Free Republic

CAIRO (AFP) - Move over Barbie, veiled is beautiful. The physical ideal of Muslim girls increasingly includes the hijab, as evidenced by toy shops' best-selling doll "Fulla" and the string of showbiz stars opting to cover up. ADVERTISEMENT The dark-eyed and olive-skinned Fulla has replaced her American rival's skimpy skirts with more modest "outdoor fashion" and Barbie's luxuriant blonde mane with an Islamic veil.

<p>LIVONIA — Watch out, Barbie. There’s a new girl in toy town, and she doesn’t have long blonde hair or a waist the diameter of a dime. Her name is Razanne, and with her flowing clothes and traditional Muslim head scarf called a hijab, she’s putting a Livonia company on the map by creating dolls targeted to Muslim girls.</p>

Barbie's image doesn't exactly fit with traditional Muslim values. But a doll named Fulla, with a different look and a more modest wardrobe, is filling the void in a big way. Fulla is made by a Syrian company, and is extremely popular with girls at the Islamic School of San Diego. “I kind of feel special to have a Fulla doll because it's kind of like me,” one student said. “I think the Fulla doll is much better because it represents the picture of Islam,” said another student. Despite her popularity abroad, Fulla is hard to find here in the...