I'm a Barbie Girl!

I can hardly believe I have written 16 posts and have not yet mentioned my Barbie doll collection!
And with Barbie's 50th birthday this year I thought it was about time I gave her a mention!
In 1959, Barbie took the world by storm, surprising skeptical toy critics at New York's Toy Fair. Soon, little girls across America, and later, the world, were singing Barbie doll’s praises. In the coming years, both adults and children alike would collect their favorite doll in record numbers. Five decades later, Barbie doll remains one of the hottest selling toys in the world.

Barbie collecting can be an expensive habit. The latest coveted version, released by Mattel for Barbie's 50th, is valued at $50,000. This Barbie is decked out in 34 carats worth of white and black diamonds, which sparkle down to her heels, complete with a 24-karat-gold chain bracelet on her left wrist.
Unfortunately I don't have one of those! but I do have a huge collection of others (to be honest I can't tell you exactly how many, maybe around 200!)

I began collecting seriously about 15 years ago and have been so lucky to have received a vast amount of dolls as gifts from family and friends (my brilliant Dad deserves a special mention here as he never goes anywhere without looking for a special Barbie to bring home for me!).
My collection represents years of birthdays, Christmases and fabulous trips and means so much more than the monetary worth of the dolls to me.
This year I spent my birthday in Florida and received 20 dolls from my Parents, Aunt and Uncle, Baby Cousin and Mr D. (they were fun and games to get home!)

In her fifty-year lifespan, Barbie has had over 100 professions, everything from a rock star to a paleontologist to a presidential candidate. She is a fairy, a princess, and a fairy princess.
In fact if you can think of it Barbie has been there, done it and got the (no doubt fabulous, designer) T shirt!
Which brings me to the enviable wardrobe, fantastic cars, houses and furniture this little lady has it all!
Like any successful person she has taken her fair share of criticism too!
Barbie has been accused of representing a very unrealistic and damaging idea of what a modern adult woman looks like…that it affects a girl's expectations in her life. That she is a bad and dangerous role model but Barbie creator Ruth Handler said : "Barbie has always represented that a woman has choices''
My choice is to be barbie when I grow up!
Who wouldn't want to look that good at 50!
So it is high time I organised and catalogued my Barbies. I hope you don't mind if I share my collection with you over the coming months? I can promise some stunners!


Lots of Love xxxx