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.
You know i have seen barbies with painted under ware on them but for some reason they never painted on bras when i was little. I always thought that was strange lol I thank you so much for this and completely agree with you 110%.
This is a great idea! Modesty is a wonderful thing.
LOL, this is great. I run a daycare and the boys laugh all the time at seeing the naked barbies and pick on the girls. This will put a stop to this, I hope. Great idea. Tammy
Seriously ignore the comments that are negative. I think this is a great idea. What is wrong with people that they think your opinion on how you raise your daughters to be modest, is really any of their business. If they want their daughters to have naked barbies then let them. If you want your daughter’s barbies to be dressed then that great!!
I love this idea!! My 4 yr olds barbies are getting a new swimsuit in the morning! I also love your edited addition!! Very well said! Great job Mom!!
My daughter is 5. To be honest, SHE does not like her dolls going around “naked.” She hates when her friends come over and leave her dolls undressed. She has a hard time putting most of their clothes back on. I will be doing this to her dolls and even let her pick out the colors. I know this will make her feel better. (Don’t listen to all the “haters.” They are always around and more than happy to spread their hate.)
It’s good to hear that your daughter doesn’t like it either. We are glad that this was helpful for you.
Way to go. We need more quality folks concerned with modesty in this world. Thanks for your refreshing perspective.
My son and I colored his Star Wars action figure to cover padmay’s bare midriff.
He pointed it out to me that it wasn’t modest.
I’ve always disliked nudie Barbies laying around. They look so ick. Anyone who thinks their bland little stick bodies are great ways to teach positive self-image to little girls just confounds me. I’d much rather see cute little colorful swimsuits on them. I love this idea and I’ve got five new (totally naked, thanks to our two-year-old) Barbies to paint this afternoon. Thanks for posting this tutorial!
I’m glad you explain things with your girls so forwardly, even though they’re young. My mom was the same with me. However I don’t agree with covering up the dolls body. I’m a child of the early 90s, the time barbies were beginning to be manufactured without the printed underwear, and growing up playing with them I never noticed that they were naked until I was in my teens because it wasn’t important to me yet. Children are innocent and making a big deal about it is kind of what brings on the insecurities. I discussed the naked Barbie issue after I read your post with some girls my age in my bible study group at college and we all agreed that toys and dolls aren’t what made us insecure over the years. It was pressure from boys, our parents, the clothing choices we’re stuck with in stores lately, and the way women and high school girls are depicted on TV. I am not a parent, and in no position to tell you how to raise your children, but my point is to please just be careful about what you make a ‘deal’ over around your little ones. A naked doll never mattered to us when we were two and it shouldn’t to anyone else either 🙂 Thanks for sharing and giving us something really engaging to discuss in our group!
Thank you so much for this DIY. I can not believe you received negative feedback from this idea.
I see the barbies without clothes on and think that’s just one more thing I have to do before guests come over for a vist. Now I don’t have to rush to pick them up and put them away or put their clothes back on.
Again thanks!!!!
Posts like this make me feel bad. Because, seriously, it’s not rocket science. In fact, it should be pretty obvious. And yet, even though I have nekkid barbies all over my house and it makes me nuts, I never would have thought of this! LOL All million and one barbies are getting new bathing suits this weekend!
HI!! I love your idea!!! its great and easy!!!
I can’t believe how much crap people have given you about this! I think it’s brilliant! Keep it up!
I came across Mattell’s (retired) “Palm Beach” Barbies on eBay recently. These fab “always dressed” Barbies sport adorable, modest, PAINTED-ON, Lilly Pulitzer-inspired) 2-pieces… I Was Bowled Over!!! The “Nekid” Barbie problem was solved!!! I scooped up 4 of those girls!
My husband & I have never loved having little plastic naked ladies lying around our home. In the bathtub, nudity’s great. In the living room with company, not so much. (Especially when said company is a couple of preeten friends of our son).
Eager to bless our daughter’s others Barbies (& Ken dolls) with under garments, I just Googled how to do it & was led to your great Pinterest post! The metallic nail polish is genius & your dolls look great in their new suits!!!
Thank you for sharing this charming, creative solution to the propriety issue (as well as the swimwear for 20 dolls issue)! (:
Brilliant!!! Thank you. I have many naked dolls all over out house and am thrilled to have found this post. You are an amazingly responsible and loving mother to care about modesty on behalf of your family. Kudos to a great woman with courage and love for goodness!!! I have raised 4 and am raising 2 more children and this kind of love is love that is treasured by our families and helps them to make healthy decisions for their families. We as women need to remember that being empowered is being careful and loving towards ourselves as well as others.
Love, love, LOVE this!!!! Fabulous idea!! Wish I’d have thought of this 20 years ago! My daughter would have loved it, too!
I think this is a wonderful idea! I couldn’t agree more with your thoughts on modesty. Our barbies are getting nail polish swim suits today!:) Thank you for sharing this great idea in spite of the ugly comments.
I love this idea!!! Thank you so much for sharing!
LOVE this! Thanks for sharing this great idea.
You have my support on this one. I cant believe people feel the need to judge and make you feel the need to defend your post. bunch of bullies. If they don’t want to paint theirs, then fine, but this is a post about how to do it if you so desire to have Barbie dressed– it says nothing about your ability to parent or what kind of relationship you have with your daughter.. People are so quick to make everything into a social issue. Rock on and keep painting those cute swimming suits.. I think they are adorable.