On March 9, 1959, Barbie was born.  Yep, that plastic epitome of glam debuted at the American Toy Fair in New York City on this day 48 years ago.

Ruth Handler (yes, that's really her name) got the idea for the doll on a visit to Zurich, where they saw a very adult-looking doll.  This was at the time when most of the dolls that American girls schlepped around were baby dolls, or Raggedy Ann.  She and her husband shopped the idea of the "Barbie" doll, named after their daughter, around to various stores.  Sears & Roebuck rejected it, so the Handlers started their own toy company, Mattel.  They sold 350,000 Barbie dolls in the first  year.

I know our house had the required number of Barbies, their clothes and accessories, and an assortment of houses, vehicles, horses, cousins, and, of course, a Ken or two.  My younger sisters and their friends often took over the entire porch during the summer, creating a whole Barbie community.

At 47, Barbie still looks pretty good (no need for plastic surgery on that babe!), and, as a modern woman, she has so many more career choices.  I have never in my life met anyone with her shape, but it was that totally unrealistic look that made her so much fun.  And those feet!  Perpetually poised to take on the highest heel.  That had to hurt!

So, happy birthday, Barbie.  Party on!

Do you think the founders of Women's History Month (March) realized that Barbie's birthday also fell in that month?

(Information for this article was found in the Syracuse (NY) Herald Journal, dated November 12, 1980.)