Barbie's new shoes: The iconic doll can now wear flats as part of diverse line

Any child who has owned a Barbie doll will be aware of the one very major problem of playing with it — Barbie could never stand on her own feet. [caption id=“attachment_2289384” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  The new line of Barbie dolls wearing wearing high heel and flat shoes. AP[/caption] The doll’s feet were always angled so they could fit into the accompanying high-heeled shoes that Barbie usually wore since the toy’s introduction in 1959. But not anymore, the 56-year old fashion icon doll can now wear flat shoes thanks to a design change in the new line of Barbie dolls. Mattel, the manufacturers of Barbie have been launching several diverse versions of Barbie dolls in the past few months in an attempt to better represent the world. Currently there are 23 new Fashionista Barbies featuring 14 different facial looks, eight skin tones, 18 eye colors, 22 hair styles and 23 hair colors. The toymakers have said that the switch from heels to flats is an effort to accessorize street styles Barbie wears in the new line. Some new career-oriented Barbies also come with both flats and heels, Mattel added. The move is a refreshing change for the doll that sets standards of feminine beauty for children.The new flat shoes may have taken more than 50 years to come but are a huge advantage for the new, progressive Barbie that Mattel is pitching. Just last month, there was a controversy at the Cannes Film Festival after reports of women being denied entry for wearing flat shoes surfaced. While the festival organisers apologised for the mistake, it revealed a larger issue of how flat weren’t considered stylish enough. Maybe with Barbie’s new shoes, such perceptions will change. Till then, let us welcome the initiative to make Barbie dolls more inclusive and real. (With agency inputs)