The first Barbie and Ken
Barbie Millicent Roberts, the Teen-Age Fashion Model, was introduced in 1959 at the New York Toy Fair by Mattel’s Ruth and Elliot Handler.
The doll cost $3 and sported a ponytail, thick black eyeliner with a touch of blue shadow, arched eyebrows, red nail polish, a stylish black and white bathing suit, gold hoop earrings, open-toed slide sandals and white cat eye sunglasses. In the first year, 300,000 Barbie dolls were sold.
Her boyfriend, Ken Carson, was introduced in 1961. He had plastic molded hair (in blond or brunette) and wore a red and white striped shirt, red swim trunks and sandals and toted a fuzzy towel.
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