Everything Barbie


Barbie Fashion Model Collection: Pretty Pleats Barbie Doll
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Barbie history and trivia

We were a military family and I remember in 1964, while my daughter was in a hospital in Germany having a hand operation, I would sit for hours and hand sew clothes for my daughter's Barbie. In those days if you had a Barbie you had a doll trunk that "had" to be full of clothes. Dresses, pants, shirts, hats, and all kinds of accessories like shoes, purses and more. Since I was staying in a hotel while she was in the hospital (we lived in Turkey but the hospital was in Germany) and I had no sewing machine, I sewed by hand. I will never forget those tiny, tiny snaps I had to sew on as closures and turning those tiny slacks to get the outside out. Luckily there were lots of patterns for Barbie clothes.

Barbie was invented in 1959 by Ruth Handler (co-founder of Mattel), and named after her daughter Barbara. The doll was introduced at the American Toy Fair in New York City. She was intended to be a teenage fashion doll and there was some controversy over her figure because if she was a real person her measurements would be 36-18-38. Barbie had bendable legs in 1965. The Ken doll was named after Mrs Handler's son Ken.

Barbie Trivia:

Barbie has had more than 80 careers including a rock star, a paleontologist and a presidential candidate.

Barbie's first career was as a teenage fashion model.

Barbie went to college in 1964.

In 1992, Army Barbie was introduced as a medic Sergeant enlisted in Desert Storm.

The first Olympic athlete Barbie was introduced in 1975 and competed again in 2000.

Barbie represented an astronaut in 1965, 1986 and 1994.

In 1997 Share A Smile Becky was the first Mattel fashion doll introduced with a wheelchair.

Barbie was introduced in Europe in 1961.

Barbie is currently marketed in more than 150 nations around the world.

If you placed Barbie dolls and family members head to toe sold since 1959, they would circle the earth more than seven times.

Every second, two Barbie dolls are sold somewhere in the world.

Barbie dolls represent 45 different nationalities.

Barbie has had 43 pets including 21 dogs, 12 horses, 3 ponies, 6 cats, a parrot, a chimpanzee, a panda, a lion cub, a giraffe and a zebra.

The best selling Barbie ever was Totally Hair Barbie.

Barbie's full name is Barbie Millicent Roberts. She is from Willows, Wisconsin and went to Willows High School.

Barbie has five sisters, Skipper, Tutti, Stacie, Kelly and Krissy.

Ken, Barbie's boyfriend was introduced in 1961.

Barbie's first pet was a horse named Dancer.

Barbie's best friend is a doll named Midge.

Close to 1 billion fashions have been produced since '59 for Barbie and her friends.

More than 105 million yards of fabric have gone into making Barbie doll and her friends fashions, making Mattel one of the largest apparel manufacturers in the world.

Barbie has had more than a billion pair of shoes and over one hundred new additions to her wardrobe every year.

Barbie's signature color is pink.

The first Barbie sold for $3.00.

During the first year Barbie was introduced, 1959, they sold 351,000 dolls.

In 2000 an original 1959 Barbie in mint condition has sold for up to $10,000.

In 2000, Barbie doll was a $1.5 billion dollar-per-year industry.

Barbie did not have a belly button until 2000.

These fun facts are courtesy of Mattel, Inc. and are ©Mattel, Inc. 2000. All Rights Reserved by Mattel, Inc.