That 35″ waist seemed strange to me, so I looked it up and the average American woman does indeed have a 35″ waist. While I think we can all agree that Barbie is unrealistically proportioned, it is a fact that the “average”American woman is getting pretty hefty these days. The average woman in the 1950s was 5’3″, had a 25″ waist, weighed 120 and wore a size 8 (equivalent to a size 0 or 2 in today’s sizes), whereas today the average American woman is 5’4″, weighs 145, and has a 35” waist and wears a size 12 (size 16 or 18 in 1950s sizes. We are a little taller and much wider these days, but I am not convinced it is Barbie’s fault.
I knew she was a little unrealistic, but I didn’t realise how unrealistic. Rachel x
Applause for posting this! Thank you. So important.
I’m surprised that the average women has the same waist measurement as her bust. Surely this is an error and they are both not 35″ as listed here?
That 35″ waist seemed strange to me, so I looked it up and the average American woman does indeed have a 35″ waist. While I think we can all agree that Barbie is unrealistically proportioned, it is a fact that the “average”American woman is getting pretty hefty these days. The average woman in the 1950s was 5’3″, had a 25″ waist, weighed 120 and wore a size 8 (equivalent to a size 0 or 2 in today’s sizes), whereas today the average American woman is 5’4″, weighs 145, and has a 35” waist and wears a size 12 (size 16 or 18 in 1950s sizes. We are a little taller and much wider these days, but I am not convinced it is Barbie’s fault.