Peek-a-boo Petites: Fashionistas

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This is my first article in the newly added category of 'Just for Kicks'.Â* This is the place for articles covering footwear-related items that are not about actual shoes or shoe accessories per se, yet still celebrate fashion and a general appreciation or love of shoes.

Now, any of our readers who has young daughters can probably attest to the popularity of the diminutive <a href="http://pollypocket.everythinggirl.com/home.aspx" target="_blank">Polly Pocket</a> dolls. Well, last year, <a href="http://www.mattel.com/" target="_blank">Mattel</a> introduced a Barbie cousin to the popular Polly dolls. Namely: Barbie <em>Peek-a-boo Petites</em>.Â* These are a <em>(seemingly)</em> constantly-rotating stock of tiny Barbie dolls that come in <a href="http://gossamercreations.blogspot.com/2009/01/my-little-dolls.html" target="_blank">various collectible (of course) themes</a> - from gem-themed 'sparkle sweeties' toÂ* floral 'blossom beauties' and more (think<a href="http://thedollhead.blogspot.com/2008/08/peek-boo-peities-mattels-modern-liddle.html" target="_blank"> ice cream flavors</a>, tea parties, weddings, snowflakes, girls of the world; anything to keep your own little princess anticipating the next theme to add to her personal collection).

<img class="alignnone" src="http://barbie.everythinggirl.com/images/catalog/products/N6638_9993_main.jpg" alt="" width="211" height="152" /><img class="alignnone" src="http://barbie.everythinggirl.com/images/catalog/products/N6645_9993_main.jpg" alt="" width="211" height="152" /><img class="alignleft" src="http://barbie.everythinggirl.com/images/catalog/products/N5758_9993_main.jpg" alt="" width="211" height="152" /><img class="alignleft" src="http://barbie.everythinggirl.com/images/catalog/products/N6634_9993_main.jpg" alt="" width="211" height="152" />
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<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://barbie.everythinggirl.com/catalog/productbrd.aspx?sku=N6634" target="_blank"><em>(Photos from Mattel's everythinggirl.com</em></a>)</p>

Well, while I can say that I have no intention of playing the <em>gotta catch 'em all</em> game with a toy line that is already grown to include at least 70 different individual dolls, I was tickled enough to share these new releases with our readers.

These are from the one of the newest themes in the Peek-a-boo Petites toy line, the <a href="http://petites.weebly.com/7-peekaboo-petites-61-70.html" target="_blank">Fashionistas</a>.Â* Each of these dolls comes with her own purse or shoe-shaped display stand/play set.

Let me introduce you to four of these little ladies:
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/peek7.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-7161" title="peek7" src="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/peek7.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="250" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/peek4.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7158" title="peek4" src="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/peek4-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="254" height="254" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>#64 Sandal Sally</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/peek3.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7157" title="peek3" src="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/peek3-250x300.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="300" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>#65 Open Toe Tamara</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/peek1.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7155" title="peek1" src="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/peek1-256x300.jpg" alt="" width="256" height="300" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>#62 High Heel Hillary</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/peek2.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7156" title="peek2" src="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/peek2-244x300.jpg" alt="" width="244" height="300" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>#61 Platform Penina</em></p>

These are four of the five shoe-themed sets that are now appearingÂ* in toy departments pretty much everywhere (Although I have not yet encountered the fifth, '<em>Kitten Heeled Kira'</em> in the wild).

If your love of shoes goes beyond what you wear on your feet, these may be for you. If not, why not take a moment to appreciate how deeply shoes and fashion permeate other areas of our lives - in this case, toys and imaginative play.Â* Engaging in a moment or two of whimsy can also be a nice change of pace from our often-hectic lives.

As for me &amp; my new Peek-a-boo gals? I think I may have to pick up a compartmentalized shadowbox from one of the local craft stores and arrange to hang these up on the wall as a light-hearted closet display.