barbie

Bratz
The four teenage dolls who dressed in urban fashions offered something new to girls looking for updated playthings. Barbie might be a modern princess, but these four girls were "real." Bratz had an edge that Barbie simply couldn't compete with, and that was a dramatic shift in 2001, after four decades of essentially no competition in the fashion doll marketplace.

Barbie Stumbles But Recovers
Hit by an urban onslaught, Barbie didn't have much of an initial response. The same style of doll had been updated over the years to reflect current styles and current demographics, but even the different styles of Barbie still maintained a more preppy look. Bratz weren't preppy, and they weren't always sweet and helpful. Not only are Bratz slightly younger, and therefore more appropriate for youthful styles, they are stealing away girls who have always wanted something edgier from Barbie.

Barbie felt the sting of rejection as sales of the popular doll slumped thirty percent in the United States in three years. But Barbie wasn't out of the game just yet. Not only did she still have a huge fan base including girls of all ages, she also had a great deal of fighting spirit. In 2004 Barbie broke up with Ken to try out the singles scene.

The split did the couple well as Ken underwent some changes and came back more attractive and stylish than ever. The changes made many curious about a renewed romance, but publicists for Barbie at least deny a new relationship. Then, possibly seeing the benefits a make-over, Barbie has one herself. Her wardrobe expands and her looks change slightly in 2007. The interest over Ken and now a revamped Barbie started the blonde's comeback.

The Fight Intensifies
Barbie isn't moving out of the top position without a solid fight, and so far she's not pulling any punches. In fact, Bratz might be feeling the heat. In 2005, Bratz manufacturer MGA Entertainment sued Mattel over the My Scenes dolls, of which Barbie was a part. The lawsuit is still pending, and the My Scene dolls are already fading in favor of other doll lines, but Mattel left no question that the Bratz couldn't simply arrive without resistance.

Not only are new doll lines being created to compete with each other, Barbie is continuing her comeback online. Barbie gameson the internet are giving Barbie new grounds to reach fans and expand her fan base. Girls who might not enjoy an actual Barbie doll are playing dress up games with Barbie online and loving it. Online versions of Barbie have endless wardrobe possibilities and unlimited accessories. New styles are released daily and no plastic doll can compete with that.

A long-time favorite of girls young and old, barbie has a life full of ups and down. Social revolutions and political changes can all be seen in barbie games through the years and in many cases, the social history of major nations can be charted through changes in a simple plastic doll.

barbie Meets the World
Barbara Millicent Roberts was introduced to the world on March 9, 1959. In a series of books released soon after her initial debut, Barbie's parents were named as George and Margaret Roberts from Willows, Wisconsin, but in reality, Barbie was the brain child of one devoted mother who just happened to have sway with a major toy company, Mattel.

In the mid 1950s, Ruth Handler watched her daughter play with paper dolls and was entertained to see her give dolls adult roles and personalities. As almost all dolls at the time were infants, Ruth was troubled that she wasn't able to give her daughter adult styled dolls to play with. Ruth approached her husband, who happened to be a cofounder of Mattel, about her concern and ideas for creating an adult doll, but the idea was dismissed. It wasn't until after finding a similar doll manufactured for adults in Germany based on a popular German comic book that she found the answer.

Ruth used the doll as a basis for her own creation and soon, barbie dolls were ready to meet the world. And the young woman was welcomed with open arms, despite some concerns over her proportions and distinctive anatomy.

barbie games through the Years
Barbie was introduced to the world with unrealistic proportions, a striped swimsuit and a sweetly demur expression on her face. In 2008, she is a more naturally shaped woman with multiple high-powered careers, an extensive wardrobe and her own fleet of homes and vehicles. Barbie has been through a lot in the last 49 years, and that extensive history has helped her remain a cultural legend popular with adult collectors and little girls alike.

According to Mattel, who still manufactures barbie gamesand products, three Barbie dolls are sold every second across the globe. Barbie is famous the world over and has looks and styles suitable for hundreds of cultures. Although some cultures and companies, particularly those in the Middle East, still feel Barbie doesn't meet their religious guidelines, many others recognize Barbie as a rite of passage for many young girls.

Online Barbie
Today, Barbie isn't just on the pink aisle at the toy store. She's on wrapping paper, lunch boxes, and now she's also online. Barbie games are popular with the same demographic who collect her latest outfits and dream of Barbie dream houses. In fact, many of the girls who enjoy playing online barbie games have left traditional Barbies behind, but still greatly enjoy dressing online doll versions of Barbie in her unlimited outfits and accessories.

While online versions of the popular doll will never replace the traditional Barbie doll, the games and activities found online are helping to drive new traffic and interest back to the world of tiny high heels and perpetual smiles.