If you’re a Millennial who preferred the “pink aisles” at the toy store, then there’s a good chance you had at least one Polly Pocket, the micro dolls that had big adventures in their own little self-contained worlds with playsets that looked like mom’s makeup compact.
Even now, holding one of our kids’ newer Pollys (yes, she’s still putting herself out there) makes us feel like kids again. You know what doesn’t, though? Realizing that Polly Pocket turned 35 this year.
Yes, our favorite little lady celebrated the big 3-5 on July 24 which means a) she’s a Leo; b) she’s old enough to be President of the United States (there’s still time to make her your VP pick, Vice President Harris…) and c) we, too, are getting older than we realize.
Originally crafted in an ordinary powder compact by Chris Wiggs for his daughter in 1989, Polly Pocket was a success in her native England (yes: Polly is British) and hit the U.S. market in 1992. She has since ranked among the Top 10 doll properties in the world. Over the years, Polly has had many iterations, and not just in toy form. In 2018, she became the star of her own show on Netflix. In 2021, Variety confirmed a Polly Pocket movie was in the works.
And now she’s celebrating her milestone birthday with a series of partnerships across a variety of brands, all of which are positively gorging our greedy inner child. Like this sweet crossbody bag from Cakeworthy.
You can get super meta with this Polly Pocket themed cosmetic bag as well, also from Cakeworthy. A doll made in a compact made into a bag that holds your compacts? Yes please.
Fan-favorite brand Loungefly is offering a Polly-themed (and shaped) backpack; Little Shop of Pins has an offering of — you guessed it — adorable enamel pins; Hot Topic and Cider have an offering of Polly Pocket clothing; and Sassy Woof has created a line of dog accessories inspired by Polly’s tiny world.
And, of course, the OG offering of preciously little play sets — the kind that make super long car trips or restaurant dinners bearable — are still available for your kiddo… or to decorate your desk at your big girl job. And if you take a few minutes out of your day to play with the dolls for a bit, well, that’s none of our business.
