'Real-Girl Barbie' Is a Big Hit

If you asked kids to choose between a Barbie and a Lammily doll — a just-released Barbie alternative with “real-girl” measurements — how would they respond? Lammily creator Nickolay Lamm found out recently, enlisting a second-grade class in Pittsburgh to share their thoughts. And the toy scored points for familiarity right off the bat.

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“She looks like my sister!” says one student in the video. Notes another: “She kind of looks like my aunt Katie. She looks like a real person!”

Lamm, an artist and researcher, set out to design a doll that has the body of an average American woman. Earlier this year, he received enough crowdfunding to actually bring his doll to the market. It was released online Wednesday, along with a quirky accessory available for pre-order: a packet of vinyl stickers that allow kids to add and remove blemishes including acne, cellulite, freckles, scars, moles, bug bites, and more.

Those additions aside, the $25 doll comes off as not only realistic but athletic to the Pittsburgh kids, with some saying they’d “make her run and do gymnastics” if they were to play with her. Others see the plastic figurine as a serious career woman, dubbing her a teacher, a pilot, or as having “a computer job.”

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They associate Barbie, on the other hand, with having a job at “a fashion store,” or as a model or makeup artist.

When each child is asked which one of the dolls — Barbie or Lammily — was most like them, Lammily wins by a landslide. She even gets props for being a nice person. “She looks like she would help someone if they were hurt,” notes one girl.

In the end, they unanimously declared that the new doll would make a better gift than the classic one.

Take note, Santa.