The 80's… Perma-tanned-permed people, stonewash denim, Miami-Vice roll-up-sleeves, Jane Fonda in lycra, shoulder pads to rival any quarterback worth his salt, potnoodles and Dynasty… Somethings will come right back into fashion, and then there are some things that are just so out of sync with our world today that they just seem downright wrong (none of the above fall into this category obviously) However, a sunbed for a Barbie?!?! Would it make it past the appropriateness censors these days? I'll admit when I found this lurking in a box of toys during a big clear out I had to ask myself how we ever thought this was ok! A brilliant article in the Huffington Post earlier this year by Jessica Samakow used flashback images of toys and characters from the 80's contrasted with their modern day manifestations to show how the toys our kids play with (especially girls) have become far more feminised (wide-eyed, pouted lips… PINKER) than the ones we had when we were younger… that article was fresh in my mind when I found 'The Sunbed'. How things have changed. Suddenly a little part of me is delighted Izzie's downstairs with the hammer from an Ikea kid's DIY kit...
