Barbie: The Icon

This brightly colored, fully illustrated book by fashion historian Capella celebrates the Barbie doll as a legendary fashionista and inspiration for girls. The doll has been meticulously redefined to stay relevant since its debut in 1959. Color photographs illustrate Barbie’s evolution decade by decade through her clothing and career choices, as well as the more technical changes to her posture, facial expression, body proportion, makeup, and hairstyle. Elite fashion designers have inspired Barbie’s look over the years: pillbox hats, the little black dress, bell bottoms, jeans, padded shoulders, leggings, and the urban style of the new millennium. Whether astronaut, architect, flight attendant, or vet, Barbie is portrayed as a contemporary career woman with a love of fashion. A section on the “dolls of the world” solidifies Barbie’s global reach by showcasing the ways the doll’s clothing adapts to meet the customs of 50 nationalities. The format of photographs, captions, and history-rich sidebars is pleasing, although information gets repeated. This is a charming book for all ages, and older readers will especially enjoy revisiting their childhoods. Color illus. (Mar.)