The Amazing Evolution of Barbie

The Evolution of Barbie

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re discussing The Evolution of Barbie.

For this video, we’ll be looking at how the cultural icon has changed over the past decades.

Do you have a favorite Barbie era? Let us know in the comments.

Barbie Beginnings (1959-60s)

Ruth Handler co-founded Mattel Creations in 1945 with her husband Elliot and business partner Harold “Matt” Matson, with the latter leaving the venture for health reasons. The toy company was successful selling products like “Uke-A-Doodle” and the Magic 8-Ball. But after noticing that her young daughter Barbara’s toys only allowed her to imagine herself in a domesticated role, Ruth had the genius idea to create a three-dimensional toy similar to paper dolls. This wouldn’t be a baby, but rather an adult-figured fashion doll little girls could dress up and play pretend with.

A European trip led her to Bild Lilli, a German doll who was considered a seductress in the cartoon she originated in. Despite that, and the fact that the doll itself wasn’t primarily conceived as a kids item, she had the physique Ruth Handler wanted. So the visionary came home with a few in tow, enlisted the help of Jack Ryan as a designer, and together they created Barbie.

Audiences first saw Barbara Millicent Roberts (yes, she has a full name) on the date we now recognize as her birthday, March 9, 1959, at New York’s Toy Fair. Standing at about 11.5 inches tall, Barbie, whose full first name is the same as the Handlers’ daughter, came out impeccably dressed, donning striped swimwear, gold earrings, and her hair styled in a ponytail with bangs. Similar to Bild Lilli, she had thin eyebrows, blue eye makeup, and a red lip, a look that reflected the old-school glamor of the 1950s.

The Mod Era (1960s)

Barbie was a massive success. And just as Ruth Handler intended, she showed little girls that they could be many things. In 1960, “Busy Gal Barbie” was introduced as a fashion designer dressed in a jacket and skirt ensemble complete with a portfolio to tote around. This was just the beginning of the career-oriented trailblazer who notably went on to become a nurse and a stewardess in 1961. That same year, Barbie got her first friend, Kenneth Sean Carson, or just Ken, fittingly named after the Handlers’ son. He’s well-known as her beau, but Barbie has never been defined by the relationship.

1962 was a good year for our doll. The independent woman “bought” her own home, the iconic Barbie Dreamhouse. She also got a new hairstyle, trading in her signature pony for a trendy “bobble cut” ‘do. This “Red Flare” Barbie rocked a sophisticated outfit, featuring a coat along with a pillbox hat.

Barbie’s world expanded with the arrival of freckled bestie Midge in 1963, who found love with Ken’s pal Allan a year later. Barbie’s first sibling, a little sis named Skipper, arrived in 1964, the same year she got a stunning new “Swirl Ponytail”. But the famed doll’s most significant look was for her out-of-this-world trip to space in 1965. Wearing a metallic silver space suit, helmet, and boots, “Miss Astronaut Barbie” went up four years before Neil Armstrong took “one giant leap for mankind” on the moon. Of course, space wasn’t the only male-dominated field she’d eventually conquer.

The rest of the ‘60s notably brought the vibrant “Color Magic Barbie” and the first celeb to get a Barbie designed after them, British fashion model Twiggy. But that’s not all. 1967’s “Twist N Turn Barbie” was groundbreaking for the way you could twist and turn it, as the name suggests. She also looked younger. Mattel didn’t stop there though, debuting another first in 1968 with Barbie’s friend Christie, a Black doll. This marked an important time in the brand’s increase in diversity. Christie had a stylish bob, and was introduced with an equally rad swim outfit.

Surfer to Superstar (1970s)

In the seventies, Barbie’s aesthetic became more soft and relaxed. “Dramatic Living Barbie” kicked off the decade with a design allowing you to pose her body in a variety of ways. Then, one of the most popular iterations of the iconic doll arrived in 1971 with “Malibu Barbie.” The blonde sported a baby blue one-piece, a sun-kissed tan, and front-facing eyes. She embodied the more casual vibes of the decade, and even got a camper that same year, allowing her to keep living it up in nature with her friends. “Malibu Christie” also got to have fun with her fashionable friend on the beach in 1973, rocking a bright yellow suit.

By the mid-seventies though, Barbie had started to get into sports, becoming an Olympic skier and a ballerina – no biggie! But the real superstar arrived in ‘77 with the debut of, well, “Superstar Barbie.” She was in her disco era and made sure to let everyone know it, standing out in a show-stopping pink dress and boa. She also had bendable legs and a noticeably different face with a ravishing smile.

Around the World & In the Workplace (1980s)

Though Christie was notably introduced in 1968, Barbie herself had always been white. Thankfully, that changed in 1980 when Black and Hispanic dolls carrying the moniker came on the scene. Both featured darker skin, hair, and eye color, and came sporting different but equally gorgeous outfits. Black Barbie wore a long red ensemble with cold shoulder sleeves and a high slit, while Hispanic Barbie rocked a red and white ensemble with a lacy black shawl. Mattel also launched what’s now known as their “Dolls of the World” collection, featuring dolls from around the globe.

Since the eighties were all about excess, it’s no surprise that Barbie wore an array of fabulous outfits. The decade saw “Roller Skater Barbie”, “Golden Dream Barbie,” “Peaches n Cream Barbie,” and “Fashion Magic Barbie,” to name a few. And as more women joined the workplace, Barbie made her way into corporate America while maintaining a work-life balance. Indeed, “Day-to-Night Barbie,” released in the mid-80s, gave the doll the ability to go from wearing a professional power suit to a glittery pink top and tulle skirt. Meanwhile, 1985 saw the arrival of the “We Girls Can Do Anything” Campaign, inspiring young girls to follow their dreams. Barbie herself added new careers like veterinarian to her resumé throughout these 10 years, too. She also performed with her band, aptly named “Barbie and the Rockers,” and made another trip to space in a new pink space suit, proving that girls really can do anything.

Barbie in the Nineties (1990s)

In 1992, Mattel released a game-changing doll. “Totally Hair Barbie” featured super long locks measuring 10.5 inches on her approximately 11.5 inch frame, and set a record for best-selling Barbie of all time. Her hair was crimped and reportedly came with styling gel, which was definitely trendy in the ‘90s. 1992 was also dubbed the “Year of the Woman” in politics. So of course, Barbie had to run for President donning a red pencil skirt suit or a very patriotic inaugural gown. This wouldn’t be the last time she put her name out there to hold the highest office in US land, either! Beyond that, the beloved figure continued exploring the job market throughout the decade, becoming everything from a firefighter to a soccer player.

Sheroes & Fashionistas (2000s & Beyond)

For decades, Mattel received heavy criticism for Barbie’s unrealistic body measurements, namely her 18 inch waist. Many felt that this sent a bad message to children and caused young girls to develop a negative body image. In the mid-2010s, Mattel finally responded with “Barbie Fashionistas” – dolls with diverse proportions, skin tones, eye colors, and hairstyles. And they gave Barbie the ability to step down from her signature tippy-toe stance into some flats!!

Since then, the company has continued to strive for inclusivity, creating Barbies that better reflect the world around us, thus giving kids the chance to own dolls that look like them. In 2017, Mattel made an addition to their “Sheroes” collection and introduced the first Barbie to wear a hijab, inspired by Ibtihaj Muhammad. The US Olympic fencer joins a line of inspiring women from different backgrounds including Ava DuVernay and Ashley Graham. The Fashionistas line, for its part, has continued to grow through the years to feature Barbies with a prosthetic limb, vitiligo, and more.

The Barbie brand was created as a response to the limitations placed on girls when it comes to careers and even what toys they can play with. Though the controversies and critiques are necessary, Barbie has always evolved with the times, setting out to empower young girls and spark their imagination. We have no doubt she’ll continue to do so.