Barbie

Barbie

Barbie has shaped the lives of many girls, young and old, around the world. She is not only a role model but also a lifelong friend. She has been and will continue to be a great influence on the lives of young girls. "This teenage fashion doll transcended racial boundaries to become the world's most successful toy" (Varaste, 1999, p. 8).

Barbie was invented in February of 1959 by Ruth and Elliot Handler, founders of Mattel Toys. While watching her daughter, Barbara, play dolls with her friends, Ruth Handler discovered that young girls liked to play with adult dolls rather than baby dolls. She believed that creating a teenage doll that girls could play with and dream about the future with would be a great idea. She made her dream a reality and created Barbie. Barbie is named after Ruth's daughter, Barbara, who inspired Barbie's creation.

In 1959, Barbie was unveiled at the American Toy Fair in New York City. Buyers were skeptical of the doll. "Never before had anyone seen a doll so small, yet so sophisticated. As a teenager, Barbie was completely unlike any of the baby or toddler dolls popular at the time" (The Barbie Story, 2002, pp. 1, 2).

The first Barbie wore her hair in a ponytail. She was dressed in a black and white zebra-striped bathing suit, open-toed shoes, sunglasses and earrings. "Her features were harsh, with inverted "V" shaped brows, pursed red lips, and the famous side glancing eyes that lacked color, defined by black lines