Barbie, Not Just a Plastic Doll
Barbie is 50 and we know she’s had, uh, “plastic” surgery at least once since she was introduced in 1959.
Crafted with the “ideal” woman in mind, Barbie’s measurements translated to about 36-18-33 for a real woman. (Although the bust and hip sizes vary depending on sources, that 18-inch waist is a constant).
Dealing with criticism over unrealistic body image and a heightened awareness of anorexia among girls, Mattel did a little tummy “untuck” in the late ’90s, widening her waist a bit and bringing her down a bra cup size or so. Still, it makes you wonder how Barbie has affected the plastic surgery industry over the last 50 years since her debut as the first doll with boobs.
There are several websites out there that tell the story of “Human Barbies” who keep nipping and tucking in search of that ideal (here’s our fav from over in the UK: www.reallifebarbie.com).
But is Barbie’s curvy shape still the ideal figure 50 years later? Did you have one when you were a kid? Did you aspire to look like her? What’s your Barbie story?
