The Barbie doll, although controversial in her appearance, has brought up multiple generations of young people to aspire for success, fashion, career, and most importantly, choice. The Barbie doll was invented and designed by Ruth Handler alongside her husband, advancing the concept of modern doll-making. Handler first encountered the idea of creating a doll by overseeing her daughter and friend’s play with paper dolls. The dolls lacked variety and were often forced into two categories: a wife or caregiver, while her sons’ toys offered many career options. Handler considered the disparities between girls’ and boys’ toys while forming her idea of a doll that would be targeted at girls and young women. Barbie’s physical appearance was modeled on the German Bild Lilli doll, a risqué gift for men based upon a cartoon character featured in the West German newspaper Bild Zeitung. Barbie, named after Handler’s daughter Barbara, debuted at the New York Toy Fair. The doll wore a black and white striped swimsuit and her signature ponytail. Although many skeptics called for the downfall of the doll, many buyers disagreed and grew fond of the doll. Barbie was a hit. Since the doll’s inception, controversies over the doll’s figure continue to rile some parents. Through time and marketing, Barbie offered young people an escape to be whomever they wanted to be, allowing generations of women and girls to aspire to have a future. The Barbie image is still seen to this day she is in movies and TV shows; she has a YouTube channel; and she looks just like you and me.