Barbie is 50!

It’s official, I am older than Barbie! Heard on NPR this morning that today was the day the Barbie doll was launched onto the toy scene in 1959.

What are your memories of Barbie? I remember trading in my old Barbie every year at our local toy store Big Top on Long Island and paying a few dollars to upgrade to the latest model. One day my older cousin Shelley gave me her old dolls which I have saved to this day. That stash included the original Barbie with all separate fingers,
pristine styled blond hairdo (now minus the cut bangs courtesy of my daughter, Gemma) and pearl earring studs. And speaking of studs, the Ken I was given had real fuzz for hair and his clothing resembles that of a college fraternity brother. While perhaps no longer valuable in the eyes of a collector, both dolls remain priceless to me especially since I was able to pass them along to my daughter. I will never part with the first pieces of Barbie furniture and outfits which also accompanied that treasured gift from Shelley. While my daughter has long since outgrown playing with dolls, I will save these precious remnants of my childhood for my grandchildren to enjoy.

I also have fond memories of having to buy everything Barbie for several years once my daughter turned 3 years-old. We had to have all the accoutrements including Barbie stories, coloring books, and more. If you’re looking for the latest in the Barbie book collection, check out your local bookshop. To see what is in print in today’s current Barbie collection of books, definitely visit publisher Random House for inspiration.