Barbie Gets More Realistic With Three New Body Types and Skin Colors

For more than 50 years, Barbie dolls have been the unofficial epitome of female beauty, teaching little girls across America what society believes they should look like.  This week, Mattel premiered a new Barbie, and she looks much more like a real Americam woman.  Read on to check out Barbie’s makeover.

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Since she premiered in 1959, Barbie has taught little girls all over American what type of body they should be striving for—a thin, voluptuous, white body, one that has grown less and less representative of what America actually looked like as the years went by.

American businesswoman Ruth Handler created the doll, modeling it after a German doll, Bild Lilli, which explains her blonde hair, blue eyes, and severe expression.

In 1968, Mattel introduced Barbie’s African American friend Christie.

In 1988, Barbie’s hispanic friend Teresa roller bladed onto the scene.

Despite decades of criticism about Barbie’s static frame, the doll has always had the same stick-thin figure… until now.

Last year, Mattel manufactured 23 new dolls with different skin tones.