My 4 Favorite Barbies

I was a huge fan of barbies as a little girl. As a frizzy haired brunette child, her long blonde hair, tan skin and ever present smile was a bit of an inspiration. Sappy? Yes. Do I kinda think Barbie wasn’t really living up to her ‘role model’ status at the time? Well…yes, the thought has crossed my mind.

But the fact remains that Barbie was a big part of my childhood and for that, I’ll always have a soft spot for this little doll. In celebration of Barbie’s 50th birthday, here are my four favorite barbies from over the years. No particular order, and not “officially” named (I wouldn’t even know how to begin that search), these are the Barbie dolls I’ll always remember.

Vintage Barbie
Very similar (but from a few years later) to the doll below, this was a gift from my mom which I admit…I didn’t realize was so important and precious at the time. The antique hairstyle, discrete bathing suit and intricately sewn clothes were for a time that I never knew. She was by far more glamorous and demure than the other Barbies I had also stored in my closet.

Image: Newscom

Career Barbie
I don’t remember much about this Barbie, but she was a powerhouse. No pink dresses, her hair was short and bobbed, and she was at the office. All the time. She was me, but in doll form.

Brenda Barbie
While I’m not sure if Mattel was actually the creator of the 90210 doll collection, I loved my Brenda doll. She had one of those hats with a sunflower on the front,  high waisted pleated pants and a white dress blouse. Long, straight, brunette hair – I had no idea at the time what a whiner Brenda was or a nut Shannon Doherty is…but she was my elementary school dream of what I wanted to be in high school.

California Cool Barbie
This was the Barbie stereotypes to end all stereotypes. She rode around in a pink plastic corvette, picked up Vintage Barbie’s Ken, and was a the girl who got whatever she wanted. Lots of teeny multicolored heels, miniskirts and a Skipper doll to boss around…the only thing she never got was a Dream House. And she never let me live that down.