For those troubled by pop culture's standards of beauty, take heart from Mattel's new line of Barbies. Barbie at 57 has finally evolved beyond a single figure to include three new sizes – petite, tall and curvy, in addition to the original.
That's not all, the features have also been expanded to include seven different skin tones, 22 eye colours, 30 hair colours (including blue), 24 hair styles and 14 face sculpts. The move was unveiled with a Time magazine cover story.
The original Barbie – who, scientists have said, would not be able to support her weight on her legs and walk if she were a real woman – will continue alongside these more "life-like" versions. The proportions of the original were a cause of outrage for many, possibly prompting this redesign.
The California-based doll manufacturer has seen a constant decline in sales since 2012. With these new designs the hope is to attract new customers and address parental concerns on unhealthy and unrealistic standards of beauty.
These variations in size also mean that not every piece of Barbie clothing will fit every doll. A problem the company has anticipated and has set up a separate complaint line for, according to Elle magazine.
But critics say the focus is still too much on beauty.
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