Barbie you're beautiful
You make me feel
My Barbie doll is really real
Barbie's small and so petite,
Her clothes and figure look so neat
Her dancing outfits ring some bells
At parties she will cast a spell
Purses, hats, and gloves galore
And all the gadgets gals adore.
Someday, I'm going to be
Exactly like you
Till then I know just what I'll do...
Barbie, beautiful Barbie
I'll make believe that I am you.

Aired during the transmission of the Mickey Mouse Club, the Barbie doll's first TV commercial is part of a historical legacy that all fashion doll collectors share. And in spite of what we may think about its message in regards to a girl's aspirations, no one will deny the fact that the Barbie doll, as presented in 1959, revolutionized the adult figured fashion doll and created a standard that to this day, all fashion doll lines wish to attain.

And after almost fifty years, the earliest vintage issues of the Barbie doll made in Japan continue to command attention not only for their historical relevance but also for the quality of their manufacture and the uniqueness of the doll's countenance. Based on the Bild Lilli doll, vintage Barbie dolls from 1959-1966 use a face mold that still mesmerizes, intrigues, and shocks. This highly stylized representation of a human face boasts a tiny pointy nose, cantilevering eyelash ridges that partially hide side glancing eyes, and an enigmatic closed mouth. A blank canvas it is not, regardless of what the lore may say about Ruth Handler's initial vision, for the Barbie doll in its 1959 form, shows nothing but attitude and self-confidence. This is an image of femininity that although graphically minimal, conveys intensity and strength of temperament. But is this the characterization of a seductress or that of a teen-age fashion model? Regardless of what your reaction or your associations may be, it is difficult not to fall under the spell of those early hand painted faces.

This is simply a photo that speaks of the impact of a raised eyebrow, of sleep eyes, of blood red lips, of saturated make-up, of platinum white hair. This is a face that defines beauty as something other than pretty and demure and that present a distinct view (and a powerful one while at it) of femininity and a study of the Barbie doll persona, of the universally recognized character, of the quintessential icon of style, of the ultimate modern-age sphinx. For it all started with Barbie and it all comes back to her.