Barbie makes every girl dream big

Barbie, a fashion doll that allows a lot of girls to imagine what their lives could be like in the future. Today, March 9, is National Barbie Day 2023.

The creation of Barbie was inspired by a German doll called Lilli, which had some misogynistic attributes and a more adult appearance. Later on, the co-founder of Mattel Toy Company, Ruth Handler, came up with the idea of creating a doll that looked like a grown woman.

In 1956, Handler ran across the German doll Lilli for the first time, and she also noticed how enamored her 15-year-old daughter Barbara was.

Before the emergence of Barbie, most dolls were babies or children at that time. Handler wanted to design a type of doll that had a more mature appeal.

Over a few years of Handler’s hard work, in 1959, an 11-inch tall American doll came out, which made Handler’s debut at the American International Toy Fair. The doll was named Barbie after the name of Barbara, the daughter of Handler.

Endless people fell in love with this beautiful and wholesome Barbie doll ever since. Today, Barbie has been a great friend to many children and adults.

From doctors and models to pilots, Barbie has a ton of career choices. She has been an important part of many girls’ lives, which inspired them to think about the infinite possibilities of their future and pursue their dreams.

In 1961, Barbie’s boyfriend, Ken, was released to the public due to overwhelming demands for Handler. Two years later, Midge, Teresa, Ken and Christie became Barbie’s best friends and broadened the appeal as a family-friendly doll.

If you still own a Barbie doll, don’t hesitate to take it out and play with it. You could also take your Barbie friend on a shopping haul to buy some new clothes. Take advantage of today to share some of the childhood memories with your friend Barbie.