Barbie Is A Bonafide Style Icon — Here's How Her Look Has Evolved Over Six Decades

1 year ago 7

It's Barbie's fashion world, and we're all LIVING in it.

Now that Barbie is finally in theaters, all eyes are on the iconic doll. Her origins as a fashion doll are just one part of the doll's iconic legacy — but it is one major part.

Margot Robbie as Barbie

Over six decades, Barbie has served look after look from casual to career wear to high fashion, inspiring generations of fashion lovers to explore what their own closets have to offer. Here are some of Barbie's best looks and milestones as a doll:

1. The first ever Barbie wore a black-and-white striped one-piece bathing suit, with her hair pulled back into a bouncy ponytail. She's heavy on the eyeliner, topped with baby blue eyeshadow and paired with a tiny red pout and gold hoop earrings.

first Barbie doll , introduced in 1959 , on display at special exhibition in 2021

2. Swimwear was a big part of Barbie's wardrobe going into the '60s.

Barbie dolls are displayed prior to the auction service of 318 batches of Barbie dolls dated from 1960's to 1990's in Pau, Southwestern France

3. The bubble cut and shorter hairdos were more popular than the long hair often associated with the doll today.

Professor of Chemistry Jens Pesch looks at a historical Barbie doll from 1962 at the toy museum in Nuremberg, Germany, 24 February 2017

4. Babydoll looks were having a fashion moment, and Barbie's closet followed suit, with different nightwear options being introduced over the years.

Barbie Doll In Nightgown In 1963

5. As Barbies started getting Kens, more couples looks started to come about, like this mid-'60s formal look.

Barbie and Ken, in formal wear, stand together in front of a toy closet, December 15, 1964

6. As more women entered the workforce, Barbie started exploring her career options, managing to make an astronaut helmet look like an enviable fashion accessory.

A Barbie doll created in 1965 (Model, Miss Astronaut), is displayed during the exhibition "Barbie retro chic" at the "Musee de la poupee" on February 13, 2014, in Paris, France

7. Barbie started to interact with more than fashion, bringing forth some more casual looks that allowed accessories to shine more.

A Busy Barbie Doll as selected by Amby Long, December 1, 1973

8. And here's a look at more Barbie dolls and their looks from the late 1960s. 1968 also marked the introduction of one of Mattel's first Black dolls, Christie.

Barbie doll models from the 1960's, including an example of black Barbie, one of which was issued with every new set

9. As Barbie entered the '80s, the looks started to reflect the more colorful embellishments and patterns of the decade.

Barbie doll, by Mattel, 1980s. Plastic doll, white skinned, with shoulder-length blonde hair, in long skirt of hearts pattern, and red sleeveless top and white tulle stole with hearts

10. Barbie also started getting attention from actual fashion houses, with doll-sized designer looks being presented, like this Christian Dior evening-wear look with elbow-length gloves that match the gown.

Barbie doll from the collection of Barbie aficionado Billy Boy wears an outfit designed by Christian Dior

11. Jean Paul Gaultier designed these Barbie and Ken looks.

Barbie and Ken dolls from the collection of Barbie aficionado Billy Boy wear outfits designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier

12. And YSL explored all kinds of international fashion trends with their Barbie designs.

Barbie dolls from the collection of Barbie aficionado Billy Boy wear outfits designed by Yves Saint Laurent

13. And what would a designer doll collection be without a contribution from Bob Mackie?

Bob Makie designer Barbies

14. But for every chic look, there have also been some dated ones, like the overdone purple eyeshadow and teased hair of this '80s offering.

Hot Rockin' Fun Barbie &amp; Rockers range, 26th March 1988

15. Designer Kitty Black Perkins actually designed the first-ever Black Barbie doll in 1979 — she was eventually responsible for over 100 designs a year as a chief designer for Mattel and received several awards for her work before retiring in 2002.

16. And the first releases of Black and Latina dolls officially called "Barbie" came in the early 1980s.

Black hair Hispanic Barbie 1980 Mattel female Barbie fashion doll

17. The '90s brought us even more bright looks, like the rollerblading Barbie and Ken that was, of course, recreated for the Barbie movie.

Roller Blade Barbie and Ken 1990

18. One staple of '90s Barbies was really taking the focus on pink (particularly hot pink) to the next level, like with this ski look.

Ski Barbie 1991

19. The earrings got bigger, and the hair got longer. And how '90s is the crimp?

Totally Hair Barbie 1992

20. In 1992, we got our first presidential Barbie, with a fun patriotic look paired with a more business-y, debate-ready style.

1992 inaugural Presidential Barbie

21. Pop culture started seeping more into Barbie's world, too, like with Baywatch Barbie.

Julie Gillan with Baywatch Barbie and her trendy rescue outfit with whistle, at 1995 British International Toy &amp; Hobby Fair at Olympia, London

22. Barbie's friends and family were also getting lots of fashion options in the '90s.

A dentist Barbie doll is displayed 10 February in New York during the first day of the International Toy Center annual fair

23. Barbie closed out the '90s with puffy bangs and long, straight bleached blonde locks and lots of pink and gold. She also got her first computer, which connected to your computer and could get her to talk!

Computer Barbie 1997

24. The 40th anniversary of Barbie in 1999 brought out plenty of tributes, including from leading figures in art and fashion — like Michiko Koshino, Escada, Alexander McQueen, and Stella McCartney.

Barbie dolls dressed by leading figures of the art and fashion world to celebrate Barbie's 40th anniversary year

25. The new millennium saw a more sparkly look to Barbie — with more demure makeup and more streamlined fashion choices.

Mattel Barbie Celebration 2000

26. Barbie also began to branch out more than ever in the '00s with variations that explored different themes, like Nutcracker Barbie in a classic storybook costume.

Mattel's World of Barbie in the Nutcracker doll 2021 holiday season

27. In the new millennium, Barbie took some more steps toward being more inclusive, like with a Barbie who taught ASL.

Sign Language Barbie, currently available exclusively at Toys "R" Us stores

28. Fans were also getting more of a say in everything from Barbie's fashion to her career choices.

Barbie doll's 125th "career", a news anchor, in the Mattel display at the annual Toy Fair, February 14, 2010

29. In 2015, Barbie introduced three new body types in response to long-standing criticisms that Barbie's body was not representative of many women. Curvy, tall, and petite dolls, as well as dolls that represented different hair textures, gave Barbie more in common with fans around the globe.

Barbie doll prototypes are displayed at a workshop in the Mattel design center as the iconic doll turns 60, in El Segundo, on December 7, 2018

30. That was expanded upon even more in 2019, when Barbie introduced two fashion dolls with permanent physical disabilities: one wheelchair user and one with a prosthetic leg.

31. In 2022, Mattel's fashionistas line introduced a doll with vitiligo and a doll who wears hearing aids — and then earlier this year, a Barbie with Down syndrome was introduced as well.

In fact, actor and advocate Sofia Sanchez rocked her floral style at the Barbie movie premiere.

Closeup of Sofia Sanchez

32. Today, Barbie's style continues to inspire kids and creatives alike.

Barbie dolls are displayed during the exhibition "Barbie, life of an icon" at the Museum of Decorative Arts

And with the Barbie movie finally here and getting so much love across pop culture, there's a good chance we'll see so much more fashion and lifestyle from Barbie's world to come.

Barbie dolls are seen at the toy shop in Krakow, Poland on July 17, 2023

What's your favorite Barbie fashion moment? Sound off in the comments!

Read Entire Article