Today marks the official 62nd birthday of Barbie.
It’s also the one-year anniversary of the Coronavirus pandemic, which has seemed to intensify my obsession with Barbie and my collection of dolls.
It was March 9, 1959, that the Original Swimsuit Barbie doll was unveiled to the world at the American Toy Fair in New York City.
The 11-inch blonde icon was the first of its kind in the toy industry made by Mattel co-founder Ruth Handler.
Handler and her husband Elliott founded Mattel in 1945.
The Barbie doll was modelled after their firstborn child, Barbara, who loved playing with paper dolls and outfitting them in cut-out dresses.
At first, Ruth was unsure how the public would respond to the mature-looking doll, but after her debut at the toy fair, orders started to roll in and Barbie was flying off store shelves.
Sixty-two years later, the doll is still a household name and has evolved from just a teenage fashion model to so much more.
Over the years she’s had hundreds of careers, outfits, and friends, but one thing has always remained constant, and that’s her message that ‘You Can Be Anything.’
I fell in love with Barbie when I was a young girl. My sister and I would spend hours dressing up our dolls, setting up their homes, brushing their hair and playing make-believe.
In a way, it gave me a safe, creative space to practice living in the real world.
As I grew up, Barbie remained a constant influence in my life.
When my husband and I moved to Bradford, I turned our spare bedroom into my own ‘Barbie Room’, painted bright pink, filled with my collection of Barbie dolls and decor.
After finding out I was pregnant with our second son, the Barbie room had to go, and so did my dolls.
I sold most of them and only kept a few favourites.
Enter March 2020.
With all the pandemic boredom, not being able to see family and friends, my doll collecting obsession reemerged, with a vengeance. I was spending countless hours on eBay, Amazon and Facebook Marketplace scouring for dolls. And somehow by December 2020, my office was filled with 30+ dolls.
The other week I decided to do a 'photo shoot’ with all my dolls. I even ordered a Barbie fabric from Etsy to use as a backdrop.
In this dark time, somehow these dolls have brought me a little bit of happiness. A distraction from the complexities and confusion of the current state of the world. For that I am grateful.
I realized the timing couldn’t have been more perfect, nearing Barbie’s birthday, and decided to share some of my collection with you.
Have you picked up any new hobbies during the pandemic? Or has the time in quarantine allowed you to reconnect with any of your past passions?
I’d love to hear all about it.
Send me your story at [email protected]
