limba engleza - the barbie obsession

 

- Limba Engleza -

The Barbie Obsession

ARGUMENT

Barbie Doll(trademark) is a popular type of doll in the shape of an attractive young woman used as a child's toy. There is a male doll called Ken, who is Barbie's boyfriend, and there is also a large variety of fashionable clothes, cars, furniture and other things designed for Barbie.

A woman is sometimes compared to a Barbie doll if she is attractive, wears a lot of make-up and always has new clothes, but is not very intelligent.

For many people Barbie has been a model since the doll appeared in 1959, they loved the way she looked and many women wanted to look like a Barbie Doll even if this doll hasn't got a real appearance. Many women, but also men who want to look exactly like Barbie or Ken resort to plastic surgery, permanent make-up or face-lifting.

On the other hand, in my opinion, Barbie Doll is not a great goal in a woman's life because it's impossible like our body to sustain our weight with such a tire waist.

Teenagers, especially girls are obsessed with the idea of becoming like Barbie Doll and many of them sacrifice their wealth and their body with lots of ways of losing weight .Nowadays lots of girls are suffering by anorexia-a serious illness which means the lose of desire food and refusal to eat. Maybe those girls feel that they are unattractive because are too fat, even when they are not.

Finally I have chosen this subject because too many people are obsessed with the idea of looking like a Barbie Doll and I am against this phenomenon.

Barbie invaded the market with all sorts of things and that's why many of us hate Barbie but, unfortunately, this doll is still on top and is everywhere.

INTRODUCTION

Ruth Handler watched her daughter Barbara at play with paper dolls, and noticed that she often enjoyed giving them adult roles. At the time, most children's toy dolls were representations of infants. Realizing that there could be a gap in the market, she suggested the idea of an adult-bodied doll to her husband Elliot, a co-founder of the Mattel toy company. He was unenthusiastic about the idea, as were Mattel's directors.

Lilli doll was exactly what Handler had in mind, so she purchased three of them. She gave one to her daughter and took the others back to Mattel. The doll made its debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York on March 9, 1959. This date is also used as Barbie's official birthday. Mattel acquired the rights to the Bild Lilli doll in 1964 and production of Lilli was stopped.

The first Barbie doll wore a black and white zebra striped swimsuit and signature topknot ponytail, and was available as either a blonde or brunette. The doll was marketed as a 'Teen-age Fashion Model', with her clothes created by Mattel fashion designer Charlotte Johnson. Around 350,000 Barbie dolls were sold during the first year of production. Barbie's appearance has been changed many times, most notably in 1971 when the doll's eyes were adjusted to look forwards rather than sideways. Barbie was one of the first toys to have a marketing strategy based extensively on television advertising, which has been widely copied by other toys. It is estimated that over a billion Barbie dolls have been sold worldwide in over 150 countries, with Mattel claiming that three Barbie dolls are sold every second.

Barbie products include not only the range of dolls with their clothes and accessories, but also a huge range of Barbie branded goods such as books, fashion items and video games. Barbie has appeared in a series of animated films and makes a brief guest appearance in the 1999 film Toy Story 2. Almost uniquely for a toy fashion doll, Barbie has become a cultural icon and has been given honors that are rare in the toy world. In 1974 a section of Times Square in New York City was renamed Barbie Boulevard for a week, while in 1985 the artist Andy Warhol created a painting of Barbie

Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts. According to the Random House novels of the 1960s, her parents' names are George and Margaret Roberts of Willows, Wisconsin. Barbie has been said to attend Willows High School in Willows, Wisconsin and Manhattan International High School in New York City, (based on the real-life Stuyvesant High School). Barbie has an on-off romantic relationship with her beau Ken (Ken Carson), who appeared in 1961. Like Barbie, Ken shares his name with one of Ruth Handler's children. Mattel announced in February 2004 that Barbie and Ken had split up, but in February 2006 they were back together again.

Barbie has had over forty pets including cats and dogs, horses, a panda, a lion cub, and a zebra. She has owned pink convertibles, trailers, jeeps and more. She also holds a pilot's license, and operates commercial airliners in addition to serving as a flight attendant. She has been, among many others, a veterinarian, an astronaut and a diplomat. Barbie's careers are designed to show that women can take on a variety of roles in life.

Mattel has created a range of companions for Barbie, including Hispanic Teresa, African American Christie and Steven (Christie's boyfriend). For more details, see the List of Barbie's friends and family in the essay to follow

CHAPTER I.Barbie Beginnings

Barbie originally was a real person. Her real name was Barbara (Barbie) Handler and her mother and father were Ruth and Elliot. Her mother knew how important was for young girls to imagine what it be like to be grown up.

Barbie symbolized the innocence of youth. She took the world surprising toy critics at New York's Toy Fair in 1959.With her good looks, charm and charisma, she won audiences over in record time. In the coming years, both adults and children would collect her in record numbers.

She began like any other great invention does. Ruth Handler , manufacturer Mattel, (November 4, 1916 - April 27, 2002) was an American businesswoman, the president of the toy Inc., co-founder of Mattel Toys, was watching her daughter Barbara play with paper dolls and imagine them in grown-up roles, when the idea hit her-why don't make a teenage doll that little girls could play and dream about the future with? Ruth recognized the value of helping children realize their dreams and goals through play. After researching the current doll market, Ruth confirmed that while there were plenty of baby dolls available, there were no three-dimensional teenage dolls. She then resolved to create such a doll through her own company, which she co-founded with her husband Elliott Handler.

Ruth and Elliott unveiled Barbie doll, the teenage fashion model, at New York's annual Toy Fair in 1959. Initially, toy buyers were skeptical. Never before had anyone seen a doll so small, yet so sophisticated. As a teenager, Barbie was completely unlike any of the baby or toddler dolls popular at the time. Critics posed the question - Would anyone buy her?

Undaunted by skepticism, Mattel stood firmly behind the first Barbie doll, launching an innovative television ad campaign. Barbie quickly caught the attention of little girls across the country. She soon became a worldwide sensation, and remains as popular as ever today. As a teenage fashion model, Barbie has worn many fabulous fashions. Beginning with her trademark black and white striped swimsuit and swirled ponytail, Barbie has followed style trends as well as blazed her own fashion trail. Over the years, as fashion and teenage lifestyle trends have shifted, so has Barbie. In the early 1960s, she began wearing designer outfits such as Gay Parisienne , and 'Easter Parade,' both modeled after Parisian couture fashions. Along with these stylish ensembles came a brand new hairstyle, the famous bubble cut - still a favorite among many collectors. As the 1960s progressed, Barbie took on the style and sophistication of the decade's most famous trendsetter - Jackie Kennedy, wearing such stunning fashions as Silken Flame , and Fashion Luncheon. Another popular look for the late 60s was that of the American Girl - a chin-length Dutch-boy hairstyle available in many colors. In addition to the new fashion and hairstyle, American Girl dolls were the first Barbie dolls to have bendable legs.

CHAPTER II.Barbie Evolution

II.1.FOUR DECADES OF BARBIE

As the 1960s gave way to the 'British Invasion', Barbie again became a trendsetter. Not only did she get a fashion makeover, but her body style, hair, face sculpting and makeup changed as well. In addition to wearing the popular mod fashions, Barbie doll's body underwent dramatic changes including a new Twist 'N Turn waist, and a more youthful face with rooted eyelashes. As hair play became an important aspect of the Barbie doll experience, Barbie began wearing her hair long and straight, and in varying colors - perfect for little girls to brush and style! In the early 1970s, Barbie became more possible than ever before, with bendable wrists, elbows, and ankles. This allowed Barbie to participate in all kinds of new activities, including gymnastics, horseback riding, and ballet. And like the previous decade, Barbie embodied the fashion and lifestyle trends of the world around her. During the 1970s, her fashions included the 'prairie' look, the 'granny' dress, the 'California Girl' suntan, and the zany glitz of the 'disco' era. In 1977, Barbie again underwent a major face sculpting change with the introduction of Superstar Barbie . This doll featured a wide open-mouthed smile along with bright painted eyes, and looked much friendlier that any of the previous dolls. Barbie wore fashions that mirrored the funky trends found on dance floors across the country, as well as chic designer looks that came in vogue in the late 1970s.
In the 1980s, Barbie collecting became more than a childhood pastime. With Barbie doll's original fans now in their twenties and thirties, Barbie collecting began attracting adult women as well as little girls. For many of these women, Barbie symbolized the innocence of their youth; she was a part of them that was timeless, ageless - and they wanted to reconnect with their favorite fashion doll! To meet the needs of these sophisticated adult collectors, Mattel issued Blue Rhapsody Barbie in 1986. This doll was Mattel's first porcelain doll, and marks the beginning of the collector line. Then in 1988 came Happy Holidays Barbie doll. Although she was not specifically targeted to the collector market, Barbie fans loved her and she sold out almost instantly at retail (only 300,000 were made). This event ignited the adult collecting boom and marked a turning point in Barbie doll history.
In the 1990s, some of the world's most famous designers began creating fashions for Barbie including Bob Mackie, Nolan Miller, Vera Wang, and Christian Dior just to name a few. Their intricately designed doll fashions generated a great deal of excitement in the doll collecting community. The Bob Mackie designs set a new standard with over-the-top glamour for Barbie featuring stunning gowns of sequins and beads. A new head mold and face sculpt, known today as the Mackie sculpt, was created for Barbie with the introduction of Mackie's Neptune Fantasy Barbie . This sophisticated new sculpt features a full-lipped closed mouth smile and more elaborate face makeup. Bob Mackie's creations remain collector favorites.
In its continued efforts to offer the adult Barbie collector greater access to everything Barbie, Mattel launched The Official Barbie Collector's Club SM in 1997. inside information about Barbie.

In the late 1990s, computer technology boomed, and in 1996, Mattel launched the official Barbie website. In 1998, My Design was introduced on the site, allowing girls and collectors to decide what their Barbie doll friend would look like by choosing her hair/eye/makeup colors, fashions, accessories, and personality traits! Today, Barbie Collector has a website all its own. In 2000, both websites Barbie.com and Barbiecollector.com received a brand new look as well as lots of exciting new content. Barbie.com, dedicated to the play-line Barbie dolls, is now a place where girls can play interactive games, make up stories online, and engage in numerous exciting interactive activities!

As the official Barbie Collector website, Barbiecollector.com showcases the elegance and glamour of the Barbie Collector line. Dedicated to the adult Barbie doll collector, this site features a comprehensive searchable doll showcase that contains all collector dolls back to 1980. It also features behind-the-scenes articles on the doll making process, interviews with Barbie doll designers, a complete year-by-year history of the Barbie doll, and much more.

II.2.Barbie Collecting At Present

Mattel estimates that there are well over 100,000 avid Barbie collectors. Ninety percent are women, at an average age of 40, purchasing more than twenty Barbie dolls each year. Forty-five percent of them spend upwards of $1000 a year. Vintage Barbie dolls from the early years are the most valuable at auction, and while the original Barbie sold for $3.00 in 1959, a mint boxed Barbie from 1959 sold for $3552.50 on eBay in October 2004.On September 26, 2006, a Barbie doll set a world record at auction of 9,000 pounds sterling (US $17,000) at Christie's in London. The doll was a Barbie in Midnight Red from 1965 and was part of a private collection of 4,000 Barbie dolls being sold by two Dutch women, Ietje Raebel and her daughter Marina. In recent years Mattel has sold a wide range of Barbie dolls aimed specifically at collectors, including porcelain versions and depictions of Barbie as a range of characters from television series such as The Munsters and Star Trek. There are also collector's edition dolls depicting Barbie dolls with a range of different ethnic identities. In 2004 Mattel introduced the Color Tier system for its collector's edition Barbie dolls, ranging through pink, silver, gold and platinum depending on how many of the dolls are produced.

II.3.The Future of Barbie Collecting

Because of its immense popularity, Barbie doll collecting has spawned numerous clubs, conventions, magazines, and newsletters, and become an international phenomenon. With the many collector and limited edition dolls designed specifically for the adult collector, it's no wonder Barbie is the most Collectible Doll in the World. She has an innate ability to not only capitalize on trends, but to create some of her own.

As the popularity of vintage dolls continues rising, and the newer Barbie Collector dolls generate increased excitement, it's clear that Barbie collecting is here to stay. Now in her fourth decade, the world's ultimate fashion model not only continues to retain her audience from years past, but also ignites the hopes, dreams, and imaginations of a new generation of little girls. Barbie - with her humble beginnings as a teenage fashion model - has transformed herself into best friend, confidante, and fearless adventurer. With a unique ability to inspire self-esteem, glamour, and a sense of adventure in all who love her, Barbie continues to inspire as she moves into the 21st century.

CHAPTER III. Doll Value

Like many collectors, you may find yourself wondering what your Barbie collection is worth. Mattel does not maintain secondary market pricing information, nor do we participate in secondary market trading, buying or selling of older dolls. Collector books, doll magazines, and Internet auction sites are your best bets for determining the value of a particular doll. Mattel does not guarantee that any product will increase in value. Some dolls increase in value, some depreciate and others remain the same. Countless books have been published about the history and evolution of Barbie dolls, with some specifically devoted to the hobby of collecting.

III.1 Labels and Production Numbers

In 2004, Barbie® Collector introduced a color-coded "tier structure" system in which each tier represents an identifiable level of doll collecting, with special retail destinations and elegant packaging designed to enhance each doll's beauty as well as clearly communicate which tier the doll belongs to.

Inspired by the innovative approach of today's most successful designers' in representing their fashion lines, from upscale boutiques to major department stores, each of the label colors is a way of segmenting Barbie Collector dolls and communicating where they can be found. The tiers start with Pink Label (pink being Barbie doll's signature color )then continue on to Silver Label, Gold Label, and Platinum Label, colors representing the high standards of each successive tier.

Pink Label includes some of Barbie Collector's most beloved and fun keepsake dolls, like Dolls of the World. Pink Label dolls come packaged in a box with a clear acetate front trimmed in pink. Pink Label dolls do not have a quota limit. These dolls will be available at quality retailers.

Silver Label includes some of our favorite dolls, like Chocolate Obsession Barbie Doll and Barbie as Juliet. No more than 50,000 pieces of any one Silver Label doll will be produced worldwide, and each comes packaged in a silvery-trimmed package similar to the Pink Label box. Silver Label dolls are available at toy retailers .

Gold Label dolls will be produced in quantities of no more than 25,000 pieces worldwide. Gold Label dolls include such distinguished series as the Barbie® Fashion Model Collection , and designer dolls like the Bride Barbie doll, the first Barbie Collector doll to be seen on store shelves in the new packaging. Gold Label dolls come in a "cake box" type package (complete with acetate layer to protect the doll) and feature artistic interpretive photography or other artwork on the gold-trimmed packaging lid and back.

Platinum Label dolls are produced in editions of less than 1,000 worldwide, including premium one-of-a-kind dolls available at select events, such as those produced for annual Dream Halloween events. These dolls also include Platinum Label editions of the Bride Barbie and Faerie Queen Barbie Doll among others. Adding rarity value was the fact that most of them had never been taken out of their boxes.

A 1959 blonde ponytail Barbie recently brought $3,552.50 on eBay after receiving 22 bids. Both the doll and original box were in excellent condition overall LONDON (Reuters) - Barbie in Midnight Red, dating from 1965, sold for a record 9,000 pounds on Tuesday as collectors from around the world gathered to bid for a piece of a unique private collection of 4,000 Barbie family dolls.

CHAPTER IV.Family and Friends of Barbie

1959-1965 THE EARLY YEARS

BARBIE 1959-present

KEN 1961-present, Barbie's boyfriend

MIDGE 1963-66, Barbie's friend

ALLAN 1964-65, Ken's friend

SKIPPER 1964-present, Barbie's sister

SKOOTER 1965-66, Skipper's friend

RICKY 1965, Skipper's friend

1965-1970 THE MOD ERA

TUTTI 1966-69, Barbie's baby sister, Tutti & Todd are twins

TODD 1966-67, Barbie's baby brother

FRANCIE 1966-76, Barbie's modern cousin

CHRIS 1967, Tutti's friend

CASEY 1967 & 1974 Francie's friend

CHRISTIE 1968-present, Barbie's friend

STACEY 1968-70, Barbie's friend

PJ 1969-1985, Barbie's friend

BRAD 1970, Ken's friend

JAMIE 1970-72, Barbie's friend

1971-1976 THE MALIBU ERA

FLUFF 1971, Skipper's friend

TIFF 1972, Skipper's friend

STEFFI 1972, Barbie's friend

KELLEY 1973-74, Barbie's friend

CARA 1975-76, Barbie's friend

CURTIS 1976, Ken's friend

GINGER 1976, Skipper's friend

THE 1980'S SUPERSTAR, DISCO, ROCK ERA

SCOTT 1980, Skipper's friend

TRACY 1983 Bride Doll

TODD 1983 Groom Doll

DANA 1986-87 Barbie's friend

DEE DEE 1986-87 Barbie's friend

DEREK 1986-87 Ken's friend

DIVA 1986-87 Barbie's friend

MIKO 1986-89 Barbie's friend

WHITNEY 1987-1989 Barbie's friend

MIDGE 1988-present, Barbie's friend

BECKY 1988 Barbie's friend

BELINDA 1988 Barbie's friend

BOPSY 1988 Barbie's friend

STEVEN 1988-present, Ken's friend

TERESA 1988-present, Barbie's friend

DEVON 1989, Barbie's friend

JAZZIE 1989-1993, Barbie's cousin

CHELSIE 1989, Jazzie's friend

DUDE 1989, Jazzie's friend

STACIE 1989, Jazzie's friend

COURTNEY 1989-present, Skipper's friend

KAYLA 1989 & 1994, Barbie's friend

NIKKI 1989, Barbie's friend

THE 90'S NEW FAMILY LITTLE KIDS

STACIE 1992-present, Barbie's new sister

TODD 1991, 1993-1994, Barbie's new brother, twin to Stacie

KELLY 1995, Barbie's new baby sister

JANET 1994, Stacie's friend

WHITNEY 1994, Stacie's friend

BECKY 1996-present, Kelly's friend

CHELSIE 1996-present, Kelly's friend

MELODY 1996-present, Kelly's friend

DEIDRE 1997-present, Kelly's friend

JENNY 1997-present, Kelly's friend

MARISSA 1997-present, Kelly's friend

TOMMY 1997-present, Kelly's friend

THE 90'S FRIENDS ADULTS

KIRA 1990, Barbie's friend

NIA 1990, Barbie's friend

KEVIN 1990-95, Skipper's friend

ALAN 1991, Ken's friend

SHANI 1991-94, Barbie's friend

ASHA 1991-1993, Shani's friend

NICHELLE 1991-93, Shani's friend

JAMAL 1992-1993, Shani's boyfriend

TARA LYNN 1993, Barbie's friend

BECKY 1997-present, Barbie's friend

NIKKI 1997, Skipper's friend

IV.1 Ken

Ken (lesser known full name Ken Carson) is a toy doll in Mattel's Barbie line of fashion dolls.

History

From 1961, this fictional character had been Barbie's boyfriend. In February 2004 Mattel announced a split for the couple, with Russell Arons, vice president of marketing at Mattel, saying that Barbie and Ken 'feel it's time to spend some quality time - apart.' In February 2006 a revamped version of the Ken doll was launched, and it appeared that their relationship was official again.

Ken's best friend, Allan Sherwood, was introduced in 1963. He has also been marketed as 'Alan.' The first African-American male doll was introduced in 1981.Ken featured straight arms and a head that could only turn left and right until the debut of Superstar Ken in 1977. Superstar Ken featured a dimpled smile, a head that could swivel, bent arms, a more muscular physique, and jewelry. He also had underwear permanently molded to his body.

In 1993 a version of the doll was released called 'Earring Magic Ken'. The style of the doll was said to resemble popular fashions among some segments of the gay community at the time, which caused the doll to attain a cult following.

* The Ken gene in the Drosophila fly was so named because the gene, when deleted, caused the flies to form without external genitalia.

* Mattel (the manufacturer of Ken and Barbie dolls) complained to the video game company Capcom over its Street Fighter game. The game contained a character called Ken, which Mattel argued could lead to confusion with its doll of the same name. In order to avoid confusion, the character in the Street Fighter game was renamed Ken Masters.

CHAPTER V. Barbie everywhere.

V.1 Barbie on TV.

Barbie as Rapunzel

In this story Barbie is a princess whose stepmother is a very bad women. In one night she locked Rapunzel in the castle with a bad bewitch. Because she was painting all time her painting brush and her watercolors were magic. Those tools would help her to escape from the castle and marry the charming prince.

The Rapunzel story we love for the painting theme and the music. We particularly like the music and positive tone. The directors have managed to get the balance between darkness and light as played out just about right. Rapunzel, The Princess and The Pauper (a musical) and Fairytopia are probably the best of the set.

Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper

In her first animated musical featuring seven original songs, Barbie comes to life in this modern re-telling of a classic tale of mistaken identity and the power of friendship. Based on the story by Mark Twain, Barbie as The Princess and The Pauper features Barbie in an exciting dual role as a princess and a poor village girl - two girls who look amazingly alike. The girls' paths are fated to cross when Princess Anneliese is captured and Erika, her look-alike, must try to save her. Can Erika pretend to be the Princess and foil her captor, the evil Preminger? And what of the handsome King Dominick, who falls in love with Erika, mistaking her for Princess Anneliese? In this magical musical performance, two beautiful, adventurous girls dare to follow their dreams and discover that destiny is written in a very special place: your heart.

Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses

This story is about King Randolph who sends for his cousin Duchess Rowena to help turn his daughters, Princess Genevieve and her 11 sisters, into better ladies. But the Duchess takes away all the sisters fun, including the sisters favorite pastime: dancing. Thinking all hope is lost they find a secret passageway to a magical land were they can dance the night away. But

What happens when their father suddenly turns ill? Will they be able to save him in time?

This movie is very cute and totally little girl appropriate. The images are great to watch, the humor is good, and the ballet portrayals are excellent.

Barbie: Fairytopia

Elina is a flower fairy who discovers that her home of Magic Meadow has been overcome by a horrible malady that is killing the flowers and making the fairies unable to fly. With the help of Bibble, a puffball and a giant butterfly named Hue she attempts to find Azura, a Guardian Fairy. She's challenged along the way by the evil Laverna who wants to usurp the Enchantress, the ruler of Fairytopia.The movie actually follows somewhat of a coherent plot. The animation is above average for these direct to video movies. The characters are of course beautiful, but they are also pretty well fleshed out for a 60 minute long movie.

Barbie of Swan Lake

The story and characterizations are packed with instant-recognition cliches for the kids, but that way the kids will appreciate the dancing because it's done in character. Though the dancing takes only a small fraction of the screen time, it's well animated, computerized from the dancers of the New York City Ballet, and the medium is used well as a way of eliminating distractions and directing attention.

Thanks to animation, the film shows us little children who dance like trained professionals. They seem to take as long as if they were bigger and had jumped higher. I think the film could give a kid a helpful push toward appreciating ballet in particular and serious music in general.

Detective Barbie: Mystery of the Carnival Caper

Barbie is no longer just a pretty face. She can do any and everything, and to prove it, she and her good friend Becky have just completed a training course at 'Detective Academy'. The fall carnival has come to town, and Barbie's boyfriend Ken in charge of the finances-money which will be donated to charity. But when he volunteers to help the magician with her disappearing act, he disappears for good-along with the charity money. Barbie and her partners must search the carnival for clues that might lead them to find Ken, the missing money and the person responsible for their inopportune departure.

Other movies with Barbie

1997-Adventures with Barbie: Ocean Discovery

1998-Barbie Riding Club

1999-Working Woman Barbie

2001Barbie in the Nutcracker

2004-Barbie: Mermaid Adventure

2005Barbie Problemas da Vida

2006Barbie: Mermaid

2005Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus

Children from entire world love Barbie movies, Nutcracker, Princess and Pauper, Swan Lake, etc. These are surprisingly wonderful. Great animation, scripts, production values, camera angles, and most importantly they had stories with character values. You wanted your children to grow up courage, perseverance, loyalty, kindness, sensitivity, intelligence were valued even more than physical beauty in Barbie and her friends. Barbie was a great role model that parents could hold up as an example.

V.2 I See Nothing But Barbie

Retro Barbie

Travel Case / Lunch Box

Lined with satin soft material and a zippered lid, reminiscent of the Barbie Lunch Boxes of yesteryear, a perfect tote for travel or a great conversational purse, in nostalgic Barbie Pink, emblazed with the Barbie silhouette.

Retro Barbie

Nostalgic Pink

Heart Jewelry Box

Heart shaped jewelry box in nostalgic Barbie Pink, emblazed with the Barbie silhouette.

Retro Barbie

Travel Case / Lunch Box

Lined with satin soft material and a zippered lid, reminiscent of the Barbie Lunch Boxes of yesteryear, a perfect tote for travel or a great conversational purse!

Barbie and Skipper Magnetic Paper Dolls

We've brought back the fun of cutting out the clothes for your favorite dolls. The outfits are laid out on a special paper which is attracted to magnets and once cut, the can be placed on the magnetic doll and changed around for whatever occasion awaits! The folder can be used to store your outfits and dolls.

Girls will love playing house and decorating with the new stylish furniture. Set comes with an adorable pink desk and modern chair, as well as a puppy and lots of fun accessories like a laptop computer, and lamp. All furniture sets are modular for great mix and match play, sold separately. Doll not included.

Girls love playing house with Barbie doll. This cool kitchen comes with loads of fun accessories to play with. Set comes with a fabulous Barbie doll and her small kitten friend. All furniture sets are modular for great mix and match play, sold separately.

Of course I can not show where you can find Barbie, it's too difficult. You can find her posed on vehicles, having it's own cat or dog, or even a horse. Because this business wanted to earn more money, Barbie had all kind of friends. You can find Barbie in places like, bedrooms, living-room, bathroom, in all your house in different positions. From the beginning Barbie was a very good business. Maybe that's why they continued to invent all kind of jobs or friends or relative because they wanted to attract people. They are breaking record after record for 40 years, because they made people belief Barbie is a good thing.

CHAPTER VI. Corporate Overview
VI.1 Cultural Icon

Doll makers came to realize the enormous cultural force embodied in Barbie. She was instrumental in illustrating the complex identification process through which children become involved with and attached to a toy and demonstrated the power of a doll as an idol. Marketers were quick to see how critical personality was in promoting loyalty. However, Barbie was not just another personality in the age of mass marketing. She still persists today as a cultural icon - offering a shared point of reference for members of American society while adapting to the cultural differences of each individual. Barbie's identity is ambiguous, or maybe rather open-ended. Various interpretations of this doll evoke racism and misogyny among some and outrage and protest among others. Still others seem to have no conscious thoughts about how Barbie is defined in terms of race, sexuality, and femininity. She is a 'fictive icon,' contributing 'to a culture by letting members act as if something is real or true even while they 'know' it is not' (Rogers, 1999: 3). She is also a 'fantastic icon,' in that her presence in American culture extends and embellishes what is actual, possible, or conceivable. Along with Superman, Barbie has the capacity to free people's imaginations from the constraints of culture's definitions and requirements (Rogers,1999: 3). Her very essence is magical, romantic, and enchanting.

Cultural icons are not only widely recognized. They inspire keen interest and dedication, if not obsession and addiction, on the part of fans, collectors, designers, and consumers. For some instances of fanatical devotion to Barbie, one must only type her name into a worldwide web search. For some, Barbie - buying, selling, collecting, examining - is a hobby and past time. They are willing to spend great amounts of their income and to travel across the nation to learn more about Barbie at the next annual convention. Rogers defines a

cultural icon as 'a piece of culture - a cultural object that exemplifies some set of values, beliefs, and norms in society - gets a strong grip on a sizable part of the population' (1999, 6). Barbie supercedes this definition. Barbie has her own cosmology - in her universe women are first. Her genesis subverts the Biblical story of creation. Ken is one of Barbie's accessories. Barbie was made perfect - her body is relatively the same as it was 40 years ago, while Ken's was a blunder. M.G. Lord goes as far to assert that an ancient archetype of something matriarchal and profound surrounded by a remarkable amount of pagan symbolism. In his eyes, 'Totally Hair' Barbie's meteoric success is due to its association as the 'modern reenactment of an ancient goddess-cult ritual' (Lord, 1994: 77). Another Barbie scholar, Robin Swicord, would agree with Lord's depiction of Barbie as a mythic object: 'Barbie is bigger than all those executives. She has lasted through many regimes. She's lasted through neglect. She's survived the feminist backlash. In countries where they don't even sell makeup or have anything like our dating rituals, they play with Barbie. Barbie embodies not a cultural view of femininity but the essence of woman' (Lord, 1994: 80). As an icon, Barbie has transcended identification as merely an American woman or a female consumer capitalist - she defies national, ethnic, and regional boundaries. She is able to defy all boundaries because every person in the world has access to her. Unlike human icons who elude ownership, Barbie was meant to be owned by everyone. For Barbie, plastic reproduction is reality.

VI.2 Corporate Brand

Referred to by its parent company as a 'global power brand,' Barbie and her extended family together compromise the best selling toy ever. Barbie's universe - the breadth of products associated with her directly and those linked by name - extends into various markets and helps to ensure Mattel's continuing success. Profits from the dolls alone would constitute a small fortune - in 1995 alone approximately 100 Barbie dolls were brought to the market. Barbie has numerous friends and family members - her younger sister Skipper, and boyfriend Ken are well-known sidekicks. Mattel has also introduced many ethnically diverse companions over the years, but they have usually been relegated to subordinate rolls. For Instance, Teresa, Barbie's Hispanic friend, who by 1996 (in the 21 versions that had been issued) had not once been depicted with a career or job, school or education, marriage or family. Instead, her roles are sex object, athlete, shopper, and Barbie wannabe (Rogers, 1999: 51).

Accessories are also abundant in Barbie's universe. When she came onto the scene it was her clothes and accessories that were drawing in profits. The original doll itself was only sold for $3, but each sale of a doll virtually guaranteed a future purchases - the shoes, the car, the house, the pets. Mattel licenses its brand to other corporations - prominent among them are Disney, Hallmark Cards, and Toys R Us. Agreements with other companies can be expensive, royalty expenses totaled $121 million in 1996, but these contracts enhance their profit from the sale of extremely popular licensed toys (Rogers, 95).

Barbie, herself, is the epitome of material comfort. Treasury of Barbie Doll Accessories 1961-1995 surveys the material riches of Barbie's own world. While her family and friends have had five residences, Barbie has had nineteen houses including among many the Dream House, the Country Living Home, and the Glamour Home. Her animal friends and pets have included thirteen horses, three cats, five dogs, a tropical bird, a zebra, and a giraffe (. Her interests place her in the expensive segment of the marketplace where goods and services are countless and consumers are conditioned to be insatiable. So, not only is Barbie a Mattel product, she is an icon of consumerism - taking consumption to its highest limits. Her world seems to revolve around consumer goods and leisure services , her essence is ascribed by her material possessions.

Barbie's identification as a corporate brand creates inconsistencies between her outer appearance the story of her creation. The extreme contrast between her glamour and the circumstances of her production (drab factories and ill-paid, unrewarded workers) remains invisible to the average consumer. The ruling institutions that define standards and practices of consumption are overlooked. While Barbie is frequently covered by the media, little is reported about Mattel the employer. The company's image becomes more vulnerable as its status as a creator of icon and its exertions of control become more evident.

However Mattel's ability to keep out of the media spotlight seems to attest to the power of their publicity machine. As an innovator in television advertisements at a time when other toy companies weren't willing to take the risk, Mattel is a genius in knowing how to construct an icon without exposing too much of its underside. Recognizing Barbie as a global power brand should impel us to recognize the greater implications of this identification and to understand our role as individual consumers in the American capitalistic mass market. Mattel promotes Barbie to consumers the way capitalists promote capitalism to the people who least benefit from it. The discourse maintains that the limits come only from within you - you can be rich if you set your mind to it; you can make Barbie be anything you what her to be. The goal of the discourse is to mask external limits so that you have appeared to choose freely' (Rand, 1995: 27). Mattel's success testifies to their mastery of getting people to act on its own behalf. Barbie is a 'global power brand' because Matell is a global power company.

CHAPTER VII. Competitors
VII.1 Bratz Dolls

Bratz is the name of a line of 10 inch (254 mm) dolls produced by MGA Entertainment starting in mid-2001. They are created in both genders, 'Boyz' having followed Bratz 'girls' shortly after the girl dolls entered the toy market.

Portrayal and Development

The Bratz Pack cartoon on the box of the first Bratz dolls in 2001 from left to right:Yasmin, Cloe, Sasha and Jade. The Bratz Pack cartoon on the box of the first Bratz dolls in 2001 from left to right: Yasmin, Cloe, Sasha and Jade.

Toy designer Carter Bryant is responsible for the development of the Bratz line. In 2000 he met with Isaac Larian the CEO of Micro-Games America Entertainment (MGA Entertainment) .There Mr. Bryant presented his pictures and Mr. Larian found that the concept sketches enthralled his daughter, Jasmin who was visiting the office at the time.

Bratz dolls are characterized by oversized heads, with big, wide eyes, full lips, a very small nose, short body, and shoes that snap on and off. The original four characters were Yasmin (based on CEO Isaac Larian's own daughter, Jasmin), Sasha, Cloe and Jade. Over the course of the lines that followed, Meygan (who 'moved away' for a while and then came back), Dana, Fianna, Nevra, Tiana, Kumi, Felicia, Katia, and Kiana (who has been officially discontinued, see below) have joined the 'Bratz Pack,' most of whom were introduced either with playsets or as collector's edition dolls. Four sets of 'Twiins', Roxxi and Phoebe, Tess and Nona, Oriana and Valentina, and Krysta and Lela, have also joined the Bratz Pack. Oriana and Valentina were later joined by their identical triplet sister, Sierrna, in a special 'Triiiplets' set. Character May Lin was produced once, as a special collector doll wearing a Kimono as part of the Tokyo-A-Go-Go collection, and subsequently discontinued due to the culturally offensive nature of her name. New members of the Bratzpack to debut in 2006 include Lilee (the 2006 Sweet Heart), Leah (Spring Break), Wicked Twiins Ciara and Diona, 4th edition Twiins Krysta and Lela, and Sisterz Kiani, (not to be confused with the aforementioned and officially discontinued Kiana) and Lilani.

Every year, the Bratz collections include a 'basic' line, at least one or two budget collections, and at least two or three feature collections. The basic lines such as Flaunt It!, Xpress It!, Funk Out! and Step Out! feature the Bratz with two complete mix and matchable outfits. Each collection has brought in new shoe styles and accessories (Bratz with pierced ears began with the release of Funk Out! and the new 'ring' accessory was introduced in the Step Out! line). Budget lines include I-Candy and Hollywood Style Sportz and Birthday Bash, which feature the Bratz in one outfit with minimal accessories. 'Real' eyelashes first appeared in the Girls Nite Out collection, then again in the Wild Wild West collection and on Holiday Katia. Head molds that featured the girls with open-mouthed smiles were initially featured in the Formal Funk collection. The unique Head Gamez line moved the Bratz' snap-on feature one step further by allowing the consumer to customize their own Bratz by snapping the Bratz head on and off a specially designed body. A variety of Bratz Head Gamez fashion heads were sold exclusively at Wal-Mart, and a gift set complete with one body, four heads and four separate fashion looks was released to the general market. Collectible posters have been included with the Bratz since 2001, and collectible cards were introduced during 2004. Other dolls released through the years include collectible key-chains, ornaments, collectible stickers/trading cards, and cosmetics.

The Bratz World concept has taken the dolls to Tokyo, in the Tokyo-A-Go-Go collection in 2004, and London in the Punkz (boys only) and Pretty n' Punk line in 2005, with themed fashions and playsets to match. Tokyo A-Go-Go Bratz had anime-style eyes, Tokyo-inspired fashions, wildly colored, micro-braided hair, and 'cyberpet' companions. Punkz had the Bratz dressed in London punk-culture attire, including studded and buckled vinyl jackets, wild hair colors and styles, and dark makeup contrasting with paler skin tones. Each doll came with a pet; the girls each had a dog, and the boys each had a cat. Two lines which were not officially part of the Bratz World series, but carry on the Bratz World theme are Fabulous, a Las Vegas-inspired line, and Ooh La La, which is set in Paris. Fabulous saw the return of Tiana, and the wardrobe included fur coats, glittery tops, tassel pants, and snakeskin boots. Ooh La La featured the return of Kumi, and the dolls in the series were dressed in berets, houndstooth and floral prints, jewel tones, and painted-on gloves and stockings. The Ooh La La dolls also included a matching pot of lip gloss for the owner.

VII.2 Sindy Doll

In 1987 the production and rights was taken over by Hasbro. The model that was introduced by Hasbro that year was only available on the market for one year. Disney Club Sindy is one of the more interesting models from this period. City Girl and Romance N roses was other fresh models of Sindy from the same year.

In 1988 the modern Sindy doll had its premiere .Her new look was a disappointment to many English fans but by others Sindy was received with open arms. The reason for this was that she has lost her charm.

Mattel started a legal suit against Hasbro resulting in that sales in the US was prohibited. A verdict that has been questioned by many and today is interpreted more as a trade embargo by impartial observers! A treaty between the two companies also resulted in that Sindy´s eyes were changed and she lost her turned up nose in the new models. To dress Sindy in fashion borrowed from Barbie is not feasible. Few people are actually aware of this!

The clothes are simply to big and the shoes to small for Sindy. The shape of Sindy´s head is, as the models by Pedigree rounder in shape than Barbie´s, although considerably less more noticeable than before. The natural toes and the belly button was Sindy´s foremost signs. In 1988 many models were released and these models were developed the following two years. The best known models are Sindy & Scotty and Wedding day Sindy. The boxes were pink

in 1988 and are white since 1989.Wedding Day Sindy is made in three the wedding dress and the eyes mark edly show the differences. In 1989 Hasbro released two designs of Wedding Day Sindy and one of the boxes even contains a very well made hat apart from a bridal veil. This model is very rare and difficult to find. Sindy & Scotty, Splashing Out and Pretty Picnic Sindy from 89 is some of the prettiest play-line dolls ever produced by Hasbro.

An other very interesting model was Sindy & Her Fun Bike, from 1990, and it was the first fashion doll that could ride a bike in a natural way, thanks to her knee joints. This model as well as Sindy & Gogo was plagiarized by oth er manufacturers the following years.

Sindy´s dog Gogo had yet another finess. The dog refused to walk if Sindy wasn´t holding the leash! Splashing Out and pretty Picnic Sindy are not only two of the best models ever made but are also extremely rare Sindy dolls.

In 1993 Sindy celebrated her 30:th anniversary and Hasbro added to the festivi-

ties by releasing a limited edition of 10000 dolls aimed for the collectors. Diamond Princess Sindy was the most expensive Sindy dolls ever produced.

Edwardian Dream Sindy is in a class of its own above all the other Sindy dolls. She looks so elegant in her feather rimmed hat, romantic parasol and classic gown. Edwardian Dream Sindy is a collectors dream come true. Sindys was introduced in India by Funskool in 1994. Funskool adapted Sindy to the indian market and let the fashionabe inspired by the Indian culture.

Miss India Sindy is the most well known series. This series of dolls include Sarée,Kurta, Gujarati, Hair Dazzle. The color of the dolls differed. Gujarati and Sarée were red, green or yellow while Hair Dazzle blue or purple and Kurta was pink but other colors may occure. Pretty Party was also given an India inspired fashion where Sindy was transformed to a young woman from India. These models from Funskool are already today classics in Sindy´s long and glorious story.

In 1997 Hasbro ceased producing Sindy! Sindy is produced under licence by Vivid Imaginations Ltd since 1998. The last Paul doll was produced by Hasbro in the year 1996.With Vivid´s takeover Sindy got a new boy friend named Robbie closing a 32 year long epoque with Paul.Sindy´s friend Imani disappered to and instead she got a new colored friend named Mel, who, according to our opinion, is better then Imani. Something that cannot be said about Paul´s successor!

Vivid Imaginations has received massif criticism due to Sindy´s fashion. The fashion can only be described as unintere sting and cheap. Hardly becoming our Brittish fashion doll Sindy .With Teenage Witch Sindy Vivid Imaginations finally restored the dignity Sindy deserves. In 2003 Vivid ceased producing Sindy and the rights were returned to Pedigree!

CHAPTER VIII.Barbie Mania

VIII.1 An Example of Stupidity

I'm a mother of three who lives north of the Polar Circle in a Swedish town called Kiruna. This used to be the world biggest - by area. Now Los Angeles have passed us along with a few other cities across the world. Kiruna is only 100 years old as a city and was built after they found iron ore in the ground and our mine was developed, LKAB. Enough about that now, I didn't make this page to talk about the town, but me and my collection.

My collecting days sort of grew upon me, I wasn't collecting when I bought the first dolls. Actually I bought them to give as presents for my two daughters, but somehow they ended up in mom's future collection instead.

I made clothes for the kids' dolls and went for my own childhood dolls from the moving boxes in the basement. They followed us to Kiruna in 1991, when we moved from Falun in Dalarna and in 1994 the dolls moved up to the apartment to serve as models for my sewing.

Somehow I couldn't persuade my heart to give my childhood dolls to the children. My thought was: Have they survived for these thirty years, they sure deserve to live a long life after, which they probably won't in the hands of the kids.

In the same time a friend of mine, Li in Falun got the idea to start collecting (and she doesn't have the kids to 'blame' with three boys) and we ended up as members of Barbieringen, the Swedish collector's club where I made friends with another wonderful woman, BrIAn. With her, I share another aspect of doll collecting The world of Patterns!

Today (written in May 2001) my collecting has turned into another direction. My interest has grown rapidly towards the tiny folks of the Pink World and I almost buy nothing but those 4' dollies anymore. My face collection is of course my lifelong mission but the fun part is to play with Shelly/Kelly and her tiny friends. Make scenes and dioramas and make cartoons/stories of them. I do that a lot and share almost everything on this site with you if you are interested. This is what doll collecting is all about - to have FUN!

My husband has never been able to understand this Plastic Mania as he calls it, but I think he has overcome the most of his disapproval. Perhaps he realized his wife is caught by a lifelong bug

Dollfaces in the Wonderful World of Barbie®

I'm a 'faceoholic' and am trying to collect all the different dolls in Barbie's world with their differences in the face molds and that's a challenge living in this part of the world, and especially in this part of our country. Sweden don't get nearly all the stuff that is to be found in the US and up here we get even less. Black dolls have been very scarce over the years except for the bathing suit line Christie dolls. There is just not a market for all the beautiful ethnic versions or even all friends - little ol' Me don't count!

Barbie and friends have had a lot of face mold changes through the years gone by since 1959. Some molds have been used more frequently than others and been shared by a lot of friends while one is used for only one doll in the Barbie line. Since a few years back there has been an explosion in new face molds and for that we are truly grateful. It's very confusing to be a collector if you want to know who the doll is you found at a flea market if she for instance have the Steffie face. That is the mostly used face of all and one a lot of people loves very much!

As I started collecting I realized there weren't any good sources to find what I wanted, a book or something where you could see all the faces of Barbie and her friends. I knew there were many since I owned a bunch of Barbie dolls with at least three different faces. I also knew that Skipper and Ken had gone through some changes over the years. Not until 1996 I found what I had wanted all that time: Marcie Melillo's wonderful 'The Ultimate Barbie Doll Book'. That book is GREAT and I just love it! My kids said that when it arrived in the mail to me: 'mom, you're in love with that book!' Yes I am. It's been a great help to me and I've learned a lot and it gave me the inspiration to share this page with you all. I just wish there could come a similar book for all dolls released after 1995 too

When I thought of doing this page I wondered how I should go along with it, if I should go by the face mold or the doll that used it, so I figured it had to be a mix. I have two sections in this area, this one that shows the different faces of each doll and another that concentrates on each mold.

Since I don't have every different doll (and seldom the first doll that used a particular face mold), the list is not complete, but I share what I have in differences.

Hope you will enjoy and perhaps learn something from it.

The photos and dolls are all part of my collection unless otherwise stated.

Some of the pages might take a while to load

VIII.2 ' I Want to be Barbie'

Cindy Jackson was born in 1956 on a farm in Ohio and like most little girls Barbie was her idol. It was during those years she got the idea that she 'wanted Barbie's life, not her body" ,she wanted to be an astronaut or a doctor, not a farmer's wife. When Cindy's father died in 1988 and left her a nice sum of money she finally had the chance to make that goal a reality. So, she started a $100,000 + plastic surgery hobby which continues to this day. She decided she was going to make herself look like her idol, Barbie.

Between 1988 and currently, Ms. Jackson has had upper and lower eye lid surgery (twice), lip collagen injections (several), liposuction on her stomach, thighs (twice), her jaw, her knees, a nose job, a face lift, acid face peels, breast implants, her chin bone shaved and resized, cheek implants, hair transplants/plugs, teeth caps, permanent makeup tattooed on, implants into her lower lip to make it fuller (twice so far), and a butt lift.

Tim Whitfield saw her on a talk show, wearing her daily attire of a tiara and ball gown, in her I Think I Am Really Barbie mind. That was when it dawned on Tim that he had been living a lie, caught in self-destructive tedium. The reason was, he then realized, was because he was not this 'Tim' - was really the 'male' Barbie, Ken.
Tim embarked on tens of thousands of dollars worth of plastic surgery including a nose job, eyebrow lifted, lips reshaped, dental surgeries and teeth capped, cheek implants, laser skin peels, eye shaping, jaw bone sculpting- and wears bright blue contact lenses. Tim indeed became Ken to Cindy's Barbie. He also legally changed his name to Miles Kendall; 'Miles', he says, because he 'looks miles better' and 'Kendall for Ken-doll' .Miles confides that 'people treat you differently when you look good'. They're attracted to him now; they want to talk to him all the time! No one would before. has been the pinnacle of plastic perfection for more than 40 years. "I think a lot of little 6-year-old girls or younger even now are looking at that doll and thinking, 'I want to be her.' And it's something they grow out of," says Cindy Jackson, 48, who admits that she never outgrew her obsession with becoming Barbie. "I looked at a Barbie doll when I was 6 and said, 'This is what I want to look like.'" Cindy wasn't born with good looks. She bought them. And along the way, she's bought a lot of attention to her odd goal of becoming a living doll. Since Cindy re-invented herself, she has made some snapshot friendships with Ivana Trump, Michael Jackson and Sarah Ferguson. She's also written a book, which she sells on her own Web site. She now makes a living becoming a kind of celebrity.

Tim/Ken and Cindy/Barbie

The Real Ken & Barbie

CHAPTER IX Barbie Scandals

9.1 Barbie Scandals-Aqua-

'Barbie Girl'

Hi Barbie
Hi Ken!
Do you wanna go for a ride?
Sure Ken!
Jump In
I'm a barbie girl, in the barbie world
Life in plastic, it's fantastic!
you can brush my hair, undress me everywhere
Imagination, life is your creation
Come on Barbie, let's go party!
I'm a barbie girl, in the barbie world
Life in plastic, it's fantastic!
you can brush my hair, undress me everywhere
Imagination, life is your creation
I'm a blond bimbo girl, in the fantasy world
Dress me up, make it tight, I'm your dolly
You're my doll, rock'n'roll, feel the glamour in pink,
kiss me here, touch me there, hanky panky
You can touch, you can play, if you say: 'I'm always yours'
(uu-oooh-u)
I'm a barbie girl, in the barbie world
Life in plastic, it's fantastic!
you can brush my hair, undress me everywhere
Imagination, life is your creation
Come on Barbie, let's go party!
(Ah-ah-ah-yeah)
Come on Barbie, let's go party!
(uu-oooh-u)
Come on Barbie, let's go party!
(Ah-ah-ah-yeah)
Come on Barbie, let's go party!
(uu-oooh-u)
Make me walk, make me talk, do whatever you please
I can act like a star, I can beg on my knees
Come jump in, bimbo friend, let us do it again,
hit the town, fool around, let's go party
You can touch, you can play, if you say: 'I'm always yours'
You can touch, you can play, if you say: 'I'm always yours'
Come on Barbie, let's go party!
(Ah-ah-ah-yeah)
Come on Barbie, let's go party!
(uu-oooh-u)
Come on Barbie, let's go party!
(Ah-ah-ah-yeah)
Come on Barbie, let's go party!
(uu-oooh-u)
I'm a barbie girl, in the barbie world
Life in plastic, it's fantastic!
you can brush my hair, undress me everywhere
Imagination, life is your creation
I'm a barbie girl, in the barbie world
Life in plastic, it's fantastic!
you can brush my hair, undress me everywhere
Imagination, life is your creation
Come on Barbie, let's go party!
(Ah-ah-ah-yeah)
Come on Barbie, let's go party!
(uu-oooh-u)
Come on Barbie, let's go party!
(Ah-ah-ah-yeah)
Oh, I'm having so much fun!
Well Barbie, we're just getting started
Oh, I love you Ken!

Barbie has often been referenced in popular culture and is frequently the target of parody. Some of these occasions include: In 1997 The Danish pop-dance group Aqua released a song called Barbie Girl. It contained lyrics such as 'You can brush my hair / Undress me everywhere' and used graphics similar to the pink Barbie logo. Mattel argued that this constituted a trademark infringement and filed a defamation lawsuit against MCA Records on September 11, 1997. In July 2002, Judge Alex Kozinski ruled that the song was protected as a parody under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

IX.2 Anti-Barbie Official Sites

'All I can say is Ich Poo! It's time to get rid of America's worst toy for kids the Barbie Doll. Originally I was going to title this site the I hate Barbie site. But Hate is such a strong word. So instead I called it the anti Barbie site. Now this site is totally in tongue and cheek. I in no way mean to insult the good folks at Mattell. It's pure and simple fun. I hope you enjoy.'

'Ok folks, here it is. I'm going to have a cow about Barbie. Simply put, I think she is the worst thing for our children. For one, Barbie evokes in children an unrealistic glamour. Children should be made to see inner beauty instead of all this wordly stuff. Barbie is merlely a mini blow up doll without the blow up part. Kids should not play with a piece of plastic with boobs. It just doesn't make sense. And where in the hell is all of the mothers for all of the kids that Barbie has toddling around with her? Is Barbie supposed to be the mom? And what about aging? Barbie never seems to get older. In fact she always stays the same age. Barbie never gains weight. There are no 'Fat' Barbies or 'Weight Watcher's' Barbies. And what about Ken? I think if Barbie can have boobs, Ken should be anatomically correct as well. Here are some Barbie doll's I would like to see:'

OK, when is enough? Any person who buys a padded bra for anyone under the age of 16 is nothing short of a child abuser. But 6, that is just sick! Let them know that society will not accept the sexing up of children and don't buy these products. Money is the only thing these manufacturers and shops understand, let's hit em' where it really hurts, their bottom line. Children are too precious!

HATE: Barbie. GIRLS hate Barbie so much that many admit torturing, maiming and even decapitating the doll, according to new research. The all-American toy has become a 'hate figure' among seven to 11-year-old girls, who regard Barbie as a 'babyish' symbol of their earlier childhood. Researchers from the University of Bath questioned 100 youngsters about their attitudes to a range of branded products and found the iconic doll provoked the strongest reaction. 'The girls we spoke to see Barbie torture as a legitimate play activity, and see the torture as a `cool' activity in contrast to other forms of play with the doll,' said Dr Agnes Nairn, who headed the study. 'The types of mutilation are varied and creative, and range from removing the hair to decapitation, burning, breaking and even microwaving.' Children told researchers they disliked the toy because they regarded it as a feminine icon, 'plastic', and an unwelcome reminder of their childhood. 'The most readily expressed reason for rejecting Barbie was that she was babyish, and girls saw her as representing their younger childhood out of which they felt they had now grown,' said Dr Nairn. 'It's as though disavowing Barbie is a rite of passage and a rejection of their past.' The study also found that while boys expressed feelings of nostalgia and affection towards Action Man, girls' attitude to Barbie remained hostile. 'The doll was regarded as an inanimate object by girls rather than a treasured toy and friend. Barbies are not special, they are disposable and rejected,' said Dr Nairn.

IX.3 Anti Brbie in Russia

Anti-Barbie becomes Russian icon

An unglamorous schoolgirl has become a feminist icon in Russia after she was entered for an online beauty pageant by a friend as a prank. Alyona Pisklova - not her real surname - got at least 40,000 votes, making her the runaway favourite to represent Russia in June's Miss Universe contest .But Alyona, 15, was disqualified ahead of the finals because of her age. In a blow to convention, her supporters hit back with a website called 'Say No To Barbie Dolls'. She collected at least twice the votes of her nearest competitor. An English-language statement on the website says Alyona 'represents a catalyst to reveal problems of our society'. People who voted for Alyona voted against products of the same type and trademark, which are made into cult objects

Say No To Barbie Dolls statement. 'The appearance of a common, real-life girl caused an enormous wave of support' it says.'(She) submitted for the competition usual photos, made by unprofessional photographers, without make-up, with a natural smile and expression of the eyes.'

The statement says the vote for Alyona was 'against unnatural beauties who cannot be distinguished from each other, fake emotions, smiles and gazes reflected in the lenses of professional photographers, products of the same type and trademark, popular music, cigarettes without nicotine and coffee without caffeine'. Several anti-globalisation groups backed her cause, leading to criticism that they were trying to hijack the phenomenon.

Meanwhile, articles appeared on the web claiming the unlikely candidate had received offers from political parties and other organisations. One article even claimed the campaign was the 'answer to the uncontested elections of President Vladimir Putin'.Ivan Zassoursky, the beauty pageant's producer, argued that the popularity of the online contest had drawn attention to Alyona. 'It is the largest ever internet vote in Russia and the first nationwide beauty pageant to be held without a jury - as far as I know, in the world.' 'The reason why the Alyona phenomenon arose is that it was an open choice - ordinary people could vote freely. 'The organizers invited Russians to chose from among 1,000 contestants using the internet and their mobile phones.

Alyona refused an offer from the organisers to accompany the winner of the contest to the Miss Universe competition in Ecuador in June, apparently because of her school exams. The pageant site now features the news that she was awarded the 'Viewer's Choice Award'. It also includes a photo of her wearing a red t-shirt bearing the slogan: 'Barbies No Pasaran!'

Mini Album

CONCLUSION

For many of us Barbie Doll is an obsession. Everywhere you look Barbie is present with her pale pink, on books, pencils, accessories or clothes. Barbie trend is still on top and nobody can dethrone her.

Few fans of Barbie know that Barbie is not at all what they want them to see. If this doll were to be a real person, she would be anorexic and she would have such a thin waist that in any moment it cold be broken. In her abdomen it wouldn't be possible to enter a normal person's organs, and of course she could not have menstruation. For many of us Barbie symbolized the innocence of youth with her good looks ,charm and charisma, she earned many records in a short time. Never before had anyone seen a doll so small, so sophisticated so Barbie quickly caught the attention of little girls.

As we saw in time, both-adults and children- collected Barbie in record numbers of copies, because over the years the doll followed style trends as well as blazed her own fashion .It's annoying to find out that over the years Barbie progressed and designers like Yves St.Lauren, Jean-Paul Gaultier or Christian Dior designed outfits for Barbie at international exhibitions.

In 1960's Barbie took on the style of the decade's most famous trend setter Jackie Kennedy. Probably that's why Barbie collectors begun to collect the vintage dolls which are few. Because of its own popularity, Barbie Doll collecting was spread in many conservatory clubs, and become an international phenomenon. Because are many limited edition dolls designed specifically for the adult collectors, Barbie is the most collectable doll in the world.

Finally, taking all those things into account, because Barbie comes in all shapes, she is still one of the most popular dolls sold today, even though not everybody loves this doll.