She's got blonde hair, blue eyes, a small waist, and long legs. She's perfection in every sense. Her name is Barbara Millicent Roberts, but you call her Barbie and she has just turned 50 years old. Ms. Roberts has become an icon and grown from generation to generation since her first appearance at the American Toy Fair in New York City in 1959.
 In her first year Mattel sold 351,000 Barbie dolls and her creator, Ruth Handler knew they would. She had noticed that her daughter Barbra and others enjoyed playing with dolls of an older age rather than baby dolls. Her inspiration was a German doll called Bild Lilli. The first Barbie doll wore a black and white zebra striped swimsuit and signature super high ponytail; she was available as either a blonde or brunette. Her dreamy sweetheart Ken was first released in 1961. Although there was a wedding dress and tux for them, Ken was never intended to be Barbie's husband but was instead supposed to stick around as a boy toy for Barbie. She has also had a variety of jobs from a ballerina to professional athlete, from teacher to surgeon, firefighter to astronaut, army officer to UNICEF diplomat. Barbie has worked anywhere and everywhere, even in Canada as a Mountie.
 Barbie has been honored over the years as well. When she turned 16 they renamed part of Times Square Barbie Boulevard for a week. In 1976, she was named the Doll of the Century and was put in a time capsule to be opened in 2076. When she turned 24, in 1984, there was a gala in NYC and Mayor Ed Koch declared Barbie and Ken Day. She was even put on a stamp in 1999 as part of the Celebrate the Century series. It seems that people have thought of many ways to honor the doll that has come to mean so much to the world.
 For her half a century celebration there was a Barbie's 50th Anniversary Fashion Show in Bryant Park on Valentine’s Day. It began with a presentation of Barbie inspired looks and Barbie-like models walking down the runway in designs by established designers. Some of the tastemakers that participated included Betsy Johnson, Bob Macke, Kimora Lee, Vera Wang, Anna Sui, Diane von Furstenberg, Michael Kors, Donna Karan, Badgley Mischka, and Kenneth Cole. Towards the end of the show the models even walked the runway with young girls wearing tutus and Barbie tee-shirts.