school

Of course your daughter's Barbie needs a designer handbag

Today in Barbie News You May Have Missed: Fresh from what we're going to assume was a successful trip to Mars, it's only normal that a stylish career gal like Barbie would want to shed her spacesuit (even a white-and-pink satin spacesuit) for something a little more fashion-forward.

Enter: the Coach Barbie. Yep, there's now a $95 "Coach" Barbie set, which includes a doll-sized Tattersall trench coat, ultrasuede skirt, colour-blocked, stack-heeled Tristen sandals, Coach Legacy round Patty sunglasses and, of course, a genuine red leather Coach Duffle purse. (The air of fashionista superiority is included, free of charge.) Just one more example -- along with the Dream House and the Corvette -- that proves your kid's plastic BFF is probably better-dressed and more successful than you are. (This isn't the first time we've coveted a pair of Barbie's shoes.) Sigh.

Seriously, though. Given the fact that the Coach Barbie, with her pint-sized purse, is currently sold out, we've gotta wonder just who is buying this? Fervent Barbie collectors? The same mums who are buying designer bikinis for their daughters? Or just those of us who think that $95 is a great price for a Coach bag of any size?

Alas, for the time being we’ll have to settle for one of Barbie's other 10,000 outfits or bags.

Erika Rasmusson Janes is a mum of two and writer. You can follow her at Google + and Twitter.