A photo journey through her wide-ranging careers.
On July 21, the premiere of the brand new Barbie movie, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, promises to be the cinematic event of the summer. (No offense to the Oppenheimer crowd.) And in true Barbie fashion, everyone’s favorite doll is making this unexpected 2023 comeback look utterly effortless — after all, Barbie can do anything without breaking a sweat (or a nail, or a heel).
Since 1959, Barbie has occupied a special place in our toy chests, in part because (move over, Madonna), she’s the queen of reinvention, having dabbled in almost every job and lived nearly every identity on the planet. Any child who’s played with the famous doll has likely enjoyed making the glamazon play-act her endless occupations (which are always accompanied by piles of fun new accessories). To celebrate Barbie’s unbelievable knack for adapting to the times, we went all the way back to her origins as a beach-ready teen fashion model, to celebrate her long life in photos. Plus, we delve into her relationships — she and Ken go way back — and her impeccable, cutting-edge style.
Barbie Through the Years
1959: Teenage Fashion Model Barbie
Here she is, the one and only original “Teenage Fashion Model Barbie.” Launched in 1959, this Barbie was revolutionary in part because she had real, “grown up” style. Famously, most dolls at the time were modeled after babies or children. Barbie, on the other hand, showed young girls a mature vision of what the future could hold.
1960: Fashion Designer Barbie
It should be no surprise that Barbie got to work on her famously bountiful career journey immediately upon entering the world — and it’s equally unsurprising that she started her rich, diverse fashion design journey a full 63 years ago. (This Barbie’s even holding a portfolio full of design sketches.)
1961: Barbie and Ken
Born on March 11, 1961 (he’s a Pisces?!) Ken quickly became Barbie’s constant companion. And since he’s known for relaxing in the background while Barbie changes the world, it’s only fitting that he was designed ready to hit the beach. Notice that this early Ken has felt hair, which was known for rubbing off into unsightly bald spots.
1962: Barbie Red Flare
The gloves. The pocket book. The fiery red heels. The pillbox hat. Could anyone pull off that very early 60’s style better than Barbie? Maybe Jackie O, who was reportedly the inspiration for this doll.
1962: Tennis Player Barbie
Ever the athlete, Barbie embraced all things sports pretty early on. But no matter how much she exercises, her pageboy haircut still looks impeccable.
1963: Career Girl Barbie
As always, Barbie walked so that we could fly: She was a full fledged career girl back when that role required a full-length black glove. As you answer emails from home while dressed in athleisure, be grateful that you, unlike this Barbie, don’t have to arrive at the office in a massive flower-topped hat each morning.
1963: College Graduate Barbie
When she wasn’t winning Wimbledon or hitting the streets dressed like an early Mary Tyler Moore, Barbie was earning her college degree. We love that she modeled scholastic success for girls back when entering academics and prioritizing professional goals was a definite challenge for many women.
1965: Astronaut Barbie
How quickly we forget that the first man on the moon was actually… a Barbie. A full four years before that “one giant leap for mankind,” she was fully intergalactic, complete with a silver jumpsuit. And though we treasure the way that Barbie led the space race, we also happen to envy her gorgeous astronaut boots.
1966: Barbie Color Magic
Around the mid-60s, ever-adaptable Barbie eased into more youthful, casual looks. And yes, you could change this Barbie’s hair color, which was a helpful feature for those of us who were just itching to give this girl a new ‘do (R.I.P. to the vintage Barbies whose hair we ruined with scissors).
1969: Christie
First released in 1968, Barbie’s bestie, Christie, was one of the first Black Barbies. Created as one of Barbie’s main squad members, Christie first hit the scene in a very hip, mod-inspired bathing suit that came in poppy 60s colors.
1973: Quick Curl Barbie
As Barbie entered the 1970s, she quickly proved that she could pull off prairie style maxi dresses like nobody’s business. And we love seeing Barbie depart from her traditionally straight hair to a slightly bouncier style, made possible because this Barbie’s hair contained thin wires allowing it to hold a curl.
1976: Ballerina Barbie
If you were one of those little girls who was hellbent on becoming a ballerina, you may have been obsessed with this elegant dancer Barbie who — as always — somehow made high-stakes competitive sports look easy.
1979: Barbie and Ken
In the 70s, Barbie and Ken hit the beach in perfectly coordinated aquamarine and purple outfits. Ken’s hair here is a firm plastic, in contrast to Barbie’s perfectly fluffy locks.
1981: Roller Skater Barbie
The beauty of Barbie is that she can do everything — and we can’t forget that she plays as hard as she works, devoting plenty of time to relaxing and having fun. This early 80s rollerskating Barbie looks like she’s just hanging out after class, and is maybe on her way over to Burger King for a combo meal.
1984: Barbie and Ken
The 80s were a time of extravagant style, and Barbie was sure to join in on the trend; we love this unapologetically show-stopping dress that looks like a neon flower exploding her near shoulder. While Ken is far more subdued here, his relatively simple vibe just makes Barbie stand out more (though we love that he made an effort to match his cummerbund to her dress).
1985: Day to Night Barbie
If you’ve spent any time reading women’s magazines, you’re familiar with the elusive “day-to-night” look that’s mentioned almost constantly (and will allegedly last from your first meeting of the day until past happy hour). We’re not shocked that Barbie has mastered the day-to-night lifestyle so thoroughly — though we are a little envious of her ability to effortlessly transition from the board room to the dance floor.
1986: Astronaut Barbie
When she wasn’t busy with full-on CEO duties, Barbie spent the mid-80s updating her space gear. Her bright pink astronaut suit featured voluminous balloon sleeves, silver accents, and some seriously outstanding boots.
1990s: Barbie and Ken
As the 80s melded into the early 90s, Ken and Barbie stepped out in…understated pink and purple outfits accessorized by gigantic hair. Shout out to Ken’s personalized belt featuring his own name (helpful, just in case he forgets).
1990 Barbie Magical Mansion
No, this isn’t a Barbie outfit, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention one of her gorgeous homes. Throughout the years, Barbie has occupied a series of cottages, mansions, and “dream houses.” This utterly dreamy 1990 dollhouse is a cute reminder that Barbie enjoys her time at a home just as much as the rest of us (though her house notably lacks a toilet, an awkwardly full dishwasher, and a laundry pile).
1991 Air Force Pilot Barbie
In the early 90s, Barbie cut her hair and donned a uniform (and dashing pearl earrings) to make a splash in the armed forces. Her air force pilot career arc was inspiring to girls who wanted to see Barbie take to the skies.
1992: Rapper Barbie
Here, Barbie celebrated the early years of 90’s rap with her own career in the music business. Admittedly, however, we’re not sure if any of her hip hop songs really got much traction with audiences.
1994: Native American Barbie
Throughout the years, Barbie embraced the diversity of her fanbase by celebrating different cultures. However, special edition dolls like this traditional Native American doll weren’t friends of Barbie — they were Barbie.
1998: Major League Baseball Barbie
We can’t forget that while Barbie is a star, she’s also a team player. In the late 90s, she embarked on a major league baseball career and was recruited to play for the Dodgers, the Cubs, and the Yankees. We’re not sure how she managed the grueling practice and playoff schedules, but we’re certain she made it to the World Series.
2004: Presidential Candidate Barbie
To be clear, Barbie has been running for president every year since 1992. But during her run in 2004, she also broke up with Ken (on Valentine’s Day, no less). Coincidence? We think not — she probably cut Ken loose because she needed to focus on her campaign.
2005: Producer Barbie
Though she’s known for her “main character” energy, Barbie isn’t opposed to working behind the scenes. As a movie producer, she dyed her hair red and lurked around in the shadows, wheeling and dealing. It’s not totally clear why she had to look so suspiciously like a double agent for this particular look, but there’s no denying that her outfit is killer.
2008: TV Chef Barbie
As Top Chef and other TV cooking shows started to dominate the airwaves, Barbie decided to fire up her range and get chopping. And this Barbie TV chef might be in the running for “Barbie with the best accessories”: Not only does she have a full kitchen, she also comes with ample camera equipment. And we love that Barbie chose pigtails for her cooking show debut — she looks professional yet relatable, like a Rachael Ray with 40% less clothing.
2010: Computer Engineer Barbie
Talk about women in tech: At the turn of the 2010s, Barbie adapted to our swiftly changing technological landscape. Armed with a laptop, Bluetooth ear piece, and conspicuously large watch, she quickly jumped headfirst into the STEM world. We love that she jazzed up her subdued look with glitter leggings and a top emblazoned with a string of binary code.
2011: Barbie and Ken
After seven years apart, Barbie and Ken finally reconciled in 2011. Plus, Ken received a makeover to usher him into the sharper men’s fashion of the 2010s.
2019: Barbie Fashionistas with Wheelchair
The Barbie Fashionistas line delved even more deeply into diversity by introducing dozens of new styles, complete with varied complexions, hair textures, body types, and other physical differences. There’s Down Syndrome Barbie, taller Barbies, curvier Barbies, petite Barbies and more. This one comes with a wheelchair and — of course — a hot pink ramp.
2022: Barbie x Habitat for Humanity
Ever-devoted to public service, Barbie was hard at work last year volunteering with Habitat for Humanity We love that Barbie models working to help others — plus, her pink hard hat is undeniably fab.
2023: Barbie The Movie Doll Pink Western Outfit
Finally, there’s the reason we’re all here at the moment: Barbie’s latest celeb doll depicts Margot Robbie in her role as Barbie in the forthcoming movie. Check out the trailer here and be sure to reserve your tickets now — the movie premieres on July 21st.
