The Barbie doll is one of the most beloved toys of all time, at least when it comes to the toys that little girls play with. For over a half of a century, Barbie (whose official fictional bio has her named Barbara Millicent Roberts of Willows, Wisconsin) has made an impact on the lives of many girls. Even if someone never owned a Barbie, which would be hard to believe if you’re a female that grew up in America, they have at least played with one at some point in time. After all, Barbie is just about everywhere.
It was Ruth Handler that came up with the idea of Barbie, after she purchased a somewhat similar doll in Germany. Her husband and his company Mattel helped her see her dream come true and in 1958, Barbie made her debut. Barbie was named after Ruth’s daughter and soon after Barbie came on the scene, her boyfriend Ken came. Ken was also named after someone special, Ruth’s son. Up until this point in time, most of the dolls out there were designed to simply look like babies.
It was no time at all and Barbie was a big hit. The doll was selling by the thousands and it certainly has not slowed down much since then. After only ten years in production, there were over $500 million in Barbie’s sold and that was with a starting price of only three dollars.
Throughout the years, the Barbie and Ken dolls have seen many changes. They have made new friends, expanded their family, and participated in many holidays, sports, and careers along the way. Even as adults, some people still find that they want to collect Barbie for the sake of nostalgia.
Before long, Barbie would acquire her own personal belongings such as a home, car, pet shop, and even McDonald’s restaurant. Accessories, clothing, and jewelry would feature her picture and name. She would feature her own movies and cartoons.
While Barbie has seemingly touched the life of every young girl and many adults, there has also been controversy over the message that she sends out to the youth. Some feel that the Barbie’s perfect appearance directs girls to be more focused on physical characteristics that are often unrealistic. The worries focused on the sexual influence that Barbie had on girls with her curvy body. Some feared this gave young girls an impossible dream to dream.
However, several conducted studies showed that young girls were unaware of the doll’s sexy appearance. Yet from the doll, they gain much imaginative play and increase in imagination. As the doll evolved, girls also had opportunities to see Barbie as a career woman.
Barbie’s influence over society has been one that no toy will likely ever replace. Like her inventor, she brought about a sign of independence to the world of women and gave little girls a new type of imaginative play other than motherhood. They could now picture themselves in many different roles.
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