Barbie is a pop culture icon, in fact some say she's THE pop culture icon of the 20th century. With that in mind I decided to list Barbie's humble journeys through the decades while comparing hers to the rest of the world. I believe you'll notice a remarkable achievement on the plastic princess' part. I know I did.

1959
World:

*Krushchev calls for complete disarmament in four years
*21 Latin American Nations Censure Dictatorships
*First Satellite to Transmit Photos of Earth

Barbie's World:

*Barbie debuts at March 9th Toy Fair and is not well received. (They'll be eating their words later, boy)

1961
World:

*U.S. breaks diplomatic ties with Cuba
*East Germany builds Berlin Wall
*First Man in Orbit

Barbie's World:

*Barbie is a super hit with the kiddies! Barbie Fan club members galore!
*Not only a new hair cut (The Bubble Cut) but also a shocking new hair colour-Titian! (What will they think of next?)
*In other news the boyfriend, a supposedly "male" (noticeably absent is the "maleness" aspect)Ken is introduced. Skinny runt.

1963
World:

*President Kennedy slain in Dallas
*Indonesia's Sukarno becomes President for Life
*First use of Artificial Heart in Operation

Barbie's World:

*Fashion Queen Barbie has three wigs for hours of lowbrow fun
*Midge, Barbie's homely friend, joins the lineup

1964
World:

*Red China announces it has A-bomb
*India's Nehru Dies
*First Methadone Therapy for Heroin Addicts

Barbie's World:

*Miss Barbie gets a hard head and sleepy eyes. Children hate her.
*Skipper, Barbie's younger half, makes her debut

1965
World:

*Winston Churchill passes away at 90
*War Rages between India, Pakistan
*First Man to Walk in space

Barbie's World:

*Barbie takes on Doris Day hair
*Yippee, the Barbie cult has knees that bend. Fun times ahead!

1966
World:

*U.S. attacks targets in Cambodia
*Mao launches cultural revolution
*First Black U.S. Senator

Barbie's World:

*Francie, Barbie's MODern (and much funkier) cousin is introduced. She makes Barbie look fat.

1967
World:

*Expo 67 opens in Montreal
*Thousands march in Washington on Vietnam protest
*First Synthetic DNA created

Barbie's World:

*Barbie celebrates the Summer of Love with a facelift. Far out!
*Jan's source of angst, Marcia Brady, hocks Barbie on TV

1968
World:

*Martin Luther King Jr. & RFK assassinated within weeks of each other
*Tet Offensive communists attack 100 towns
*First manned moon orbit

Barbie's World:

*Christie, Barbie's African-American girlfriend, adds her smiling face to Barbie's growing posse group
*Barbie can talk. She can say Groovy. Hallelujah.

1971
World:

*Attacks begin on Ho Chi Minh Trail
*Premier of Jordan Assassinated in Cairo
*First Cancer Virus Located

Barbie's World:

*Barbie and friends jump on the hippie bandwagon and shake sposmadically in what suspiciously seems like an LSD trip. To the general public this is known as "Live Action Barbie"
*Malibu Barbie sports bleached blonde hair and a bathing suit tan. Hello, skin cancer.

1972
World:

*British Troops in Northern Ireland Fire on Catholic Crowd, killing 13 on Bloody Sunday
*Philippines President Marcos declares Martial Law
*First CAT Scan

Barbie's World:

*Original Barbie is "re-released". Usual fanfare accumulates.

1974
World:

*Israel reaches accords with Egypt, Syria
*India Explodes nuclear device
*First elected woman governor

Barbie's World:

*Barbie reaches 16 with a Sweet 16 Barbie Doll. Nice shag hair Mrs. Brady

1977
World:

*Cambodia, under Pol Pot, Breaks with Vietnam
*Neutron Bomb Tested in USA
*First space shuttle flight

Barbie's World:

*About time for a facelift and Barbie decides to become Farrah Fawcett but takes on a much more glamorous name-Superstar Barbie!

1984
World:

*Indira Gandhi assassinated by Shikh Extremists
*USSR & 13 other nations boycott Summer Olympic Games
*First woman to walk in space

Barbie's World:

*Materialism is in baby. Feeling the pinch Barbie gets her first real job as an executive. She wears a pink suit naturally. You go girl.

1987
World:

*Margaret Thatcher Deals with Soviet Leader Gorbachev
*controvery over possible still-alive POW's in Vietnam

Barbie's World:

*Billy Boy lashes out at the pink goddess and creates Feelin' Groovy. Ironically she comes clothed in a dress of a pink-natured colour.

1989
World:

*The Berlin wall comes down
*airport security is an issue

Barbie's World:

*realizing a goldmine in adult collecting is available Mattel creates Happy Holidays Barbie, a doll dressed in a huge, red swab of material with hair just as outlandish. Money flies out of collector's pockets.

1990
World:

*democracy comes to Czechoslovakia
*Earth Day is celebrated internationally

Barbie's World:

*Bob Mackie, designer of Cher's "clothes", creates a Barbie even more expensive than Happy Holidays Barbie. Reports of collectors taking out a second mortgage to keep up with their habit are whispered about.

1991
World:

*The Gulf War takes place

Barbie's World:

*Midge and Alan, after living years in sin, decide to get hitched. (Rumour that the flower girl and ringbearer are Midge's illegitimate children flies). Alan is ditched the next year and so are the children-payoff had to be huge. Meanwhile Ken and Barbie continue to happily carry on.

1994
World:

*Jackie Onassis Kennedy passes away
*O.J. Simpson is put on trial for the murder of his wife

Barbie's World:

*Barbie hits 35 and the world is rejoiced.

1995

*Handicapped children are born to Gulf War veterans
*Rose Kennedy passes away

Barbie's World:

*Mattel makes collectors feel special by forming Barbie Collectibles. Collectors are no longer buying just for enjoyment. Big Shocker.

1997

*The beginnings of the Bill Clinton sex scandal

Barbie's World:

*A billion Barbies have been sold and so Mattel feels a celebration is in order-a new, big dress for Barbie with a new, big pricetag.

1999

*Bill Clinton escapes impeachment
*King Hussein of Jordan dies
*Kurdish protests erupt in violent chaos
*Afghanistan women are forced to relinquish all rights

Barbie's World:

*Bob Mackie strikes again. For Barbie turning 40 (only technically mind you) she is garbed as a gigantic butterfly and romantically named Le Papillon. Reports of bug spray accidentally being used against the doll by naieve people continue.

Noticeably absent from the final stages of Barbie's Time Adventures are more current events for the late 1980's and early 1990's. Note to self, more current books are required along with a better memory.
On another note it has come to my attention that Ken disappeared for a few years in the 1960's and 1970's with reports he had been drafted and escaped to Canada. Either way he came back BUFF. There are many possibilities for this such as Barbie ditched the pre-buff Ken because heck, it was the sexual revolution and he was a burden and that Ken felt the pressure when Skipper kicked his skinny butt after she caught him trying on Barbie's nightgowns. The emotional torment for Ken has continuted throuout the years-after he donned an earring and greased hair he became an icon for the gay community. Ken has had a new smile ever since. Release yourself boyfriend, express your true self!

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This information was obtained by the February, 1999 issue of Doll Reader. (as if you didn't know that I required an outside source!) along with a LIFE 50 Years Book and another LIFE magazine ©1996.

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This page was created by Polyester Pam on March 5, 1999.
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