Lammily doll This isn't the first time I have found myself vaguely (or enthusiastically) defending Barbie. Or rather having faith in the imagination of children, but I find myself discussing a small doll again. Last week a new doll was released with the intention of treading on Barbie's tiny toes (which would be unfortunate because Barbie needs those to stand on) called Lammily. Lammily is a similar size and age to Barbie, she is not a baby doll, she is in fact designed to depict a 19 year old woman in a more realistic fashion. The creation of digital artist and designer Nickolay Lamm, Lammily is supposed to help those who play with Barbies realise that her body type is not the only kind to aspire to. Lamm told Huffpost that he "wanted to show that average is beautiful and that we shouldn't compare ourselves to unrealistic beauty standards. And I feel Barbie kind of symbolizes that."
Lammily's measurements make for a healthier human should a fairy Godmother decide to turn her into a real life 19 year old person. Or a human that can stand up at least where as Barbie would apparently have to walk on all fours to get around. Lammily would be around 5'4" compared to Barbie who would be 5'9" and Lammily's waist would reach 31", much larger than Barbie's 18" one. Her shoe size would be 7.5 in America.
Lammily accessorizes not with family members, pets or high flying careers but instead comes with a Lammily marks, which many people joyfully describe as a 'flaw pack'. These are a range of stickers you can put on the doll to give her acne, freckles, stretch marks scars, stitches, flushed cheeks. cellulite and tattoos among other skin conditions. Lionel Shriver, writing in the Guardian had some suggestions: "How about herpes sores and genital warts, a malignant-looking breast lump, diarrheal dribble from when Lammily's last dose of laxatives worked a bit too well, a big plastic pool of bulimic sick, since this doll may be told she's lovely just the way she is, but she doesn't believe it? How about (and this suggestion is serious; look away, John Ruskin) some pubic hair?"
Lammily accessorizes not with family members, pets or high flying careers but instead comes with a Lammily marks, which many people joyfully describe as a 'flaw pack'. These are a range of stickers you can put on the doll to give her acne, freckles, stretch marks scars, stitches, flushed cheeks. cellulite and tattoos among other skin conditions. Lionel Shriver, writing in the Guardian had some suggestions: "How about herpes sores and genital warts, a malignant-looking breast lump, diarrheal dribble from when Lammily's last dose of laxatives worked a bit too well, a big plastic pool of bulimic sick, since this doll may be told she's lovely just the way she is, but she doesn't believe it? How about (and this suggestion is serious; look away, John Ruskin) some pubic hair?"
| Wherever I have seen stories about Lammily I have seen her described as 'normal', or 'normal Barbie'. However there are plenty of people who don't measure up to Lammily so what's normal? Of course there is 'average'. She might have measurements a larger number of young people can expect to reach. But I'm not sure calling her 'normal Barbie' should be the norm. | it looks a lot like a doll designed for parents a little squeamish about buying their child a Barbie. |
Now, if Lammily were marketed just as a doll who is supposed to be a 19 year old skate boarder who came with an optional arm cast and perhaps the inevitable cuts and bruises that come with such a hobby then it might be seen as a realistic doll who was made with a sense of humour for children. The doll is fun, she moves more than Barbie and due to her proportions she probably is a lot easier to make clothes for - whether paper or cloth.
However instead with her strap line "Average is beautiful" it looks a lot like a doll designed for parents a little squeamish about buying their child a Barbie. And recently that's been understandable, considering the righteous hoo-ha about Barbie's shameful computer engineer story in which she just comes up with the ideas and still gets viruses on everybody's laptops 'cos she's just a girl who can't do computers.
This is not the Barbie I know, in the 80s and 90s when I was playing with Barbies she came with short stories in which she saved the day with a clever idea. Sure she was a little smug about getting one over on Princess Laura or Ken but she did everything for herself. Also I was aware that I did not have to stick to the narrative she came with. Nor was I expected to grow up to look like her any more than my potential offspring are expected to look like Baby Alive (I do however require them to...be alive). Sure Barbie needs more diversity and to go back to her days of a wide ranging and jam-packed CV but we also need to trust those who actually want to play with her a little more...
Squeamish Kate
However instead with her strap line "Average is beautiful" it looks a lot like a doll designed for parents a little squeamish about buying their child a Barbie. And recently that's been understandable, considering the righteous hoo-ha about Barbie's shameful computer engineer story in which she just comes up with the ideas and still gets viruses on everybody's laptops 'cos she's just a girl who can't do computers.
This is not the Barbie I know, in the 80s and 90s when I was playing with Barbies she came with short stories in which she saved the day with a clever idea. Sure she was a little smug about getting one over on Princess Laura or Ken but she did everything for herself. Also I was aware that I did not have to stick to the narrative she came with. Nor was I expected to grow up to look like her any more than my potential offspring are expected to look like Baby Alive (I do however require them to...be alive). Sure Barbie needs more diversity and to go back to her days of a wide ranging and jam-packed CV but we also need to trust those who actually want to play with her a little more...
Squeamish Kate
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