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In 1958, Barbie Millicent Roberts was born - 11 1/2 inches tall and weighing 11 ounces. She debuted as a teenage model in a black and white striped swimsuit that came with sunglasses, high-heeled shoes, and gold-coloured hoop earrings. Her body was shapely with a movable head, arms and legs. Barbie was the first doll in America with an adult body.

Part of Barbie's appeal was the fact that she was different than any other doll on the market (in the 1950's, the large majority of toys for little girls were baby dolls). Dolls such as Betsy Wetsy and Chatty Cathy were designed to teach girls the skills required for being a mother, whereas Barbie offered a more beautiful, glamorous and fashionable future for them!

Barbies and their outfits changed with the fashions of the times, they've even recently changed their body shapes slightly in response to pressure from groups claiming Barbie's unrealistic proportions were partly to blame for the increase of teenage anorexia.

In the last few years, Mattel even produced versions of Barbie in a line of 'good jobs' (doctor, teacher, vet) in order to be a little more P.C. and perhaps try to shed Barbie's 'bimbo' image. Barbie is still seriously out of proportion though and is still just as fashionable, changeable and glamourous.

Barbie is incredibly popular today and is probably the best known doll in the world.

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Do You Remember Barbie?

Do You Remember Barbie?

  • LouiseOC
    on
    barbie hadn't really caught on here in a big way when I was a child, i had Sindys and so did most of my friends. i have got more interested in barbies in my old age, as they do so many ooaks (one of a kind) on ebay, which are really imaginative.
  • sandie76
    on
    I was more into Sindy, but I think that was my Mum's doing. I was really facinated by Barbie, so asked for a Crystal Barbie for my birthday, which I got - loved that doll.
  • AnythingButOrdinary7
    on
    When I was little I loved Barbie, but now I don't really like her, she's unrealistic and a bit bimbo-ish. But ah, the memories!
  • Anonymous user
    on
    I had a Pink n Pretty Barbie (1983). :-)
  • Anonymous user
    on
    Together with my sister, we had quite a barbie collection. I remember the camper van she used to have - a big yellow one. And the clothes... OH! THE CLOTHES!!!!!!! LOL
  • Anonymous user
    on
    sam evison who lives in woodhall, lincolnshire says: i like to anal rape barbie dolls because i am a gay little bum boy who fancies men wot 1 inch penises
  • Anonymous user
    on
    I wasn't into dolls that much and only had one Barbie which I preferred to throw into buckets of water in 'diving competitions' than dress up to the nines, but my friend had the big six storey house with about 16 Barbies and 10 Kens. The thing was half the size of her entire bedroom!
  • Anonymous user
    on
    I remember getting them all set up with elaborate story lines and outfits and hairdos to match. Just when we'd get them all set up it would take forever...well we'd get bored and move on. We did play barbies for hours. I always wanted a big dream house and never got one. I tried to construct my own out of cardboard and wood paneling and they would always fall apart. I remember making furniture out of wood scraps my dad had and old thread holders became tables. I wasn't poor my parents just did not indulge me so I had to use my imagination. It was such a bummer! I would go to friend's houses that had the dream house with the elevator that pulled with a thin kite string looking mechanism and I thought that was the cat's pajamas! Too cool. I used to play with a girl I did not even like because she had this house! I love Barbie and my first daughter liked her but did not looooove her so now I am glad my littlest is really starting to dig her! Yeah I get to relive my childhood but this time I'm getting my dream house....I mean shes getting a dream house!
  • Anonymous user
    on
    I remember when i used to play with babrie when i was 14, she was my best friend
  • Anonymous user
    on
    my memory of barbies is my sister i was born in 1983 so she had those dolls and when i was older gave me a few and i prefer the older version of barbie and friends i dont like how they are now. yes im 23 and i still collect barbies ive loads of skipper courtney nikki and stacie whitney and janet!!! there is one set i want and i must of lost if over the years and that was a perfume set with barbie whitney and ken. i loved them, oh the good old times lol

Do you remember these?