1 of 42

Write now Article Tools

Page 2 of 5

(and later Midge dolls, Ken dolls, Allen dolls, Skipper dolls and that baby from the "Barbie Babysits" outfit) could do.

Our Barbie dolls each had their own "Dream House". Mine had her "Fashion Shop". My doll was not a fashion model. She was the manager of her Fashion Shop, and she was frequently ordering new inventory. Sometimes our dolls worked in offices. They went to the beach and proms more than any real people generally ever do. Having get-togethers in that Dream House was something they often did. As my friend and I reached the upper end of our doll years, our Barbie dolls actually smoked cigarettes on occasion. Then, too, even though Barbie was supposed to be single and childless we ignored that and that, as well as the male role in reproduction entirely; and we made maternity clothes for Barbie. We imagined the excitement of awaiting the arrival of a baby. (By the way, Barbie's new baby wasn't always that "Barbie Babysits" baby. My friend and I each had smaller, newborn-looking, dolls that made a better baby for Barbie - if and when she ever really had the baby at all. It was more the maternity clothes that interested us and not the actual having of the baby.)

It was with anticipation and absolute delight that I welcomed each new Barbie doll to my family of Barbie dolls (and relatives and friends). The first Barbie with different wigs meant Barbie could finally have a dark brown flip. There was the first "bendy-knee" Barbie, which was, in the opinion of me and my friend, "the ultimate". That knee thing had always been a problem, although we did like the way even Barbie's unbending knees remained elegantly close together when she sat, as opposed to the way a sitting Jill doll's legs formed an inelegant 45-degree angle. Although Vogue created some Ginny dolls with "bendy" knees, the knees were hinged on the outside, which made Ginny look as if she had an orthopedic issue. "Bendy-knee" Barbie could sit in her glider swing, across from another "bendy-knee" Barbie, with ease.

So, for a few years in my childhood I enjoyed Barbie's polish and style, as I imagined all the things grown-up girls probably did once they entered that amazing world of being grown up.
When the time came to buy my Barbie dolls a new outfit, (with the exception of the "Barbie Babysits" outfit, which had that adorable baby doll) I would not select the "limited" outfits, such as the "stewardess" uniform or wedding dress. I wisely selected outfits that Barbie could wear to any number of

• << previous page
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Are Barbie dolls appropriate for young girls??
We want to hear your view. Write now!