Sinceherintroductionin1959,Barbie’simpacthasbeenrevolutionary.Farfrombeingatoydesignedbymentooppresswomen,shewasatoyinventedbywomentoteachwomenwhatwasexpectedofthem,forbetterorforworse.Whethertarred-and-glitteredasantifeministpufferyorcelebratedasafeministicon(or,atanyrate,animportantculturaltouchstoneinunderstandingfeminism)Barbiehasundeniablyinfluencedgenerationsofgirls.InForeverBarbie,culturalcritic,investigativejournalist,andfirst-generationBarbieownerM.G.LorduncoversthesurprisingstorybehindBarbie’ssmashsuccess.Revealingherloworiginsas“BildLilli,“arisqu矇dollforadultssoldasagaggiftinpostwarGermany,ForeverBarbietracesBarbie’sdevelopmentandtransformation,throughcountlessmakeoversandcareerchanges,intoaninternationalpopcultureiconandnow“traditionaltoy.“Thoughnoteverydollinthelinehasbeenahit--withpregnantMidgeandGrowingupSkipperamongthemoreintriguingdisasters--Barbie’sendurance,Lordwrites,speaksasmuchtoMattel’ssuccessfulmarketingasitdoestooursociety’soverallambivalencetowardfemininity.Withnewaccessories,includingaprefaceonthelatestdevelopmentsintheBarbieverse,ForeverBarbie“willmakeyouthinkofAmerica’smostcelebratedplasticdollinwaysyouneverhavebefore“(SusanFaludi).
