America’s Plastic Fashion Model Turns 50

Monday 23rd of February 2009 11:32:20 PM

America’s Plastic Fashion Model Turns 50

On March 9, the fashion icon Barbie doll turns fifty years old in the United States. Barbie may have made her initial appearance in the US, but she has a name recognized around the world and has had an enormous influence on millions of little girls seeking their own personalised fashion sense. Barbie began wearing only high couture fashion, but over the years her wardrobe grew to include everything from evening gowns to plain t-shirts. Barbie doll fashions over the years have ranged from a sequinned black slinky evening gown to jeans and a t-shirt for a Saturday outing.

The Golden Anniversary Barbie doll is predictably elegant and wears a strapless gown made from gold coloured fabric. Barbie was actually based on a German doll that was called Lilli and has become a literal multi-billion dollar industry. The Barbie doll has been so popular because she inspired little girls to seek employment futures in every industry. In other words, Barbie became a role model doll that taught girls they could be anything they wanted to be from astronaut to business woman. Barbie has been a UNICEF ambassador, a member of the military, and a housewife.

The one thing you could count on though with the Barbie doll is that she would always tackle every job dressed fashionably. With her matching accessories and perfectly coiffed hair style, Barbie could handle anything anyone wanted her to try with style. Barbie was also one of the first fashion dolls to also inspire little girls of various ethnic and cultural backgrounds. There is an African American Barbie and a Hispanic Barbie. Though Barbie sales began to decline when the Bratz dolls appeared on the scene, she is still a fashion icon and sales still are numbered in the billions.

(c ) Image by leo cinezi, www.sxc.hu/