THE HISTORY OF BARBIE

Today is the birthday of Barbara Millicent Roberts.  Although 62 years old, she has kept her figure, although her waist has expanded.

            Ruth Handler noticed that her daughter Barbara liked playing with adult women paper dolls.  In 1956, she and her children Barbara and Kenneth made a trip to Europe.  Ruth encountered a doll called Bild Lilli in Germany.  The doll was based on a comic character and had been sold as a gag gift for men at tobacco stores.  Don’t ask.  It caught on with girls.  She brought some home to her husband, her co-founder of Mattel, but he and the directors were not interested.  But Ruth persevered and Mattel bought the rights to Bild Lilli.  Barbara Millicent Roberts was introduced to the world at the American Toy Fair in New York City on March 9, 1959.  The toy was a smash hit and more than 300,000 were sold at $3 in the first year.  The first doll wore a black-and-white zebra-striped swimsuit.  The doll for most of its life was equivalent to 5’9” and 110 pounds.  Her measurements were a very unrealistic 36-18!-33.  How do you get a waist like that?  The 1963 Baby-sitter Barbie came with a booklet entitled “How to Lose Weight”.  The advice was “don’t eat!”  She has had over 200 occupations.  Here are some important events in Barbie’s life:

–  1961 –  Ken Carson (named after Ruth’s son)

–  1963 –  Barbie’s first friend –  Midge Hadley

–  1964 –  Barbie’s kid sister Skipper

–  1967 –  first celebrity –  Twiggy

–  1968 –  first African-American friend –  Christie

–  1980 –  first African-American Barbie (and first Latina)

–  1992 –  first run for President

–  2004-2011 –  Barbie and Ken broke up

–  2018 –  first historical figures (“Inspiring Women”) –  Amelia Earhart, Frida Kahlo, Katherine Johnson

https://www.history.com/news/barbie-through-the-ages

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbie