I'm going to start off with one of my favorites-Polly Pocket. I loved her when I was little, but now Polly seems to have taken some growth syrup, because she's huge. And her clothes aren't "painted" on, they're rubber. I don't know about you, but I would chafe horribly if I put on a pair of rubber jeans.
1990's Polly Pocket (Then):
Our adorable, blonde, curly, and girly friend launches-in 1989, that is. Polly Pocket started from a decked-out old compact. A dad wanted his daughter to have a toy she could literally fit in her pocket. He even made a little doll to go with it. So, he took it to the Bluebird company in England and off it went. (see above)
This girl was like Barbie, she had everything. From bumper cars to a magic princess castle, this was a stereotypical blonde girl who had whatever she wanted. Nevertheless, we worshiped her. With handy compacts that you could, yes, fit in your pocket, these things were everywhere. But, the little "dollies/Pollies" were prone to loss, and prone to being swallowed. These things were a MAJOR choking hazard, but we still loved them anyways-even if they got up our noses or in our digestive system.
I only have a handful of my Pollies left. Heck, I don't even have a Polly. I only have a mermaid, seahorses, two zoo animals, and what's left of little Willie. I'm serious about Willie. His legs are gone, and so with an arm.
You can go to onlypollypocket.com for a full list of your dear little choking hazards. If you want one, be my guest and look on Ebay. Or just go to a thrift store for a lifetime of digging.
2000+ Polly Pockets (Now):
(see image above)
Sure, Polly and her "little" friends can still fit in your pocket. Or they can try. Due to "choking hazards," Polly got BIG. From a humble centimeter, she is now over 2 inches tall. With rubber clothes and a positive outlook on life (like our dear friend, Barbie) this chick goes anywhere, everywhere, and does everything. From a vet to a vacation, this girl does it all, in rubber fashion.
The sets no longer fit in your pocket with all your little dolls inside. Vintage Polly lovers hate the new look. Some just see it fitting, since nowadays your container of Pine-sole looks just like apple juice and a toddler just has to have some. Sticking things in your mouth is a no-no, and since Mattel snapped the groovy compacts, everything is child-safe.
So if your on the teeny-Polly side or the rubber-Polly side, we still know one thing: There's a huge difference between these fun playthings. And I mean HUGE (good pun, right?).
