A toy for little girls - and a fashion icon

I, like most little girls in the US, grew up with Barbie dolls. It began with the infamous story of how my mom bribed me to give up my baby bottle by offering me a Barbie doll. Its companion story is how I subsequently agreed to give up my pacifier also, but for a Ken doll this time (hey - Barbie needed a husband, and not a plushy, furry one. My mind was still innocent and pure at this time). Over the years, I accumulated many, many different Barbies and Barbie-related items, which over the summer we had given away to friends and family or donated to our local church. However, apparently some random small items remained scattered in our apartment, as will happen over a lifetime, and I stumbled upon these two Barbie fashion cards in a drawer.

I don't even remember where these came from or what they were for; I'm pretty sure I didn't own the dolls themselves. I'm so amused by the text that accompanies the images on the back - its like Barbie was trying to actively teach me about fashion through her wardrobe. I really don't understand the 'fun facts' that are also there since, as a little girl, I couldn't care less about something like Wrigley Field if I tried (which I didn't even know about anyway).

Fashion Facts:

"Ballerina"

Barbie is tutu beautiful! Her ballerina skirt is frothy white net over her strapless bodice of sparkly silver lame. Barbie looks as sweet as a Sugar Plum Fairy in her princess tiara and white ballet slippers!

Barbie Facts:

Included with the original fashion are black practice tights and leotard, pink satin shoe bag, and a "ballet program" announcing Barbie dancing the "Sugar Plum Fairy" ballet from Tchaikowsky's Nutcracker Suite!

Fun Facts:

John F. Kennedy is sworn in as America's youngest President. In his speeches he says, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country!"

Fashion Facts:

"Bright & Breezy Fashions"

Here's a casual outfit all dotted with fun! Barbie doll's long-sleeved top is a white cotton knit with primary-colored dots. It's belted at the waist with a bright red cinch belt. Red ribbed-knit pants are extra long, so they "scrunch" perfectly at the ankles. Her shoes are red open-to high heels.

Barbie Facts:

Island Fun Barbie comes with an exotic sarong and has a "bamboo" hut with a swinging hammock and ceiling "fan"!

Fun Facts:

1988 is the first year night games are played at Wrigley Field.

So many articles and studies have been done about how Barbie negatively influences girls, not only in terms of body perception but also regarding materialism, and while there is some truth in those articles I don't ever remember viewing Barbie primarily in those terms. I saw her first as a doll through which I could create my own stories of adventure and love, as a woman who could attain anything that I wanted her to in my 5 year old mind (which admittedly was not too grand, but grander than I was capable of in my 5 year old body).

Barbie was also like a little model for me, the stylist, to dress up in whatever fashion I chose. That was what I loved the most about Barbie - all the tiny fashion accessories and clothes you could buy for her. If I wanted her to wear her yellow open toe high heel sandals with her white sun dress and not the white pumps that came with the dress, then by golly I could do that! Sure, maybe that aspect influenced the materialistic side of me, but I'd say that the people in my life influenced my perceptions and opinions more than an inanimate object, with my mom influencing me more than anyone. If you had asked me who I wanted to be like back when I was a child, I can guarantee that I would have said that I wanted to be just like my mom - not some plastic, can barely move her limbs, disproportionate semblance of a human being. But I do wish that my boobs were bigger...