Barbie Video Girl: Barbie is the Video Camera

Barbie Video Girl

When they first brought us around the corner at the Mattel showroom to look at Barbie Video Camera, I looked around thinking perhaps we were being punked.  No, it’s real.  Barbie is a Video Camera.

Barbie’s video camera is in her chest.  Maybe this was inspired by Ironman?

Barbie Video Camera: Camera in her Chest

Now you don’t have to be a teenage boy to see the humor of this placement. While we had just been taken through all of Barbie’s careers-it seemed to be balanced by the location of this camera. While we tell men to look at a woman’s eyes, not her chest…here you really do want to look at the chest to get the best video.

Barbie has a LCD screen in her back and will plug into both PCs and MACs. I do think watching the world from Barbie’s point of view could be fun and kids will probably enjoy the $50 video camera interacting with their other dolls. I just wish I could have been a fly on the wall when they came up with this one and the Glitterizer.  It does almost seem as if it’s an episode of Seinfeld…where one of them would suggest an outrageous idea – and some unsuspecting executive would say “yes!!”

Strong Multi-Cultural Choices at Barbie

Barbie Basic

Happily there are more multi-cultural choices in the world of Barbie. I have a sense that the Barbie Basic line is more for adult collectors (all shown in a little black dress) than for kids…but there are a whole range of dolls available in this line. The dolls were part of a fun ebay auction when real designers came up with their own version’s of LBD for Barbie.

Here’s another grouping…

One of favorite collections from last year, So In Style Barbie,  is also continuing. Created by Mattel designer, Stacey McBride, these dolls celebrate our diversity by featuring dolls of color. You can see Ms. McBride talk about the series on this video. I love that she also made mentoring part of the line. The first sets all included a big doll and a little doll (big sister/little sister).  Bravo to Ms. McBride!  Below, some of this year’s new collection. I’ve been trying to interview Ms. McBride about the collection–I hope we get a chance to talk soon.

New So in Style Dolls from Mattel

Barbie and Nicole Kidman

All 126 of Barbie Professions!

I really love that the big push for Barbie this year has been her professions over the years. Yes, I think they could have used the word pediatrician instead of kid doctor and veterinarian instead of pet doctor…but in general we’ve always been big fans of Barbie when she’s not just stylish but using her brains!

So this year Barbie had a contest- for fans to pick her 125th profession. The winner:

Anchorwoman Barbie.  Love it.  I just thought it was funny that they put her in a similar pink (Chanel inspired) jacket as Nicole Kidman’s character in Time to Kill-where she aspires to be a tv anchorwoman. Both are sporting bangs.  Take a look.

There was apparently a HUGE push on-line to make the profession Computer Engineer…so being the smart marketers that they are…the 126th profession (coming out this year as well) is Computer Engineer Barbie.  Love her glasses!

Computer Engineer Barbie

A transforming Barbie Mermaid

Barbie in Mermaid Tale brings back some oldie but goodie technology…water temperature induced changes. 

When you dip her, things change color and appear.  The aspects changed by water: her hair, her toe nails and, wait for it…her belly body art.

Here, Barbie begins just as your ordinary Barbie around the pool–in her little hoodie cover up. Ever so short and Barbie-esque.  But here, as if on a makeover segment on the Today Show, we see that the hoodie is so much more than a hoodie. It transforms Barbie into a mermaid. No joke.

Take a look:

Is that Barbie or Debbie Mazar?

I got boxes of Barbies today–celebrating Barbie’s occupations throughout the years–as well as her  new jobs (more on that later).  When I got to 1965’s Student Teacher Barbie I was struck how much she looked like Debbie Mazar (Entourage).

Seriously, take a closer look.

WWE Action Figures join Barbie

Mattel announced today that it will release a new line of WWE action figures.

The release includes:

“… the FlexForce Action Figures, as well as Core, Elite and Entrance Great Figures for fervent collectors. Mattel boasts its innovative technology in the FlexForce Action Figures, allowing young fans to safely re-enact the hook-throwin’ and flip-kickin’ finishing moves of their favorite WWE Superstars from John Cena to CM Punk.  Avid collectors will see every detail of Randy Orton’s
tattoos and every stitch in Rey Mysterio’s mask in the most authentic line of WWE action figures ever created.”

Do you think Barbie will date any of these guys?

Barbie Nail Design Studio: Shortage of Refill Cartridges

There has been a lot of interest in the Barbie Nail Design Studio since we first reviewed it earlier in the season. Reports now that there are not enough refill cartridges to go around…not good.  For a demonstration of the machine, watch our video.

Doll Wars…the Naked Truth

There’s so much written about Barbie’s body…and the impact it has on girls. I thought it would be useful to compare her body (from the Barbie and the Three Musketeers theme) to that of the new Liv dolls (Spinmaster) and the Moxie Girlz (MGA Entertainment).

First we took a look at their feet.

From left to right: Moxie, Liv and Barbie

As you can see Moxie has pretty big flat feet.  Good for standing on but pretty clumsy looking. Liv also has flat feet and can actually stand in her sneakers (our testers loved this aspect).  Liv also has articulated toes–a very nice touch.  Barbie has….Barbie feet–she can’t stand in her bare feet–but then again she gets to wear purple boots.  I acknowledge my obsession with these particular boots.

Dolls sans Clothing

If you’ve every played with these fashion dolls and little kids, you know they usually end up without their clothes.  In part, kids are curious about what’s underneath –and because preschoolers now play with these dolls–they don’t have the fine-motor skills to put the clothes back on.  In fact, the dolls often end up without heads. I didn’t feel the need to do that here, but it happens.

From left to right: Barbie, Moxie Girlz, Liv

Size: You’ll note that Moxie (in the middle) is far smaller than either Barbie or Liv.

Age: Moxie Girlz clearly looks more like a middle schooler -rather than an older teen.  She is, as they named her much more girl like.

Limberness: Liv is the most limber– she has arms and legs that are jointed at the elbows and the knees.  Her head, hands, hips and feet also move. Barbie has one arm permanently at an angle. Only her arms, legs and head move (but not at the knees or elbows).  Barbie’s feet are in a frozen in a “yes, you may try the glass slipper pose”). Moxie Girlz– has both arms in a permanent straight position–they only move from her arm pits. Her legs from the hip — and you can move her head and big feet.

From Behind

From left to right: Moxie Girlz, Barbie, Liv

Realistic…not really unless you model for J.Crew. Our testers liked the underwear on the Moxie Girlz. Looking at this now–Barbie looks a little hippy…amazing.

Liv’s Head

Just so there are no surprise, Liv’s hair piece comes off and you’re left with a doll that has sculpted short hair.  We were a little taken aback by it, but our testers loved putting the hair on and off–she has a hole at the crown of her head.

Spinmaster's Liv Doll

Barbie, Cankles and Picasso…

Fun story circulating today about whether shoe designer Christian Louboutin really suggested that Barbie has cankles.

Here’s a shot of Three Musketeer Barbie…one without her fabulous purple boots and one with the boots (because I love them).  I’m still waiting for my legs to grow to these lengths…but I don’t see an issue with her ankles.

barbielegbarbieboots

In fact, looking at the length of her thighs they look more like Picasso’s bathers….elongated, no basis in reality.  Although I can’t even imagine what Christian Louboutin would say about the extra pounds on these women!

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