The world of vintage Barbie dolls


Barbie is the star of the Mattel doll line that began in 1959, she was created by founder Ruth Handler who had a vision when she saw the miniature adult Bild Lilli doll when traveling in Germany. At that time, full sized baby and child dolls were the playthings available for children. Ruth Handler changed all that when her Barbie doll was introduced.

In addition to Barbie are family and friend dolls each with a story line, all of whom have fabulous clothing wardrobes reflecting the era which are meticulously made with tiny accessories. Barbie and her friends need a place to live, so there are cardboard houses, shops and rooms. Transportation for Barbie yes please, convertible sports cars, roadsters and more.

The Mattel Barbie doll line grew into an entire world in miniature for a child to play with, to dream and imagine what their own world might be like someday. In the 2023 Barbie movie by director Greta Gerwig showcases Barbie’s imaginary world. So lets identify the vintage dolls where this all began . . . the gangs all here and has been since September 1999.

Barbie Vintage Dolls, Friends and Family Identified

vintage barbie doll blonde face

Barbie doll 11 1/2″ 
1959+ | 1963+ | 1968+ 1973+ | 1966 mark

ken-doll-brunette-face

Ken doll 12″
Barbie’s boyfriend
 1961-1976

1963 Mattel Midge doll face Barbies dolls friend

Midge doll 11 1/2″
Barbie’s best friend
1963-1967

skipper-doll-blonde-face

Skipper doll 9 1/4″
Barbie’s teenage sister
1964-1976

francie-doll-brunette-face-1966

Francie  doll 11 1/4″
Barbie’s “mod” cousin
1966-1976

tutti-doll-brunette-face-1966

Tutti doll 6 1/4″
Barbie’s youngest sister
1966-1976

todd-doll-brunette-face-1967jpg

Todd doll 6 1/4″
Tutti’s twin brother
1967-1976

chris-doll-blonde-face-1968

Chris doll 6 1/4″
Tutti’s best friend
1966-1976

All vintage Barbie doll clothing fashions 1959-1976

All the above dolls have fully tagged fashion wardrobes that they share with other same sized dolls
Barbie vintage clothing labels & tags

ken-doll-clothes-fashions

Ken, Allan, Brad,
Curtis doll clothes 12″ 
1961-1967
1969-1976

skipper-doll-fashions

Skipper, Skooter, Fluff, Tiff, Ginger doll clothes 9 1/4″ 1964-1970
1971-1976

francie-doll-clothes-fashions

Francie, Casey, Twiggy doll clothes 11 1/4″
1966-1969
1970-1975
Foreign

tutti-doll-fashions

Tutti, Chris, Buffy, Pretty Pairs, Carla doll clothes 6 1/4″ 1966-1968

allan-doll-auburn-face-1964

Allan doll 12″
Ken’s best friend
1964-1966

christie-black-doll-face-1968

Christie doll 11 1/2″
Barbie’s black friend, Brad’s girl friend 1968-1976

stacey-doll-uburn-face-1968

Stacey doll 11 1/2″
Barbie’s British cousin
1968-1971

1969 Julia black doll face

Julia doll 11 1/2″
Barbie’s celebrity black friend
1969-1972

pj-doll-blonde-face-1969

PJ doll 11 1/2″
Barbie’s friend
1969-1976

truly-scrumptious-doll-face-1969

Truly Scrumptious
doll 11 1/2″ celebrity friend
1969

jamie-doll-blonde-face-1970

Jamie doll 11 1/2″
Barbie’s friend
1970-1972

1970 Brad black doll face

Brad doll 12″ 1970-72
Curtis doll 12″ 1975
Ken’s black friends

babs-steffie-dolls-brunette-face-1972

Babs, Steffie dolls
11 1/2″ Barbie’s friends
1972-1974

miss-america-doll-brunette-face-1972

Miss America doll
11 1/2″ celebrity friend
1972-1976

cara-black-doll-face-1973

Cara doll 11 1/2″
Barbie’s black friend, Curtis girl friend 1973-1976

kelley-doll-brown-hair-face-1973

Kelley doll 11 1/2″
Barbie’s friend
  1973-1976

casey-doll-blonde-face-1967

Casey doll 11 1/4″
Francie’s best friend
1967-1975

twiggy-doll-blonde-face-1967

Twiggy doll 11 1/4″
Francie’s British cousin
1967-1968

skooter-doll-blonde-face-1965

Skooter doll 9 1/4″
Skipper’s best friend
  1965-1976

ricky-doll-auburn-face-1965

Ricky  doll 9 1/4″
Skipper’s boyfriend
  1965-1967

fluff-doll-blonde-face-1971

Fluff doll 9 1/4″
Skipper’s friend
1971-1973

tiff-doll-brunette-face-1971

Tiff doll 9 1/4″
Skipper’s tomboy friend
1971-1973

ginger-doll-brunette-face-1976

Ginger doll 9 1/4″
Skipper’s grow up friend
1976

buffy-mrs-beasley-dolls

Buffy, Mrs. Beasley
6 1/4″
celebrity friend
1968-1970

Buffy, the three Pretty Pairs dolls, Carla doll 6 1/4″, all Tutti’s friends are here

angie-doll-brunette-tangie-face-1968

Angie ‘n Tangie
Pretty Pairs 1970

lori-blonde-rori-dolls-pretty-pairs

Lori ‘n Rori
Pretty Pairs 1970

nan-black-doll-fran-1968

Nan ‘n Fran
 Pretty Pairs 1970

carla-black-doll-face

Carla doll 6 1/4″
1976

Vintage Barbie & Family Clone, Look a Like Dolls and Clothing

Bild Lilli doll historyBild Lilli doll clonesBarbie doll clones
Skipper doll clonesFrancie doll clonesKen doll clones
Littlechap dollsTammy dollTressy doll
1968 Barbie's swinging sports car
Barbie’s vintage sports car

More vintage Barbie doll Information


Barbie dolls also had houses, rooms, furniture, shops, transportation of bicycles, boats, sports cars, planes, vinyl doll cases with great graphics that hold dolls, clothing and all those tiny little accessories that are easily lost and other products. Many early vintage Barbie doll clothing fashions have been reproduced by Mattel.

The Collector’s Encyclopedia of Barbie Dolls and Collectibles by Sibyl DeWein and Joan Ashabraner in 1984.
Barbie Doll Fashion: The complete history of the wardrobes of Barbie doll, her friends, family, vol. one 1959-1967 in 1990, vol. two 1968-1974 in 1997 by Sarah Sink Eames.
Skipper, Barbie Dolls Little Sister, Identification and Value Guide, also featuring Tutti & Todd, Barbie & Skipper’s tiny twin Sister and Brother, by Scott Arend, Karla Holzerland and Trina Kent in 1998.