Tag Archives: barbie

Barbie Ban—Yea or Nay?

A West Virginia lawmaker recently introduced legislation calling for a ban on Barbie dolls in the Mountain State. The pretty, plastic blonde is an icon in the toy world, yet her legendary status hasn’t stopped Lincoln County Delegate, Jeff Eldridge from wanting her to disappear from his neck of the woods. If Eldridge gets his way Barbie will be banned from West Virginia store shelves. Oh, and Eldridge says parents will thank him for it. “I just hate the image that we give to our kids that if you’re beautiful, you’re beautiful and you don’t have to be smart and … Continue reading →

A Fun House for Little Girls… and Big Ones

If you have a Barbie fan in your home, then you might consider booking a flight to California before the end of the month. That’s when the curtains will be drawn on a real-life Barbie Malibu Dream House. But until then, you can try to snag a tour of an actual Malibu mansion that has been transformed into the popular doll’s dream home. Toy maker Mattel recently hired interior decorator Jonathan Adler to replicate Barbie’s pimped out pad in a real-life 3,500-square-foot beach house overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The home is being decorated to honor the doll on her 50th … Continue reading →

It’s a Barbie and Bratz Smackdown

It seemed inevitable that the two toy titans would clash. No, I don’t mean Superman and Batman, but Barbie and those annoying Bratz! And, millions of hard earned consumer dollars are at stake. I just heard of this doll catfight recently, but the trial has been going on for about a month now. Mattel Inc. has brought an infringement case against Bratz manufacturers MGA Entertainment Inc. Mattel claimed that 39 year old Bratz creator, Carter Bryant, created the Bratz dolls and name while still working for them as a Barbie designer. Mattel brought out the big guns to prove their … Continue reading →

Barbie Mariposa (2008)

“Barbie Mariposa” is another installment in the series of movies starring Barbie in various roles. This time, we’re meeting Mariposa, a butterfly fairy who is a friend of Elena’s, who we met in Fairytopia. The butterfly fairies live in Flutterfield, a land which is far away from Fairytopia. The fairies can’t fly back and forth to visit each other because they are in danger – evil monsters want to eat the butterfly fairies, and they can’t leave the safety of the lights of their village. Those lights were invented by a kind and beautiful queen named Marybella, and as long … Continue reading →

Barbie as the Island Princess (2007)

I am constantly impressed by the level of quality not only in the CGI animation, but also in the storytelling of the Barbie movies. The latest installment, Barbie as the Island Princess is yet another remarkable addition to this must-own collection. A Tale Of Woe Barbie stars as Ro in this film, a young girl who was shipwrecked on an island in the South Seas. She is raised by friendly animals that she can communicate with. Sagi the red panda, Azul the beautiful, royal peacock and Tika, the elephant. Ro has no idea where she came from or who her … Continue reading →

Could It Be The Next Hula Hoop?

Recently, my co-blogger, Libby posted an article about the hula-hoop’s role in the world of popular culture. Kids’ playthings have certainly made their mark on pop culture and each year toy makers take a stab at creating new products that may impact society the way items like hula-hoops have. Potential candidates were unveiled this week at the American International Toy Fair in New York. The annual event is the largest of its kind in the Western Hemisphere and this year more than 1,500 toy manufacturers, importers and sales agents came in from 30 countries to show off their new goods. … Continue reading →

Hilary Duff–The Doll?

Is your daughter a fan of actress and singer Hilary Duff? If so you may want to encourage her to save some of her holiday gift money to purchase her very own—Red Carpet Glam Hilary Duff Doll. Ah yes, Duff is a real doll—-a real Barbie doll that is. The 19-year-old is the latest Hollywood star to take on 12-inch proportions as the world’s most popular fashion doll. And she is in good company. Duff now joins other famous (doll) faces such as Reese Witherspoon, Beyonce Knowles and Lucille Ball. The Red Carpet Glam Hilary Duff Doll, features the teen … Continue reading →

The Evolution Of Barbie

Is anyone in your family requesting a Barbie for Christmas? If so, he or she isn’t alone. In a recent survey of parents done by the National Retail Federation Barbie ranked as the top toy for girls this holiday season (TMX Elmo was first for boys). The news came as a surprise to some analysts who have been watching sales of the doll slump in recent years, as they did at the beginning of the women’s movement in early 1970s – when toy consultants say “girls weren’t supposed to just go to the prom and marry Ken.” I grew up … Continue reading →

Have These Fictional Characters Influenced You?

There was a lively debate going on between the co-hosts of NBC’s “Today” show regarding the influence Santa Claus, the Loch Ness Monster, and Paul Bunyan had on modern society. After some chiding and a lot of elbowing the “Today” foursome concluded that characters influenced everything from how we look and act to the way we eat and speak—even though none of them are real. Later I found out that the source of the co-host’s “debate” was a list of “The 101 most influential people who never lived,” which is featured in a new book that was released Tuesday. So … Continue reading →

World’s Most Expensive Barbie

Growing up I loved playing with my Barbie dolls—all 18 of them. I was obsessed with Barbie and her clothes, and her friends, and her accessories… you get the idea. Eventually, I grew out of my Barbie phase and my mom carefully packed up my entire collection and placed it in storage. Looking back, I don’t blame her for being so meticulous, after all, she and my dad, grandparents and other family members must have spent hundreds, perhaps, thousands of dollars on all of my Barbie paraphernalia. In the years since, I occasionally looked on Ebay to see how much … Continue reading →