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Done with Barbie? How to reuse or recycle old dolls

Bright pink clothing has been a hot item at a number of Brotherhood of St Laurence (BSL) op shops as movie-goers doll up to see Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. <div class="copy"> Kelly McMurray, an area store manager for BSL, says “a lot of 18 – 35 year old women have been coming in to get outfits for premier parties. “It’s been really fun helping people to find their outfits!” The movie has set off a global Barbiecore mania, pinkifying everything and <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/barbie-movies-potential-500-million-haul-could-have-huge-implications-for-mattel-123756476.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">driving demand</a> for more plastic dolls and toy company merchandise. Even before the movie, the global population of Barbies was growing by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/barbie-science/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">around 100 new dolls every minute</a>. Which begs the question: what to do with all those dolls once the gloss of the movie ultimately wears off? For toys still in good condition, reusing them by donating to friends or op shops is an obvious first choice. “Our stores do receive a lot of toys every year,” McMurray says. “The peak of our toy donations would be in the New Year and the second week of every school holidays – when people have either been gifted new toys (after Christmas) and when they have had time to do a clean out – hence the second week of school holidays.” For those seeking a more sustainable supply of Barbie dolls, accessories or merchandise, McMurray suggests visiting one of the bigger BSL stores, as those tend to receive the bulk of toy donations. In Melbourne, the Deer Park op shop has two large sections dedicated to kids toys and clothes, while the Belmont store has been receiving – and selling – a lot of Barbie DVDs. When donating Barbies, or any kind of doll or toy, McMurray says people need to really consider if the toy is in a suitable condition, and isn’t missing any body parts. “A little wear and tear is ok. But if people have any doubts about it – best not to include it in their donations.” For those ‘weird Barbies’ past the point of no return, recycling is the next best option. Research by retailer Flora & Fauna suggests Australians send <a href="https://giftguideonline.com.au/flora-fauna-launches-upcycled-toys-christmas-initiative/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">26.8 million toys</a> to landfill every year. Plastic toys are considered harder to recycle than many regular household items, and can not be put in kerbside recycling bins. <iframe title="Think Pink: The Science of Barbie" src="https://omny.fm/shows/huh-science-explained/think-pink-the-science-of-barbie/embed?in_playlist=podcast&style=Cover" width="100%" height="180" frameborder="0"></iframe> Global recycling company TerraCycle offers a toy recycling program for worn out and broken toys in partnership with department store Big W. It’s called ‘Toys for Joy’. Marina Antoniozzi, TerraCycle’s head of operations, says the initiative saw over 18 tonnes of old toys collected in the first year of trial operations in 2021. The program has now collected well over 160 tonnes of toys, she says. “The majority of toys are not kerbside recyclable due to the complex nature of their composition. Toys are frequently made up of several materials including different types of plastics and metals, which means they need to be manually sorted and separated,” Antoniozzi says. The recycling company partners with toy brands and retailers because the cost to collect and process the material is usually more than the value of raw material produced through the recycling process. In Barbie’s case, the doll is made up of a <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/culture/plastic-artefact-what-is-barbie-even-made-of/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">complex mix of different types of plastics</a>. According to a <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/14/20/4287" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study by Italian researchers</a> early dolls made between 1959 and 1976 comprised a complex mix of different <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/explainer-what-is-a-polymer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">polymers</a>: polyvinyl chloride faces and legs; hair from polyvinylidene dichloride; and torsos made from low-density polyethylene. More <a href="http://www.designlife-cycle.com/barbie-dolls" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">modern dolls</a> have arms of ethylene-vinyl acetate (also used in thongs, and frozen food packaging), torsos of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (also found in Lego), legs from polypropylene, and heads made of hard vinyl (like the kind used in vinyl records). Once collected, the toys sent to TerraCycle for recycling are checked in at TerraCycle’s Materials Recovery Facility where they are manually sorted, separated into individual material streams and prepared for processing. Antoniozzi says that in Australia, TerraCycle processes Barbie dolls and accessories along with other hard plastic toys. These are sent to recycling facilities to be shredded and cleaned. Residual metals are removed using magnets in a process called eddy current separation. The plastics are then sorted into different types using technologies like near infrared, a spectroscopy technique used for analysing and differentiating between polymers. Afterwards, the separated, shredded plastics go through a melting and extrusion process producing recycled plastic pellets, used by manufacturers to make a variety of products. So, when Barbie goes to the recycling plant, she will ultimately be sorted, shredded, melted and turned into plastic pellets. Antoniozzi says donating toys is a good first option. “But if your Barbie is genuinely beyond repair, then you can take her, Ken, Sandy, as well as all her horses, buses, apartments and accessories along to your local BIG W store and give her a second life through the Toys for Joy recycling program,” she says. “Who knows… she may come back to you as a flower pot.” Image credits: Shutterstock  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=258208&title=Done+with+Barbie%3F+How+to+reuse+or+recycle+old+dolls" width="1" height="1" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" /><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/sustainability/done-with-barbie-how-to-reuse-or-recycle-old-dolls/">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/petra-stock/">Petra Stock</a>. </div>

Home & Garden

In a Barbie world … after the movie frenzy fades, how do we avoid tonnes of Barbie dolls going to landfill?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alan-pears-52">Alan Pears</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> It made headlines around the world when the much-hyped Barbie movie contributed to a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jun/05/barbie-film-required-so-much-pink-paint-it-contributed-to-worldwide-shortage">world shortage</a> of fluorescent pink paint. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. When movies or TV shows become cultural phenomena, toymakers jump on board. And that comes with a surprisingly large amount of plastic waste. Think of the fad for <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-51554386">Baby Yoda dolls</a> after the first season of The Mandalorian in 2020. When the Barbie movie comes out this week, it’s bound to trigger a wave of doll purchases over and above the <a href="https://environment-review.yale.edu/most-materials-are-recyclable-so-why-cant-childrens-toys-be-sustainable">60 million Barbies</a> already sold annually. Toys are the most plastic-intensive consumer goods in the world, <a href="https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/25302/Valuing_Plastic_ES.pdf">according to</a> a 2014 United Nations Environment Program report. Worse, very few toys are recycled. That’s often because they can’t be – they’re made of a complex mixture of plastics, metals and electronics. When children get bored, these toys often end up in landfill. <h2>The toll of the dolls</h2> Consider a single Barbie doll. What did it cost to create? Before the US-China trade war, <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/The-Big-Story/China-s-toy-making-capital-scrambles-to-reinvent-itself">half the world’s toys</a> were manufactured in Dongguan, a city in China. That included one in three Barbie dolls. American researchers <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352550922000550">last year quantified</a> what each doll costs the climate. Every 182 gram doll caused about 660 grams of carbon emissions, including plastic production, manufacture and transport. The researchers analysed seven other types of toys, including Lego sets and Jenga. By my calculations, emissions on average across all these types of toys are about 4.5 kilograms per kilogram of toys. Scaled up, this is considerable. In the US, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/oct/21/plastics-greenhouse-gas-emissions-climate-crisis">it’s estimated</a> emissions from the plastics industry will overtake those from coal within seven years. So the question is, how can we cut our emissions to zero as fast as possible to ensure we and our children have a liveable climate – without putting a blanket ban on plastic toys? After all, toys and entertainment add happiness to our lives. <h2>The role for toymakers and governments</h2> To date, there has been little focus on making the toy industry more sustainable. But it shouldn’t escape our notice. Toy manufacturers can – and should – use low carbon materials and supply chains, and focus on making toys easily dissembled. Toys should be as light as possible, to minimise transport emissions. And battery-powered toys should be avoided wherever possible, as they <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352550922000550">can double</a> a toy’s climate impact and turn a plastic waste problem into an electronic waste problem. To their credit, some toymakers <a href="https://time.com/6126981/my-kids-want-plastic-toys-i-want-to-go-green-heres-a-fix/">have cut back</a> on plastic in their packaging, given packaging immediately becomes waste. In a welcome move, the maker of Barbie, Mattel, launched their own recycling scheme in 2021, allowing buyers to send back old toys to be turned into new ones. This scheme isn’t available in Australia, however. Toymakers can help at the design stage by choosing the materials they use carefully. Governments can encourage this by penalising cheap, high-environmental-impact plastics. We can look to the <a href="https://www.clientearth.org/latest/press-office/press-list/eu-court-delivers-final-blow-to-plastics-industry-on-bpa/">European</a> and American bans on BPA-containing plastics in infant milk bottles as an example of what’s possible. Governments can set up effective recovery and recycling systems able to handle toys. Some plastic-dependent brands such as Lego are unilaterally moving away from petrochemical-based plastic in favour of sugarcane-based plastic. But it’s not a <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/lego-sustainable-bricks/">short-term project</a>. While Barbie dolls had an <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-24/barbie-s-pandemic-sales-boom-followed-yearslong-revamp-at-mattel">uptick in popularity</a> during the pandemic years – and will no doubt have another surge alongside the movie – longer-term trends are dampening plastic toy impact. While movies in the 1980s were often “<a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/toyetic?s=t">toyetic</a>” – conceived with an eye to toy sales – the trend is on the wane. Gaming, for instance, has moved to centre stage for many older children. While gaming produces e-waste streams, it is also a likely cause of the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/apr/05/lights-camera-but-no-action-figures-are-movie-toys-going-out-of-fashion">longer-term fall</a> in popularity of plastic toys. <h2>What should we do?</h2> If you’re a parent or an indulgent grandparent, it’s hard to avoid buying toys entirely – especially if your child gets obsessed with Barbie dolls after seeing the movie. So what should you do? For starters, we can avoid cheap and nasty toys which are likely to break very quickly. Instead, look for toys which will last – and which will lend themselves to longer-term creative play. Think of the enduring popularity of brick-based toys or magnetic tiles. Look for secondhand toys. And look for toys made of simpler materials able to be recycled at the end of their lives – or even for the Barbie dolls made out of <a href="https://www.today.com/shop/mattel-barbie-doll-recycled-plastic-t221461">ocean plastics</a>. <img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/209601/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alan-pears-52">Alan Pears</a>, Senior Industry Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/in-a-barbie-world-after-the-movie-frenzy-fades-how-do-we-avoid-tonnes-of-barbie-dolls-going-to-landfill-209601">original article</a>.

Movies

Can you find the doll among all the Christmas presents?

Attention, puzzle pros! Online motherhood community <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.channelmum.com/" target="_blank">Channel Mums</a> has designed a brainteaser that is sure to get you feeling festive for the holiday season – and seriously test your smarts, too. Here’s the challenge: Hidden somewhere in this crazy conglomeration of dinosaurs, rocket ships, teddy bears and yo-yos is a single doll. But only the most eagle-eyed observers can track it down. “At first glance, it looks like every mum’s nightmare – the scene of living room chaos following the opening of the Christmas presents,” Siobhan Freegard, spokeswoman for Channel Mum, told The Sun. “It’s very tricky, but it shouldn’t take longer than your average wrapping paper clean-up.” That said, don’t be too hard on yourself if you can’t spot the pesky doll. It may speed up your search to know that you can only see half of her body; the other half is covered by a few extra toys. Still stumped? Check out the photo below to see where the doll has been hiding. <img style="width: 500px; height:333.3333333333333px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846352/new-photo-768x512_gh_content_750px.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/dbf74793a0424e80b8f564e0ee6879ea" /> Image: Channel Mum Written by Brooke Nelson. This article first appeared in <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/thought-provoking/can-you-find-doll-among-all-christmas-presents" target="_blank">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a rel="noopener" href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank">here’s our best subscription offer.</a> Image: Channel Mum <img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" />

Mind

Dad goes viral after warning other parents about ‘inappropriate’ dolls

An American dad has taken to TikTok to complain about the ‘inappropriate’ LOL Surprise Dolls his daughter asked him to buy for her. He starts the video by showing off dolls he considers wholesome - namely, Tiana and Anna, two Disney princesses. These are then contrasted with the ‘inappropriate’ LOL Surprise Dolls, rotating one as he exclaims, ‘This one’s dressed up like a hoochie!’ <blockquote style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="7010070257020783878"><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@official.patrick.johnson" target="_blank" title="@official.patrick.johnson">@official.patrick.johnson</a> I Can't Believe I Bought This For My Daughter <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/fyp" target="_blank" title="fyp">#Fyp</a> <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/protectthechildren" target="_blank" title="protectthechildren">#protectthechildren</a> <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/wth" target="_blank" title="wth">#wth</a> <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7010070167258532614" target="_blank" title="♬ original sound - Official.Patrick.Johnson">♬ original sound - Official.Patrick.Johnson</a></blockquote> Patrick Johnson, father and pastor, said in the video, "I don't know what we doing these days, my baby wants LOL dolls and I'm upset y'all, look at these dolls. What are we doing to our children, y'all?! We've got to be careful what we're giving to our girls! I don't want her thinking this is the way women dress!" Two of the dolls he shows are wearing two-piece outfits with stockings underneath, and a third is wearing a one-piece leotard. It is unclear whether anyone pointed out that women can be seen wearing similar outfits every day of the week at his nearest beach. <img style="width: 305.1948051948052px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844641/screen-shot-2021-10-06-at-21900-pm.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2c7e7dd452cd447a944dd6d287d40996" /> Commenters’ responses were mixed, with one joking that all of the dolls were wearing Savage x Fenty, Rihanna’s lingerie brand, and another saying, “That’s what I wear to work… I work at a strip club”. One user said they were less concerned about the clothes and more concerned about the unrealistic body expectations the dolls might convey, with many asking why the dolls looked like they’d received ‘BBLs’ (Brazilian butt lifts). Another suggested the pastor use it as a teachable moment, writing, "I don't disagree that the dolls are scantily clad, but can't we teach our children to respect others no matter how they dress?" Big W <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8645483/Woolworths-removes-kids-LOL-dolls-furious-Aussie-mum-exposed-hidden-sexual-lingerie.html">previously</a> took LOL Surprise Dolls off the shelves following a number of complaints from parents last year, the result of another viral video from an outraged parent who had discovered the dolls' ‘hidden’ feature - underwear. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUa01rzPWZE/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUa01rzPWZE/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Bratz (@bratz)</a> </div> </blockquote> Long-time toy consumers may remember when similar criticisms were levelled at Bratz dolls, which were known for their pouty smiles and on-trend fashion sense, as well as their removable feet. The American Psychological Association actually <a href="https://www.apa.org/monitor/sep06/dolls">expressed concerns</a> that Bratz dolls were sexualising young girls and teaching them that sex is a commodity. Interestingly, Bratz dolls are made by the same company as LOL Surprise dolls, MGA Entertainment. Even further back, Barbie copped flack for being “<a href="https://theworkingparent.com/lifestyle-articles/a-history-of-barbie/#.YV0SsxBBw-Q">too adult</a>” because she, like many adult women, had breasts. More recently, a <a href="https://uk.style.yahoo.com/tattooed-barbie-doll-is-overly-sexualised-and-inappropriate-say-parents.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAGiAVVTJpYOGsp_Yf0dFBG7octIZEm2ZHes1-pYZVsf5nPNCKeIiEu9y_oEsBGizvDWdWIcnLjf9HZRl4K59Zc4zWwqkpshe33GBtDoTmKfj3FRPg2tf5a7ANBK6MW6cSq77Cred7twHcrVWUecAZAzoTPDmLcjH4vLN36odkota">tattooed Barbie doll</a> was criticised for being overly sexual, despite sporting a full-length off-the-shoulder shirt, a skirt, and leopard print leggings. Image: Jack Taylor/Getty Images

Family & Pets

‘Creepy Mummy’ Jacinda Ardern doll proves a big hit

In the face of a growing COVID outbreak, New Zealand residents were given a reason to laugh on Monday when they were shown a ‘creepy’ doll version of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Ms Ardern’s partner Clarke Gayford took to Instagram to share a video of the disturbing hand-made doll, sent to them by someone unknown. In the video, Gayford says the doll has become one of their three-year-old daughter, Neve’s favourite toys and she calls it ‘Creepy Mummy.” Aware that everyone in New Zealand is in a strict lockdown, Gayford says on the video: "Well Hi everyone, welcome to Monday. Who doesn't want a 30-second distraction to try and help get them through the start of the week?" <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTLNkXZhlZq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTLNkXZhlZq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Clarke Gayford (@clarkegayford)</a> </div> </blockquote> "So, I give you this. We get given all sorts of wonderful hand-made arts and crafts here and when I say we — Neve," he continues, brushing the doll's hair with her facing away from the camera. "And there's some real talent in this country, some incredible talent, and she's a very lucky three-year-old. "Some of the things make their way into our home and into our three-year-old's heart," he said. "Including this wonderful dolly, which Neve has even given a name," he says, before dramatically revealing the doll's face. "She calls this dolly 'Creepy Mummy' and 'Creepy Mummy' would just like to say: 'Hang in there. You got this. Even though it's Monday.'" According to Gayford, the doll was sent to them without any details attached, but it's much loved by the smallest member of their family— despite the nickname. Fans loved the video, many agreeing it was the laugh they needed as New Zealand faces an outbreak of the highly contagious Delta variant. Image: Instagram

Family & Pets

Julie Bishop honoured with her own Barbie doll

Julie Bishop has been honoured many different times throughout her career, and although she doesn't have an Order of Australia just yet, she does have something almost no other Aussie has: Her own Barbie doll. Toy giant Mattel is honouring Bishop as its 2021 Australian role model for being a "true trailblazer" in politics and the roles she has occupied since, giving her a one-off doll that is, sadly, not for sale. August 26, 2018, was a symbolic day for Bishop, who decided to quit politics. Which is why she chose the outfit she wore on the day for her doll. Completing the look are matching diamond earrings and brooch, a diplomatic passport and Bishop's silver carry-on suitcase. The hairstyle is also more reflective of Bishop's 2018 cut than what she opts for now. Speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald, Bishop revealed her love for Barbie goes back nearly six decades. She mentioned that she still has the Jackie Kennedy doll her parents gifted her as a child. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQKsAFrh1ZM/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQKsAFrh1ZM/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by The Hon Julie Bishop (@honjuliebishop)</a> </div> </blockquote> “Knowing how much Barbie had meant to me as a little girl, knowing how Barbie had evolved into this doll that inspired young girls to choose fascinating careers, I jumped at this opportunity,” she says. In the past, Barbie has been relentlessly criticised for reinforcing stereotypes around gender and promoting an unrealistic body image. But Bishop believes the company's ethos has moved "even ahead of the feminist zeitgeist", as well as on matters of diversity, and that such perceptions are "outdated". Mattel paid tribute to Bishop's love of fashion in their explanation of why they chose to honour her. The company was impressed with Bishop after she formed a partnership between the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Australian Fashion Chamber to promote the local industry. “I wanted to help promote Australian fashion. The industry was such a massive contributor to our ... economy, yet it received very little attention. “It sent a message that you can be a fashion aficionado and still have a very serious job. The more people would try to use my interest in fashion as a negative, the more I saw it as a positive to get out that message.” Bishop’s involvement with Mattel includes working on its “Dream Gap” project, which aims to show girls as young as five that they can achieve the same career goals as boys. Locally, she says there’s a major “dream gap” among Indigenous youth, and as ANU chancellor she is focusing on attracting more First Nations students, including through new scholarships.

News

Royal fail! $110 dolls of Duchess Kate and royal children go viral for all the wrong reasons

<div> <div class="replay"> <div class="reply_body body linkify"> <div class="reply_body"> <div class="body_text "> An expensive set of dolls of a few members of the Cambridge family has gone viral after one disturbed shopper called them the “stuff of nightmares". Amelia Perrin took to Twitter to share the 15cm figurines at the UK retail chain TK Maxx after spotting the terrifying royal “lookalikes". The dolls were made to replicate the Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George and Princess Charlotte from their 2015 official Christmas card – although they notably decided to leave Prince William out. Prince Louis is also a noticeably missing from the strange figurine pack, however, the one-year-old had not been welcomed to the world yet at the time of production. Ms Perrin shared freakishly horrifying images of what is supposed to be the royal family, noting the hefty AU$110 price tag. “Sometimes TK Maxx out-TK Maxxes itself. £60. Arguably the worst thing I’ve ever laid eyes upon,” she wrote. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> sometimes TK Maxx out-TK Maxxes itself. £60. arguably the worst thing i’ve ever laid eyes upon <a href="https://t.co/5yjoyp4sWJ">pic.twitter.com/5yjoyp4sWJ</a> — Cardi BTEC (@amelia_perrin) <a href="https://twitter.com/amelia_perrin/status/1141013304434810881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2019</a></blockquote> The piece that has shocked many was created by a tableware and collectables brand, Royal Doulton – which surprisingly enough, is selling for AU$435 on its website. “Crafted in exquisite fine bone china, Royal Doulton figurines are beautifully handmade and hand-decorated by skilled ceramic artists,” the website <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.royaldoulton.com/young-royals-hn-5883" target="_blank">description</a> read. “The fun-loving spirit and happy personalities of the royal family is portrayed in the figure, Young Royals. “Sculptor Neil Welch has created this limited edition of 1000, inspired by a photograph of HRH the Duchess of Cambridge, playing in the garden with her children, their Royal Highnesses Prince George of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge. “This moment in time taken at their family home at Kensington Palace, reflecting the informality of precious family time the three share.” However, horrified Twitter users reacted to the figurines, one writing: “Their faces are in reverse order of age!” Others joked about the expensive collectable, with one user commenting: “This is a relatively flattering statuette of you with some random children, would I pay £60 for this of me, the answer is yes I would.” Picture: Reuters/Chris JelfSource:Reuters </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div></div>

Art

The real story of the Barbie doll: Strong female leadership behind the scenes

In marking the 60th anniversary of one of the world’s best-known toys, the Barbie doll, scholars and journalists have a wealth of angles to explore. The impact of the Barbie doll on <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-barbie-bad-for-body-image-33725">girls’ body images</a> and the spread of a <a href="https://theconversation.com/barbie-at-60-instrument-of-female-oppression-or-positive-influence-113069">stereotypical model of womanhood</a> has been the subject of extended reflections. They can also focus on the American company that markets it, Mattel, and its current difficulties in dealing with more interactive toys. Yet one story that’s much less known is that of Ruth Handler, the creator of Barbie and one of the founders of Mattel. A succession of trials and tribulations The first part of Ruth Handler’s life is a succession of challenges. Born Ruth Moskowicz in Denver, Colorado, in 1916, she and her family were Polish Jews who had earlier immigrated to the United States. The youngest of 10 children, she could not attend university and initially found work as a secretary. She married Elliot Handler in 1938 and together they traversed the ordeal of World War II, which affected all of the United States. Then came financial hardship for the young couple, living in California with two children. At the time Ruth was 30, but she had a huge ambition for her life and a big vision for the Handler family. She encouraged her husband to use his design skills to create a company manufacturing plastic objects. Mattel was founded in 1945 and success quickly arrived. Behind the scenes, Ruth’s creativity, energy, intelligence, willingness to take risks and determination worked wonders. While she didn’t take the title of president until 1967, these qualities made her the real leader of Mattel. Poker and strategic breakthroughs One of Ruth Handler’s rare qualities was her visionary ability to anticipate. She was able to analyze subtle signals in the marketplace, identify potential innovations, and develop strategic breakthroughs. For example, Mattel was looking for an original way to promote one of its first toys, a plastic machine gun. While toys has previously been marketed to parents, who chose them for their offspring, Ruth had the idea of speaking directly to the end users, as such. The approach was the Mickey Mouse Club television program, which Mattel sponsored in 1955. After seeing the program, thousands of children asked their parents for the new toy, a reversal from the traditional process. While this idea may seem unremarkable to us in the 21st century, it was a clear break in the marketing dogma of the time. Another innovation was the cost of this promotion: $500,000, which at the time was the entire financial value of Mattel. A skillful poker player, Ruth Handler was ready to risk her firm’s entire future on a single advertising campaign. Ruth wanted to make a toy for girls, and knew that she had a test market close at hand, her daughter Barbara. The idea emerged during a trip that the family took to Switzerland in 1956. In the window of a Swiss shop Ruth discovered a sex-symbol doll with a generous shape, <a href="https://allthatsinteresting.com/bild-lilli">Bild Lilli</a>, based on a cartoon character created for the German tabloid Bild. Ruth immediately understood the marketing potential of the doll, and took several back to the United States. In the 1950s, dolls intended for girls were often babies or mother or housewife characters. Ruth Handler’s insight was that girls of the 1950s no longer wanted to grow up just to be mothers, and the Barbie doll announced a certain emancipation from the exclusive role of a mother. While we can now see in Barbie the personification of the woman as object, Ruth Handler’s idea was to create a toy that reflected women’s ability to work and be autonomous. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/29/arts/ruth-handler-whose-barbie-gave-dolls-curves-dies-at-85.html">As she stated</a> in her 1994 autobiography: “My whole philosophy of Barbie was that through the doll, the little girl could be anything she wanted to be. Barbie always represented the fact that a woman has choices.” When Ruth Handler presented her new concept to the head of a major American advertising agency, he stated: “It has no chance of succeeding. You’re joking”. Mattel’s executive committee – composed entirely of men except for Ruth – also opposed the idea. She not only imposed the project, she persuaded Mattel’s R&D department to make a doll that would be sold at cost, with profits coming from the sale of clothes and accessories. At the same time, the innovation of a product whose profit comes from consumables (in this case, accessories) was born. We have here a stimulating break: the doll is sold at a very low price to capture a market and the profit is generated by the sale of accessories. This business model has now become the norm in many economic sectors. Speaking directly to children When the Barbie doll was presented at the New York International Toy Fair in 1959, all the big buyers, including the major American store brands were unimpressed and refused to buy any. While many entrepreneurs would have given up, Ruth Handler decided to sell her doll directly to consumers. A major publicity campaign was launched, which resulted in the worldwide success that we know today. For the next decade Ruth Handler was instrumental in Mattel’s rise. However, in 1975 she and her husband <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1975/11/04/archives/mattel-settles-5-class-lawsuits-30-million-payment-set-to-toy.html">resigned after a financial scandal</a>. She died in 2002 and Elliot in 2011. Mattel and Barbie live on, however, its earnings reaching a <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/07/mattel-jumps-17percent-after-earnings-and-revenue-beat-.html">five-year high</a> in the first quarter of 2019, and Barbie continues to prosper, with sales up 12%. Yet on the 60th anniversary of her creation, Ruth Handler’s contributions aren’t as well-known as they should be. She was an independent, creative and powerful woman, and a model of female leadership. And ultimately, a much more interesting and important model than Barbie doll herself. Written by Bertrand Venard. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-real-story-of-the-barbie-doll-strong-female-leadership-behind-the-scenes-118708">The Conversation</a>.

Beauty & Style

How to build a doll's house bookshelf

Encouraging kids to put their books away will be a little easier with this doll’s house and bookshelf combo. Using Forescolor coloured MDF from Porta, the frame of the doll’s house was built first, then the shelves, room dividers and roof were attached. Self-adhesive paper in a marble and timber look was used for flooring, and quilting fabric was cut to size for fun wallpaper. Mats were made from twine and cardboard while balsa wood strips were added for skirting. <iframe width="820" height="461" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-IDH3auuLmA" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.handyman.net.au/how-build-dolls-house-book-shelf">Handyman</a>.

Books

Meet Australia’s creepiest doll – a 200-year-old gypsy called Letta Me Out

A terrifying 200-year-old gypsy doll is believed to be one of Australia’s most haunted objects – and now you have your chance to meet the doll in person if you dare. Letta Me Out was discovered underneath a haunted house in Wagga Wagga by owner Kerry Walton 46 years ago. <img src="https://media.apnarm.net.au/media/images/2018/03/01/b881252205z1_20180301135120_000g1p10e2dm2-0-py3bwqadjwzjyessup2_t677.jpg" alt="FREAKY: The Letta Me Out doll is one of Australia's most haunted objects." style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Mr Walton claims that ever since he found the doll strange occurrences have followed them around, such as objects in the house getting shifts and even the doll moving in front of people. Mr Walton points to the scuff marks on the bottom of his shoes as a sign of his movements. "I reckon he walks in the night time, we came in here as a new house and I've never heard so many strange things in my life,” he told the <a href="https://www.warwickdailynews.com.au/news/meet-one-of-australias-most-haunted-dolls-in-warwi/3349628/" target="_blank">Warwick Daily News.</a> Letta Me Out has been taken to psychics – one believes he was made for a boy who had drowned. "A clock fell off the wall when she was doing the interview and when she was telling us about the kid that drowned, he moved in her lap,” Mr Walton said. If you want to see the creepy doll for yourself, Letta Me Out when he makes a rare appearance at the Criterion Hotel, Warwick, in Queensland on April 28 from 7.30pm-9.30pm.

Art

Meet the most haunted doll in the world

Meet Robert, a 113-year-old doll who currently resides in Fort East Martello Museum in Key West, Florida. Believed to be one of the most haunted dolls in the world and the inspiration for the movie Chucky, Robert the Doll has apparently caused misfortune and bad luck wherever he goes – everything from car crashes to broken bones. <img width="304" height="380" src="https://s.yimg.com/iu/api/res/1.2/4GTH7BNUvQWm4187_ag8KA--~D/cm90YXRlPWF1dG87dz05NjA7YXBwaWQ9eXZpZGVv/https://s.yimg.com/ea/img/-/171019/59e7da097dd6f_screen_shot_2017_10_19_at_8.46.20_am_59e7d9ca13eaa.png" alt="Robert the doll haunted" class="article-figure-image" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Created around the turn of the century, Robert is a one-of-a-kind handmade doll with eerily blank features. He was once painted but the colour has long faded away. According to the Atlas Obscura, Robert the Doll was given as a childhood birthday gift to Robert Eugene Otto, also known as Gene, in 1906. The family soon noticed that the doll could be heard and seen moving around the house. His expression would even change if anyone badmouthed his owner in his earshot. Gene also told his family that Robert would destroy other toys in the night. <img width="397" height="298" src="https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/58b9b1b91900003800bd69db.jpg?ops=scalefit_820_noupscale" class="image__src" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> When the family moved, Robert was left behind in the attic and the house was later converted into a bed and breakfast. The owners reported strange noises and laughter from the attic, with electronic devices said to stop working around him. After 20 years, he was finally to the Florida museum – but apparently his antics haven’t stopped there. Museum curator Cori Convertito has revealed the museum receive up to three letters daily, with visitors often writing to apologise for disrespecting Robert during their visit and falling victim to misfortunes they think he’s caused.

International Travel

The Queen’s collection of (slightly scary) childhood dolls sold at auction

Those who love the royal family are generally excited to hear about the quirks and interesting character traits that make the Queen who she is. Now, the wider public have been able to take an intimate glimpse into the Queen’s childhood as a collection of her childhood toys was put on sale in the UK. The toys have received widespread attention with some people having described the toys as surprisingly scary. The collection was put to auction by descendants of Clara Hill who was the Queen’s childhood nanny. The collection included Mickey and Minnie Mouse toys and some of the Queen's infant clothes. There were also three dolls in the collection that we can imagine the Queen carried around with her a lot during her younger years. The toys have already been sold at the auction this week, meaning Prince George and Princess Charlotte won’t get the chance to play with their grandma’s old toys. Recently, Prince William revealed that one of <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/mind/2017/09/prince-george-favourite-toy/" target="_blank">George’s favourite toys</a> is Lego. Scroll through the gallery above to see the Queen’s childhood toys. Did you have any dolls like the Queen? Let us know in the comments below.

Family & Pets

Make-up artist goes from human to Barbie doll in one minute

Millions of young girls grow up playing with Barbie dolls, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that many try to look like them. But one make-up artist has taken it a step further, perfectly copying the iconic doll’s beauty look. Kandee Johnson, a US make-up artist known for her pop-culture inspired beauty tutorials, has completely transformed herself into Barbie with blue contact lenses, a blonde wig and a whole lot of make-up – and the result is unbelievable. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h7UDy4oaO9k" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> To see Johnson’s other transformations, including Angelina Jolie, Audrey Hepburn, Madonna and even Johnny Depp as Edward Scissorhands, flip through the gallery above. Image credit: Kandee Johnson/YouTube.

Beauty & Style

Daughter eats breakfast with “daddy doll”

A US mother raising her children while her husband serves his country has shared a picture of her daughter eating with her “daddy doll”. “Men and women leave their families for weeks, months, or a year and many people will never know what that is like,” wrote the mother on the Love What Matters Facebook page. The mum goes on to say that her daughter will pretend to feed it, talk to it, and act like he is with us until we are reunited as a family again “Daddy dolls” are quite comment among military families. It's a reminder of the enormous sacrifices that soldiers and their families make for their country. Here's the full post: <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Flovewhatreallymatters%2Fposts%2F1451912904831103&width=500" width="500" height="703" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true"></iframe>

News

Playing with skinny dolls make young girls unhappy with own bodies

Girls who play with unrealistically thin Barbie dolls are more critical of their bodies compared to girls who play with bigger dolls, finds a new study. In the study, published in the journal Body Image, researchers randomly assigned 112 girls, aged between six to eight, to four groups. The girls played with thin Barbie dolls or full-figured dolls modelled after the Hairspray character Tracy Turnblad, in either swimsuits or modest outfits. The researchers then asked the girls how they felt about their bodies before and after playing with the dolls. The experiment was repeated with another 112 girls using less well-known dolls of a thin and curiver variety. The dolls were dressed in the same clothes as the previous experiment. In both cases, the study found the girls who played with thin dolls were less satisfied with their bodies than the girls who played with the fuller-figured dolls. Interestingly, the clothes the dolls were wearing didn’t influence the girls’ body image. The authors of the study noted such body dissatisfaction is concerning in such young girls as it is associated with strict-dieting, and could be a precursor to eating disorders. Are you surprised by this new research? Do you think there should be more variety in doll sizes? Share your opinion with us in the comments below. Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/beauty-style/2016/08/5-beauty-miracle-products-that-are-not-true/">5 beauty miracle products that just aren’t true</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/beauty-style/2016/08/more-ways-to-use-vaseline-in-your-beauty-routine/">5 ingenious ways to use Vaseline in your beauty routine</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/beauty-style/2016/07/problem-with-all-natural-skincare-products/">The problem with “all-natural” skincare products</a>

News

A look inside Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House

Displayed since 1925, Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House is still one of the most beloved attractions at Windsor Castle. Given to Queen Mary in 1921 as a gift from the nation, the strikingly realistic miniature house is many people’s favourite object when they visit the castle. In a new video by the Royal Collection Trust, we can now get a behind-the-scenes look into the house. Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/02/vintage-photos-capture-pure-innocence-of-children/">Vintage photos capture the pure innocence of children</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/02/how-to-bring-up-a-happy-child/">22 tips for bringing up a happy child</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/01/grandparents-make-grandchildren-happy-study/">Why the grandparent grandchild relationship is important for happiness</a>

News

9-year-old girl donates 1000 dolls to children in need

An American girl is well on the way to achieving her new year’s resolution of collecting one thousand Barbie dolls to give to one thousand children living in homeless shelters and foster homes. Nine-year-old Gianni Graham from Norfolk, Virginia, came up with the idea when she received two Barbie dolls for Christmas. She decided to donate her two dolls to kids in need, as well as aim to collect 998 more. <img width="331" height="418" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/14529/dolls_331x418.jpg" alt="Dolls (1)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> “Gianni explained to me that the Barbie can be a friend to the young girls when they feel that they have no one to talk to,” Whitney, her mother, said. Gianni set herself a goal of collecting one thousand dolls in two months, but through her Instagram page, she’s garnered the support from donors around the United States. Gianni has reached 600 Barbies in two weeks. Gianni plans to write a personalised letter with each doll she gives to the disadvantaged children. “I feel like girls in shelters should have the same as girls not in shelters,” Gianni told WTKR. “I wanted to inspire them and give encouragement.” Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/01/best-advice-ever-received-video/">People aged 5 to 105 reveal the best advice they’ve ever received</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/01/photos-of-animals-hitchhiking/">Hilarious photos of animals hitchhiking</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2015/12/cheap-school-holiday-activities/">30 cheap – or free – holiday activities to do with grandkids</a>

News

The heartbreaking truth about Cabbage Patch Kids

If you were alive in the 80s, you probably had a cabbage patch doll. The iconic plush babies were the must-have children’s toy of their time, brought to us by Xavier Roberts, the man heralded for their distinctive friendly faces and pillowy bodies. However, a new mini-documentary by Vice has revealed that the now multi-millionaire copied the concept of the dolls from North American folk artist Martha Nelson Thomas. Thomas’ friend Guy Mendes told Vice that the shy and humble woman had starting making the dolls in art school and was flat-out reinventing the doll. She sold her handmade "Doll Babies" at craft fairs, where people could "adopt" the one-of-a-kind creatures. Sound familiar? Xavier Roberts went on to buy one of these dolls from Martha Nelson Thomas and hijacked the idea-including the adoption angle- for himself. They even came with a form of Martha’s special adoption certificate. Eventually, Thomas sued Roberts, and they settled out of court. How much money she was awarded was never disclosed, but her family says it was never really about the money for her anyway. Martha was a true artist by nature and simply wanted to present the work of her hands to the world. Scroll through the gallery to see the original cabbage patch dolls, or ‘Doll babies’. Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/movies/2015/11/best-kids-movies/">10 of the best movies to watch with the grandkids</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/movies/2015/11/hilarious-james-bond-gadgets/">The most hilarious Bond gadgets ever</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/movies/2015/11/best-disney-songs/">Best ever Disney movie songs</a>

News

Barbie’s beauty evolution: Then and now

She’s the doll that nearly every girl (or boy) had in their toy box growing up. Barbie is an intergenerational sensation, having launched in 1959 as a blond-hair, pale skin girl, and been transformed as each generation makes her their own. But Barbie isn’t just a mere doll. Mattel’s masterpiece is the original queen of reinvention, constantly changing with popular beauty and fashion trends, and becoming more racial diverse as society develops. She’s almost a barometer for the times; a surprisingly insightful way to take a peek at how female beauty ideals continued to evolve over the decades. The changes might surprise you. In 1959, Mattel launched Barbie with almond-shaped eyes and a curly fringe, complete with a slick of 50s rouge lipstick. By 1963, her nose was completely off proportion, and was sporting heavy dark eyeshade and an up ‘do. ’76 saw Barbie’s eyes enlarged and mouth stretch out to a teeth-flashing smile. In the 90s she had huge fluoro Troll earrings and by 2006 she took on a Kardashian-esque persona. While this graphic only charts the change of the original blonde Barbie, the doll also evolved with our attitudes to racial diversity. The first African American Barbie debuted in 1967 and by the 90s Barbie had her first Asian friend, Kira Wang. Plus, for most of us a look at the beauty evolution of Barbie is, well, just a little bit nostalgic. Take a look at this awesome Tumblr graphic found by Popsugar, which charts Barbie from 1959 to now. <a id="photoset_link_125639467465_2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; outline: none 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.298039); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.68px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: top; color: #444444; text-decoration: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap;" href="https://36.media.tumblr.com/4082847ef3d8e529c4a6969f1eb04cf7/tumblr_nsfngoAAlU1qf9djko2_1280.png" class="photoset_photo rapid-noclick-resp"> </a><a id="photoset_link_125639467465_1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; outline: none 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.298039); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.68px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: top; color: #444444; text-decoration: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap;" href="https://41.media.tumblr.com/10158ce91dda0630baf1faca77a32f0e/tumblr_nsfngoAAlU1qf9djko1_1280.png" class="photoset_photo rapid-noclick-resp"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/10158ce91dda0630baf1faca77a32f0e/tumblr_nsfngoAAlU1qf9djko1_540.png" alt="I've heard of a bad hair DAY, but Barbie's had multiple bad hair YEARS..." style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; outline: none 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: middle; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; width: 540px;"/></a> <a id="photoset_link_125639467465_2" href="https://36.media.tumblr.com/4082847ef3d8e529c4a6969f1eb04cf7/tumblr_nsfngoAAlU1qf9djko2_1280.png" class="photoset_photo rapid-noclick-resp"><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/4082847ef3d8e529c4a6969f1eb04cf7/tumblr_nsfngoAAlU1qf9djko2_540.png" alt="1971 Barbie was all like, "How about this face?", but Mattel was like "LOL nope", and went right back to the 1970 design."/></a> <a id="photoset_link_125639467465_3" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; outline: none 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.298039); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.68px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: top; color: #444444; text-decoration: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap;" href="https://40.media.tumblr.com/fe3124394b29f16116d0b5990ee3f9d6/tumblr_nsfngoAAlU1qf9djko3_1280.png" class="photoset_photo rapid-noclick-resp"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/fe3124394b29f16116d0b5990ee3f9d6/tumblr_nsfngoAAlU1qf9djko3_540.png" alt="I want to know what the hell happened to Barbie in Malibu in 1979. Clearly it wasn't good." style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; outline: none 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: middle; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; width: 540px;"/></a> <a id="photoset_link_125639467465_4" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; outline: none 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.298039); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.68px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: top; color: #444444; text-decoration: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap;" href="https://41.media.tumblr.com/b2990447cb19f688fc8a3e714ea1c1fa/tumblr_nsfngoAAlU1qf9djko4_1280.png" class="photoset_photo rapid-noclick-resp"><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/b2990447cb19f688fc8a3e714ea1c1fa/tumblr_nsfngoAAlU1qf9djko4_540.png" alt="1991 Barbie reminds me of my sister during the 80's, except Barbie's hair wasn't nearly as big." style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; outline: none 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: middle; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; width: 540px;"/></a> <a id="photoset_link_125639467465_5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; outline: none 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.298039); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.68px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: top; color: #444444; text-decoration: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap;" href="https://40.media.tumblr.com/b263315bf2f361b33e05425d521d771b/tumblr_nsfngoAAlU1qf9djko5_1280.png" class="photoset_photo rapid-noclick-resp"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/b263315bf2f361b33e05425d521d771b/tumblr_nsfngoAAlU1qf9djko5_540.png" alt="1998 Barbie looks like she thinks she's better than you." style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; outline: none 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: middle; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; width: 540px;"/></a> <a id="photoset_link_125639467465_6" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; outline: none 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.298039); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.68px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: top; color: #444444; text-decoration: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap;" href="https://41.media.tumblr.com/7fb5ea89f5c1f98380c4608b286c4e78/tumblr_nsfngoAAlU1qf9djko6_1280.png" class="photoset_photo rapid-noclick-resp"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/7fb5ea89f5c1f98380c4608b286c4e78/tumblr_nsfngoAAlU1qf9djko6_540.png" alt="2006-2008 Barbie looks like she has absolutely nothing going on upstairs. The lights are on, but no one's home." style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; outline: none 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: middle; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; width: 540px;"/></a> <a id="photoset_link_125639467465_7" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; outline: none 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.298039); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15.68px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: top; color: #444444; text-decoration: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap;" href="https://41.media.tumblr.com/c0a4e55f5fb06758ace7075c2299e98e/tumblr_nsfngoAAlU1qf9djko7_1280.png" class="photoset_photo rapid-noclick-resp"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/c0a4e55f5fb06758ace7075c2299e98e/tumblr_nsfngoAAlU1qf9djko7_540.png" alt="2015 Barbie says, "After all these years, I finally look cute and friendly again!"" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; outline: none 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: middle; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; width: 540px;"/></a>

News

Artist transforms movie dolls into celebrities

Artist Noel Cruz has made it his mission to repaint movie character and celebrity dolls, transforming them from their off-the-mark original forms to creations of stunning likeness. Don’t take our word for it, check out the results below. Audrey Hepburn – Breakfast at Tiffany’s <img width="500" height="408" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10821/audrey-hep_500x408.jpg" alt="Audrey Hep"/> Cher <img width="498" height="425" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10822/cher_498x425.jpg" alt="Cher"/> Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep – The Devil Wears Prada <img width="500" height="389" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10823/devil-wears-prada_500x389.jpg" alt="Devil Wears Prada"/> Daniel Radcliffe – Harry Potter <img width="499" height="402" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10824/harry-potter_499x402.jpg" alt="Harry Potter"/> Johnny Depp – Pirates of the Caribbean <img width="500" height="319" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10825/johny-depp_500x319.jpg" alt="Johny Depp"/> Orlando Bloom – Lord of the Rings <img width="498" height="270" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10826/orlando-bloom-lor_498x270.jpg" alt="Orlando Bloom LOR"/> Viggo Mortensen – Lord of the Rings <img width="500" height="585" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10827/vigo-arragon-lor_500x585.jpg" alt="Vigo Arragon LOR"/> Princess Diana <img width="497" height="410" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10828/princess-diana_497x410.jpg" alt="Princess Diana"/> Angelina Jolie – Maleficent <img width="500" height="549" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/10829/angelina-jolie-malificant_500x549.jpg" alt="Angelina Jolie Malificant"/> <a href="http://www.ncruz.com/" target="_blank">To see more of Noel Cruz’s work visit his webpage.</a>

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