Betty Boop Figurines

What is it about Betty Boop? Here's a dame who's just about to turn 80 and she's still going strong. Betty Boop merchandise (particularly the figurines!) is amazingly popular. She's had a resurgence since the early 80's and it shows no signs of slowing down.

Is it the sexy side of her? That's what I think. Betty Boop is voluptuous and proud of it. Her sexuality is not hidden. In 1930, when she first made the cartoon scene, she was the only mature female on the screen. All the other females were either little girls or quasi-animals, like Minnie Mouse. Betty, in contrast, had cleavage.

Any Betty Boop fan will love the "calendar girl" collection. The Halloween figurine is really fun. Betty is slinky in her black dress with a high slit up the side. St. Patty's day figurine is more traditional. She's doing a flapper sort of a move and if it weren't for the green dress with gold shamrocks, you'd never know it was a calendar theme.

I like the more traditional "white dress" figurine. Classic Betty Boop. She's sexy and pouty with hands on hips. The feather boa adds just the perfect accent. Of course, there's also something to be said for the "hula girl" figurine (that's the month of June in the calendar girl collection, by the way) since it hearkens back to an early and risque cartoon. The cartoon was called "Betty Boop's Bamboo Isle" and Betty wears a grass skirt and a lei. And earrings. Nothing else. Pretty wild for 1932.

The calendar girls figurines are about $12 each, so it's an easy way to get into the world of Betty Boop figurines. But it's not the only way. There are Betty Boop bobblehead dolls and Betty Boop keychains, pillows, throws and watches. Coffee mugs, photo frames and lamps. But since this blog is all about figurines, that's what matters to me.