Friday, May 1, 2009

Tattoo Barbie: What's Your Take?

Barbie turns 50 years old this year and what better way to celebrate than with a tattoo? Mattel has released "Totally Stylin' Tattoos Barbie." The doll comes with a set of more than 40 tiny tattoo stickers that can be placed on her body. Also included is a faux tattoo gun with wash-off tats that kids can use to ink themselves. Classy.

Tattoos are not my thing but I have friends who have them on their ankles, etc and I think it is fine. My question is this: Do we really need our 7-yr-old daughters thinking that they need a tattoo to be "stylin'?" I know that fake tattoos for kids have been around forever but the "Cracker Jack" tattoo is not the kind Mattel is peddling. One of Barbie's tats is a lower back tattoo that says "Ken" with a big heart around it.

I would love to have been a fly on the wall in the Mattel boardroom when the marketing dude pitched this brilliant idea. The craziest part to me is that some exec had to put his (tramp) stamp of approval on it. Maybe I'm not seeing it? Am I over-reacting? Like I said before, I think tattoos are fine for grown adults. I just don't think we need any more messages from society telling young girls they need to do things to their bodies to be considered sexy or stylin'. Discuss.

If you want to read more about it, go here.

10 comments:

Pandy said...

Are you kidding me? Does 50-year-old Barbie have her tongue pierced, too? I don't have time to rant, but I will later. Shame on you, Mattel!!

Shelly B. said...

GAG! Definitely tacky and super trashy. I am with you Brooke!

Jessica said...

Fly on the wall? They can't talk, I would have liked to ream the guy/gal for being beyond white trash! That is exactly what having a tattoo of "Ken" in a heart on the small of her back is. I think they Barbie proportions making teens anorexic id a load of bunk, but this is definitely going beyond the line a cute toy for a little girl.

Kimmie said...

Oh Brookie...you don't want to get me started on this whole media/hollywood/what makes a girl beautiful subject....I'll just leave it with a "IM WITH YOU ON THIS ONE".

Laura B. said...

This is beyond trashy and no Barbie will ever step foot in this house of three girls.
I used to think my mom was crazy because she outlawed Barbies when I was young.
Now, I'm becoming my mother.
Awesome.

Mandee said...

I'm so glad you blogged about this. So trashy.

Magdalena said...

Brooke, it's Magdalena. Love your blog, love you more. I agree with you on every level. Sort of disappointed in this little Barbie endeavor, and no, the little one will never have one of these, ever. This toy was created in the spirit of "shock value" and "never seen before on Barbie -ness." Those pesky Brats dolls have tats too, too grown up - even for a 28 year old like me.

Linde said...

Wow. I hadn't heard of this one yet--probably because I am focused on boy stuff. It is sad I think.

Jaime said...

This really bugs. I don't even know what to say - it is so lame and unfortunately, I am one of those who has a tatoo somewhere on the bod... I agree with Shelly B - TRASHY. Question is, will mine be removed before my kids start asking about it. Oh the irony!

CorieW said...

Maybe you're being too hard on them. I mean you have to give Barbie and Ken props for having one of the longest lasting "hollywood" relationships out there and if she's sporting the Ken tattoo then it looks like there are many more happy years to come;)