Woman demonstrates how Mattel’s controversial ‘Growing up Skipper’ Barbie works in viral TikTok

‘Growing Up Skipper’ was discontinued in 1975 due to backlash

A woman has shared a demonstration of how to use one vintage discontinued Mattel Barbie in a viral video on TikTok.

On 22 July, Krystalyn Fowler Dro posted to her page, pulling out a piece of her childhood: the “Growing Up Skipper” doll. Mattel introduced the Barbie in 1964 with the intention of creating a character that portrayed a girl’s journey through puberty by giving the doll the ability to grow breasts. While the aim was to educate young consumers on the natural process, the doll was discontinued 10 years later due to increasing criticism.

Following the premiere of Great Gerwig’s Mattel inspired film Barbie, in which Hannah Khalique-Brown assumed the role of Skipper, fans were intrigued by the questionable doll. Krystalyn took to TikTok to show fascinated viewers her collectable and how the old toy worked. “Proof that Growing Up Skipper actually exists,” her caption read.

In the video, Krystalyn proceeded to wind the doll’s arm, watching as its chest and torso stretched out simultaneously. In a separate video, the TikTok user explained in-depth how Skipper worked and her old habits of playing with the doll and her other Barbies.

With Skipper’s clothing removed, viewers could see how the doll’s upper body expanded. The doll had an extra layer of plastic wrapped around its top half for its torso to grow without making the chest disproportionate.

The Mattel enthusiast admitted she had preferred to play with the “grown up” version of Skipper when she was younger.

Viewers flooded Krystalyn’s original demonstration video, attracting over 2.6m viewers and 965 comments. Most individuals wrote sentimental remarks about the Skipper dolls they had, or their parents had.

“During the movie, my mom told me she had Growing Up Skipper when she was young and I’m so jealous,” one viewer wrote, while another said: “This doll is actually so cool idk why they were so mad about it.”

Other people paid homage to their discontinued dolls who they spotted in the live-action film.

“I had the pregnant Barbie, there was a literal baby in her belly,” one woman noted, referring to Mattel’s “Pregnant Midge.”

Another viewer revealed she had the very realistic “Tanner the Golden Retriever” toy. “I had the pooping dog as a kid,” she wrote. Mattel recalled the puppy in 2007 due to choking hazard associated with the miniature droppings that came with the toy.

In addition to Midge and Tanner, Mattel was forced to recall “Oreo Fun Barbie,” “Video Girl Barbie,” “Hello Barbie,” and “Slumber Party Barbie,” due to accusations of derogatory references, privacy concerns, and weight loss advocacy, respectively.