. Joe) is an unrealistic and exaggerated “ideal.” — andy
Agreed Denise – and it sounds like your daughters had a good role model!
Hey Brenda good stuff. Glad to see your articles on here. Love you and andy
Thank you Nancy. Although I question your Andy allegiance, I will trust that you know best.
Got my daughter and granddaughter both Barbies and they really loved only the clothes, size of doll unimportant.
Nice to see Brenda back again. Been awhile.
Thanks Ruth, it’s nice to be here.
Hah! It’s obvious that Trump stole his ‘do from the helmet head of Brenda’s original Barbie.
I thought that looked familiar!!!
You’d think by now Barbie would have at least grown a double chin. Maybe with a couple of hairs on it.
One can only hope. I would hate to think I was alone with those worries.
Finished your column and immediately ran downstairs to check on my Barbie and to see those beautiful clothes again. It WAS all about the clothes. I’ll never forget the excitement of going to the Ben Franklin and buying that beautiful pink gown and fur cape. I still think that tight, glittery black number with the net ruffle and Rose is my all-time favorite!
I used to have the tight black sequined gown, too. I dreamed about wearing a dress like that (still do) 😉