Barbie has been an iconic toy for young girls since her creation in 1959. With her impossibly slender frame, flowing blonde hair, and expansive wardrobe, Barbie has represented a certain ideal of femininity for generations. However, that iconic body shape has also stirred controversy through the decades. Critics have accused Barbie of promoting an unrealistic and unhealthy body image that can lower girls’ self-esteem and lead to eating disorders. This leads to the question: was there ever a fat Barbie doll produced? Let’s explore the history of Barbie’s body proportions and whether Mattel ever created a plus-size version of their popular toy.
Barbie’s Origins and Original Proportions
Barbie was created in 1959 by Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel, after observing her daughter Barbara playing with paper dolls and imagining adult roles. Handler wanted to create a 3D doll that would allow girls to imagine their future adult lives.
The first Barbie doll was 11.5 inches tall, with measurements of 18 inches at the bust, 12 inches at the waist, and 16.5 inches at the hips. This gave Barbie a tiny waist and exaggerated bust and hips. According to a 2016 article in the Journal of Eating Disorders, Barbie’s original measurements would translate to a woman 5 feet 9 inches tall with a 39-inch bust, 18-inch waist, and 33-inch hips. For comparison, the average American woman in the 1960s had measurements of 34-35 inch bust, 28 inch waist, and 35-36 inch hips.
So even when she first debuted, Barbie displayed a body shape that was taller, slimmer, and more curvaceous than the average woman’s. And over the decades, her measurements became even more unrealistic.
Barbie’s Changing Proportions
Throughout the 1960s, Barbie’s body became increasingly slim as beauty ideals at the time emphasized thinness. By 1965, her measurements were adjusted to 11.5 inches tall, 32-16-29. As a real woman, her measurements would be equivalent to 39-inch bust, 16.5-inch waist, and 32-inch hips on a 5 foot 7 frame.
By the late 1990s, Barbie’s measurements reached an extreme that would be physically impossible for a real human to attain. According to the Journal of Eating Disorders, her proportions in 1997 were equivalent to a woman 5 feet 10 inches tall with measurements of 36-inch bust, 15-inch waist, and 33-inch hips. To put this in perspective, her waist would be 40% smaller than her head, and her neck would be twice the diameter of her waist. These abnormal proportions communicated to girls an unhealthy thinness ideal.
Attempts at More Realistic Barbies
Facing growing criticism about Barbie’s effects on girls’ body image, Mattel made several attempts through the years to adjust Barbie’s figure to more realistic proportions.
In 1997, they introduced the Barbie Slumber Party doll with measurements equivalent to a woman 5 feet 11 inches tall, 36-inch bust, 33-inch waist, and 35-inch hips. While still very slender, this doll represented a waist size that was 88% of the head circumference, much closer to a healthy real human ratio.
Then in 2016, Mattel debuted three new Barbie body types: tall, petite, and curvy. The curvy Barbie, in particular, had a waist that was only 70% of her head circumference, much healthier proportions.
These attempts to diversify Barbie’s body types gained some positive attention. But the curvy doll received criticism as well for not truly reflecting the average American woman’s size 14 measurements. Which leads to the question – did Mattel ever create a truly plus-size, fat, or obese Barbie?
Was There Ever an Obese Barbie?
The short answer is no. Mattel has never produced a Barbie doll that could be classified as obese or very overweight. The curvy Barbie of 2016 was a small step towards more average body proportions, but even it did not fully represent an average size 12-14 woman in the United States.
Mattel likely avoided a truly full-figured Barbie to dodge controversy about “promoting obesity,” especially amid the diet and fitness crazes of the 80s and 90s. They also knew a plus-size doll may not sell as easily, as many young girls still idolize Barbie’s slim physique.
While no obese Barbie exists, some artists have customized Barbie to have a larger body shape. Artist Nickolay Lamm created “Lammily” dolls in 2014 based on CDC measurements of the average 19-year-old American woman, size 14. The doll was 5 feet 5 inches tall with a 33-inch waist and 37-inch hips. Other artists have repainted or sculpted normal Barbie dolls to have fat rolls, cellulite, and double chins to promote body positivity. But Mattel has not officially made a full-size plus Barbie.
The Evolution of Barbie’s Body
| Year | Doll Name | Measurements |
|---|---|---|
| 1959 (first Barbie) | Barbie | Bust: 18″, Waist: 12″, Hips: 16.5″ |
| 1965 | Slim Barbie | Bust: 32″, Waist: 16″, Hips: 29″ |
| 1997 | Slumber Party Barbie | Bust: 36″, Waist: 33″, Hips: 35″ |
| 2016 | Curvy Barbie | Bust: 33″, Waist: 27″, Hips: 34″ |
This table summarizes how Barbie’s measurements became increasingly unrealistic through the 60s, before Mattel began introducing dolls closer to average proportions in 2016. But despite small steps towards diversity, Barbie remains significantly slimmer than the average American woman’s size 14 measurements.
The Effects of Barbie’s Body Proportions on Girls
Barbie’s slim, exaggerated proportions have been found to negatively impact girls’ body image. A 2006 study in Developmental Psychology found that brief exposure to Barbie doll images lowered self-esteem in 5-8 year old girls, making them more dissatisfied with their own size.
Additional research shows playing with Barbie also limits girls’ career aspirations and narrows their perceptions of what they can achieve in life. Barbie’s appearance seems to communicate that a woman’s value and opportunities depend largely on thinness and physical beauty.
But some defend Barbie as a source of imagination and empowerment. Girls do not see her as a realistic role model, but rather as a tool for fantasy play. Either way, Barbie’s body remains a controversial topic.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Mattel has never created an obese or plus-size Barbie doll. The iconic toy has maintained exaggerated, slim proportions since her origins in 1959, with a waist size that would be physically impossible for a real woman to attain.
Artists have customized Barbie to look more average size or overweight. But Mattel’s official dolls have stopped short of representing the average American woman’s size 12-14 measurements, likely to avoid controversy. While the company has introduced more diversity in body types in recent years, Barbie remains significantly slimmer than most girls and women. And research shows her slim figure can negatively impact body image in young girls. But the debate continues around if Barbie empowers girls through imagination or sets unrealistic expectations for their bodies.