In the 1950s a woman named Ruth Handler was visiting Switzerland when she came upon a beautiful doll named Lilli. This doll, modeled after a famous cartoon character, was 7 inches tall, had shoes molded to her feet, and earrings on her ears.

Lilli had a variety of outfits from which to choose. Inspired by the doll, Ruth returned home with the image of a doll in mind. She had already been thinking of creating a 3-D doll based off of paper dolls, and this image of Lilli solidified the idea in her mind. This image would soon be known the world over as Barbie.

In 1958, a patent was obtained for a doll known as “Barbie”, a name inspired by Ruth’s daughter Barbara. By 1959 Barbie hit the toy shelfs of New York. Investors believed the move was risky, as baby dolls were the popular toys of the day.

However, Ruth proved investors wrong. By 1960 Barbie was flying off the shelves; demand so high that Mattel could not keep up. By the end of the 1960s the public had spent $500 million on Barbie, her friends and accessories. Below you find a chronological history of Barbies, where to collect and find the best Barbies, and how to begin a collection that will last a lifetime.

Barbies: The 1960s

Barbie was, and still is, a woman of the times, portraying a picture of women in society. In the 1960s it was very important that Barbie reflect a positive image of women. As such, Barbie was often modeled off of great women in society. In the 60s, Jackie O influenced the look of Barbie with a pill box hat and bob hair cut, until Jackie started to stir controversy.

Also in the 1960s, older girls continued to keep or “collect” Barbies as symbols of what they dreamt to uphold and become. Seeing this trend, Mattel created Barbies geared for older girls. Instead of decking Barbie out in prom dresses, Barbie began to dawn ball gowns and debutante outfits. This was until the 60s took a turn of their own…

As the Beatles became popular and the mood in the nation changed, so did Barbie. Her skirt became shorter; her boots became longer. Now dawning a mini-skirt and go-go boots, Barbie represented a changed nation. Trying her best to become a symbol of fun and not of hippie-like behavior, Barbie continued to evolve with the rest of the country.

It is at this point in time that Barbie’s “newest” feature, the bent leg, appeared. Anyone who has played with a Barbie knows the jerky movement of the legs when they bend, and how unnatural this looks. However, it was the 1960s that spawned this feature and started the “Twist & Turn” Barbie – a Barbie that was more “life-like.”

How to Collect Barbies is from collectibledollstore.net

Women in the UK are taking a special interest in a new item to hit the stores-reborn baby dolls or fake babies. There are types of women taken in by these exceptionally life-like baby dolls. The first type includes first-time expectant mothers who have never had a baby before. The second type includes those who are not expecting a baby any time soon and the last type comprises of those mothers whose children are grown-up and they want to relive their childhood.

Fake babies or reborn baby dolls are proving to be an excellent companion to first-time expectant mothers. These women are learning how to take care of a baby, how to clothe him, carry him, lay him down, giving him a bath and changing his diaper and, of course, where and how to buy his clothes and accessories .The fake baby not only teaches its foster mummy all that she needs to know about a real baby, but also becomes a collectible later on when the actual baby comes.

Women who are not expecting, but, want to experience of having a baby are also enjoying fake babies. It gives them an idea as to what the whole process entails.

Thirdly, foster mummies whose children have grown up relive the experience of holding a newly-born fake baby which weighs realistically, somewhere between 4 to 6 pounds. The length of the fake baby is 18 to 20 inches. The baby skin is soft and made of vinyl. It is supple .The eyes are luminous and come in all shades. The babies themselves can belong to any ethnic group. The hands and feet contain soft granules. Pedicured feet and manicured hands are a pleasure to look at and feel.

Women in the UK are enjoying shampooing and conditioning the hair of their reborn baby dolls. The hair is then combed with a wide-toothed comb and styled. Accessories like hair-pins, bands etc. are then put on to enhance the baby’s look.

Women who are thinking of buying a fake baby are well advised to visit sites like eBay and Amazon.The manufacturers tell you whether they have user friendly products which are hypoallergenic or not.Mostly do but it is better to check it before making a purchase if you are allergic to anything.

Reborn Baby Dolls in the UK is from collectibledollstore.net