Barbie's Birthday
Source: Tween Parent
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It's a special year for Barbara Millicent Roberts, a.k.a. Barbie...she is 50 years old! Since she was introduced, Barbie has been a paradox of joy and controversy. Opposition aside, Barbie has led an interesting life! In this day, it seems that many tweens would be reluctant to admit playing with Barbie (whether they actually do or don't, it's hard to say), Barbie continues to be the most popular doll in the world and a true icon. In fact, Barbie is probably the innovator of the first-name-only moniker (long before Cher, Sting, Madonna and others were on the scene!). Since Barbie is such a fixture in our culture (with 90% of U.S. girls ages 3-10 owning at least one Barbie), just for fun and your entertainment, we thought we'd share some interesting tidbits about America's most popular doll!
The Early Years
Barbie's full name is "Barbara Millicent Roberts." She was introduced at the New York Toy Fair in 1959 and sold for $3.00. She was first dressed in the now-famous black and white striped swimsuit and signature ponytail. She hails from Willows, Wisconsin and attended Willows High School. Barbie's boyfriend, Ken made his debut two years after Barbie (and they broke up, after 43 years together, on Valentine's Day in 2004). The inventor of the Barbie doll, Ruth Handler, is the co-founder of Mattel; she named Barbie and Ken after her children.
Controversial from the beginning, at that time, most everyone believed that mothers wouldn't buy a doll that looked like a woman, since the dolls had always been in the form of babies. But Ruth had one very strong conviction -- that little girls aspired to be big girls. What they wanted was a doll they could pretend to be, with grown-up clothes, cars, and the trappings of womanhood. Translated into an actual woman, the original Barbie's proportions would have been about 39-21-33. Hmmm.
In a book about Barbie and her inventor, called Barbie and Ruth, author Robin Gerber, points out that the original Barbie was modeled after a sexy German cartoon character named Bild-Lilli. Ironically (or not), Barbie was a toned down version of Bild-Lilli, who was sold in "tobacco ships, bars and adult-themed toy stores."
There's No Arguing Barbie's Fashion Sense and Business Success
Close to one billion fashions (using over 105 million yards of fabric) have been produced since 1959 for Barbie and her friends, making Mattel one the largest apparel manufacturers in the world. Barbie has also had more than a billion pair of shoes and over one hundred new additions to her wardrobe annually. Barbie's clothing has been created by some of the most recognizable designers around the world, including: Givenchy, Versace, Dolce & Gabana, Vera Wang and Gucci. In total, 70 famous designers have outfitted Barbie!
At $1.5 billion in annual sales, Barbie is the top selling doll in the U.S. and the top selling toy worldwide. Barbie is currently marketed in more than 150 nations around the world, representing 45 different nationalities.
There's no denying that the appeal of Barbie lives on. Doll collecting is second only to stamp collecting as the most popular collecting hobby in the U.S. In fact, the current estimated selling price of the original 1959 Barbie doll in mint condition is $27,450.
Did You Know?
Barbie has had more than 80 careers -- everything from a rock star to a paleontologist to a presidential candidate.
The first black and Hispanic Barbie dolls were introduced in 1980.
Barbie has had over 43 pets including 21 dogs, 12 horses, 3 ponies, 6 cats, a parrot, a chimpanzee, a panda, a lion cub, a giraffe and a zebra.
The best selling Barbie ever was Totally Hair Barbie in 1992, with hair from the top of her head to her toes.
And, She Volunteers!
Barbie has been a volunteer Candy Striper, a UNICEF ambassador, a member of the Armed Forces and more. Barbie has supported many important causes and platforms through the years, including worthy causes such as the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the International Fund for Animal Welfare among others.
Share your thoughts about Barbie and her impact:
Tween Life section of TweenParent Community
Additional information related to Barbie:
Barbie and Ruth, by Robin Gerber, a new biography of Barbie inventor and Mattel co-founder Ruth Handler.
A visual of how Barbie's measurements would translate to woman's figure!
A video clip from The Early Show of a recent Barbie Store Opening in Shanghai, China
An article, "Why Do Girls Outgrow Barbie Dolls At Such a Young Age? A look at why Barbie dolls are uncool for tweens," by Denise Van Patten of About.com