Journal articles: 'Evening gowns' – Grafiati (2024)

Abstract:

Evening gown is one type of party dress that is divided according to the time of use, namely late afternoon or late evening. Evening gowns usually have more prominent characteristics than other types of party dress. Both of the model and decoration/garniture. The application of beads as an evening gown decoration is one way to impress a luxurious impression of evening party dress. Beads or in English called "beads" comes from the Middle English bede which means "prayer" (object of Worship). Because at first the beads were associated with occult things in previous religious ceremonies. Beads are usually made of stone, bone, wood, shell, glass, metal, and so on. The technique of stringing beads is known as beading embroidery. Beading embroidery is usually done by stringing beads on fabric using the help of a needle and thread. One of the techniques in making beading embroidery is the Cabochon technique. The term of Cabochon comes from French which means head, this term is often used for gemstones that have been polished so that it has a smooth round shape. In its development, the cabochon is decorated with small beads strung around a large gemstone which is likened to the head or center of this ornament..The study aims to 1) To apply the knowledge obtained from the course milineris accessories and Houte Couture as the basis in making milineris accessoires and garniture on the evening gown. 2) To introduce beading embroidery especially the cabochon technique as one of the alternative for garniture or ornament on the evening gown,and 3) To improve the student’s creativities in making garniture on the evening gown through making beading embroidery with cabochon technique. This kind of study is experimental study. The method used is the PBL (Project Base Learning) method. Namely learning methods that use projects / activities as a medium by conducting exploration, assessment, interpretation, synthesis, and information to produce various forms of learning outcomes.

Abstract:

Gaun malam adalah busana pesta malam yang mewah sepanjang mata kaki atau hampir menyentuh lantai dengan menggunakan bahan-bahan yang istimewa. Bahan dalam pembuatan gaun malam terus berkembang seiring dengan berkembangnya dunia fashion. Salah satu inovasi yang menarik adalah pembuatan gaun malam futuristik. Dalam pembuatan gaun malam futuristik, bahan yang di terapkan adalah lighting. Penerapan lighting mampu mengoptimalisasikan keindahan sebuah gaun malam, lighting berfungsi sebagai dekorasi sebuah gaun sehingga dapat memberikan kesan tersendiri. Selain itu, konsep penggunaan lighting memberikan sentuhan futuristik pada gaun malam baik dari segi penggunaan bahan maupun penampilan sebuah gaun malam. Salah satu pemilihan lighting yang coco*k adalah jenis LED strip yang dapat di koreografikan sesuai dengan sumber ide. Sumber ide untuk gaun malam ini adalah database network sebagai salah satu kecanggihan teknologi. Dari sumber ide database network ini memunculkan sebuah ide gaun malam berbahan organdi yang memiliki karakteristik transparant dengan penerapan lighting pada setiap garis hiasnya. Tujuan penulisan karya ilmiah yaitu untuk mengetahui bahan dan proses sebuah gaun malam futuristik, serta mengetahui hasil jadi sebuah gaun malam futuristik. Metode yang di terapkan dalam pembuatan gaun malam futuristik adalah metode penciptaan demgan kolaborasi antara tata busana dan elektro. Hasil perwujudan gaun malam futuristik dengan penerapan lighting menjadi salah satu inovasi terbaru. Koreografi dari lighting mampu menjadi pusat perhatian sehingga sangat efektif untuk menjadi hiasan sebuah gaun malam yang futuristik. The research objectives were to determine the materials and the process of making a futuristic evening gown, and to determine the results of a futuristic evening gown. The manufacture of futuristic evening gowns consists of several stages: selecting fabri (organdy), LED strips, cables, tin, powerbank. The process of making a futuristic evening dress is done with a collaborative method of fashion and electrical engineering. The manufacture of futuristic evening gowns includes determining the source of ideas, materials, designs, the process of applying LEDs to the dress, and embodiments. The result of being a futuristic evening dress with the application of lighting is one of the latest innovations. The choice of organdy material which has a transparant characteristic manifested in the L silhouette is perfect for evening dresses that apply LEDs. All cables to connect the LED strip segments must match the installation and be attached with glue, this is so that the cable does not break when the dress is worn. The lighting embodiment results are in accordance with the network database. Selection of organdy material which has transparant characteristics for evening dresses that apply LED strips so that the lighting can be maximized in emitting light. In addition, the application of sequins that are arranged according to the source of the idea can complement the glamorous and futuristic impression of the evening dress.

Abstract:

Purpose: The study sought to achieve sustainability in the fashion industry through the redesign of outfits for some selected evening gowns. Methodology: The study adopted a desktop methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data, or that which can be collected without field work. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resource; hence, it is often considered a low - cost technique compared to field work. The study relied on already- published studies, reports, and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through online research and the library. Findings: The study's findings revealed statistically significant differences between the mean scores of the direction of measurement of the study sample's opinions, as well as the existence of a correlation between the mean scores of each of the axes in the proposed study's mindset scale. These outcomes prove that the fashion renewal of durable gowns is one of the ways to verify garment sustainability. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The concept of the circular fashion theory is derived from the broader concept of the circular economy, which aims to reduce waste and extend the lifespan of fashion products. The theory promotes sustainable practices such as up- cycling, refurbishing, and remanufacturing to create new value from existing garments. In other words, it encourages the reuse of materials and products to minimize waste and reduce environmental impact. In addition by applying circular fashion theory, designers can upgrade selected evening gowns by repurposing existing materials, incorporating sustainable textiles, or redesigning elements of the gowns to make them versatile and timeless. This theory encourages a shift from the linear "take-make-dispose" model to a more sustainable and circular approach. By adopting circular fashion practices, we can help create a more sustainable future for the fashion industry. Sustainability could potentially act as an argument for future studies in the fashion and design businesses. The study is expected to benefit policymakers and stakeholders in the fashion business in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The study findings will be used to improve and develop the performance of fashion design sustainability. The study recommends that the adoption of effective fashion design for durable evening gowns will help achieve fashion sustainability.

Abstract:

This study aims to discover the emerging semiotic resources found in the Meranaw rina-rinaw. Through semiotic analysis, this ethnographic research determines how faithful the rina-rinaw has remained to the prototype, the traditional bayok, or how far it has drifted from the latter. Specifically, this study seeks to identify and discuss how the semiotic resources contribute to the meaning-making function of the rina-rinaw. The findings revealed the emerging semiotic resources such as the use of guitar as a musical accompaniment, the wearing of modern evening gowns instead of the Meranaw traditional malong or landap, transfer of the setting from the torogan to a private residence or more public place, and less formality and exclusiveness of the contemporary rina-rinaw event which, unlike the traditional bayok, is performed for the delectation of the general public. These semiotic resources have evolved in its own time. There are also evidence of departures or breaks where singers no longer exhibit the typical Meranaw arts of “kakini-kini” and “kakurum.” Instead, the onor walks naturally toward the stage. Moreover, the rina-rinaw event is open for everyone. The audience is no longer as exclusive as that of the traditional bayok; it is more heterogeneous. The participants could become rowdy or boisterous.

Abstract:

Evening gown is a luxurious and elegant evening party dress, the length of the ball gown is ankle-length or almost touching the floor. The aim of the researcher is to now the process of making an Evening Gown with sequin decoration and to find out the finished Evening Gown with sequin decoration. The process of making an Evening Gown with sequin decoration is done by the method of creating works, there are four stages. The first stage is the pre-design stage. The second stage is the clothing design stage. The third stage is the stage of clothing embodiment. The fourth stage is the clothing presentation stage. The results of the researchers are: The process of making an Evening Gown with sequin decoration using tile and satin wrapped around the waist with draping. The first is making a design that fits the form of the source of the researcher's idea, namely twilight. The process of applying sequin decorations with wire and string threads on balen which is made according to the pattern. The finished result of making an Evening Gown with sequin decoration is in accordance with the source of the twilight idea. The selection of material characteristics using champagne color with sequin decoration makes the Evening Gown look elegant and glamorous.

Abstract:

Dewi Saraswati in this evening gown visualizes the shapes, forms and symbols attached to the figure of Dewi Saraswati into a batik motif which is formed into an evening gown. Dewi Saraswati is the goddes of knowledge or veda. The idea of creation will be focused on (1) how to explore, make sketches, draw designs that come from the shapes, forms and symbols attached to Dewi Saraswati into the new creation batik motifs for evening gown designs? (2) How to create written batik based on a design that has been designed with the motif created by Dewi Saraswati? (3) How are the results of the new batik-patterned fabrics being formed into evening gown? The method used in this approach is to use the creation method which includes the exploration stage, the design stage and the work creation stage. Execution of the process of creating the work The final project is carried out in two stages, namely the batik making process and the evening gown making process. The creation of this work aims to explore the concept of form, appearance, decorative motifs, colors and symbols attached to Dewi Saraswati which is formed into written batik which is then applied to evening gown. The color used for the creation of this final project refers to the color of the Surakarta style batik tradition. The finished batik work is then applied to the evening gown. Evening Gown is a gown worn at night parties with a glamorous look, has sparkling details and is elegantly cut.

Abstract:

Evening gown adalah busana yang digunakan untuk menghadiri pesta jamuan makan malam yang bersifat glamour dan elegant. Bahan yang digunakan bertekstur halus, warna lebih mencolok, dan hiasannya lebih mewah. Dilihat dari karakteristik busana pesta diatas penulis terinspirasi untuk menjadikan karakter Dame Gothel sebagai konsep untuk membuat evening gown. Dame Gothel adalah salah satu karakter antagonis dalam film animasi ke-50 Walt Disney Pictures Tangled (2010). Dalam film tersebut Dame Gothel berperan sebagai wanita angkuh yang mengeksploitasi kekuatan sihir Rapunzel selama 18 tahun. Busana yang digunakan Dame Gothel menjadi daya tarik tersendiri, mulai dari baju berwana merah tua, garis leher berbentuk persegi dan hiasan berwarna emas pada bagian tertentu busana. Dari penggambaran tersebut penulis membuat evening gown yang terinspirasi dari gaya karakter Dame Gothel yang dihias dengan aplikasi bordir dan payet, sehingga dapat menampilkan kesan glamour dan elegant seperti pengertian evening gown sendiri yaitu gaun pesta yang yang memiliki ciri yang lebih menonjol dari segi warna, bentuk dan garnitur dibanding gaun yang lain.

Abstract:

Pleats adalah sejenis lipitan yang terdapat pada desain busana atau suatu teknik melipat secara bolak balik pada bahan yang kemudian di pressed dengan cara dijahit atau disetrika dengan seksama sampai hasil lipatannya terbentuk secara permanen. Pleats merupakan salah satu teknik yang unik dimana bahan dilipat dan di press sehingga memberi garis yang bersifat permanen, dan merupakan salah satu teknik dalam bidang busana yang akan terus dipakai dan disukai sepanjang zaman. Pada umumnya Pleats biasanya diaplikasikan pada bagian bawah busana seperti rok berlipit atau gaun yang bagian bawahnya berlipit, penggunaan pleats pada busana memberikan kesan anggun dan indah, pleats juga dapat memberi kesan memanjangkan bagian tubuh yang dikenakan Pleats. Pleats menjadi rujukan teknik penerpan busana yang diangkat karena pesona Pleats yang tetap diminati, dan dapat diaplikasikan pada busana pesta, khususnya busana Evening Gown.

Abstract:

Busana pesta malam dapat dibuat berdasarkan sumber ide yang tak terbatas, termasuk dengan cara memodifikasi suatu kostum dari tokoh fiksi contohnya kostum Scarlet Witch. Kostum scarlet witch mempunyai karakteristik, tampilan dan fungsi yang cukup bertolak belakang dengan tampilan dan karakteristik busana untuk kesempatan pesta malam khususnya Masquerade Party. Fenomena munculnya tantangan dalam menciptakan busana berdasarkan sumber ide yang dimodifikasi merupakan pembahasan yang menarik. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mendeskripsikan bentuk kostum Scarlet Witch apabila dijadikan sumber ide untuk menciptakan busana pesta malam Masquerade Party dengan model peplum. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode ADDIE dengan lima tahap penelitian dan pengembangan. Modifikasi yang dilakukan terhadap kostum scarlet witch dilakukan dengan tanpa menghilangkan ciri khasnya agar sumber ide masih dapat dikenali walau ditampilkan dalam bentuk busana yang berbeda. Penelitian dan pengembangan sumber ide scarlet witch menjadi busana pesta malam model peplum yang dilakukan oleh peneliti, menghasilkan bentuk modifikasi berupa masquerade mask, one shoulder bustier, gloves, aksen peplum, dan siluet rok mermaid.

Abstract:

Meningkatnya permintaan masyarakat terhadap pakaian dapat memberikan dampak buruk bagi lingkungan karena dapat menyebabkan produksi pakaian jadi dilakukan dalam skala besar sehingga limbah garmen yang dihasilkan juga semakin besar. Salah satu upaya untuk mengurangi limbah garmen adalah dengan mengolah limbah kain sebagai material utama dalam pembuatan hiasan busana wanita atau embellishment. Teknik yang dapat digunakan adalah teknik pemotongan menggunakan mesin laser cutting. Metodologi penelitian yang digunakan adalah studi pustaka dan pembuatan produk. Hasil produk dari penelitian ini berupa evening gown yang memanfaatkan limbah kain sebagai embellisment. Pada evening gown yang dibuat diterapkan embellisment corsage pada bagian pinggang dan lingkar leher dengan tujuan agar busana tampak elegan dan mewah sebagai busana yang dikenakan pada kesempatan pesta di malam hari. Komposisi serat material utama embellisment adalah 100 % poliester. Pengaturan speed dan power pada mesin laser cutting berpengaruh terhadap hasil potongan embellisment. Produk yang dibuat akan ditentukan harga jualnya sesuai dengan perhitungan harga jual dari harga pokok produksi (HPP) ditambah dengan laba yang diharapkan

Abstract:

In January 1977, Potassa de Lafayette visited Andy Warhol’s studio wearing a black velvet and taffeta evening gown. The Dominican model sat for sketches by visiting artist Jamie Wyeth and photographs taken by Warhol that together reveal the sequence in which Potassa raised her skirt and lowered her stockings to expose her penis. This contribution explores Potassa’s strategies of self-presentation amid the politics at play in the studio that day. The author reads Potassa as a self-possessed figure fully in control of her image because hers is an identity not predicated on a gendered or sexed body, but on a visual sensibility – as one who ‘loves beautiful things’. As an aesthete and as one of the first openly transgender models of color, Potassa, the author argues, negotiated difference through beauty and glamor in Warhol’s studio and across New York’s high art and fashion scenes.

Abstract:

In October 1894, Mrs. Laura OrmistonChant, a feminist purity reformer, successfully challenged the music and dancing license of the Empire Theatre of Varieties before the licensing committee of the London County Council. Mrs. Chant raised two objections to the management of the Empire: first, that “the promenade, an open space behind the dress circle in front of the bar,” where 500 people circulated nightly, was used “as the habitual resort of prostitutes in pursuit of their traffic.” Her “second indictment” was that parts of the performance on stage were exceedingly indecent, including the costumes of the ballet dancers (“London County Council”). Chant had gone to the Empire promenade, twice dressed in her “best” evening gown, and been herself accosted. Her protest, declaredThe Sketch, provoked the “battle of the Empire,” a “great fight . . . waged with a war of words, a battery of correspondence, and a skirmish of sketches” (qtd in Faulk 77). Visually commemorated in the illustrated press and in numerous music hall spoofs, the “Battle of the Empire” was most extensively covered in the correspondence columns of theDaily Telegraph, under the heading, “Prudes on the Prowl.”

Abstract:

In this engaging study of weddings in contemporary Taiwan, anthropologist Bonnie Adrian documents a rite of passage recognizable across the world from its major visual representation: the wedding photograph. Photographs prompted her early questions and provided her with the point of departure for her research. Why do couples have so many wedding photos? Why do they wear so many different costumes in the photos? Where are the photos of family members? What precisely is the cultural content of such photos, overtly Western – the bride usually in white dress and veil, the groom in morning or evening suit – yet puzzlingly different?Answers to these questions are suggested in the course of many small journeys through the strange, theatrical world of the Taipei wedding: the bridal salons, which rent out the clothes and take the photographs; the wedding rites and wedding banquet, where the bride changes from one gown to another; the marital home, where the massive photo album is kept, to be drawn out for the admiration of guests or, in later years, for a woman to recall her youth and beauty at the moment she passed from single to married life. The typical photo session is described in fascinating detail. The session occurs before the wedding, and usually takes a whole day. At the wedding banquet guests can look at the photos, which typically contain an astonishing range of images of bride and groom in a variety of poses, places and costumes. Thousands might be spent on a good collection of wedding photos, none of which record the actual wedding.

Abstract:

Dear Editor, I was exposed to a COVID-19 positive cardiologist last March 1. I had ENT clinics until March 11, treating mostly patients with complaints of cough and fever (sinusitis and bronchitis). I felt that my facial mask, hooded magnifier lens, and gloves gave me enough protection. I was wrong. They were not sufficient. I had a temperature of 38°C on March 13 and went home immediately to self-isolate. By March 15, I was coughing unremittingly and persistently as if a feather was stuck in my throat. I had no phlegm. I had no running nose, nor respiratory difficulty. But my rib muscles ached continuously - an intense, miserable pain not relieved by any position. I felt a severe point tenderness over both lower back ribs that even soft pillows could not diminish. I lacked sleep. I felt weaker as days went by. My taste was flat as I swallowed soups and arroz caldo but I still had my sense of smell. On March 16, I took Clarithromycin 500 mg and N-Acetylcysteine 600 mg, both twice daily to treat what I diagnosed as acute pharyngitis. Two more days of severe coughing, fever and sore throat made me worry about COVID-19. How come I was not getting better? In fact, I was getting BITTER over this uncertainty of COVID-19 and the treatment I had prescribed myself. I had been religiously taking probiotics to imbue me with immunity for infections like these.1 I believed that lactobacillus acidophilus, the friendly gut bacteria, stimulates the Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue (GALT) to produce antibodies against virus and bacteria shedding into small intestines and against bacteria abnormally multiplying in the large intestine.2 I was assured by the research of Russian Dr. Elie Metchnikoff on the potent lactobacillus in yogurt (which comprised almost 50% of the Bulgarian diet and made them strong and healthy). Dr. Metchnikoff (who had won the 1908 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine) honored Bulgaria by naming his friendly bacteria lactobacillus bulgaricus.3,4 Dr. Metchnikoff was later honored as the “father of natural immunity.”5 Then came the Spanish flu of 1918-1919 that killed more than 2.5 million Europeans, mostly Italians and British.6 Yet the number of those killed in Bulgaria was as close to that in Switzerland, which was the lowest. Now, the COVID-19 pandemic marched into 2020 killing 4,633 patients out of 82,918 COVID+ in Wuhan, China; 31,855 out of 219,183 COVID+ in Great Britain; 30,560 out of 219,070 COVID+ in Italy; and 80,787 out of 1,367,638 COVID+ in the USA. Ninety-one died of COVID out of 1,965 positive for COVID-19 in Bulgaria.7 I was confident that the lactobacillus acidophilus 20 billion Colony Forming Units (CFU) were stimulating production of the IgG and IgM (from GALT which produces 70% of the body’s immune globulins) needed to neutralize viruses or bacteria.8 The acidophilus produces Vitamin B specially Vit B129 which I believe made for my stronger body. I had prepared myself as I prepared my patients for the flu by consuming Vit C and Zinc. Zinc stimulates the thymus to increase immune responses to viruses.10,11 I was fortified with 2 Colostrum pills daily, preformed sources of IgG and IgA.12 I followed my regimen for acute rhinitis (though there was no nasal obstruction) which meant doing nasal SALINE washing or sprays thrice a day. I knew that the flu virus (or even the SARS-COV2) hides EARLY in the nose and sinuses and is able to produce toxins which inflame the whole body. Worse for SARS-COV2 because these drop into the tonsils and into the lungs. The nasal sprays were meant to reduce the virus numbers (viral load) in the nose and sinuses so there were less shedding. Saline washes decongest the nose to improve breathing. The 60 seconds antiseptic mouthwash followed a regimen of brushing the teeth then the palate and the tonsils and to the base of the tongue. This was to extinguish any virus lurking to go down into the lungs or GIT. This regimen was routine at 3x a day. The fever dropped slowly. Coughing diminished though the muscles constantly ached after 3 days of Clarithromycin. I was determined to have the COVID tests and a high resolution CT scan of the chest. On March 20 at the hospital ER, I explained I was a patient requesting a CBC, a COVID test, and a chest CT scan and that I will wait for my turn since the ER was full (took me 3 hours). After the interview with the ER physician, I was led to a seat one meter apart from others. Elderly patients with cough all quizzically looked at me in my white doctor’s gown wondering if I was sick. I changed to the gown, mask, and gloves I was provided with when the nurse escorted me to cubicle one. First came the CBC. Next were Rt-PCR swabs of the nose and nasopharynx and of the throat. Finally after the staff sterilized the CT scan room, my scan was completed in a few minutes. The chest scan showed ground glass appearance consistent with Bilateral Basal Pneumonia. I was told that the PCR results would be ready within 7 days. I was advised urgently by my classmate, a pulmonary specialist from another hospital, for admission for oxygen inhalation and treatment. She went out of her way to look for a pulmonologist but none was available due to quarantine. She looked for an Infectious Disease Specialist who was now in isolation. I requested her that since I was not in respiratory distress and because of my weakened state, I was worried about getting a hospital acquired infection and that I be committed to strict home isolation with treatment prescribed by her. She reluctantly acceded with the admonition that I proceed immediately back to hospital if respiratory difficulties occur. I started the Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) at 2x a day for 5 days and Azithromycin once daily for 7 days plus a mucolytic N- Acetylcysteine 600 mg 2x a day. There was another dimension beyond my physical stress. I was in MENTAL stress, the pervasive fear of not surviving this that engulfed me. Knowing my close colleagues died from COVID-19 pneumonia after a short battle in ICU with intubation, I realized THIS certainty of death and THAT uncertainty of recovery. I asked for a lifeline from my UP Med ‘76 classmates. (The lifeline in the family was unconditionally given though from a distance). My pulmonologist classmate closely monitored my condition daily. Some offered their listening ears to my echoing worries. Most prayed to God with their unconditional love for me to recover. Another classmate had extraordinary pranic sessions for my healing, my relaxation and my energy. I reflected on my dad’s advice that in a righteous fight (like against this pneumonia), “you use all means and all ways to win.” I started deep breathing into the nose and slowly out through the mouth knowing full well that the nitric oxide I absorbed through the roof of the nose dilated my coronaries for better heart function and my pulmonary arteries for better oxygen exchange. The deep breathing provided nitric oxide to the bronchus and bronchioles to dilate them for more airflow. Moreover, I was taking in lots of calamansi juices (or lemon or oranges) for its citrulline which has been researched to prolong the effects of nitric oxide.13 These breathing sessions were the MOST IMPORTANT activities if I were to survive and were continuous morning, noon and evening. Fortunately, I was isolated in 3rd floor Music Room with access to the roof deck garden and fresh air from Laguna de Bay (about 1.5 km from the house in Taguig) and of course, LPs of the Beatles, Aiza and Sharon, and Mozart. I did chest thumping or percussion as far as I could reach my back to loosen the phlegm in my lungs. This self ‘physical therapy’ was 3x a day. I started to spit scanty whitish, thick phlegm. I made sure that Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) was taken mornings and evenings and the Azithromycin was taken at lunch so there were no drug interactions. The 2 Colostrum tabs were swallowed on waking up. The probiotics were taken after breakfast and after dinner. The Zinc was taken after lunch. Soft stools were present but that was my GIT reacting to the medications. Adding to the controversy was the new regimen US President Donald Trump was trumpeting on Fox News and CNN. A hospitalist physician treating COVID-19 pneumonias in San Francisco was giving us the new protocols for Chloroquine and Azithromycin, with promising results. He was the classmate of my daughter in UP Med. I went to pharmacies in Taguig and Greenhills for Chloroquine. It was not available. My pulmonologist classmate was firm; “No!” when I suggested the shift. “You will need confinement and an ECG because these combination drugs prolong QTc on electrocardiogram.” This meant Chloroquine and Azithromycin combination may initially precipitate bradycardia (lower heart rate) then ventricular tachycardia (heightened heart rate), and finally, cardiac arrest for senior patients (68 years old) like me with a history of hypertension. This discussion stopped all controversies in treatment. Moreover, I was getting better. My temperature decreased to 37.8 °C. The muscle pain diminished. The severe point tenderness over the lower ribs persisted. I was deep-breathing which I could not hold for more than 10 seconds. That was not normal! I listened to my lungs for the CRACKLING sounds of pneumonia with my stethoscope. The maze of gurgling and churning sounds from the stomach and intestines seemed to mask the sounds I was listening for. Or was I in denial? I decided to go back to ER on the 3rd day for a chest X ray. The objective was to see if my pneumonia was progressing. The chest X ray still showed basal pneumonia. I had mixed feelings-- good that pneumonia did not progress to middle lung fields and --- bad that pneumonia was festering. I completed the 5-day regimen of Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and was continuing the 8th day of Azithromycin and N-Acetylcysteine when my COVID test finally arrived through email-- I was COVID positive #1906 . By this time, I was recovering physically and mentally. I had no fever (37.2 °C average), no cough, no sore throat. Breathing was full. I had my appetite back. My outlook was as OPTIMISTIC as the blooming flowers I nurtured during this trial. This timing was fortunate because even with confirmed COVID-19 positive, I knew I had beaten COVID-19 pneumonia at home. Isolation was completed 2 weeks from my recovery which necessitated another COVID test and rapid test April 10, 2020. This test was still positive. A third PCR done on April 20 was negative for SARSCoV-2. The new DOH protocol was to isolate up to May 5 which I have followed. I am practicing social distancing and wearing a mask.

Abstract:

You don't need to know much about microfilms in order to use them wisely, but to many people still, a film is a film is a film – and the cheapest one often wins by virtue of its cost. I have used an analogy many times–but not enough times, I guess. To repeat myself yet again, everyone knows what a fabric is, but everyone also knows that fabrics appear in many manifestations. We have cotton, or silk, or linen, or wool, for example. We also have a host of manmade fibres from which to choose. We can make sails out of cotton canvas and evening gowns out of silk taffeta. We can use whatever fibre and fabric made from that fibre (or combination of fibres – cotton and lycra, for example) we choose, but we also know that each fabric has its own characteristics and its use will be dictated by those characteristics.

Abstract:

Sensitivity analysis. Users of both simulation and mathematical models are given tools by sensitivity analysis to understand how closely a model's output is related to its input and to determine the relative importance of each input. All application fields are included, including engineering, sociology, and theoretical physics. In order to clarify the structure of the entire "Sensitivity Analysis" section of the Springer Handbook, this introduction paper presents the purposes and objectives of sensitivity analysis. A helpful software programmer, the mathematical notation used in the book papers, certain categorization grids to comprehend the application limits of each method, and the fundamental concepts of sensitivity analysis are also covered. Making decisions can benefit from sensitivity analysis in a number of ways. It first serves as a thorough analysis of all the factors. The predictions might be much more accurate because it's more thorough. Second, it enables decision-makers to pinpoint areas where future improvements can be made. The weighted sum technique is a cross decision-making process; as there are numerous possibilities, there are also many more factors that must be considered before choosing the best one. A weighted or weighted collection of sums is a machine learning strategy that combines predictions from various models, with each model's contribution being weighed according to its capacity or level of expertise. Weighted the with mean evening gown voting ensemble related to this method benefits of using it are ease of use, especially when working with convergent problems, such as when disadvantages an all in solution space make it impossible to find solutions and goals a simple way to ascribe weights there is no way. relative deviation ratio (RDR), partial rank correlation coefficient (PRCC), Standardized regression coefficients (SRC), rank regression coefficient (RRC). Beef cow ingestion rate, Atmospheric concentration, Beef transport time, Biological half-life, breathing rat, Feed-to-meat transfer factor, Feed-to-milk transfer factor, Meat consumption rate. from the result it is seen that Biological half-life, breathing rat and is got the first rank whereas is the Beef transport time got is having the lowest rank. Conclusion: The value of the dataset for Sensitivity analysis technique in GRA (Gray-related analysis) method shows that it results in Biological half-life, breathing rat and top ranking.

Abstract:

Introduction Australia has embraced Barbie since the doll was launched at the Toy Fair in Melbourne in 1964, with Mattel Australia established in Melbourne in 1969. Barbie was initially sold in Australia with two different hairstyles and 36 separately boxed outfits. As in the US, the initial launch range was soon followed by a constant stream of additional outfits as well as Barbie’s boyfriend Ken and little sister Skipper, pets, and accessories including her dreamhouse and vehicles. Also released were variously themed Barbies (including those representing different careers and nationalities) and a seemingly ever-expanding group of friends (Gerber; Lord, Forever). These product releases were accompanied by marketing, promotion, and prominent placement in toy, department, and other stores that kept the Barbie line in clear sight of Australian consumers (Hosany) and in the forefront of toy sales for many decades (Burnett). This article focusses on a thread of subversion operating alongside the purchase of these Barbie dolls in Australia, when the phenomenon of handmade ‘do-it-yourself’ intersected with the dolls in the second half of the 1960s. Do-It-Yourself ‘Do-it-yourself’ (often expressed as DIY) has been defined as “anything that people did for themselves” (Gelber 283). The history of DIY has been researched in academic disciplines including sociology, cultural studies, musicology, architecture, marketing, and popular culture. This literature charts DIY practice across such domestic production as making clothes, furniture, and toys, growing food, and home improvements including renovating and even building entire houses (Carter; Fletcher) to more externally facing cultural production including music, art, and publications (Spencer). While DIY behaviour can be motivated by such factors as economic necessity or financial benefit, a lack of product availability or its perceived poor quality, and/or a desire for customisation, it can also be linked to the development of personal identity (Wolf and McQuitty; Williams, “A Lifestyle”; Williams, “Re-thinking”). While some mid-century considerations of DIY as a phenomenon were male-focussed (“Do-It”), women and girls were certainly also active at this time in home renovation, house building, and other projects (‘Arona’), as well as more traditionally gendered handicraft activities such as sewing and knitting. Fig. 1: Australian Home Beautiful magazine cover, November 1958, showing a woman physically engaged in home renovation activities. Australia has a long tradition of women crafting (by sewing, knitting, and crocheting, for instance) items of clothing for themselves and their families, as well as homewares such as waggas (utilitarian quilts made of salvaged or other inexpensive materials such as old blankets and grain sacks) and other quilts (Burke; Gero; Kingston; Thomas). This making was also prompted by a range of reasons, including economic or other necessity and/or the pursuit of creative pleasure, personal wellbeing, or political activism (Fletcher; Green; Lord, Vintage). It is unsurprising, then, that many have also turned their hands to making dolls’ clothes from scraps of fabrics, yarns, ribbons, and other domestic materials, as well as creating entire dolls’ houses complete with furniture and other domestic items (Benson). In the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, many Australian dolls themselves were handmade, with settlers and migrants importing European traditions of doll-making and clothing with them (Cramer). In the early twentieth century, mass-produced dolls and clothing became more available and accessible, however handmade dolls’ clothes continued to be made and circulated within families (Elvin and Elvin, The Art; Elvin and Elvin, The Australian). An article in the Weekly in 1933 contained instructions for making both cloth dolls and clothes for them (“Home-Made”), with many such articles to follow. While the 1960s saw increased consumer spending in Australia, this research reveals that this handmade, DIY ethos (at least in relation to dolls) continued through this decade, and afterwards (Carter; Wilson). This making is documented in artefacts in museum and private collections and instructions in women’s magazines, newspapers, and other printed materials including commercially produced patterns and kits. The investigation scans bestselling women’s magazine The Australian Women’s Weekly (the Weekly) and other Australian print media from the 1960s that are digitised in the National Library of Australia’s Trove database for evidence of interest in this practice. Do-It-Yourself Barbie Doll Patterns for Barbie clothes appeared in Australian women’s magazines almost immediately after the doll was for sale in Australia, including in the Weekly from 1965. The first feature included patterns for a series of quite elaborate outfits: a casual knitted jumpsuit with hooded jacket, a knitted three-piece suit of skirt, roll-necked jumper and jacket, a crocheted afternoon dress, tied with a ribbon belt and accessorised with a knitted coat and beret, and a crocheted full length evening gown and opera coat (“Glamorous”). A sense of providing the Weekly’s trusted guidance but also a reliance on makers’ individuality was prominent in this article. Although detailed instructions were provided in the feature above, for example, readers were also encouraged to experiment with yarns and decorative elements. Fig. 2: Crocheted and knitted ‘afternoon ensemble’ in “Glamorous Clothes for Teenage Dolls” feature in the Weekly, 1965. Another richly illustrated article published in 1965 focussed on creating high fashion wigs for Barbie at home. The text and photographs guided readers through the process of crafting five differently styled wigs from one synthetic hair piece: a “romantic, dreamy” Jean Shrimpton-style coiffure, deep-fringed Sassoon hairdo, layered urchin cut, low set evening bun, and pair of pigtails (Irvine, “How”). Again, makers were encouraged to express their creativity and individuality in decorating these hairstyles, with suggestions (but not directions) to personalise these styles using ribbons, tiny bows and artificial flowers, coloured pins, seed pearls, and other objects that might be to hand. Fig. 3: Detailed instructions for creating one of the wigs. Three Barbie dolls (identified as ‘teen dolls’ rather than by the brand) were featured on the cover of the Weekly on 5 January 1966, for a story about making dolls’ outfits from handkerchiefs (Irvine, “New”). This was framed as a “novel” way to use the excess of fancy hankies often received at Christmas, promising that the three ensembles could thriftily and cleverly be made from three handkerchiefs in a few hours. The instructions detail how to make a casual two-piece summer outfit accessorised with a headscarf, a smart town ensemble highlighted with flower motifs cut from broderie anglaise, and a lavish evening gown. Readers were assured this would be an engaging, “marvellous fun” as well as creative activity, as each maker needed to individually design each garment in terms of working with the individual features of the handkerchiefs they had, incorporating such elements as floral or other borders, lace edging, and overall patterns such as spots or checks (Irvine, “New”). The long-sleeved evening gown was quite an ambitious project. The gown was not only fashioned from a fine Irish linen, lace-bordered hankie, meaning some of the cutting and sewing required considerable finesse, but the neckline and hemline were then hand-beaded, as were a circlet of tiny pearls to be worn around the doll’s hair. Such delicacy was required for all outfits, with armholes and necklines for Barbie dolls very small, requiring considerable dexterity in cutting, sewing, and finishing. Fig. 4: Cover of The Australian Women’s Weekly of 5 January 1966 featuring three Barbie dolls. Only two issues later, the magazine ran another Barbie-focussed feature, this time about using oddments found around the home to make accessories for Barbie dolls. Again, the activity is promoted as thrifty and creative: “make teen doll outfits and accessories economically—all you need is imagination and a variety of household oddments” (“Turn”). Included in the full coloured article is a ‘hula’ costume made from a short length of green silk fringe and little artificial flowers sewn together, hats fashioned from a bottle top and silk flower decorated with scraps of lace and ribbon, a cardboard surfboard, aluminium foil and ice cream stick skis, and miniature ribbon-wound coat hangers. This article ended with an announcement commonly associated with calls for readers’ recipes: “what clever ideas have you got? … we will award £5 for every idea used” (“Turn”). This was a considerable prize, representing one-third of the average minimum weekly wage for full-time female workers in Australia in 1966 (ABS 320). Fig. 5: Brightly coloured illustrations making the Weekly’s “Turn Oddments into Gay Accessories”, 1966, a joyful read. This story was reinforced with a short ‘behind the scenes’ piece, which revealed the care and energy that went into its production. This reported that, when posing the ‘hulagirl’ on a fountain in Sydney’s Hyde Park, the doll fell in. While her skirt was rescued by drying in front of a fan, the dye from her lei ran and had to be scrubbed off the doll with abrasive sandsoap and the resulting stain then covered up with make-up. After the photographer built the set (inside this time), the shoot was finally completed (“The Doll”). A week later, the Weekly advertised a needlework kit for three new outfits: a beach ensemble of yellow bikini and sundress, red suit with checked blouse, and blue strapless evening gown. The garment components, with indicated gathering, seam, stitching, and cutting lines, were stamped onto a piece of fine cotton. The kit also included directions “simple enough for the young beginner seamstress” (“Teenage Doll’s”). Priced at 8/6 (85¢ in the new decimal currency introduced that year) including postage, this was a considerable saving when compared to the individual Mattel-branded clothing sets which were sold for sums ranging from 13/6 to 33/6 in 1964 (Burnett). Reader demand for these kits was so high that the supplier was overwhelmed and the magazine had to print an apology regarding delays in dispatching orders (“The Weekly”). Fig. 6: Cotton printed with garments to cut out and sew together and resulting outfits from the Weekly’s “Teenage Doll’s Wardrobe” feature, 1966. This was followed by another kit offer later in the year, this time explicitly promoted to both adult and “little girl” needleworkers. Comprising “cut out, ready to sew [material pieces] … and easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions”, this kit made an embroidered white party dress with matching slip and briefs, checked shorts and top set, and long lace and net trimmed taffeta bridesmaid dress and underclothes (“Three”). Again, at $1.60 for the kit (including postage), this was much more economical (and creative) than purchasing such outfits ready-made. Fig. 7: Party dress from “Three Lovely Outfits for Teenage Dolls” article in the Weekly, 1966. Making dolls’ clothes was an educationally sanctioned activity for girls in Australia, with needlecraft and other home economics subjects commonly taught in schools as a means of learning domestic and professionally transferable skills until the curriculum reforms of the 1970s onwards (Campbell; Cramer; Issacs). In Australia in the 1960s, Barbie dolls (and their clothing and furniture) were recommended for girls aged nine-years-old and older (Dyson), while older girls obviously also continued to interact with the dolls. A 1968 article in the Weekly, for example, praised a 13-year-old girl’s efforts in reinterpreting an adult dress pattern that had appeared in the magazine and sewing this for her Barbie (Dunstan; Forde). It was also suggested that the dolls could be used by girls who designed their own clothes but did not have a full-sized dressmaker’s model, with the advice to use a Barbie model to test a miniature of the design before making up a full-sized garment (“Buy”). Making Things for Barbie Dolls By 9 February 1966, the ‘using oddments’ contest had closed and the Weekly filled two pages with readers’ “resourceful” ideas (“Prizewinning”). These used such domestic bits and pieces as string, wire, cord, cotton reels, egg cartons, old socks, toothpicks, dried leaves, and sticky tape to create a range of Barbie accessories including a mob cap from a doily, hair rollers from cut drinking straws and rubber bands, and a suitcase from a plastic soap container with gold foil locks. A party dress and coat were fashioned from an out-of-date man’s tie and a piece of elastic. There was even a pipe cleaner dog and cardboard guitar. A month later, fifty more winning entries were published in a glossy, eight-page colour insert booklet. This included a range of clothing, accessories, and furniture which celebrated that “imagination and ingenuity, rather than dollars and cents” could equip a teen doll “for any occasion” (“50 Things”, 1). Alongside day, casual, and evening outfits, rainwear, underwear, jewellery, hats, sunglasses, footwear, a beauty case, hat boxes, and a shopping trolley and bags, readers submitted a skilfully fashioned record player with records in a stand as well as a barbeque crafted from tiny concrete blocks, sun lounge, and deckchairs. Miniature accessories included a hairdryer and lace tissue holder with tiny tissues and a skindiving set comprising mask, snorkel, and flippers. The wide variety of negligible-cost materials utilised and how these were fashioned for high effect is as interesting as the results are charming. Fig. 8: Cover of insert booklet of the entries of the 50 winners of the Weekly’s making things for Barbie from oddments competition, 1966. That women were eager to learn to make these miniature fashions and other items is evidenced by some Country Women’s Association groups holding handicraft classes on making clothes and accessories for Barbie dolls (“CWA”). That they were also eager to share the results with others is revealed in how competitions to dress teenage dolls in handmade outfits rapidly also became prominent features of Australian fetes, fairs, agricultural shows, club events, and other community fundraising activities in the 1960s (“Best”; “Bourke”; “Convent”; “Fierce”; “Frolic”; “Gala”; “Guide”; “Measles”; “Parish”; “Personal”; “Pet”; “Present”, “Purim”; “Successful”; “School Fair”; “School Fair Outstanding”; “School Fete”; “Weather”; Yennora”). Dressing Barbie joined other traditional categories such as those to dress baby, bride, national, and bed dolls (the last those dolls dressed in elaborate costumes designed as furniture decorations rather than toys). The teenage doll category at one primary school fete in rural New South Wales in 1967 was so popular that it attracted 50 entries, with many entries in this and other such competitions submitted by children (“Primary”). As the dolls became more prominent, the categories using them became more imaginative, with prizes for Barbie doll tea parties (“From”), for example. The category of dressing Barbie also became segmented with separate prizes for Barbie bride dolls, both sewn and knitted outfits (“Hobby and Pet”) and day, evening, and sports clothes (“Church”). There is no evidence from the sources surveyed that any of this making concentrated on producing career-focussed outfits for Barbie. Do-It-Yourself Ethos A do-it-yourself ethos was evident across the making discussed above. This refers to the possession of attitudes or philosophies that encourage undertaking activities or projects that involve relying on one’s own skills and resources rather than consuming mass-produced goods or using hired professionals or their services. This draws on, and develops, a sense of self-reliance and independence, and uses and enhances problem-solving skills. Creativity is central in terms of experimentation with new ideas, repurposing materials, or finding unconventional solutions to challenges. While DIY projects are often pursued independently and customised to personal preferences, makers also often collaboratively draw on, and share, expertise and resources (Wilson). It is important to note that the Weekly articles discussed above were not disguised advertorials for Barbie dolls or other Mattel products with, throughout the 1960s, the Barbies illustrated in the magazine referred to as ‘teen dolls’ or ‘teenage dolls’. However, despite this and the clear DIY ethos at work, women in Australia could, and did, make such Barbie-related items as commercial ventures. This included local artisanal dressmaking businesses that swiftly added made-to-measure Barbie doll clothes to their ranges (“Arcade”). Some enterprising women sold outfits and accessories they had made through various non-store venues including at home-based parties (“Hobbies”), in the same way as Tupperware products had been sold in Australia since 1961 (Truu). Other women sought sewing, knitting, or crocheting work specifically for Barbie doll clothes in the ‘Work wanted’ classified advertisem*nts at this time (‘Dolls’). Conclusion This investigation has shown that the introduction of the Barbie doll unleashed more than consumer spending in Australia. Alongside purchases of the branded doll, clothes, and associated merchandise, Australians (mostly, but not exclusively, women and girls) utilised (and developed) their skills in sewing, knitting, crochet, and other crafts to make clothes for Barbie. They also displayed significant creativity and ingenuity in using domestic oddments and scraps to craft fashion accessories ranging from hats and bags to sunglasses as well as furniture and many of the other accoutrements of daily life in the second half of the 1960s in Australia. This making appears to have been prompted by a range of motivations including thrift and the real pleasures gained in crafting these miniature garments and objects. While the reception of these outfits and other items is not recorded in the publications sourced during this research, this scan of the Weekly and other publications revealed that children did love these dolls and value their wardrobes. In a description of the effects of a sudden, severe flood which affected her home south of Cairns in North Queensland, for instance, one woman described how amid the drama and terror, one little girl she knew packed up only “her teenage doll and its clothes” to take with her (Johnstone 9). The emotional connection felt to these dolls and handcrafted clothes and other objects is a rich area for research which is outside the scope of this article. Whether adult production was all ultimately intended to be gifted (or purchased) for children, or whether some was the work of early adult Barbie collectors, is also outside the scope of the research conducted for this project. As most of the evidence for this article was sourced from The Australian Women’s Weekly, a similarly close study of other magazines during the 1960s, and of whether any DIY clothing for Barbie also included career-focussed outfits, would add more information and nuance to these findings. This investigation has also concentrated on what happened in Australia during the second half of the 1960s, rather than in following decades. It has also not examined the DIY phenomenon of salvaging and refurbishing damaged Barbie dolls or otherwise altering and customising their appearance in the Australian context. These topics, as well as a full exploration of how women used Barbie dolls in their own commercial ventures, are all rich fields for further research both in terms of practice in Australia and how they were represented in popular and other media. Alongside the global outpouring of admiration for Barbie as a global icon and the success of the recent live action Barbie movie (Aguirre; Derrick), significant scholarship and other commentary have long criticised what Barbie has presented, and continues to present, to the world in terms of her body shape, race, activities, and career choices (Tulinski), as well as the pollution generated by the production and disposal of these dolls (“Feminist”; Pears). An additional line of what can be identified as resistance to the consumer-focussed commercialism of Barbie, in terms of making her clothes and accessories, seems to be connected to do-it-yourself culture. The exploration of handmade Barbie doll clothes and accessories in this article reveals, however, that what may at first appear to reflect a simple anti-commercial, frugal, ‘make do’ approach is more complex in terms of how it intersects with real people and their activities. 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Abstract:

The story of Barbie is a tapestry woven with threads of cultural significance, societal shifts, and corporate narratives. It’s a tale that encapsulates the evolution of American post-war capitalism, mirroring the changing tides of social norms, aspirations, and identities. Barbie’s journey from Germany to Los Angeles, along the way becoming a global icon, is a testament to the power of Ruth Handler’s vision and Barbie’s marketing. Barbie embodies and reflects the rise of mass consumption and the early days of television advertising, where one doll could become a household name and shape the dreams of children worldwide. The controversies and criticisms surrounding Barbie – from promoting a ‘thin ideal’ to perpetuating gender and racial stereotypes – highlight the complexities of representation in popular culture. Yet, Barbie’s enduring message, “You can be anything”, continues to inspire and empower, even as it evolves to embrace a more inclusive and diverse portrayals of power, beauty, and potential. Barbie’s story is not just about a doll; it’s about the aspirations she represents, the societal changes she’s witnessed, and the ongoing conversation about her impact on gender roles, body image, and consumer culture. It’s a narrative that continues to unfold, as Barbie adapts to the times and remains a symbol of possibility. Barbie: A Popular Culture Icon “It is impossible to conceive of the toy industry as being anything other than dependent on a popular culture which shapes and structures the meanings carried by toys” (Fleming 40). The relationship between toys and popular culture is symbiotic. While popular culture influences the creation of toys, toys also contribute to the spread and longevity of cultural icons and narratives. Today, one of the most influential, popular, and contested toys of the twentieth century is Mattel’s Barbie doll. Her launch at the New York Toy Fair on 9 March 1959 by Mattel co-founder Ruth Handler was a game-changer in the toy industry. Her adult appearance, symbolised by her fashionable swimsuit and ponytail, was a bold move by Mattel. Despite the doubts from the toy industry which thought nobody would want to play with a doll that had breasts (Tamkin) and Mattel’s skepticism of its commercial success (Westenhouser 14), Barbie was a success, selling over 350,000 units in her first year, and she quickly became an iconic figure, paving the way for other male and female adult dolls. For the first time in mid-century America, Barbie meant children could play with a doll that looked like a woman, not a little girl or a baby. In a 1965 interview, Ruth Handler argued that American girls needed a doll with a “teen-age figure and a lot of glorious, imaginative, high-fashion clothes” (cited in Giacomin and Lubinski 3). In a 1993 interview, Handler said it was “important that Barbie allowed play situations that little girls could project themselves into … to imagine, pretend and to fantasize”. Hence Ruth Handler’s Barbie could be an “avatar for girls to project their dreams onto” (Southwell). Barbie hit the market with a “sassy ponytail, heavy eyeliner, a healthy dose of side-eye and a distinctly adult body” (Blackmore). Her arched eyebrows were matched with a coy sideways glance reflecting her sexual origins (Thong). Mattel did not reveal that Ruth Handler’s Barbie was inspired by a German novelty men’s toy, Bild Lilli, which Handler had purchased on a European holiday in 1955. Mattel fought several lawsuits and eventually secured the rights to Bild Lilli in 1964, which required the German maker of the Bild Lilli doll to not make her again. Barbie dolls, both blonde and brunette, changed little until 1967, when Mattel launch the ‘new’ Barbie doll which is the foundation for today’s Stereotypical Barbie. The same size as the original, thanks to Mattel engineer Jack Ryan she could twist and turn at the waist. Her facial features were softened, she had ‘real’ eyelashes’ and took on an ‘outdoor look’. The new 1967 version of Barbie originally retailed for US$3.00. Mattel, assuming consumers may not want to buy a new Barbie when they already had one, offered buyers the new Barbie at US$1.50 if they traded in their old 1950s Barbie. The television advertising campaign for the new Barbie featured Maureen McMormick (who would go on to play Marcia Brady in the TV series The Brady Bunch from 1969 to 1974). The original #1 Barbie today sells for over US$25,000 (Reinhard). The most expensive Barbie sold to date was a Stefano Canturi-designed Barbie that sold in 2010 for US$302,500 at Christies in New York (Clarendon). Barbie has been described as “the most successful doll in history”, “the most popular toy in history”, the “empress of fashion dolls” (Rogers 86), the “most famous doll in the world” (Ferorelli), the biggest-selling fashion doll in history (Green and Gellene), and is one if the world’s “most commercially successful toys” (Fleming 41). Barbie is both “idealistic and materialistic” and characterises an “American fantasy” (Tamkin). More so, she is a popular culture icon and “a unique indicator of women’s history” (Vander Bent). The inclusion of Barbie in America’s twentieth-century Time Capsule “cemented her status as a true American icon” (Ford), as did Andy Warhol when he iconised Barbie in his 1968 painting of her (Moore). During the 1950s and 1960s, Barbie’s name was licenced to over 100 companies; while a strategic move that expanded Barbie’s brand presence, it also provided Mattel with substantial royalty payments for decades. This approach helped solidify Barbie’s status as a cultural icon and enabled her to become a lucrative asset for Mattel (Rogers). Sixty-five years later, Barbie has 99% global brand awareness. In 2021, Mattel shipped more than 86 million Barbies globally, manufacturing 164 Barbies a minute (Tomkins). In 2022, Barbie generated gross sales of US$1.49 billion (Statista 2023). With this fiscal longevity and brand recognition, the success of the Barbie film is not surprising. The 2023 film, directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Australian Margot Robbie as Barbie and Canadian Ryan Gosling as Ken, as of March 2024 has a global box office revenue of US$1.45 billion, making it the 14th most successful movie of all time and the most successful movie directed by a woman (Statista 2024). Contested Barbie Despite her popularity, Barbie has been the subject of controversy. Original Barbie’s proportions have been criticised for promoting an unrealistic body image (Thong). Barbie’s appearance has received numerous critiques for “representing an unrealistic beauty standard through its former limited skin tone and hair combination” (Lopez). The original Barbie’s measurements, if scaled to life-size, would mean Barbie is unusually tall and has a slim figure, with a height of 5 feet 9 inches, a waist of just 18 inches, and hips of approximately 33 inches. Her bust would measure around 32 inches with an under-bust of 22 inches, and her shoulder width would be approximately 28 inches. Original Barbie’s legs, which are proportionally longer than an average human’s, would make up more than half her height (Thong). A 1996 Australian study scaled Barbie and Ken to adult sizes and compared this with the physical proportions of a range of women and men. They found that the likelihood of finding a man of comparable shape to Ken was 1 in 50. Barbie was more problematic. The chance of a woman being the same proportion as Barbie was 1 in 100,000 (Norton et al. 287). In 2011, The Huffington Post’s Galia Slayen built a life-sized Barbie based on Barbie’s body measurements for National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. Slayen concluded that “if Barbie was a real woman, she’d have to walk on all fours due to her proportions”. One report found that if Barbie’s measurements were those of a real woman her “bones would be so frail, it would be impossible for her to walk, and she would only have half a liver” (Golgowski). A 2006 study found that Barbie is a “possible cause” for young girls’ “body dissatisfaction”. In this study, 162 girls from age 5 to 8 were exposed to images of a thin doll (Barbie), a plus-size doll (US doll Emme, size 16), or no doll, and then completed assessments of body image. Girls exposed to Barbie reported “lower body esteem and greater desire for a thinner body shape than girls in the other exposure conditions”. The study concluded that “early exposure to dolls epitomizing an unrealistically thin body ideal may damage girls' body image, which would contribute to an increased risk of disordered eating and weight cycling” (Dittman and Halliwell 283). Another study in 2016 found that “exposure to Barbie” led to “higher thin-ideal internalization”, but found that Barbie had no “impact on body esteem or body dissatisfaction” (Rice et al. 142). In response to such criticism, Mattel slowly introduced a variety of Barbie dolls with more diverse body types, including tall, petite, and curvy models (Tamkin). These changes aim to reflect a broader range of beauty standards and promote a more positive body image. Barbie has always had to accommodate social norms. For this reason, Barbie always must have underpants, and has no nipples. One of the reasons why Ruth Handler’s husband Elliott (also a co-founder of Mattel) was initially against producing the Barbie doll was that she had breasts, reportedly saying mothers would not buy their daughters a doll with breasts (Gerber). Margot Robbie, on playing Barbie, told one news outlet that while Barbie is “sexualized”, she “should never be sexy” (Aguirre). Early prototypes of Barbie made in Japan in the 1950s sexualised her body, leaving her to look like a prostitute. In response, Mattel hired film make-up artist Bud Westmore to redo Barbie’s face and hair with a softer look. Mattel also removed the nipples from the prototypes (Gerber). Barbie’s body and fashion have always seemed to “replicate history and show what was what was happening at the time” (Mowbray), and they also reflect how the female body is continually surveilled. Feminists have had a long history of criticism of Barbie, particularly her projection of the thin ideal. At the 1970 New York Women’s Strike for Equality, feminists shouted “I am not a Barbie doll!” Such debates exemplify the role and impact of toys in shaping and reforming societal norms and expectations. Even the more recent debates regarding the 2023 Barbie film show that Barbie is still a “lightning rod for the messy, knotty contradictions of feminism, sexism, misogyny and body image” (Chappet). Decades of criticism about Barbie, her meaning and influence, have left some to ask “Is Barbie a feminist icon, or a doll which props up the patriarchy?” Of course, she’s both, because “like all real women, Barbie has always been expected to conform to impossible standards” (Chappet). Diversifying Barbie Over the decades Mattel has slowly changed Barbie’s body, including early versions of a black Barbie-like dolls in the 1960s and 1970s such as Francie, Christie, Julia, and Cara. However, it was not until 1980 that Mattel introduced the first black Barbie. African American fashion designer Kitty Black-Perkins, who worked for Mattel from 1971, was the principal designer for black Barbie, saying that “there was a need for the little Black girl to really have something she could play with that looked like her” (cited in Lafond). Black Barbie was marketed as She’s black! She’s beautiful! She’s dynamite! The following year, Asian Barbie was introduced. She was criticised for her nondescript country of origin and dressed in an “outfit that was a mishmash of Chinese, Korean and Japanese ethnic costumes” (Wong). More recently, the Asian Barbies were again criticised for portraying stereotypes, with a recent Asian Barbie dressed as a veterinarian caring for pandas, and Asian violinist Barbie with accompanying violin props, reflecting typical stereotypes of Asians in the US (Wong). In 2016, Mattel introduced a range of Barbie and Ken dolls with seven body types, including more curvy body shapes, 11 skin tones and 28 hairstyles (Siazon). In 2019, other Barbie body types appeared, with smaller busts, less defined waist, and more defined arms. The 2019 range also included Barbies with permanent physical disabilities, one using a wheelchair and one with a prosthetic leg (Siazon). Wheelchair Barbie comes with a wheelchair, and her body has 22 joints for body movement while sitting in the wheelchair. The Prosthetic Barbie comes with a prosthetic leg which can be removed, and was made in collaboration with Jordan Reeve, a 13-year-old disability activist born without a left forearm. In 2020, a No Hair Barbie and a Barbie with the skin condition vitiligo were introduced, and in 2022, Hearing Aid Barbie was also launched. In 2022 other changes were made to Barbie’s and Ken’s bodies, with bodies that became fuller figured and Kens with smaller chests and less masculine body shapes (Dolan). Down Syndrome Barbie was released in 2023, designed in collaboration with the US National Down Syndrome Society to ensure accurate representation. By 2024, Barbie dolls come in 35 skin tones, 97 hairstyles, and nine body types (Mattel 2024). Spanning hundreds of iterations, today the Barbie doll is no longer a hom*ogenous, blond-haired, blue-eyed toy, but rather an evolving social phenomenon, adapting with the times and the markets Mattel expands into. With dolls of numerous ethnicities and body types, Barbie has also embraced inclusivity, catering to the plethora of different consumers across the world (Green and Gellene 1989). Career Barbie While not dismissing Barbie’s problematic place in feminist, gender and racial critiques, Barbie has always been a social influencer. Her early years were marked by a variety of makeovers and modernisations, as have recent changes to Barbie’s body, reflecting the changing social norms of the times. Stereotypical Barbie had her first major makeover in 1961, with her ponytail swapped for a short ‘Bubble Bob’ hairstyle inspired by Jackie Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe, reflecting women’s emerging social independence (Foreman). In the early 1970s, Barbie’s original demure face with averted eyes was replaced by a new one that “depicted confidence and a forward-facing gaze” (Vander Bent). Her “soft look” was a departure from the mature image of the original 1959 Barbie (Lafond). The ‘soft look’ on Malibu Barbie with her newly sculpted face featured an open smile for the first time, as well as sun-tanned, make-up free skin and sun-kissed blonde hair. The disappearance of Barbie’s coy, sideways glance and the introduction of forward-looking eyes was a development “welcomed by feminists” (Ford). Barbie’s early makeovers, along with her fashion and accessories, including her homes, cars, and pets, contributed to shaping her image as a fashionable and independent woman. Barbie’s various careers and roles have been used to promote ideas of female empowerment. From astronaut to presidential candidate, Barbie has broken barriers in traditionally male-dominated fields. However, the effectiveness of these efforts in promoting female empowerment is a topic of debate. The post-war period in America saw a significant shift in the pattern of living, with a move from urban areas to the suburbs. This was facilitated by a robust post-war economy, favourable government policies like the GI Bill, and increasing urbanisation. The GI Bill played a crucial role by providing low-interest home loans to veterans, making home ownership accessible to a large segment of the population. It was a significant transformation of the American lifestyle and shaped the country’s socio-economic landscape. It is in this context that Barbie’s first Dreamhouse was introduced in the early 1960s, with its mid-century modern décor, hi-fi stereo, and slim-line furniture. This was at a time when most American women could not get a mortgage. Barbie got her first car in 1962, a peach-colored Austin-Healey 3000 MKII convertible, followed short afterwards by a Porsche 911. She has also owned a pink Jaguar XJS, a pink Mustang, a red Ferrari, and a Corvette. Barbie’s car choices of luxurious convertibles spoke to Barbie’s social and economic success. In 1998, Barbie became a NASCAR driver and also signed up to race in a Ferrari in the Formula 1. Barbie’s ‘I Can Be Anything’ range from 2008 was designed to draw kids playing with the dolls toward ambitious careers; one of those careers was as a race car driver (Southwell). While Barbie’s first job as a baby-sitter was not as glamourous or well-paying as her most of her other over 250 careers, it does reflect the cultural landscape Barbie was living in in the 1960s. Babysitter Barbie (1963) featured Barbie wearing a long, pink-striped skirt with ‘babysitter’ emblasoned along the hem and thick-framed glasses. She came with a baby in a crib, a telephone, bottles of soda, and a book. The book was called How to Lose Weight and had only two words of advice, ‘Don’t Eat’. Even though there was a backlash to the extreme dieting advice, Mattel included the book in the 1965 Slumber Party Barbie. Barbie wore pink silk pajamas with a matching robe and came prepared for her sleepover with toiletries, a mirror, the controversial diet book, and a set of scales permanently set at 110 pounds (approx. 50kg), which caused further backlash (Ford). Barbie’s early careers were those either acceptable or accessible to women of the era, such as the Fashion Designer Barbie (1960), Flight Attendant Barbie (1961), and Nurse Barbie (1962). However, in 1965 Barbie went into space, two years after cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space, and four years before the American moon landing. Barbie’s career stagnated in the 1970s, and she spends the decade being sports Barbie, perhaps as a response to her unpopularity among vocal second wave feminists and reflecting the economic downturn of the era. America’s shift to the right in the 1980s saw in the introduction of the Yuppie, the young urban professional who lived in the city, had a high-powered career, and was consumption-driven. More women were entering the workforce than ever before. Barbie also entered the workforce, spending less time doing the passive leisure of her earlier self (Ford). It also signals the beginning of neoliberalism in America, and a shift to individualism and the rise of the free market ethos. In 1985, Day-to-Night Barbie was sold as the first CEO Barbie who “could go from running the boardroom in her pink power suit to a fun night out on the town”. For Mattel she “celebrated the workplace evolution of the era and showed girls they could have it all”. But despite Barbie’s early careers, the focus was on her "emphasized femininity”, meaning that while she was now a career woman, her appearance and demeanor did not reflect her job. Astronaut Barbie (1985) is a good example of Barbie’s ‘emphasised femininity’ in how career Barbies were designed and dressed. Astronaut Barbie is clearly reflecting the fashion and culture trends of the 1980s by going into space in a “shiny, hot pink spacesuit”, comes with a second space outfit, a shiny “peplum miniskirt worn over silver leggings and knee-high pink boots” (Bertschi), and her hair is too big to fit into the helmet. A dark-skinned US Astronaut Barbie was released in 1994, which coincided with the start of the Shuttle-Mir Program, a collaboration between the US and Russia which between 1994 and 1998 would see seven American astronauts spend almost 1,000 days living in orbit with Russian cosmonauts on the Mir space station. Throughout the 1990s, Barbie increasingly takes on careers more typically considered to be male careers. But again, her femininity in design, dressing and packaging takes precedence over her career. Police Officer Barbie (1993), for example, has no gun or handcuffs. Instead, she comes with a "glittery evening dress" to wear to the awards dance where she will get the "Best Police Officer Award for her courageous acts in the community”. Police Office Barbie is pictured on the box "lov[ing] to teach safety tips to children". Barbie thus “feminizes, even maternalises, law enforcement” (Rogers 14). In 1992, Teen Talk Barbie was released. She had a voice box programmed to speak four distinct phrases out of a possible 270. She sold for US$25, and Mattel produced 350,000, expecting its popularity. The phrases included ‘I Love Shopping’ and ‘Math class is tough’. The phrase ‘Math class is tough’ was seen by many as reinforcing harmful stereotypes about girls and math. The National Council of American Teachers of Maths objected, as did the American Association of University Women (NYT 1992). In response to criticisms of the gendered representations of Barbie’s careers, Mattel have more recently featured Barbie in science and technology fields including Paleontologist Barbie (1996 and 2012), Computer Engineer Barbie (2010), Robotics Engineer Barbie (2018), Astrophysicist Barbie (2019), Wildlife Conservationist Barbie, Entomologist Barbie (2019), and Polar Marine Biologist Barbie (all in collaboration with National Geographic), Robotics Engineer Barbie (2018), Zoologist Barbie (2021), and Renewable Energy Barbie (2022), which go some way to providing representations that at least encompass the ideal that ‘Girls Can Do Anything’. Barbie over her lifetime has also taken on swimming, track and field, and has been a gymnast. Barbie was an Olympic gold medallist in the 1970s, with Mattel releasing four Barbie Olympians between 1975 and 1976, arguably cashing in on the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Gold Medal Barbie Doll Skier was dressed in a red, white, and blue ski suit completed with her gold medal. Gold Medal Barbie Doll is an Olympic swimmer wearing a red, white, and blue tricot swimsuit, and again wears an Olympic gold medal around her neck. The doll was also produced as a Canadian Olympian wearing a red and white swimsuit. Gold Medal Barbie Skater looks like Barbie Malibu and is dressed in a long-sleeved, pleated dress in red, white, and blue. The outfit included white ice skates and her gold medal. Mattel also made a Gold Medal P.J. Gymnast Doll who vaulted and somersaulted in a leotard of red, white, and blue tricot. She had a warm-up jacket with white sleeves, red cuffs, white slippers, and a gold medal. Mattel, as part of a licencing agreement with the International Olympic Committee, produced a range of toys for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The collection of five Barbies represented the new sports added to the 2020 Olympics: baseball and softball, sport climbing, karate, skateboarding, and surfing. Each Barbie was dressed in a sport-specific uniform and had a gold medal. Barbie Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 Surfer, for example, was dressed in a pink wetsuit top, with an orange surfboard and a Tokyo 2020 jacket. For the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, Mattel released a new collection of Barbie dolls featuring among others a para-skiing Barbie who sits on adaptive skis and comes with a championship medal (Douglas). As part of Mattel’s 2023 Barbie Career of the Year doll, the Women in Sports Barbie range shows Barbie in leadership roles in the sports industry, as manager, coach, referee, and sport reporter. General Manager Barbie wears a blue-and-white pinstripe suit accessorised with her staff pass and a smartphone. Coach Barbie has a pink megaphone, playbook, and wears a two-piece pink jacket and athletic shorts. Referee Barbie wears a headset and has a whistle. Sports Reporter Barbie wears a purple, geometric-patterned dress and carries a pink tablet and microphone (Jones). Political Barbie Barbie has run for president in every election year since 1992. The first President Barbie came with an American-themed dress for an inaugural ball and a red suit for her duties in the Oval Office. In 2016, Barbie released an all-female presidential ticket campaign set with a president and vice-president doll. The 2000 President Barbie doll wore a blue pantsuit and featured a short bob cut, red lipstick pearl necklace, and a red gown to change into, “presumably for President Barbie’s inaugural ball” (Lafond). This followed the introduction of UNICEF Ambassador Barbie in 1989. She is packaged as a member of the United States Committee for UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund), which is mandated to provide humanitarian and development aid to children worldwide. Rather problematically, and again with a focus on her femininity rather than the importance of the organisation she represents, she wears a glittery white and blue full length ball gown with star patterning and a red sash. While some proceeds did go to the US Committee for UNICEF, the dressing and packaging featuring an American flag overshadows the career and its philanthropic message. The period signalled the end of the Cold War and was also the year the United States invaded Panama, resulting in a humanitarian disaster when US military forces attacked urban areas in order to overthrow the Noriega administration. Military Barbie Barbie has served in every US military branch (Sicard). Barbie joined the US army in 1989, wearing a female officer’s evening uniform, though with no sense of what she did. While it may be thought Barbie would increase female in interest in a military career, at the time more women were already enlisting that in any other period from the early 1970s to 2012 (Stillwell). Barbie rejoined the army for the 1990-1991 Gulf War, wearing a Desert Combat Uniform and the 101st Airborne "Screaming Eagle" patch, and serving as a medic. Barbie also joined the Air Force in 1990, three years before Jeannie Leavitt became the first female Air Force fighter pilot. Barbie wore a green flight suit and leather jacket, and gold-trimmed flight cap. She was a fighter pilot and in 1994, she joined the USAF aerial demonstration team, The Thunderbirds. Busy in the 1990s, she also enlisted in the US Navy wearing women's Navy whites. Marine Corps Barbie appeared in 1992, wearing service and conduct medals (Stillwell). All of Barbie’s uniforms were approved by the Pentagon (Military Women’s Memorial). The 2000 Paratrooper Barbie Special Edition was released with the packaging declaring “let’s make a support drop with first aid and food boxes”. She was dressed in undefined military attire which includes a helmet, dog tags, parachute, boots, and hairbrush. Barbie’s Influence In 2014, Barbie became a social media influencer with the launch of the @barbiestyle Instagram account, and in 2015, Barbie launched a vlog on YouTube to talk directly to girls about issues they face. The animated series features Barbie discussing a range of topics including depression, bullying, the health benefits of meditation, and how girls have a habit of apologising when they don’t have anything to be sorry about. The Official @Barbie YouTube channel has over eleven million global subscribers and 23 billion minutes of content watched, making Barbie the #1 girls’ brand on YouTube. Barbie apps average more than 7 million monthly active users and the Instagram count boasts over 2 million followers. The 2023 Barbie film really does attest to Barbie’s influence 70 years after her debut. Barbie, as this article has shown, is more than an influencer and more than a doll, if she ever really was only a doll. She is a popular culture icon, regardless of whether we love her or not. Barbie has sometimes been ahead of the game, and sometimes has been problematically represented, but she has always been influential. Her body, race, ability, careers, independence, and political aspirations have spoken different things to those who play with her. She is fiercely defended, strongly criticised, and shirks from neither. She is also liberating, empowering, straight, and queer. As the articles in this issue reflect, Barbie, it seems, really can be anything. Imagining and Interrogating Barbie in Popular Culture The feature article in this issue outlines how Australian Barbie fans in the 1960s expressed their creativity through the designing and making of their own wardrobes for the doll. Through examining articles from the Australian Women’s Weekly, Donna Lee Brien reveals this rich cultural engagement that was partly driven by thrift, and mostly by enjoyment. Eva Boesenberg examines the social and environmental effects of a plastic doll that is positioned as an ecological ambassador. While there is no doubt that climate change is one of our most pressing social issues, Boesenberg questions the motivations behind Barbie’s eco-crusade: is she an apt role-model to teach children the importance of environmental issues, or is this just a case of corporate greenwashing? Emma Caroll Hudson shifts the focus to entertainment, with an exploration of the marketing of the 2023 blockbuster film Barbie. Here she argues that the marketing campaign was highly successful, utilising a multi-faceted approach centred on fan participation. She highlights key components of the campaign to reveal valuable insights into how marketing can foster a cultural phenomenon. Revna Altiok’s article zooms in on the depiction of Ken in the 2023 film, revealing his characterisation to be that of a ‘manic pixie dream boy’ whose lack of identity propels him on a journey to self-discovery. This positioning, argues Altiok, pulls into focus social questions around gender dynamics and how progress can be truly achieved. Rachel Wang turns the spotlight to Asian identity within the Barbie world, revealing how from early iterations a vague ‘Oriental’ Barbie was accompanied by cultural stereotyping. Despite later, more nuanced interpretations of country-specific Asian dolls, problematic features remained embedded. This, Wang argues, positions Asian Barbies as the racial ‘other’. Kaela Joseph, Tanya Cook, and Alena Karkanias’s article examines how the 2023 Barbie film reflects different forms of fandom. Firstly, Joseph interrogates how the Kens’ patriarchal identity is expressed through acts of collective affirmational fandom. Here, individual fans legitimise their positions within the group by mastering and demonstrating their knowledge of popular culture phenomena. Joseph contrasts this with transformational fandom, which is based upon reimagining the source material to create new forms. The transformation of the titular character of the Barbie movie forms the basis of Eli S’s analysis. S examines how the metaphor of ‘unboxing’ the doll provides an avenue through which to understand Barbie’s metamorphosis from constrained doll to aware human as she journeys from the pink plastic Barbie Land to the Real World. Anna Temel turns her critical gaze to how the 2023 film attempts to reposition Barbie’s image away from gender stereotypes to a symbol of feminist empowerment. Director Greta Gerwig, Temel argues, critiques the ‘ideal woman’ and positions Barbie as a vehicle through which contemporary feminism and womanhood can be interrogated. Temel finds that this is not always successfully articulated in the depiction of Barbie in the film. The reading of the Barbie movie’s Barbie Land as an Asexual Utopia is the focus of Anna Maria Broussard’s article. Here Broussard draws the focus to the harmonious community of dolls who live without social expectations of sexuality. Barbie provides a popular culture reflection of the Asexual experience, expressed through Barbie’s rejection of a heteronormative relationship both in Barbie Land and the Real World. Completing this collection is Daisy McManaman’s article interrogating the multiple iterations of the doll’s embodied femininity. Incorporating an ethnographic study of the author’s relationship with the doll, McManaman uncovers that Barbie serves as a site of queer joy and a role model through which to enjoy and explore femininity and gender. These articles have been both intellectually stimulating to edit, and a joy. We hope you enjoy this collection that brings a new academic lens to the popular cultural phenomenon that is Barbie. References Aguirre, Abby. “Barbiemania! Margot Robbie Opens Up about the Movie Everyone’s Waiting For.” Vogue, 24 May 2023. 16 Mar. 2024 <https://www.vogue.com/article/margot-robbie-barbie-summer-cover-2023-interview>. Bertschi, Jenna. “Barbie: An Astronaut for the Ages.” Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, 18 Jul. 2023. 11 Mar. 2024 <https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/barbie-astronaut-ages>. Blackmore, Erin. “Barbie’s Secret Sister Was a German Novelty Doll.” History.com, 14 Jul. 2023. 11 mar. 2024 <https://www.history.com/news/barbie-inspiration-bild-lilli>. 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