Modest is Hottest!
This may be a little off topic, but I just had to share.
A couple years ago while surfing around Pinterest, I saw this idea and though genius! A mother, like myself who was sick of seeing unclad barbies lying around willy nillly, took a sharpie and well… here is the result.
We only had one barbie at the time, and call me a prude if you must, but you better believe I got my sharpie out and drew on that cute little suit. Well, I wasn’t totally happy with the results. Mine had pen marks and when I tried to go over the same spot it lifted off the first layer instead of darkening it. So, while it was better than nothing I still didn’t love it.
Fast forward a year or so. We now have more than one Barbie and I really wanted to fix the problem (which is my girls know how to take the clothes off, but not get them back on)… enter nail polish. That is when it hit me, I could not only cover up these immodest dolls, I could make it SUPER cute and totally colorful!
If you love this idea, please share it!!!
And of course I am going to show you how I did it…. (just in time for Christmas… yes, I just said the “C” word before Halloween, I am a rebel like that!) So I bought some brand new Disney princess dolls to demonstrate how easy this is.
Here they all are fresh out of the box, with their hair all pristine and their dresses still in place. Live it up girls, that is the last time you will look this good!!! (it only takes one tiny 2 year old to change that REALLY quickly!)
And about 3 minutes later…
Goodness, I love this little mini girl!!!
Okay, so the process is really easy. Just lift the doll’s arms out of the way and start with the top line. I usually do a sweetheart neck line in front, and carry the line diagonally down the side and joining it in the back, then just fill the body portion of the doll below. Move the legs as necessary, just watch out, because sometimes when you move the leg it will hit the body. You can do as many coats as you need, and you can re-coat as necessary. Also, if you mess up at all you can remove the spot with some remover on a q-tip.
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Between coats, they can practice a little yoga in the sunlight as they dry out.
Give them a good hour to cure, if you do more than one coat, you don’t want ugly smudges! The best part is all the color choices you have! And this is what you get front and back:
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Hey everyone! It looks like a MODEST pool party on the roof of the Barbie Dream house!
So what do you think? So excited about having modest Barbies around in between outfit changes! If you like this idea please share it! Thanks guys!
EDIT: So apparently people are ticked that I painted nail polish bathing suits on my barbies… so here is my response. I should explain that it is hard for me to express this without being passionate after the lash out that I have received in the last couple days. So forgive me for my somewhat passionate and defensive response.
Thanks for the great idea, and even more for the incredibly well spoken defense.
Thanks Melinda!!! That means a lot!
I think your post about the swim suit barbies is genius! I love it! Thank you so much for sharing and I loved your response to those that didn’t support you in your idea. Thank you for sharing and thank you for teaching modesty in a twisted culture. May the Lord bless your efforts and your family!
I ran across this post while looking at your other stuff. I am so sorry that you were lashed out at. I love this idea for the Barbies. We only have a few Barbie like dolls, and my 6 year old has a hard time getting the clothes back on, too. haha. They are so small. I think this is so clever and cute. I love your response to the lashers and I am sorry that you got mean comments. I hate that. I don’t really care to have naked dolls lying around to much, but why, when you can have cute suits on them. haha. I mean, we don’t lay around the house naked….why should our dolls!! I love that you said this in your reply…”I believe that bodies are of the upmost importance and are a sacred gift from God. So, I talk to my daughters about the sacred importance and beauty of their bodies. ” I totally agree and I do the same thing. I think that painting the suits on the naked dolls will help my 4 year old son, more than it will my daughter! When they play together with the dolls he asks more questions about why they are naked than my daughter does. I certainly don’t want him to think that is what a woman’s body SHOULD look like! 🙂 Sorry about the haters.
Such a cute idea! I have two girls and I too am tired of naked dolls being everywhere… Especially when a guest comes by lol. I just wanted to add that I was quite shocked that someone would question your child rearing just for painting a bathing suit on a Barbie. It’s neurotic! Keep on blogging 🙂
This is an amazing idea. I had issues of Barbie already being an unrealistic human body example for my girl and seeing them naked always made me feel uneasy. I was so excited to see a Barbie with an already painted body and just a skirt that comes on and off for my two year old. But with this idea, I can now feel better about buying a regular Barbie. Thank you
Thanks for this! I colored boxers onto a Ken with permanent marker, but it ran a little. I will be doing this with my daughter’s barbies. She is 5 and does not like when other girls come over and leave the dolls undressed. It really bothers her. Since I have sons and a daughter, I try to teach them to be modest. Great post!!!
I love your post! I think your idea is smart and I would have never thought you would get backlash over this. (Some people!) Cute Barbie bathing suits and your daughters sound wonderful and well adjusted.
Ignore haters. I think it’s a very cute and harmless idea. When my daughter played with Barbie’s they too often were naked. It can be difficult to put clothes on the dolls, especially for little hands. This way they would only have to put a bottom on (skirt or pants) and they are ready to go! Great idea!! 🙂
LOVE THIS! This will make my family so much happier!! I too love the idea of teaching my girls that even their dolls can be modest!!
When I read the blog title and saw the photo of the bathing barbies, I was sure it would be a blog post on how indecent they make barbies nowadays with skimpy little, shiny bathing suits (since I only have boys, I´m not updated when it comes to barbie). I totally supported the idea as I do react strongly to how for example fashion is made to be sexy, even for little girls. I was shocked to read that you had actually painted the dolls to look like that and doing so in the name of modesty. Honestly, they now look super sexy! A “naked” doll is just a doll without clothes, but these bathing beauties are really showing off their assets in a big way! And even in real life most people will agree that lingerie is sexy – naked is simply natural.
I love this! Great idea and I’m definitely going to paint some swimsuits on all of our naked Barbies. Have you tried this for Ken dolls?
No, but I am sure he wold love some painted boxers 🙂
I absolutely, totally love this idea! It looks so easy to do and it appeals to a dolls’ modest side. I laughed out loud at all the dolls doing yoga poses!!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I was actually searching for Barbie organizing tips when I found your post and after reading it I can’t believe anyone would give you a hard time. I have 3 daughters and TONS of barbies with not enough clothes…on. I totally agree with you about not wanting naked dolls all over the playroom. We are no prudes here either but I don’t feel comfortable flaunting nudity around small children that are incapable of fully understanding when it’s appropriate to not have clothes on. Great tutorial!
Jenn, thanks for the nice comment and we are glad that you found the tutorial helpful.
I honestly, REALLY like this idea. I don’t mind naked Barbie dolls, but painting on “bathing suits” is a really neat tip. I just might have to do this!
How disheartening that this became a problem post for you. .II thought this was a good idea.
I love your solution. I have been trying to find a way for my daughter to only need to pull a skirt or pants on as that is all she can figure out at this time. I agree that body beauty comes from conversations with our children, not naked dolls. We remain dressed in public and so should the dolls. If my daughter or son has questions about their bodies I answer the question, I am pretty sure a doll cannot answer my child’s question. Thanks for sharing!
somehow I am JUST NOW seeing this. and A) I LOVE THIS IDEA. I totally want to do this. B) Even if you are a “prude” you know how to talk to your daughters and they are YOUR kids and C) I too am sick of the perpetually naked barbie doll. Nail polish seems like a perfect solution!
I just love the response to the haters. Teaching our children instead of letting dolls do it? What a novel idea! LOL Keep up the awesome work…and I love the trick you showed on this post. Even if I do have all boys and clicked just to see the cute tutorial. 🙂 Figured my niece would benefit from this since she loves to have her Barbies naked. LOL
Well…in short I love this idea on so many levels. No naked dolls laying around and MODESTY ! !
Need I say more…I dont feel it’s being prude in any way…..I feel it’s giving our young little impressional girls guidence in the proper directio, to grow up to become women of grace and integrity.
I can’t believe I never thought to do this…BRILLIANT! I always hate those naked Barbies, and think they are so awkward. Pronto…problem fixed. THANK YOU!
Sheena, you are very welcome for the post.