Dolls

My mom didn't restrict my play in the same way Weila's parents did, but my mom's one stipulation was that I wasn't allowed to play with barbies. She thought that they were a negative influence that would lead me to have a negative body image when I got older. She criticized, not unreasonably, the almost inhuman proportions of the dolls' bodies. On the rare occasion that I went to the house of a friend who had barbie dolls, it was like the best day of my life. I loved taking time to pick out the perfect outfit for my doll to wear, trying to make her look fashionable and stylish. For me, the main part of playing with barbies wasn't the rollplaying of having the dolls go to parties, work, school, etc. For me, it was the act of dressing them up that I liked so much. I would have my doll go to school just so I could change her into her uniform. I would have her and her friends go to a party so I could put them in their dresses. I remember playing with my younger sister and stealing the clothes I wanted from her so that my doll could have the best outfit. I don't feel like I have dealt with a negative self image because of the rare occasions I got to play with barbies, although it's unclear if I gained any useful experience or knowledge from these dress-up sessions.