| In this article we're going to cover what is | | | | fire.Over the years there were more |
| arguably the most famous collectible doll in | | | | variations of Barbie than you could count. |
| all of history, Barbie.If you were a little | | | | Many different outfits were made for her in |
| girl growing up in the early 60s you had a | | | | that time. Barbie herself had over 80 |
| Barbie Doll. If you didn't, you were just | | | | careers from nurse to rock star to even |
| plain strange. Barbie had to be the biggest | | | | president. Barbie was a very successful gal. |
| craze of the era and the doll is still going | | | | Her very first career however was as a |
| strong as of this writing in 2006.The Barbie | | | | teenage fashion model, which is what she was |
| Doll was first invented by a lady named Ruth | | | | originally designed for. From there, things |
| Handler, who was actually a cofounder of the | | | | just took off. In 1964, back during a time |
| popular toy company Mattel. Ruth's daughter | | | | when girls didn't normally go to school past |
| was named Barbara and yes, that is where she | | | | high school, Barbie went to college. The |
| got the name for the Barbie Doll. Barbie was | | | | first Olympic Barbie was made in 1975 and |
| first shown to the world at the American Toy | | | | popped up again in 2000.Probably one of the |
| Fair in New York City. The doll was made for | | | | more controversial Barbie Dolls came out in |
| the purpose of being a teenage fashion doll. | | | | 1992 when Barbie joined the military as a |
| In the early days, when we were pretty | | | | medic in Operation Desert Storm. The entire |
| uptight about sex, there was some controversy | | | | military series of Barbie Dolls actually went |
| over Barbie's figure. People realized that | | | | through Pentagon approval to make sure that |
| if Barbie was a real person her measurements | | | | the uniforms were as authentic as |
| would be 36-18-38, which is virtually | | | | possible.But the military wasn't the last of |
| impossible for any girl to strive for and | | | | Barbie's adventures. Barbie was also made |
| there were fears that this would cause major | | | | into an astronaut in three different years, |
| psychological problems for young girls, not | | | | the last one being in 1994.In the years |
| to mention the insane expectations boys would | | | | following her first appearance in 1959, |
| have of finding someone who actually looked | | | | Barbie has always kept up with the times and |
| like that. To make matters worse, after | | | | Mattel has always tried to make her |
| Barbie was made, a boyfriend was then made | | | | accessories as complete as possible, even |
| for her. His name was Ken, named after | | | | giving her pets which included 21 dogs, 12 |
| Ruth's son, and was equally unrealistic as | | | | horses, 3 ponies, 6 cats, a parrot, a |
| far as looks, though maybe not as bad as | | | | chimpanzee, a panda, a lion cub, a giraffe |
| Barbie.Needless to say, the doll was an | | | | and a zebra.Barbie's figure may have not been |
| immediate hit. The first Barbie dolls were | | | | real, but no doll in history was ever more |
| pretty stiff but in 1965 Barbie finally got | | | | completely thought out. Barbie has been an |
| legs that could bend. Again, she could bend | | | | inspiration to young girls now for over 40 |
| in ways that no real person could hope to do. | | | | years and her popularity doesn't seem to be |
| This only added more fuel to the sexuality | | | | anywhere near fizzling out. |