Barbie Finally Looks Real

Barbie's getting a makeover!

Barbie's got a big ol butt, oh yeah! It's about time!

In a world where Barbie could be and has been nearly everything, chubby or 'curvy', isn't one of them.

And let's face, we are curvy girls living in a curvy world. Not all of us and that's ok, because I wouldn't want someone's unnatural body shape to be a shape they aren't made to be. I've hoped for years it would go the other way. Where curvy girls aren't just 'cute' but actually considered attractive.

In all honesty, it's something I have struggled with my whole life. In some weird, deluded thinking, I imagined during my insecure teen years that all of that would go away in adulthood. I am not sure what exactly happened between then and now, but it didn't just 'magically' go away. In fact, thanks to the invent of technology, Facebook, Instagram and the highly publicized world we live in, the body shaming got worse!

When I did the local Dancing with the QC Stars competition, I laughed when they brought out all the sparkly, dance outfits for stage performance. I looked at the show coordinator and said, "Seriously?! Have you LOOKED at me?" Not one of those outfits would fit over my left thigh. It seems we encounter the reminders that we aren't society's 'acceptable' no matter where we go, even in the endeavors we pursue. I learned to rock what I've got, living in the now, even if you're in transition.

Mattel also is coming out with Barbies of different height and skin tone, too. There's a tall Barbie with a killer side-shave in her head (kinda dig that myself) and a petite, brown-skinned Barbie about a foot shorter than the tall one (I totally understand that, too!)

Mattel says they wanted to do this to keep up with the different body shapes and sizes of young girls. With sales also down 20% over the last 3 years, they are losing market share to other toy manufacturerers like Disney and Lego.

No matter the motivation, I think more realistic dolls are always a good idea. Not everyone will buy them but at least there's an option for those who it matters to, the little girls looking down on themselves because they don't look like the people on magazine covers and TV.