Friday 7 March 2014

Lammily: A welcome addition to our doll shelves?

This post is a bit different from the usual content of my blog, but the more I look at what other people are saying about this particular doll, the more I want to weigh in as well. 

Discussion of dolls (especially Barbie) and body image is nothing new. As long as there has been Barbie, there have been people who think she's too thin, and that she sets an unattainable standard for little girls that they then feel like they have to live up to. This criticism has also been leveled at Bratz, Monster High, and probably just about any other fashion doll line out there that is marketed towards young girls. There have been attempts made in the past to make larger bodied fashion dolls, and they've never really taken off for various reasons, but artist Nickolay Lamm is giving it another shot.

Meet Lammily, the doll who tells us that "average is beautiful."







You may remember a few months ago when this image started circulating around the internet. This was the first attempt Lamm made to create a doll with more "realistic" proportions than Barbie. Using measurements of an average 19 year old woman, Lamm created the 3-D model seen above. It received so much attention, that he's decided to try to market his idea as a competitor to Barbie and other fashion dolls, using a crowd-funding platform to reach his goal. He has already more than double the amount of money he asked for with 28 days left in the campaign, so I guess we're going to be seeing Lammily in the "flesh" soon enough.


For now, all we have are the 3-D renders available on the campaign page, and some vague details. Lammily is going to stand at 10.72" tall, which is just slightly shorter than the average fashion doll, and she's articulated at the wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles. I like the idea of ankle articulation a lot, which will let her switch between heels and flat sneakers, and probably let her stand on her own a little easier than many fashion dolls.

But those are just the basics of this doll. Lammily is attempting to make a statement, and that statement is that "average is beautiful." 



While I appreciate the sentiment, I definitely have issues with it as well. Looking at these renders of Lammily, it is clear to me that she is an amalgam, meant to represent everyone and no one all at the same time. Certainly there's nothing wrong with telling children that average is beautiful, but shouldn't we also want to tell them that it's okay to stand out, and okay to be who you are, no matter how different that may be from Lammily? Lammily is meant to "support realistic beauty standards", and I have to take issue with that, just a bit. If we want to break down standards and keep girls from feeling like they have to aspire to look one specific way, why would we give them this doll and say "here, this is what you're supposed to look like!" Barbie has never told children that they're supposed to look like her, and I think the number of children who do feel like they need to look like Barbie is smaller than we might expect. In contrast, Lammily is straight-out telling children that she is a realistic beauty standard for them to aspire to, as opposed to promoting any trait other than the way she looks.


 Lammily's entire point (at this stage anyways) seems to be that her body is more realistic than Barbie's. On the campaign page, we're told that Lammily is healthy and fit and dresses simply. What we're not told is what she likes to do for fun, what her personality is like, what her favourite colour is, who her friends are. We know nothing about Lammily, and let me tell you, those are the kinds of things that matter to children when they play with toys, far more than the shape of the body. Barbie has had over 130 careers, and she has a life full of friends and family. What does Lammily have? A thicker waist and the ability to wear sneakers.

At this stage of development, it's okay for Lammily's background to be a skeleton, but if this doll is going to take off, she needs to be more than just a body. Barbie provides all kinds of things to strive for, from many great careers to a group of loyal friends and of course, a dream house. Lammily was created solely to be a different kind of body from Barbie, and as of this moment, that's all that she is. I don't think a girl with healthier body but no ambition is any better for little girls than a woman with a skinny body who has dreams and a full life. I might even argue that it's worse, putting all the focus on the body and none on the actual person. And for what it's worth, as an overweight woman who was an overweight girl who played with Barbie, Lammily's body represents me no more than Barbie's does, and seems just as unattainable to me with her flat stomach and thighs that don't touch.

 In a wonderful post on tumblr (that everyone should read!), margoslxix said:

"It is not body-positive. It is body-centric." I couldn't say it better myself!


Another thing I have to mention that may seem petty, is poor Lammily's wardrobe. Yes, they want to distance her from the hyperfashionable Barbie, but surely there is a whole world in between there and this green polo shirt get-up, or those white heels that look like they belong in another decade. To me, nothing makes it clearer that the designer of this doll knows very little about dolls in general or about what girls are looking for when they buy a doll. The clothes are just as important as the doll itself, and I can't imagine a girl seeing a doll wearing that outfit on the right in the store and being inspired to grab it and spend her allowance on it. If the doll is meant to represent the average tween or teen girl, some research needs to be done into what those girls actually wear, because for most of them, this isn't it. And hopefully, at Lammily's launch, or shortly thereafter, they'll also be selling outfits to buy separately, otherwise, we're going to have a problem. One of the most popular ways to play with dolls is to change their clothes and mix them up, and Lammily isn't going to be able to wear Barbie's clothes, or Monster High clothes, or probably the clothes of any other play doll on the market right now. This is going to greatly limit her options in terms of playability, and that's the kind of thing that gets a doll banished to the bottom of the toy box.



Of course, I fully support the idea of diversity in the doll world, but I think it needs to go beyond creating a doll that is "normal" or "average". We need dolls that are fully-realized characters with personalities and flaws, just like real people. I may be biased here, but I think that's what Monster High gives us. We have dolls that are shy and dolls that are loud, dolls that love sports and dolls that love fashion. We have dolls with sleek smooth hair and dolls with wild curls, dolls who loves school and dolls who maybe can't be bothered. If you extend the discussion to the webisodes, they're even got a character in a wheelchair who definitely deserves his own doll! That's the kind of diversity that we need in our toys, and it extends beyond merely their bodies. I'm not saying Monster High is perfect, because nothing is, but I'd rather tell my future daughter to "Be unique. Be yourself. Be a monster" than "Average is Beautiful" any day.

That said, I'm not ready to give up on Lammily! Based on these renders, I think her body sculpt is really cute and athletic, and with some better clothes, I imagine a lot of little girls who would love to have a doll like her. I think she just needs a marketing tweak and a bit of a personality overhaul. If they want Lammily to represent a healthy lifestyle, what about Lammily, the sporty girl? Think of all the cool accessories she could have to play all kinds of sports and games, and all the outfits they could give her. Soccer Lammily, Horseback Riding Lammily, Hiking Lammily...the options are endless!

I would also argue that the artist naming the doll after himself isn't exactly helping things, because Lammily is not a name that rolls off the tongue, and I do think he's patting himself on the back a little bit more than necessary. Lammily isn't exactly revolutionary just yet, with her premise of "not Barbie", and while it's nice to see someone doing something rather than just complaining about an issue, I don't think Lamm is quite the hero some people are making him out to be.

Overall I think Lammily is a great place to start, but a terrible place to finish. She certainly has a place on toy shelves, and I hope to see her there surrounded by tons of outfits and accessories. I'm even considering pre-ordering one through the campaign, because I really would love to see what kind of quality she'll be, and what her body is really going to look like. What do you think of Lammily? Is there room in your life for a doll like her?

16 comments:

  1. My opinions are very similar to yours, I also consider getting one, but only if more outfit options will be provided.
    These are my thoughts in the matter if you'd like to read (it's too long to just paste it here, sorry).
    http://faybellethorn.tumblr.com/post/78871995949/i-have-a-lot-of-mixed-feelings-about-this-lammily

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    1. I definitely agree with what you've said as well! I really hope they give her lots of clothing options, or at least something more fun than t-shirts and shorts. She's cute and deserves more. And like you said, she's very basic, which is actually kind of a cool thing because you can do anything do her and really make her your own. I'm curious to see where she ends up by the time we actually see her in November!

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  2. You hit the nail right on the head! A great place to start, but a terrible place to end. I sincerely hope that since the project is now 300% funded that Mr.Lamm is going to get a consultant in for helping make clothes and personality for the doll. Or talk to someone about marketing. Because Lammily could sell, just not as this. And it will be a shame if she fails, because you know people won't blame it on her lack of versatility as a toy but because of her size, since that's her main selling point.

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    1. Yes, that's exactly my concern as well! There's definitely validity to have a doll like this on the shelves, but if she fails because no one thought to fully design her, it will set back diversity in toys again, because people will be afraid to try something that is a proven failure. Someone needs to take Mr Lamm on a walk around a Toys R Us so he can get an idea of what does sell, and then tweak those things to fit into his idea. Actually, a good place to look for inspiration would be American Girl does or similar, because they definitely dress like real little girls, but they don't look boring and they have great play value. Translating that kind of energy into a fashion doll scale would be fun and actually is something that I think is kind of missing,

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  3. Very well said! I'm always irked by people who blame the trend of 'skinniness' on little girls playing with Barbie. It's simply not true. Peer pressure. Societal norms. Those are the reasons you want to look at. Barbie is not trying to tell girls to be skinny; she is skinny because that is the default Western ideal of beauty. It's a completely seperate issue. But time and time again Barbie gets to be a convinient scapegoat, because it's easier to tell one doll company that they're doing it wrong rather than an entire race of people.

    Also, average is beautiful? Is that supposed to mean Lammily is the ideal average I'm supposed to be aiming for? Should I dye my hair brown, straighten it and grow six more centimetres? I'd much rather a tagline that goes 'EVERYONE is beautiful'. Then they can use that to make dolls with all kinds of body sizes and personalities. It'd be a much better marketing scheme that just selling one doll who looks like a sterotypical mom in her thirties.

    /rant

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    1. Precisely! Barbie isn't the cause, she herself is a symptom of a much larger problem. I don't think that these norms are going to change anytime soon, though it would be nice if they did, but blaming Barbie or similar certainly isn't going to make it happen.

      "Everyone is beautiful" would be a step in the right direction, but even better would be something that didn't focus on beauty at all, and instead focused on embracing differences and people as they are, body types and personalities included. And ha, I can't disagree that she looks like a soccer mom, especially in that godawful polo shirt...

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  4. Bravo. I agree 100%. As I was saying earlier to a friend, Lammily is an average-bodied girl with no substance, whereas Barbie is a substantial and ambitious girl with an unnatural body.

    I think the true value of Lammily, right now, as she is, lies in just these types of discussions, and the questions that come up. Why does anyone prefer one doll over another? What do we want our children to aspire to? Will the toys we buy them actually influence that? Et cetera.

    Thank you for sharing this. I really enjoyed reading it. Personally, I think I'd like to have a few Lammilys: one to keep vanilla, so to speak, and a few to customize.

    (My own rant on the topic, not nearly as articulate or thoughtful as yours, is here: http://thismaniacsinlovewithyou.tumblr.com/post/78826573677/no-but-in-all-seriousness-a-doll-is-not-going-to)

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    1. You're totally right that it's these kinds of conversations that really make Lammily valuable! It makes people think, and that's always a good thing. I also totally agree with what you said in your own post about children and their parents. I think that many little girls who see Barbie and think badly about themselves because of her do likely have a mother that has body issues of her own, and maybe pushes them a bit onto her kids. If you teach your kids that their value doesn't lie in their looks and that they are loved and worthwhile no matter what, playing with a skinny Barbie won't change that.

      I'm still debating pre-ordering one because I am really curious and I'd like to get my hands on her!

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  5. Yep. Those who blame Barbie's body for anything fail to see the point of Barbie. She IS a positive character in that she's had 130+ careers, she can do anything she damn well wants to. But also they're underestimating kids and their ability to suspend disbelief. I know of no child who looks at a toy and thinks "this is something to aspire toward", kids aren't stupid and they can damn well differentiate reality and fiction better than they're given credit for.

    Lammily is a cute doll, I like different body sculpts but you're right, her outfits are lack lustre and the focus on her body shape is a little worrying. barbie has NEVER focussed on her body shape, neither has any other fashion doll. They've all been marketed on their fashions or their aspirations which is far less troubling. The fixation on this doll's body shape as her main selling point is almost hypocritical, they're making a big deal over her shape when no child has ever looked at a Barbie or a MH or a Bratz body and thought "this is what I should look like."

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    1. Agreed on everything! I know I never looked at my Barbie's and thought I was meant to look like her, and I don't think I was a special child in that regard. I also didn't except real bears to look like my Care Bears. Kids do know what's real and what isn't.

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  6. I really enjoyed reading this article and the comments from other readers that followed. I've found that I agree with all that has been said. I particularly enjoyed reading the link you included in your post and L. Burke Ivey 's comments as well.
    I truly detest when adults-particularly parents put their problems and concerns onto children. Particularly in the case of dolls that don't mention their bodies at all, it's as if most parents think that their children will adopt these ideas and problems simply through osmosis. Which although this is possible it is far more likely that their children will adopt the very things that parents are so concerned about by watching and learning from their parents.
    I wrote something about this a little while ago if you interested on reading it. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
    http://allsortsofeverythings.tumblr.com/post/76585539547/as-ive-been-browsing-through-assorted-blogs-and-tags
    :)

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  7. I'm all for a new body shape for customs, but if this is the only thing about Lammily, it's not cutting it for me. I've heard about this project and I'd like to see where it goes. I'll be waiting for actual photos of the doll and the articulation and if the price and availability is reasonable, I don't mind having one for a makeover. Right now, aside from the issues you just discussed, the doll doesn't do anything for me. The face is so "average" it's hard to tell if it's a man or a woman if not for the body. At the same time, the race is obvious and not average at all. Does the creator know that 70% of the people aren't white? I hope they introduce more diversity in colours as well as body shapes. And clothes and accessories. I thought dolls are supposed to incite kids' imagination past the ordinary because if they need a bland version of a human dressed up for walking the dog, there's this other thing called "life" they can try instead.

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    1. Agreed! They say there is more to come, both in diversity and also character, but why couldn't they show us a bit of what they have in mind? Right now, there's not much to draw people in!

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  8. I really wish Lammily well and have even pre-ordered two - one for me to have as a model for clothes I plan to make and sell on eBay (ok, I admit- though I didn't care for dolls until I was grown and American Girls dolls came out and I fantasized about getting one but didn't take the plunge, so this will be my first doll since I played VERY briefly with hand-me-down Barbies and G.I. Joes) and another for a friend's 9-year-old daughter. She and I have great imaginations that will fuel what I make, and I look forward to having fun with - I'm gonna call her Deborah - no matter what becomes available for her commercially.

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  9. The motivation is pretty good, but the final product is pretty lame. As I read in one comment: "Lammily looks like a 30-something mom" and nothing else. I've seen images of the actual doll and she looks sad or angry, and her clothes looks as they were made for an old cranky divorced lady in her 60s. Lammily body shape is perfect and athletic, but the character herself looks boring.
    Come on, Mr Lamm!! Put an big smile on your doll, and more colors! and a crazy hairdo!!! And give her a suitcase filled up with action figures, shrunken heads, a bloody axe, a pony princess and zombies!!!

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  10. Thing is, Monster High does a much better job of promoting diversity and inclusion despite its unfortunate weight uniformity. One character has a scar that she incorporates into her look. One character is visually implied to have albinism. One character has a crazy afro. Two are conjoined twins, treated properly as individuals. In this world, comic nerds can be fashionistas, guys can be fashion designers, jocks and geeks aren't divided and both are often shared in one character. Despite the unnerving skinniness, MH does a much better job than Lammily does of promoting diversity, and represents a much wider group of people. Knowing the poor success now, it's sort of sad, because I think the intentions were good...but you know which road is paved with such things. If the marketing hadn't been so aggressive toward the minority (like the equally-incorrect "All About that Bass") and strove toward showing all types existing in harmony, it might have worked. But kids don't want an unflatteringly-dressed character with an aggressive message. They just want to play and have fun, no matter the body.

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