Another doll that played a significant role in my childhood was Polly Pocket. It holds countless memories of playing with my younger sister and friends. We had dollhouses, cars, motorcycles, a yacht, a collection of clothes, accessories, and even pets. I witnessed its evolution, from the big-headed and feet version to the minuscule one.
Polly Pocket was one of Barbie's main competitors for many years. By 1994, it had become one of the best-selling toys for girls aged three to eight. The concept behind Polly Pocket was born in 1983, thanks to the creativity of British designer Chris Wiggs. His inspiration came from observing his young daughter, Kate, who delighted in crafting imaginative worlds with dolls. Wiggs had a brilliant idea: create a doll small enough to fit into a pocket. Using a makeup powder compact, he fashioned a tiny house for this miniature doll. Polly Pocket made her debut in stores in 1989.
Bluebird Toys, a small toy company based in Swindon, recognized the potential of the concept from Wiggs’ creation and secured the licensing rights, thus becoming responsible for the Polly Pocket brand. Shortly after Polly's initial debut in the early 1990s, Bluebird Toys enlisted Mattel as their distributor. However, in 1998, despite experiencing significant profits, the smaller company was acquired by Mattel.
The original Polly Pocket toys consisted of plastic cases that could be opened to reveal a dollhouse or another playset with figurines. These dolls had a unique feature – they folded in the middle, just like the case itself. They also had circular bases that could securely fit into holes within the case's interior, allowing them to stand in specific rooms within the house. This design was the reason why they could be enclosed in pendants or large rings, as opposed to the more typical playset-style cases.
Mattel undertook a redesign of Polly Pocket, giving birth to 'Fashion Polly Pocket.' This updated version featured larger dolls with a more lifelike appearance compared to the original ones. The dolls now had straight ponytails, a departure from the curly bobs of their predecessors, while maintaining their signature blond hair colour. Soon after, new characters emerged in the expanding Pollyworld, introducing names like Lea, Shani, Lila, Rick, and Steven. Additionally, this iteration introduced rubbery plastic clothes that could be easily put on and removed from the dolls, a innovation created by Genie Toys.
In 2002, Mattel discontinued the production of the smaller Polly Pocket playsets while continuing to produce the larger fashion dolls.
In 2004, Mattel introduced the Polly Pocket 'Quik Clik' line, featuring plastic clothes that could click together using magnets. However, in November 2006, Mattel recalled millions of Polly Pocket playsets in the United States after incidents where children swallowed loose magnetic parts, leading to sales restrictions on these toys.
In 2010, Polly Pocket underwent a relaunch, bringing about notable changes in the dolls. These changes included larger feet, heads, and legs, while the overall height remained approximately the same. In the same year, the introduction of 'Cutants' took place, which were non-articulated figures featuring hybrid animals.
In 2012, Polly Pocket toys were discontinued in the United States but continued to be available in Europe and South America. For a period, they were exclusively sold in Brazil until the brand's reboot in 2018. The new toys featured miniature dolls in playsets, reminiscent of the original 1990s version; however, they were slightly larger. Instead of slotting into holes, the dolls were made of flexible plastic that adhered to certain surfaces and could also bend, allowing them to sit in chairs.
Alongside the reboot, clothing brands Hot Topic and Unique Vintage introduced merchandise inspired by the vintage Polly Pocket brand. This merchandise included handbags, makeup, and clothing items tailored for adults.
Much like Barbie, Polly Pocket has evolved into a multimedia franchise, including DVD-exclusive animated films, cartoons, books, minigames, and a website, with the latter currently hosted on Mattel's platform. Additionally, Polly Pocket extends its brand into various sectors, offering cosmetics, clothing, accessories, notebooks, pens, and more.
Following the success of the 2023 blockbuster Barbie film directed by Greta Gerwig, another toy-centric story was announced: a live-action Polly Pocket film. This movie will be led by Lilly Collins and directed by Lena Dunham. It's worth noting that Lena Dunham had faced controversies with her 2014 memoir, which included accusations of misogyny, child molestation, racism, and dog abandonment.
On one hand, Polly Pocket serves as an alternative to traditional gender roles, offering characters with diverse jobs and roles beyond the roles of a housewife or mother. These characters maintain their femininity while pursuing their dreams, and they avoid reinforcing negative stereotypes.
On the other hand, the doll does reinforce the white beauty standard and presents an unrealistic and potentially harmful example, as it fosters a negative body image with its tiny waist and large breasts. Additionally, it fails in terms of representation.
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