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The ultimate fashion icon, Barbie, turns 60 today but she doesn’t look a day over 25! Barbie (full name Barbie Millicent Roberts) was created by Ruth Handler and named after Ruth’s daughter, Barbara. She made her debut at the New York Toy Fair on March 9, 1959 and each doll sold for just three dollars. Today, over 100 dolls are sold every minute.
I was always more of a collector when it came to dolls. My favorite was a Britney Spears doll in the red outfit from “Oops… I Did It Again” music video—can you tell I’m a ‘90s kid? I much preferred picking out outfits rather than play house. Not much has changed! 😉
That’s why I’m eager to get my hands on a copy of the new book Dressing Barbie, which releases March 12 and features more than 100 of the best Barbie outfits created by fashion designer Carol Spencer during her time working with the brand. There are mod ‘60s dresses and looks from the ‘90s, plus never-before-seen images from Spencer’s private archive.
Barbie is celebrating the big 6-0 with cute anniversary t-shirts and new dolls that honor more than 20 women in diverse career fields. There’s also a 60th Anniversary Doll with a sparkling ball gown to celebrate Barbie’s diamond anniversary. However, the new doll I’m most excited about is Barbie Proudly Pink, a doll with a retro outfit entirely in her signature color, with the same ponytail as the original doll—only it’s also pink!
Barbie’s Newest Career
An innovator, entrepreneur and glass ceiling smasher, Barbie headed to space four years before the first man walked on the moon. She also ran for president in the ‘90s before a human female candidate ever made it onto the ballot.
“Barbie always represented the fact that a woman has choices,” Handler said of the doll’s impact.
Barbie has had over 200 careers, ranging from ballerina to beekeeper to pop star. Her latest is not that glamorous, but it is really important. Earlier this year, Mattel announced a new Barbie product line with National Geographic set to release this fall. The line includes dolls and playsets for careers in which women are underrepresented, including Wildlife Conservationist, Astrophysicist, Polar Marine Biologist, Wildlife Photojournalist and Entomologist.
Here are 8 more fun facts about the world’s most popular fashion doll:
- Barbie is sold in 150 countries.
- Barbie’s TV debut was the first year she was sold, on a commercial that aired during the Mickey Mouse Club.
- Model and 1960s icon Twiggy was the first celebrity to be made into a doll.
- Barbie introduced us to her boyfriend, Ken, in 1961.
- The first black doll was introduced in 1968.
- The first designer to collaborate with Barbie on a collection was Oscar de la Renta in the 1980s.
- The Barbie DreamHouse came out in 1962 and today one is sold every two minutes.
- She has her own Instagram account @barbiestyle with 1.9m followers.
Retro Barbie Makeup
In honor of Barbie’s 60th birthday, I created this retro Barbie makeup look. I was inspired by the original doll from 1959. She had makeup that was very trendy at the time, with blue eyeshadow, bold winged liner and a classic red lip. Her hair was pulled up into a voluminous ponytail (since she was headed for the beach) and she wore chunky gold hoop earrings with her black and white one-piece swimsuit. Later, she wore pearl earrings, so that’s what I decided to go with. Mine are from Kate Spade. She also came with pointed white sunglasses, and I got a pair just like them at Charlotte Russe last year.
Eyes
I mixed the shades “Buff” and “Navy” from the Lorac Pro Palette 2 and applied it all over the lid. Then I applied the shade “Boardwalk” from the Lorac Palette Venice Beach to the inner corner and brow bone to highlight.
I then created a cat eye with Eyeko Skinny Liquid Liner. I curled my lashes and applied Dior Diorshow Maximizer 3D Triple Volume Plumping Lash Primer. I finished with BareMinerals Lash Domination Volumizing Mascara.
Face
For the face, I wanted a sheer natural blush. I applied Lorac Color Source buildable Blush in “Tinge” and Benefit Hoola Matte Bronzing Powder in “Lite”.
Lipstick
To get Barbie’s full pout, I chose Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in “Cherries in the Snow”, which was a popular shade in the 1950s and is still made today. I shared more about this shade and formula in my post on the best red lipsticks for fair skin.
Did you have Barbie dolls as a kid? Which was your favorite?
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