Throughout Barbie's life as an architect, entrepreneur, presidential candidate, computer engineer, and Mars explorer, she has remained a successful toy for Mattel. It wasn't until 2014 that Elsa from "Frozen" became a more popular Christmas gift request by girls than Barbie. The 1992 version of Teen Talk Barbie voiced her disdain for arithmetic when she said, "math class is tough." The American Association of University Women didn't like the message this sent to young girls. Mattel didn't recall the doll, but parents could switch their doll for one that wouldn't say the phrase. Mattel's president at the time, Jill E. Barad, admitted to the error. "In hindsight, the phrase 'math class is tough,' while correct for many students both male and female, should not have been included," said Barad. Totally Hair Barbie hit stores the same year, becoming the best selling Barbie of all time. She was re-released in 2017. 1993: Barbie becomes a police officer Just in time for the 2020 holidays, Mattel released a new line of Barbie dolls showcasing a wide variety of personalities and styles. Each of the five new dolls comes with its own pet and fashion accessories. Barbie Extra is all about exploring and celebrating individuality and self-expression.

In 1990, Barbie was a bridesmaid for her best friend Midge. Collectors could also get a special edition Party Sensation Barbie, who came dressed in head-to-toe pink. 1991: Barbie joins the Navy and Air Force Scroll through to see how Barbie's looks, jobs, and body have changed in the last 61 years, including the ways she has made history and inspired several generations and counting. Though some say Barbie is a career-oriented feminist, the doll's body size has always been a source of controversy. If she was real, Barbie's original waist would have measured an impossibly small 18 inches. While her midsection expanded and her breasts shrank a couple of times over the decades, it wasn't until 2016 that Mattel introduced figures other than the original version. The Fashionista line now features seven body types, 11 skin tones, and 28 hairstyles. In the fall of 2019, dolls with prosthetic limbs and wheelchairs hit the market. Still, Tim concedes that the Barbie dolls of the Nineties are starting to grow in value. “Collectors tend to start collecting toys they had as children about 25 to 30 years later. That means that women who were 12 in 1995 will hit the collecting market over the next decade, seeing prices of Nineties Barbies go up,” he says.After Mattel surveyed 8,000 moms, they found that the majority of mothers said they were worried their daughters didn't have enough female role models. In response, the company released the Inspiring Women line. The series features 17 role models, including artist Frida Kahlo, mathematician Katherine Johnson, and aviator Amelia Earhart. Barbie sales in the fourth quarter of 2018 reached a five-year high. While Clare has spent thousands on her collection, she’ll never sell it. “It brings me so much joy and connects me to the child I once was,” she says. “I’ll sell everything I own before I ever sell my dolls!”

As a general rule, the older the doll, the more valuable it’s likely to be,” says Tim Weeks, owner and Toy Specialist at Wessex Auction Rooms, and expert on BBC Bargain Hunt. “The Barbie dolls I mostly see at auction are from the Sixties to the Eighties and all perform extremely well,” he says. Simon agrees. “Dolls such as the 1977 Superstar Barbie can command high prices,” he adds. Oscar de La Renta created a line of clothes for Barbie in 1985. The following year, artist Andy Warhol painted Barbie's likeness. The piece, called "Barbie, Portrait of BillyBoy*," was painted in honor of BillyBoy*, a designer who owned tens of thousands of Barbies and also designed two of the dolls for Mattel. 1987: Barbie becomes a doctor You may also like: What marriage was like the year you were born 2019: Dream Gap Project Fund launched for 60th anniversary She told RealSelf at the time, “I went to see [Dr. Michael K. Obeng] because I had excess skin on my upper arms. … I also had quite a bit of excess skin on my stomach from having had two children.”

In a time when beards were less mainstream, Mattel released Shaving Fun Ken. Kids could lather up Ken's face and use a toy razor that would remove his scruff with warm water. Barbie and Ken also went into space for the 30th Anniversary of "Star Trek." Unlike Ken, Barbie did not have her own phaser. 1997: Barbie's waist gets bigger Barbie was very active in the late '90s. She entered the male-dominated sports of Major League Baseball and NASCAR. Plus, she joined a soccer team. A version of Barbie also got a body makeover. The Really Rad Barbie came with flat feet and a bigger waist but smaller hips and breasts. Navy Barbie, who was a petty officer first class and quartermaster, was dressed in a replica of a U.S. Navy women's uniform. When she wasn't on the ship, she spent time as a music video star or as an Air Force pilot. 1992: Barbie tells girls math is hard

The 1968 Talking Barbie, Barbie.com. Barbie.com Which new Barbie dolls are likely to increase in value? Condition is king when it comes to collectibles,” says Simon. Tim agrees: “The ideal collectors’ Barbie is mint, boxed and unopened, like it was just taken off the shop shelf” – although he concedes that these are rare. Mattel gave Barbie another famous friend in 1978 when they made a Cheryl Ladd doll in honor of "Charlie's Angels." Barbie's fashion sense in the late '70s featured floral prints and jumpsuits.I can pose for photos and manage to look smoldering, but in real life I’m very self conscious,” she captioned one photo of herself in a tiny, damp T-shirt earlier this month. “I really struggle. Embrace the glorious mess that you are.” Mattel have produced some very high-end collectors’ dolls in recent years,” adds Tim. “When compared to other major toy brands who have also released ‘special edition’ models, the contemporary Barbie dolls have certainly seen a faster profitable return on investment.”