Soon after debuting as a fashion model, Barbie added flight attendant, nurse, and fashion designer to her resume—she even went to space!
Barbie’s careers reflected cultural and technological changes happening after World War II. New prepackaged foods and electric appliances helped women with housework. In the 1960s, a “baby bust” began as women chose to have fewer children. With less work at home and the law on their side, women were free to work for pay, filling clerical, sales, and professional positions that grew as America’s industries modernized.
As society continued to change in the 1960s, women with careers became visible in TV shows, advertisements, and the growing women’s rights movement. Barbie’s numerous careers brought the message home to girls and let them imagine a future with choices.