Blast from Barbie Past: 15 Most Iconic 90s Barbie Dolls
Alexandria Wyckoff
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Created by Ruth Handler in 1959, Barbie has taken the world by storm. Whether it’s little girls playing with the various sets or going to watch the Barbie movie, this one doll has proved that girls can do anything they dream of. In this article, we’ll focus on the 90s Barbies and which ones were the most iconic during the decade. Check out our fifteen choices, and see if you had one of these iconic 90s Barbie dolls when you were growing up.
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15. Kelly Baby Sister of Barbie! (1994)
Also known as Barbie’s baby sister, Kelly was introduced to the Barbie world in 1995 and is our first iconic 90s Barbie doll. Though discontinued after 2010, Kelly started as a baby and grew into the toddler stage with themed play sets in those age ranges. She had an abundance of friends and appeared in several Barbie movies, making her just as important as some of the older characters. If you live in Europe or Canada, you may know her as “Shelly.”
14. Teacher Barbie (1995)
Next on our list is the 1995 version of Teacher Barbie, though the first release of a “teaching” profession was back in 1965 with Barbie’s Student Teacher outfit. The iconic aspect of 1995 Teacher Barbie is how quickly it sold out. Rumors even spread that a recall was the cause for the shortage, but in reality, the holiday demand was so high that two versions of this Barbie sold out before Christmas. One version had the embossed texture to simulate underwear while the other had fabric panties.
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13. Hawaiian Fun Skipper (1990)
Barbie’s original little sister was Skipper Madison Roberts, who was introduced in 1964 and has been part of the Mattel empire since. Many Barbie connoisseurs claim that the 90s Skipper Barbie dolls were the best, with freckle-faced sister having just as much fun as Barbie. One of the more popular ones was the Hawaiian Fun Skipper, along with Glitter Beach Skipper, Tropical Splash Skipper, and Extreme Green Teen Skipper.
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12. Glitter Hair Barbie (1993)
Another iconic 90s Barbie doll outfit appears on Glitter Hair Barbie, with large earrings, a hot pink miniskirt, and a graphic tee. The most iconic part of this Barbie though was the colorful glitter you could put into Barbie’s hair and your own. Kids could style the glitter gel however they wanted, and if they wanted a friend for blonde Glitter Hair Barbie there were also a brunette and redhead edition.
11. Share A Smile Becky (1996)
Share A Smile Becky is an iconic 90s Barbie doll because she was the first doll to be sold with a wheelchair, representing all those girls who were also in wheelchairs. The doll sold out within two weeks of being released, and they later created two more versions of Becky — I’m the School Photographer Becky and Paralympic Becky. The only issue some kids had was that the wheelchair did not fit through the doors of the Barbie Dreamhouse.
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10. Hula Hair Barbie (1996)
You might notice that the most iconic piece of this Barbie is her hair. Dyed in shades of yellow, orange, and hot pink, Hula Hair Barbie‘s hair emulates a sunset. Along with her beach-themed hair, this Barbie wore a tropical-themed orange and gold swimsuit and long grass skirt. One of the few Barbie’s with flat feet, it allowed her articulated body to emulate and hold hula poses. You could get Hula Hair Barbie in either a caucasian or African American version.
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9. Ocean Friends Barbie & Baby Keiko the Whale (1996)
Right after the success of “Free Willy,” Barbie put out their Ocean Friends line. Featuring not only Barbie but Kira and Ken as well, each doll was paired with their own animal friends. Barbie was paired with an orca whale named Keiko, who had the ability to “jump” out of the water after being held under and let go. In addition to Keiko’s tricks in the water, Barbie’s wetsuit disappears and reappears in water. This was a huge success with kids at the time, especially since not many Barbie’s were specially made for water.
8. Bob Mackie Empress Bride (1992)
Mattel has made several renditions of the Barbie bridal doll, but there are a couple that seem to be especially sought after. Within the 90s Barbie dolls production the Bob Mackie Empress Bride is one of those iconic bridal Barbies, with the designer of the same name known for his dressing of entertainment icons. Along with an intricate white dress with gold beading, there is also a matching headpiece resting atop a blonde braid.
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7. Vera Wang Barbie (1998)
Our second bridal Barbie was produced in 1998 when bridal designer Vera Wang teamed up with Mattel to create a unique white dress with black bows for Barbie to walk down the aisle. This is iconic mostly because of the dress, and the fact that these special edition Barbies can fetch a higher price with collectors.
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6. My Size Barbie (1992)
Did you ever want to switch clothes with your Barbie? Well in 1992 Mattel introduced the life-size line and you could buy a My Size Barbie that was nearly 36 inches tall. A huge hit with little girls, the My Size Barbie was made to be the same size as the child playing with them. This meant you could use Barbie’s clothes, accessories, and makeup and play dress up with your doll, earning her a spot on our most iconic 90s Barbie dolls list.
5. Fountain Mermaid Barbie (1993)
Playing with Barbie in the bathtub became a real option when the Fountain Mermaid Barbie was created, turning into an iconic 90s Barbie doll. Donning sparkling pink hair and a magical crown that can spray water from a shell-shaped water pump, Fountain Mermaid Barbie was a huge hit for kids who liked to play in the tub or pool.
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4. Earring Magic Ken (1993)
One of the biggest Barbie controversies? Look no further than our next Barbie, or should I say Earring Magic Ken. Ken’s jewelry, clothing, and hairstyle led to some customers associating him with stereotypes with gay men at the time, but still surprisingly sold out before Christmas 1993 partly due to the interest form the gay community. The real reason this doll was created was to make Ken look “cooler” based on survey results, but Earring Magic Ken backfired for Mattel and they recalled the remaining dolls.
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3. Workin’ Out Barbie (1996)
One of the most iconic 90s Barbie dolls due to her striking outfit, Workin’ Out Barbie was released in 1996 using a modified version of the TNT body with more flexible pieces. Her outfit is a bright pink patterned workout “jumpsuit” with suction cup shoes so that she can be positioned in workout positions and stand on her own. She also came with workout accessories and a cassette that a child could listen to.
2. Totally Hair Barbie (1991)
We can’t have an iconic 90s Barbie dolls list without Totally Hair Barbie. One of the best-selling Barbies of all time, over 10 million Totally Hair Barbies were sold after being on the market for four years. African American and brunette Totally Hair Barbies were also created, and this was the first time in twenty years that a brunette Barbie doll had been produced. And honestly, I don’t think her outfit could be any more 90s with the patterned dress and curly hair.
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1. Bead Blast Barbie (1997)
Our final 90s Barbie doll selection is Bead Blast Barbie. This Barbie is iconic because you can thread colorful beads onto Barbie’s hair with a special tool. There were four variations of the Bead Blast doll — blonde, redhead, brunette, and African American. Like the one above, each doll wore a 90s-themed striped minidress and had long straight hair with bangs. You could also thread beads into your hair, making you look like Barbie.
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