User blog:Graysky300/Barbie-Little girl's inspiration

About 54 years ago, Ruth hadler  watched her daughter Barbara at play with paper dolls, and noticed that she often enjoyed giving them adult roles. At the time, most children's toy dolls were representations of infants. Realizing that there could be a gap in the market, Handler suggested the idea of an adult-bodied doll to her husband Elliot, a co-founder of the Mattel, Inc. toy company. He was unenthusiastic about the idea, as were Mattel's directors.

During a trip to Europe in 1956 with her children Barbara and Kenneth, Ruth Handler came across German toy doll called Bild Lilli. The adult-figured Lilli doll was exactly what Handler had in mind, so she purchased three of them. She gave one to her daughter and took the others back to Mattel. The Lilli doll was based on a popular character appearing in a Comic strip drawn by Reinhard Beuthin for the newspaper Die Bild-Zeitung. Lilli was a working girl who knew what she wanted and was not above using men to get it. The Lilli doll was first sold in Germany in 1955, and although it was initially sold to adults, it became popular with children who enjoyed dressing her up in outfits that were available separately. Upon her return to the United States, Handler reworked the design of the doll (with help from engineer Jack Ryan (designer)) and the doll was given a new name, Barbie, after Handler's daughter Barbara. The doll made its debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York on March 9, 1959. This date is also used as Barbie's official Birthday.

Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts. In a series of novels published by Random House in the 1960s, her parents' names are given as George and Margaret Roberts from the fictional town of Willows, Wisconsin. Barbie has been said to attend Willows High School and Manhattan International High School in New York, based on the real-life Stuyvesant High School. She has an on-off romantic relationship with her beau Ken (toy doll) (Ken Carson), who first appeared in 1961. Like Barbie, Ken shares his name with one of Ruth Handler's children. A News release from Mattel in February 2004 announced that Barbie and Ken had decided to split up, but in February 2006 they were back together again.

Barbie has had over forty Pets including Cats and Dogs, Horses, a Panda, a Lion cub, and a Zebra. She has owned a wide range of vehicles, including pink Convertibles, trailers and Jeeps. She also holds a pilot's license, and operates commercial airliners in addition to serving as a Flight attendant. Barbie's careers are designed to show that women can take on a variety of roles in life, and the doll has been sold with a wide range of titles including Miss Astronaut Barbie (1965), Doctor Barbie (1988) and Nascar Barbie (1998).

Barbie's careers

Aerobics instructor (1984, I can be... Gymnastics Coach 2009)

Art teacher (2002)

Dance teacher

Elementary teacher (1985, 1992, 1995, 1996, 2006)

Sign language teacher (1999)

Spanish language teacher (2001)

Student teacher (1965)

Swim teacher (2005, I can be... Swim Teacher 2008)

Model Instructor

Dentist

Doctor (1988, Pediatrician 1994, I can be... Baby Doctor 2008)

Nurse (1961)

Surgeon (1973)

Veterinarian (I can be... Zoo Doctor 2008, I can be... Pet Vet 2009)

Paratrooper (2000)

United States Army officer (1989, Desert Storm 1992)

United States Air Force jet pilot (1990)

United States Air Force Thunderbirds (1993)

United States Marine Corps officer (1991)

United States Navy officer (1991)

Ambassador for world peace (1986)

United States President (2000)

Presidential candidate (Barbie for President 1992, 2004,2008)

UNICEF Summit diplomat (1990)

Firefighter (1995)

Life guard (Baywatch 1994)

Police officer (1993)

Canadian Mountie (2005) (available only in Canada)

Astronaut (1965, 1985, 25th Apollo 1994)

Computer Engineer (I can be... Computer Engineer 2010)

Paleontologist (1997)

Flight Attendant (American Airlines 1973-75, Flight Time 1989)

NASCAR driver (1998, I can be... Race Car Driver 2009)

Pilot (1990)

Stewardess (American Airlines 1961-64, Pan Am 1966)

Artist

Athlete (Gold Medal Barbie 1975, Olympic Gymnast Barbie 1996, Olympic Skater Barbie 1997)

Babysitter (Barbie Babysits 1963)

Ballerina (1961-present)

Business executive (1960, 1978, Day to Night 1985, 1999)

Cat burglar (Barbie by Christian Louboutin)

Cheerleader (1973, Pom Pom Divas 2006, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Barbie 2008)

Cowgirl (1981)

Chef (1996, I can be... Bakery Chef 2008)

DC Comics superheroines

Designer (2008)

Fashion Model (1959-present)

Guest editor of international fashion magazine

Hair Dresser (2008)

Make-up artist (Barbie loves Mac 2007)

McDonald's cashier (1983)

News anchor (I can be... News Anchor 2010)

Pet stylist (I can be... Pet Stylist 2008)

Photographer

Pop singer (Barbie and the Rockers 1986, I can be... Rock Star, 2009)

Princess (1990s-present)

See's Candy cashier (2002)

Secretary (2007)

Sea world trainer (I can be... Sea World Trainer 2009)

Soda fountain waitress (Coca Cola Series 1998)

Starfleet officer (2000)

TV chef (I can be... TV chef, 2008)

Wedding stylist (I can be... Wedding Stylist, 2009)

Conclusion:- Barbie rocks.......................