Just like thousands of little girls across the United States, I had my very own Barbie Doll. She was beautiful with big, bright blue eyes and blonde hair. I loved her. However, after getting older I realized that these overly stylistic dolls can have a traumatic effect on young girls mainly because of body image. These dolls are supposed to represent the “perfect” woman’s body in the 1950’s consisting of long legs, small arms, a tiny waist, and a high, postured chest. Her face also consisted of just the correct amount of make-up. The company’s aim (which I think is also the adult’s desire) was to give little girls a representation of an ideal adult woman’s body. They also advertised her in an array of ways: from slumber parties to cleaning the house. Barbie was also supposed to represent the idea of “the good wife,” which is the reason for advertising her along with house cleanliness in the 1950’s.

Although the company has now evolved the Barbie Doll into more than just a house wife, the body image and feminine household role are still problems that this toy includes. It may seem that it is a harmless toy, but psychologically, it can have a huge role in a little girl’s future.

Wolf, Erica. “Barbie: The Early History.” Barbie: The Early History. N.p., 2000. Web. Oct. 2015.