Barbie Workin' Out Doll (1996)

Product Information

In 1961, Barbie became a registered nurse and a stewardess for American Airlines. She also got a boyfriend. A blonde or brunette Ken, a doll named after Handler's son, came with a closet full of clothes. His hair was originally molded and glued on, but designers switched to painted-on plastic after the hair came off too easily. When the American Bicentennial Time Capsule was buried in 1976, Barbie and Ken were put inside. 1976 also saw the release of the first Hawaiian Barbie. Pictured here is a newer Hawaiian Barbie. Mattel gave Barbie another famous friend in 1978 when they made a Cheryl Ladd doll in honor of “Charlie's Angels.” Barbie's fashion sense in the late ‘70s featured floral prints and jumpsuits. Though some say Barbie is a career-oriented feminist, the doll's body size has always been a source of controversy. If she was real, Barbie's original waist would have measured an impossibly small 18 inches. While her midsection expanded and her chest shrank a couple of times over the decades, it wasn't until 2016 that Mattel introduced figures other than the original version. The Fashionista line now features numerous body types, skin tones, and hairstyles. In the fall of 2019, Barbies with prosthetic limbs and wheelchairs hit the market. In 2020, Mattel released a new line of Barbie Extra dolls that showcases a wide variety of personalities and styles.

Barbie Rewind 80s Edition Workin’ Out Doll (11.5-in Brunette

In 1974, Mattel released a promotional Barbie to celebrate the doll's 16th birthday. Part of Times Square in New York City was renamed Barbie Boulevard for a week to mark the occasion. Barbie also became Miss America that year. The 1992 version of Teen Talk Barbie voiced her disdain for arithmetic when she said, “math class is tough.” The American Association of University Women didn't like the message this sent to young girls. Mattel didn't recall the doll, but parents could switch their doll for one that wouldn't say the phrase. Mattel's president at the time, Jill E. Barad, admitted to the error. "In hindsight, the phrase 'math class is tough,' while correct for many students both male and female, should not have been included,” said Barad. Totally Hair Barbie hit stores the same year, becoming the best selling Barbie of all time. She was re-released in 2017. Malibu Barbie hit stores in 1971. This new version was tan with Barbie's iconic, long blonde hair. Instead of pursed lips, she showed off a white grin and started looking straight forward instead of to the side. Barbie was very active in the late ‘90s. She entered the male-dominated sports of Major League Baseball and NASCAR. Plus, she joined a soccer team. A version of Barbie also got a body makeover. The Really Rad Barbie came with flat feet and a bigger waist but smaller hips and breasts. Mattel partnered with CureSearch for Children's Cancer to provide young cancer patients with Ella, a bald doll, to help them during chemotherapy treatments. Melissa Bumstead, whose daughter had leukemia, successfully petitioned the toy company to make more of the dolls after they were a hit with her daughter.

Two years after cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space, Miss Astronaut Barbie hit the market. She dressed in a metallic space suit with zipper boots. 1965 also marked the controversial release of “Slumber Party Barbie,” whose accessories included a diet book with tips like “don't eat” and a scale set to 110 pounds. The toy maker excluded the scale the following year, but kept the book. Jane Fonda released her first exercise home video in 1982. Mattel followed the workout craze two years later with Great Shape Barbie. She was an aerobics instructor who donned a sweatband, full-body leotard, and leg warmers. Commercials claimed that working out kept Barbie looking great for a date.

Working Out Barbie - Etsy UK Working Out Barbie - Etsy UK

Skipper, Barbie's sister, went to ballet class and ice skated. Designers also gave “Miss Barbie” bendable legs, molded hair with wig options, and eyes that could open and shut. Miss Barbie wasn't a huge hit at the time, but collectible versions can now sell for hundreds of dollars. Navy Barbie, who was a petty officer first class and quartermaster, was dressed in a replica of a U.S. Navy women's uniform. When she wasn't on the ship, she spent time as a music video star or as an Air Force pilot. In 2003, religious police in Saudi Arabia claimed Barbie was immoral. "Jewish Barbie dolls, with their revealing clothes and shameful postures, accessories, and tools are a symbol of decadence to the perverted West. Let us beware of her dangers and be careful," said the Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. The claim didn't hurt sales a bit: Barbie had already been banned in Saudi Arabia for a decade.

As part of The Career Collection, Barbie got her police badge in 1993. The limited-edition doll came with a uniform and hat, but Barbie also had a white and gold dress to change into after work. She also became a U.S. Army medic. Not only did Barbie run for president in 2008, but she also started coaching soccer and swimming in her spare time. She also took her professional cooking skills—which she learned the year before—and became a TV chef. Barbie's breasts got bigger in 1972. That same year, sales of the doll declined for the first time since they came to market. Barbie's unrealistic figure was not a hit with second-wave feminists. “The movement against her began during the women's movement,” said Andrea Nevins, director of “Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie.” The same year Barbie became a Mars explorer, Barbie Café—licensed by Mattel—opened in Taipei, Taiwan. The company said it hoped the restaurant would show off the fashion behind the Barbie brand. The restaurant has since closed. A Barbie-themed restaurant opened in China in 2009 and closed two years later. In 1983, the first Spanish Barbie was released. Mattel had previously made an Eskimo, Scottish, Italian, and Indian doll. The Dolls of the World collection continued to expand to other countries across the globe.