There’s no denying Barbie is one of the most iconic toys in the world, and she sure has come a long way since she was first introduced to the world.
Ruth Handler created Barbie in 1959 with the philosophy that little girls, through playing with the doll, could be anything they wanted to be. “Barbie always represented the fact that a woman has choices,” Handler once said.
Over the years, the Mattel doll has been been everything from an astronaut to a firefighter to a game developer, and even the president of the United States. She’s also faced her fair share of controversy; some people have questioned whether she perpetuates stereotypical gender roles and lacks racial representation, while others believe her slim body and unrealistic proportions promote an unhealthy beauty standard.
That’s not to say Barbie hasn’t evolved though. In 2015, the brand launched its very first “Shero” campaign. Through the initiative, Barbie has honored boundary-breaking women like Ava DuVernay, Naomi Osaka, Eva Chen and Ibtihaj Muhammad with their very own dolls. In 2016, Mattel went a step further and released a range of dolls with different body types, more hairstyles and seven skin tones, to better represent the world we live in.
She’s always been quite the fashion plate, acting as a mini-muse for designers like Bob Mackie, Karl Lagerfeld and Jeremy Scott at Moschino.
“Barbie has always been a reflection of current fashion and beauty trends ― from wearing mod dresses and ‘Twiggy looks’ in the ’60s to now rocking street style, athleisure and a half shaved hair look, there isn’t a trend she’s afraid to try,” Robert Best, senior design director at Barbie, told HuffPost via email.
In honor of Barbie’s 60th anniversary, we’re taking a look back at some of her most iconic fashion moments over the years. Check them out below:
1959
A photo of the original Barbie, launched in March 1959 by American businesswoman Ruth Handler.
1963
A Barbie doll from the early 1960s.
1963
Barbie as a tennis player, 1963.
1965
Astronaut Barbie first debuted in 1965. Here, the doll is seen photographed in 2014 at an exhibit in France.
1980s
Loving You Barbie, circa the 1980s.
1980s
A Barbie doll from the collection of Barbie aficionado Billy Boy wears an outfit designed by Christian Dior.
1980s
Barbie and Ken dolls from the collection of Billy Boy wear outfits designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier.
1980s
A photo of Sport Walkman Barbie from the 1980s.
1988
Hot Rockin' Fun Barbie from the late 1980s.
1989
Super Star Barbie, circa 1989.
1992
A photo of Totally Hair Barbie, released in 1992.
1997
A 1997 Diamond Dazzle Bob Mackie collector-edition Barbie on display at Christie's auction house in London, Sept. 25, 2006.
1997
A photo from the Barbie Flowers collection, released in the 1990s.
1997
Talk With Me Barbie, first released in 1997.
1997
A dentist Barbie from the late 1990s, displayed at a New York toy fair.
1997
The Share a Smile Becky Barbie doll, released in 1997.
1997
Barbie Loves Elvis dolls, circa 1997.
1990s
Portrait of Barbie dolls dressed in Auburn and Georgia Bulldogs cheerleader outfits.
1998
Mattel's WNBA Barbie doll outfitted for basketball.
1999
Mattel's Working Woman Barbie doll in a business suit with a cellphone.
1999
Bob Mackie's Fantasy Goddess of Africa doll, first released in 1999.
1999
Barbie wears a dress by Nina Ricci.
1999
A 1999 Bob Mackie Barbie doll photographed in 2006.
1999
The Sign Language Barbie, which was released in 1999.
2000
Jewel Girl Barbie, with her more realistic bending and twisting waist, was released in 2000.
2000
Barbie dolls for the Olympics are displayed by Mattel at the American International Toy Fair in New York, Feb. 14, 2000.
2000
The 2000 President Barbie, released in 2000, had a very Hillary Clinton-esque hairdo.
2000
Mattel's 2000 Celebration Barbie, the first collectible doll of the new millennium.
2000s
Star Skater Barbie, circa 2000s.
2000s
Barbie Loves SpongeBob SquarePants doll, circa the 2000s.
2001
A Barbie doll done as Britney Spears when she attended the MTV awards in 2001.
2002
Mattel debuted the Mystery Squad figures at the International Toy Fair in New York, Feb. 10, 2002.
2002
Mattel debuts the All That Glitters Barbie at the International Toy Fair in New York, Feb. 10, 2002.
2002
The Gone Platinum Barbie, seen at at the International Toy Fair in New York, Feb. 10, 2002.
2003
Cindy Crawford Barbie, which debuted in 2003, wears a dress by Roberto Cavalli.
Former NBA guard Darius Morris has died at the age of 33. He played for five teams during his four NBA seasons. Morris played college basketball at Michigan.
Affluent Americans may want to double-check how much of their bank deposits are protected by government-backed insurance. The rules governing trust accounts just changed.
It’s key to note that we’re not saying the “best team” or “best roster.” Instead, we’re talking about the best confluence of factors that can outline a path for survival and then success.
Jake Mintz & Jordan Shusterman discuss the Padres-Marlins trade that sent Luis Arraez to San Diego, as well as recap all the action from this weekend in baseball and send birthday wishes to hall-of-famer Willie Mays.
Miami Heat president Pat Riley rebuked comments Jimmy Butler made about the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks, while also implying that his star needs to play more.
An annual government report offered a glimmer of good news for Social Security and a jolt of good news for Medicare even as both programs continue to be on pace to run dry next decade.
Once named the “Most Likable Person in the World,” the actor is under fire in a new report, accused of showing up to work late on the film “Red One,” irritating the crew and causing the budget to balloon.
