Remember Polly Pocket? Children of the '80s and '90s loved toying with the miniature play sets.
What you might not remember is that the sets were a work of parental genius. Chris Wiggs built the very first set for his own daughter in an empty makeup compact in 1983.
Today, Polly Pocket has been reimagined in countless ways. Now a part of Mattel, Polly has a whole new bunch of sets that appeal to the modern girl. From seashells to Saturn, Polly has soared to new heights.
Now we're discovering another brilliant reimagining from TheToyZone. The review site, which promises to make it easier to match kids with toys they'll love, worked with CGI artist Jan Koudela. Jan created ultra-real-looking Polly Pockets from the fictional worlds. If Lego can work across franchises, why not Polly?
Now we can get an idea of what it would look like if we could get compact-size versions of our favorite film and TV homes, from The Simpsons to Stranger Things.
Polly Pocket is one of the most beloved toy franchises of the '80s and '90s. The miniature play sets were the perfect pint-sized entertainment for kids everywhere. The play sets were invented in 1983 by Chris Wiggs, a dad looking to entertain his daughter. He made her a play kit out of an empty makeup compact.
Six years later, Polly Pocket was an officially licensed product of Bluebird Toys, which was based in Swindon, England. It wasn't long before Mattel asked to distribute the small toys. When it acquired Bluebird years later, Polly was sized up from her original pocket size.
TheToyZone imagined what it would be like if Polly got the Lego treatment. In other words, what would it be like if franchises made their own pint-sized Polly Pocket play sets featuring their characters and universes? They teamed up with CGI artist Jan Koudela to imagine what six different fictional homes would look like if they were given the Polly Pocket treatment.
From there, the site's art director worked with Jan to compile a scrapbook of images and videos from the franchises they chose. In doing so, they perfectly captured six fictional homes. The detail is seriously amazing and will make you wish these were really for sale.
'Stranger Things' — The Byers Residence
The hinge to this compact play set represents the portal between Joyce Byers' home and the Upside Down that lurks beneath Hawkins, Indiana. It's a natural genius pick as the series is set in the '80s. Our favorite part? Joyce's Christmas light alphabet system, of course.
'Friends' — Monica’s Apartment
Who wouldn't want to take Monica's rent-controlled, super-clean apartment with them everywhere they go? The bottom half re-creates the gang's favorite hangout, Central Perk. The only thing that's missing is the frame on Monica's door, which appears to be part of the latch instead.
'The Simpsons' — The Simpsons' House
The most popular family in Springfield, Illinois, absolutely deserved to get its own miniature rendering. Interestingly, The Simpsons and the mass-produced Polly Pocket play sets debuted the same year, 1989! The kitchen is a perfect match.
'The Lord of the Rings' — Hobbit House
A hobbit hole in the Shire is sounding really good right about now. The simple lodgings aren't much, but who wouldn't want a little simplicity? Enjoy the circular features of the hobbit hole, or get out to the Shire and take in the views.
'The Shining' — The Overlook Hotel
Imagine how cool a horror-themed Polly Pocket play set could be? You'd have to get started with a classic like The Shining's Overlook Hotel, complete with a creepy corridor. It also includes the film's intense maze to get lost in.
'The Royal Tenenbaums' — The Tenenbaums' Residence
Wes Anderson-style Polly Pocket play sets sound like the things of dreams. The Tenenbaums' home, which functions as an architectural psychoanalysis of the family's respective hang-ups, is the perfect place to start. If only they had the whole family to add!
