Barbie, Lots and Lots of Barbies

• Barbie's inventor is Ruth Handler who was inspired by little adult dolls she saw on a trip to Germany.
• Barbie's first ever attire when she debuted at the American Toy Fair in New York was a black and white striped bathing suit--pretty liberal already.
• Barbie celebrates her birthday on March 9, 1959.
• Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts.
• Unbeknownst to many, Barbie has five sisters: Skipper, Tutti, Stacie, Kelly, and Krissy.
• If Barbie were a real woman, her measurements would be 36-18-38.
• Over the years, Barbie has had about 80 careers already.
• Barbie's first pet was a horse named Dancer.  
• Ken was named after Ruth Handler's son.
• The first Barbie doll with legs that could bend was introduced to the market in 1965.
• Christie was the first African-American Barbie doll, and she was brought to market in 1968.
• Barbie's eyes were adjusted in 1971 to have her looking straight ahead, as opposed to looking sideways.
• Barbie is an animal lover who has had 38 pets over the years. Her animal companions have included cats, dogs, horses, and a lion cub.
• Barbie collector editions are organized into four tiers: Pink (unlimited production), Silver (up to 50,000 units), Gold (up to 25,000 in production), and Platinum (up to 1,000 in production)
• Every second somewhere in the world three Barbie dolls are sold.