Mattel releases new tall, petite and curvy Barbies

Barbie’s literally impossible physical measurements have long been criticized, but while other dolls with more realistic body types have hit the market, Mattel hasn’t updated the body type since it came out with in 1959 — until now.

This morning, the brand announced on Glamour.comthat six new Barbies will be released today: tall, petite, and yes, curvy versions. While this change can only be seen as positive and Mattel is excited about the new releases, Michelle Chidoni, Mattle’s head of communications, stands by the original Barbie as well. “Barbie was never designed to replicate the female body. She was a vehicle for play,” she tells Glamour.

Even though Mattel’s original Barbie line generated the company $300 million a quarter, their research told them that millennial moms were hesitant about giving their kids a Barbie to play with, having negative thoughts about the doll’s body type. Mattel hopes to give buyers more options, while still selling the Barbie many already know and love.

For parents who want their sons and daughters to play with a doll with a waist that in real life could only fit half a liver and only part of the intestines, this is a big step in the right direction.

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