Pop culture and film
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Do clothes matter?
“Fashion is the armor to survive the reality of everyday life.” —Bill Cunningham, American fashion photographer Writing about Greta Gerwig’s Barbie last week,* I jokingly credited Mattel’s Barbie dolls for fueling my interest in clothing and accessories. But that wasn’t far from my truth. I’ve learned over the years that it takes as much effort to throw on an old T-shirt as it does to throw on a beautiful top. I believe the whole idea of “dressing down” — to appear as if you’re not trying too hard — can make as much of a statement as dressing to impress. Consider the fact that some people are willing to pay…
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Big cheers for “Barbie”
“Barbie always represented the fact that a woman has choices.” ~Ruth Handler, creator of the Barbie doll Like many girls in the 1960s, I owned Mattel’s Barbie and Ken dolls and their vast miniature empire of accessories. The dolls inspired countless hours of creative play — and I’d even go so far as to say that Barbie influenced my writing career as well as my lifelong passion for shoes and clothing. Unlike other dolls of my era, Barbie had options beyond housekeeping and motherhood. The sky was the limit for Barbie. Don’t forget that Mattel launched Astronaut Barbie in 1965 — years before there was a real female in NASA’s…
