Barbie is a huge part of history and has shaped how children play with dolls. Summer’s hit film, “Barbie,” directed by Greta Gerwig, caught the attention of young teenage audiences.
“When I was younger, I loved playing with Barbies. I remember having so many different types of Barbies. I used to change their outfits and pretend they were me in doll form. I began playing with them because I found old Barbies that my aunt used to play with and passed down to me. Through generations, barbies can be passed down and never go out of style,” said 8th grader Angelina D.
In March 1959, the first “Barbie” doll launched into the American toy market. This was also when the first Barbie commercial was being played. Barbie wore the iconic black and white striped bathing suit; her original full name was Barbara Millicent Roberts. Barbie had adult features that inspired young girls toward their dreams. Barbie has had more than 250 careers.
“Barbie can be anything she pleases. This is a reflection on young girls teaching them that they can be anything they dream to be in their future,” said 7th grader Charlotte M.
Some of the careers Barbie had were an astronaut, pilot, firefighter, journalist, dentist, zoologist, and entrepreneur. In 1992, Barbie ran for president for the first time. Barbie has even been a computer engineer, video game developer, Mars explorer, and robotics engineer to encourage girls to explore STEM. Barbie’s motto is “You can be anything”.
“Barbie is beautiful, and beauty comes from the courage to try something new. As I’m inspired by the way she dresses, I am also inspired by how she is an independent and smart woman [that explores] the STEM field,” said Angelina D.
It has taken many professional fashion designers and makeup artists to design Barbie’s outfits and facial features. Jeremy Scotts’ show in 2014 was inspired by Barbie’s dream wardrobe. The movie was also very selective on each outfit for every Barbie.
“Barbie really is interlinked with fashion because how you play with her is by dressing her,” said costume designer Jacqueline Durran in an interview with Vogue.
Barbie inspires girls because she dresses based on what she is doing and where she is going. Jaqueline Durran designed Barbie to always be prepared for any task she is completing.
“Greta writes at 100 miles an hour, often four scenes in a page of script… There’s a lot of costume changes,” said Durran.
With all of the costume changes, music, and colors, the film kept the watchers on their toes.
“I thought that the Barbie movie was entertaining. I definitely didn’t know that guys liked horses so much as shown in the movie,” said sophomore Alex M.
Many grown women and teenagers have memories of playing with Barbies at a young age.
“I did like to play with Barbie dolls when I was younger. They taught me how to be creative from a young age,” said Alex M.
