Friday, 21 July 2023

Barbie v Sindy: Who Won?

& Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot

Dear friends. Greetings and welcome to an additional weekly post. Emma from Stylesplash and I am joining Marsha in co-hosting the Traffic Jam Weekend link-up.

I'll use this as a weekly opportunity to give a view on one of the big topics of the week. Today it has to be Barbie. There's been so much hype around the new film, aptly named "Barbie," directed by Greta Gerwig. Stores are reporting huge demand for clothes and furnishings in Barbie Pink (Pantone number 219).

I had a Barbie and I also had her British rival Sindy. Barbie launched in 1959, before I was born, and Sindy in 1963, when I was 3.

Sindy was very much the girl next door compared to the glamour of Barbie. "How Barbie crushed Sindy" on the BBC news site explains it all, as does the picture at the top from Metro.

I couldn't remember which version of Sindy I had, but looking at the wonderful site Our Sindy Museum, the 1967 model jogged some memories, and in particular the launch of her bed that year. Yes reader, I had that bed. My Sindy also had an Aer Lingus suitcase, a tiny newspaper and some oranges.

Sindy and Barbie, and Sindy's kid sister Patch, lived in a Tetley tea tin, which was big enough to accommodate the bed plus their husbands (hopefully not all 4 at the same time), my Action Men Derek and Mark.

Mark was a hand-me-down and was incongruously wearing an Australian soldier outfit, complete with a rifle. I had Derek as a birthday present, and he was one of the first Action Men to have fuzzy hair.

Unfortunately they were forever getting divorced, my Barbie and Sindy, which is a sad reflection of the times.

I'm not going to race off to see the film because although it sounds intriguing in terms of how they dealt with a doll that was opposed by feminists for most of her life, it looks a bit too "over the top" for me. I'll wait for it to land on Sky or Netflix and watch it at home.

An interesting aside on the Barbie film: all the makeup used (including Ken's!) is from the wonderful range by Lisa Eldridge. I met Lisa back in June - see my post.

Are you itching to see the new film? Are you wearing any Barbiecore to celebrate? And did you have a Barbie or a Sindy? So many questions. Please tell all in the comments!

Sharing this post with: #AnythingGoes at My Random Musings, Hello Monday at Sunshine and Books, Rena at Fine Whatever, Talent Sharing Tuesdays at Scribbling Boomer,#SpreadTheKindness and #Linkup on the Edge at Shelbee on the Edge, #Neverendingstyle at The Grey Brunette, Traffic Jam Weekend at Marsha in the Middle Senior Salon Pitstop at Esme Salon Crafty Creators at Life as a Leo Wife, 5 on Friday at Penny's Passion