The Cali Girl Barbie Experiment

The Cali Girl Barbie doll has been out for a few months, and my daughter, age 9 and by some accounts "too old for Barbie" has been eyeing the Cali Girl Barbie Fashion Gift Set at Toys R Us.

So..in the intrest of consumer product testing, I gave in and purchased the doll for her. She was fascinated by the numerous accessosries that came with the doll (surfboard, 2 outfits, lipstick, compact, boom box, sunscreen, straw purse, much more all for $14.99) and the doll's beach look. She promises to report back on the play value of the doll vis-a-vis her other 100 or so Barbies (OK, that is an exaggeration, but sometimes it seems like there are 100 because they are all over the floor in every room in the house).

If you are interested, so far my daughter has imagined that her Cali Girl has (these are her words): "led a boring life, so her parents bought her a vaction at a beach hotel (her old Barbie Hotel, dragged from the corner of the play room). She went to the beauty parlour and got transformed to her new look, and now she is going to the beach." Her first report is that the accessories for the doll are better, and "more real."

Well, so far, so good, and it certainly beats a pink fairy princess Barbie if you are 9 years old! For more information on Cali Girl Barbie, visit www.barbie.com