History of Ken Dolls
The Ken doll, first sold in 1961, is a toy doll made by the Mattel company. Introduced as the boyfriend of the Barbie doll, Ken is designed to be attractive, fun-loving and fashion-savvy. With his charming smile and blue eyes, Ken--even though he's made out of vinyl--reigns supreme in the male fashion-doll world.
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Occupations
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Ken has had several different occupations, including doctor, photographer, pizza-delivery boy, rock star and professional tennis player, as well as stints in the Army and Air Force.
Friends
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Other than Barbie, Ken has had several friends, including Allan (Ken's best friend), Brad and Curtis (Ken's first African-American friends), Todd, Derek, Steven and Blaine.
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Style Changes
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Ken has exhibited many style changes over the years, including surfer, hippie, Hawaiian, disco and Harley-Davidson. Ken is also known for dressing up in a three-piece suit, then dressing down to a pair of jeans and T-shirt.
Hair
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Ken's hair was originally offered in a choice of light brown or blond. The hair had the same vinyl texture as the rest of the doll. Today, the hair is made to look more realistic.
Ken's Magazine
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Ken has his own fashion magazine called "Stylish!", which explores the busy life of Ken and his friends and what he wears when he's out and about. The magazine also sells Ken-doll attire, so collectors can keep their Ken on the cutting edge of fashion.
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Resources
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Comments
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Divaliscious
Aug 13, 2009
thank you for your article... it just helped me win some points on the history of Ken....thank you from the bottom of my three story townhouse I used to own! I wish I knew then what I know now, I would have saved those toys! yikes!....bless you and your collection!
