Growing up chances are you played with a Barbie Doll or two, and unless you’ve been living under a rock you know The Barbie movie starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling has recently become a cultural phenomenon.
We also just learned that it has become the first movie with a female director that has grossed over $1 billion at the box office. So since Barbie is all the rage these days, we thought it’d be cool to take a look at Barbie Dolls from the 1980s and how they reflected the fashion and culture of the time.
Barbie was already massively popular decades before the 1980s, and this is largely due to the fact that these dolls always capitalized on the current trends of the day. And this was no different during the 1980s, with several versions of Barbie really capturing the essence of what it was like to grow up in the 80s.
So what were some of the most popular Barbie Dolls of the 1980s?
80s Barbie Dolls
When it came to the best 80s barbie dolls, here are some of the most memorable to ever hit store shelves!
1. Great Shape Barbie
The 1980s was really when Americans first caught the fitness bug, and Barbie (and her best pal Skipper) also wanted to work up a sweat! Anyone who grew up in the 80s knew that 80s workout clothes was a must when you were pumping iron or taking an aerobics class, and Barbie had to look stylish when getting fit just like everyone else! Check out this throwback commercial for this 80s Barbie Doll:
Great Shape Barbie featured the classic 80s aerobics outfit made popular by 80s fitness icon Jane Fonda and her infamous workout tapes. Complete with classic 80s workout fashion staples like the neon headband, spandex leotards, and iconic leg warmers, Great Shape Barbie embodied everything about the workout craze that kicked off during the golden era of fitness!
2. Fashion Jeans Barbie
Designer jeans really took off in the 1980s with the double denim fashion trend and the rise of iconic 80s clothing brands we all remember like Guess, Jordache, and Z Cavaricci. Anyone who grew up in the 1980s probably remember their TVs being flooded with quirky ads for jeans, and likewise Fashion Jeans Barbie was released in 1981 and capitalized on America’s love for denim.
By the 1980s jeans were everywhere, and how you wore your jeans was a big part of your identity. Whether you wore mom jeans or patchwork jeans, or perhaps even the nerdier high water pants popular during the 80s, Americans everywhere loved their denim and so did Fashion Jeans Barbie.
3. Barbie And The Rockers
Lets face it, one of the things people most remember from the 1980s was the music. Fashion icons like Madonna and Cyndi Lauper not only changed the music industry forever, but they also had quite an influence on young women and fashion.
Barbie And The Rockers represented women rockers of the day, complete with big hair that ruled the 80s rock scene, along with a mini skirt and pink leggings combo that were typical at the time. Topped off with classic 80s fashion accessories like the scrunchie and a nice bangle bracelet to boot, Barbie And The Rockers nailed it when it came to female rockers of the 1980s.
4. Day-To-Night Barbie
The 1980s was really a decade that saw an explosion of women entering the workforce. Day-To-Night Barbie featured a pink power suit that was a big fashion trend of professional women at the time. It also included a party dress that included a pink tulle skirt. In fact Margot Robbie even recreated the look at one of the Barbie Movie premiers!
Day-To-Night Barbie really represented the idea that women could do it all. They could have careers during the day and still be glamorous at night!
5. Astronaut Barbie
We don’t really think of fashion when we think about astronauts, but Barbie was a trailblazer and of course had to bring some 80s fashion pizazz when traveling to outer space!
Astronaut barbie featured a space suit that had some serious 80s vibes. From the puffed sleeves to the big 80s shoulder pads, to the metallic look that was so popular in 80s disco fashion, Astronaut Barbie wasn’t leaving planet earth unless she looked fabulous!
So those were our top picks for 1980s Barbie Dolls that we had to remember with the release of the new Barbie Movie. Do you remember any of them, and would you rock any of their outfits today?
