Barbie, I understand, has undergone a bit of a transformation.
The little doll, a favourite gal pal of mine back in the day, no longer has a single, stick-thin body type. She's now curvy. And tall. And petite.
She has more than one skin type, a slew of hair styles and eye colours - and a ga-zillion awesome accessories.
Bravo, I say. The original was not only as true to life as a teddy bear. She was also the slightest bit dull.
But variety, of course, makes for an interesting playmate. If the new Barbie could talk, I imagine she would speak 25 languages. If she could move, she'd be able to climb a mountain, jump from a plane and throw a really mean discus. She's new, improved and much more skilled at what she does. I think you get my drift.
But here's the thing: Barbie's been around since 1959. She's 57. She's a boomer. Her kids have no doubt flown the coop.
Wouldn't you think - and I'm just throwing my boomer sensibilities on the table here - that
Mattel might be wise to introduce a retirementplanning Barbie? A funtime Grandma Barbie? A snowbird Barbie? A downsizing-to-a-condo Barbie? Just think of the accessories! Car seats to transport the grandkids! Heating pads for when the back feels sore! Bottles of hair colour to banish the grey! Hearing aids to better hear Ken!
Speaking of which, what the heck is up with Ken anyway, assuming he's still in the picture? And if he is, is their status still boyfriend-girlfriend? Talk about commitment issues!
A Google search tells me Ken arrived on the scene in 1961, and that he's had 40 occupations since then. (Holy moly! Where did he
find the time to train for all of them? And how did he manage two seconds to hang out with Babs?) In any case, that would make Ken 55 years old. I'm thinking a mid-life-crisis Ken might be in order. Oh, and maybe a beer-gut Ken. And a balding Ken. And a couch-potato Ken.
The accessories? A remote control, of course. (Duh!) A case of Bud. Maybe some heady cologne, some barbecue tools, some golf clubs and some copies of Sports Illustrated.
If Mattel wanted to really get into it, it might create a financial planning doll to advise B and K about their long-term investments, a handyman doll to help them with their home renovations and a landscaping doll to work on their properties. (Heaven knows they must be getting to the point where they want someone else to do the yard work!) Anyway, that's just me thinking out loud. If Barbie can be a bit chubby, seems she might also grow with the times. A Barbie who likes to golf in Palm Springs? I could see being her pal once again.
