Barbie is 50 today! Wow, it was just yesterday my mother brought home, after her stay at Mayo Clinic for back troubles, my first Barbie doll. I was secretly irritated as I want a Revlon doll like the girl across the street.
Little did she know what she was bringing home, long before the craze took off. Not to mention Barbie, Susan and I were a solid three some all through the 60's. I just can't believe that she has hit the big 5-0. But then I had trouble digesting it when Susan and I did a few moons ago.
CBS Sunday Morning had a blurb on the coming event. It seems Barbie had 110 different career events in her life. She should be in therapy from all that career hopping. The first doll was a mere $3.00, which could be why mom got the Barbie - the Revlons were probably $4.00. And my kids think I invented thrift!
Happy Birthday to you old girl. You have endured. Except how come you don't have sagging and wrinkles like the rest of us?
3 comments:
Coincidentally, earlier this evening I was reading the latest AARP BULLETIN (!) and they, too, had a story on Barbie turning 50 (she now joins us as part of the AARP demographic) - of course, I thought of you. A factoid I did not know: in 2004, Barbie and Ken split up (after 43 years of togetherness!) only to reunite in 2006 (I love happy ending!). There was an artist's rendition of what Barbie wold look like today had she aged normally - AND ALL I COULD THINK OF WAS "I WANT ONE!" Barbie is the world's richest doll - $1.2 billion in annual revenue. I'm not surprised. She was pretty, well-dressed, and knew enough to keep her mouth shut...the whole package! Barbie may be 50 - but she will always be forever. A friend at work sold all her Barbie stuff about 10 years ago - and made enough money to buy a strand of Mikimoto pearls. I, on the other hand, could never part with the old girl, black pony tail and all! Midge, on the other hand....
"The book" arrived today. When I got home from work Amazon had delivered it to my front door. When I opened it I knew immediately who had sent it to me. "Barbie and Ruth - The Story of the World's Most Famous Doll and the Woman Who Created Her." I paged through it. Alas, only one photo of Ruth and Barbie. I started to read the Introduction section - and found I could not put this book down! The story of Barbie is more fascinating than I would have ever believed. I already knew some of it, but it is a remarkable story. Thank you! Thank you for the book! Thank you for putting you, me and Barbie back together after all these years! I will check back in if I uncover any "must know" facts.... (And to this day - even though I have known you almost 49 years - I have no idea what a Revlon doll is. Thanks to Barbie, I never needed to know.)
I have a long way to go to redeem myself after the Midge fiasco.
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