For years, toymaker Mattel has been criticised for Barbie’s unrealistic body proportions, a virtually impossible standard of beauty for girls to try to meet. Not all women are or can be impossibly tall, thin, and busty, and women don’t come in only one shape.
But now, finally, Barbie won’t either.
On Thursday (28th January), Mattel announced that Barbie will now come in 3 new body types (tall, petite, curvy) and a variety of skin tones and hairstyles. Yes, Barbie will have normal curves and all!
And this is the first time Barbie will be available in body types beyond her original super skinny frame.
It’s great news, of course, as Mattel continues to try to make one of the world’s most popular dolls as realistic as possible to try to stay relevant. Last year, Mattel introduced 23 new dolls with different skin tones, hairstyles, outfits and flat feet, rather than the perpetually pointy ones meant to fit into sky-high heels.
The new toys allow “the product line to be a better reflection of what girls see in the world around them,” says spokeswoman Michelle Chidoni.
“We believe we have a responsibility to girls and parents to reflect a broader view of beauty,” said Evelyn Mazzocco, senior vice president and global general manager of Barbie, in a company statement.
It’s safe to say that Barbie’s latest changes are perhaps the most drastic ones that Mattel has ever made in the history of Barbie’s evolution.
This year’s dolls will be available in tall, petite and curvy body types. Online sales start Thursday on Barbie.com and dolls will start hitting stores 1st March. A total of 33 new dolls – all 4 body types, 7 skin tones, 22 eye colours, and 24 hairstyles – will rolled out by the end of the year.
For more information, visit Mattel’s website or Facebook page.
