Because it was 1981, and fashion was in transition from the 70’s, this Ken had a really awesome curly afro that was impossible to comb. Not to be confused with Brad, Christie’s boyfriend who debuted in 1969, this black Ken doll is awesome because between 19, Christie had to just kinda chill by herself while Barbie went through a variety of Ken companions. Why she’s fun to play with: The pink satin dress, and the bling on the finger, around the neck and in the ears just gave little girls room to fantasize about the day when they’d be able to be the same – all glam. She represented glamour, glamour, glamour – and what little girl DOESN’T want to grow up and be glamorous? She was Kimora Lee Simmons before Kimora existed, and the boa-esque thing she wrapped around her shoulders was the icing on the cake. Now working 9-5 is cool and all, but Superstar Barbie was the bomb because when you played with her, you imagined you were one of the Supremes or Christie Brinkley or Brooke Shields.
Photo Credit: Flickr, retrozuk (Olli)’s 6. Why she’s fun to play with: This doll is fun because she leveled the beauty playing field with her white counterpart, showing the world that black is beautiful too.
And, this doll was an example of how little black girls could aspire to the same dreams as their white counterparts. While her features are very similar (if not identical) to the white Barbie being manufactured at the time (she’s the white Barbie with tinted skin), this is clearly a very important step in the Barbie line. In 1968 Mattel introduced Christie, Barbie’s black friend. Okay, this Barbie is a clear example of Barbie expanding her horizons. Christie – Barbie’s first Black friend – 1968 What’s not to love? Photo Credit: Flickr, Gebrüder Grims Schlaraffenland*’s 7. Why she’s fun to play with: She winks! Seriously – she has a button on her back, and when you press it, she winks. Cowgirl boots and cowgirl hat – totally awesome. Western Barbie, and her companion, Dallas, gave us a glimpse into life on a ranch. So when this Barbie came on the scene, I was really into it. Personally, I was a Dolly Parton fan for years before this Barbie came on the scene, and Dolly had introduced me to country-western culture. This doll showed us that being a Supermodel wasn’t the only cool job to have – working in an office could be cool too. Why she’s fun to play with: This Barbie planted a very important seed in the minds of little girls – the career seed. And of course, the hair comes down in the evening too. You wear the suit coat and the hair up in a bun during the day, and for the evening, whip off that coat to reveal a sleeveless, sequined shirt that helps you bring out your inner-sexy. The cool thing about this Barbie is she showed little girls and women that the transition from job to “partay” time is easy. She can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan, and never, ever let Ken forget he’s a man. What are those eyes telling us? Look out world, because I’m a skinny, bad-ass model and you can’t tell me nuthin’! Why she’s fun to play with: Quite simply, as a little girl, you can play with this doll and imagine the day that your mom and dad won’t go bezerk at the idea of you wearing read nail polish. Teeny-tiny waist, a great swimsuit, and those eyes.
Let’s be real – you can’t even TALK about Barbie without discussing the O.G.
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