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Have you ever wondered how Barbie was created or how old she is? Today's post will answer some FAQs about Barbie!
I've been super interested lately to look more into the history of the Barbie doll because of Greta Gerwig's new Barbie movie, releasing this summer!
When I was younger, I wasn't so much into Barbies as I was into other toys, but as an adult, I really like looking at all of the different Barbies. It's cool to see all the different aesthetics each Barbie had. I can see how they would be so fun to dress up and use your imagination as a kid.
It's also cool because there are so many Barbies from different iconic eras such as the 60s, the 80s, the 00s, etc. For example, if you Google "bridal Barbie" you can see how Barbie's style changes with the times.
As someone who loves a good retro Barbie moment, I could definitely see how it would be fun to collect vintage Barbies!
Today we'll answer some frequently asked questions about Barbie and talk a little bit more about how old Barbie really is.
The first Barbie doll was released on March 9, 1959 at the American International Toy Fair in NYC. Barbie's creator Ruth Handler noticed her daughter would play with paper dolls and give them adult jobs. At the time, most American toy dolls were infants (baby dolls) so she realized an adult doll might become popular amongst kids.
Initially, the idea was not exciting to her husband Elliot who was a co-founder of Mattel at the time. They took a trip to Europe and Ruth noticed the children there played with a doll named Bild Lilli. It was an adult doll modeled after a popular comic strip character. The doll was originally not marketed to children, but kids loved to dress her up in different outfits.
She took the idea back to the United States and created a doll named Barbie after Ruth's daughter Barbara. Fun fact: the original Barbie was available in both blonde and brunette!
Initially Barbie was marketed as being 19 years old from Willows, Wisconsin. Over the years her reported age has fluctuated as she is seen in various different careers.
Barbie's official birthday is March 9, 1959 even though she was 19 years old when she was born! If you consider Barbie to have been 0 years old when she was born, she would be 64 as of March 9, 2023. If you consider the fact that she was born at age 19, Barbie would be 83 years old as of March 9, 2023.
The original Barbie came in a black and white striped bathing suit with a chic ponytail and bangs. She had on gold hoops and a side-eye expression that was eventually changed to the straight-on stare of modern Barbies.
If you come across a mint-condition 1959 Barbie doll, it could be worth around $28,000 today.
There are technically more expensive Barbies, but collectors still consider the original Barbies highly valuable.
Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts.
Officially, Barbie is not married and does not have children. Different bridal Barbies have been released, but Barbie herself has never technically been married.
Barbie has had over 200 careers according to Mattel.
Greta Gerwig's Barbie movie featuring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling is set to be released on July 21, 2023.
Margot Robbie's birthday is July 2, 1990, which makes her 32 years old as of early 2023. She will turn 33 on July 2, 2023. That makes her approximately 31 years younger than the date of Barbie's first release but 13 years older than Barbie's estimated age.
The storyline of Greta Gerwig's Barbie movie has been kept hush hush, but we do know the movie is about a Barbie who gets kicked out of Barbieland due to her "imperfections".
Here are some of the cutest retro Barbie products I found on Amazon:
"It was the same as when I was a child. I wanted my grandchildren to enjoy it and they did. Shared memories."
"I would recommend this to anyone who loved Barbie as a child and to those who just want to feel nostalgic."
"This is such a lovely item to add to a Barbie collection. I have her next to my 1985 reproduction Day-to-Night Barbie doll. Really well done, I love it!"
"These Malibu Barbie skates are a dream! The color is like strawberry or raspberry sorbet!"
Are you excited to see the new Barbie movie? I can't wait I think it's going to be great!
Did you learn anything new about Barbie from this post? I was surprised that Barbie is a Pisces!
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