Goth Punk Barbie or the Katy Perry doll: Which one will you be buying Friday?
The day after our annual tryptophan-engorging heralds the biggest shopping day of the year, and though this year's is expected to be miserable, two dolls will be vying for the affections of little girls -- or adults who just like to collect these things in a sane and rational way and not at all like Kathy Bates' character in "Misery."
The Katy Perry doll, 12" of plastic pop star in a gold mini cinched at the waist, was released earlier this fall and has sold out of its 500-doll initial run, but you can still snatch one up on Ebay for nearly double the original price of $49.99. It's worth the investment: Integrity Toys rep Carol Roth says there are no plans for a second run, so your doll should, with charts' cooperation, only go up in value, just like your 401(k) used to in the old days. Perry conceptualized the doll with head Integrity designer Jason Wu, based on her look in her breakout video "I Kissed a Girl," so that dress and hair have been vetted to a T, people.
On the other side of the fence (and more on that fence in a moment) is Hard Rock Goth Punk Barbie for $70. At first glance, a few lady musicians come to mind -- Joan Jett, Siouxsie Sioux, Cyndi Lauper -- but with her ruffled plaid and tulle skirt and a lace-up corset our girl is more like goth punk as imagined by the Pussycat Dolls. Which is fine, because the old school punk women relied on a lot of safety pins in their outfits and no one needs to get poked in the hands while playing make out with Ken. The doll, the sixth to be released as part of the Hard Rock's Barbie collection representing various musical genres, comes with a cute little guitar and a Hard Rock Collector Pin.
So, about that fence... in dolly land, it's worth noting that the distance between a pop star like Perry and a goth punk girl isn't very far at all. Which is in keeping with the current grab bag-like treatment of genre, where the once rough and tumble lands of punk and goth have been accessed by anyone from mallrat-gone-gold Pete Wentz to Sasha Fierce, the new Beyoncé alter ego who implies she's not your nice girl-next-door in Houston anymore. Punk has long since become a neatly packaged, big box-approved form of rebellion.
Which brings to mind one bummer aspect about Goth Punk Barbie. When you get to that age where you inevitably punk up your dolls by sawing off their locks, what do you do with this one? Little girls, find a way to push it.
-- Margaret Wappler
Katy Perry doll photo courtesy Integrity Toys; Goth Punk Barbie from Hardrock.com
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OOH! OOH ! I have an idea!
How about the Siouxsie Sioux Bromley Contingent Barbie? William Michael Albert Broad could be Ken! OK, the Swastika armband could be a problem, but..
It could work!
Posted by: The Riverboat Captain | November 29, 2008 at 12:52 AM
Have someone one Katie Perry doll to send me? I´m looking for her, and it´s impossible. Please, someone could help me? Thanks. Pilar
Posted by: Pilar Marcos | February 19, 2009 at 01:54 PM
Have someone one Katie Perry doll to send me? I´m looking for her, and it´s impossible. Please, someone could help me? Thanks. Pilar
Posted by: Pilar Marcos | February 19, 2009 at 02:29 PM