25+ Weird Barbie Dolls That Were Actually Made at Some Point

Midge first appeared in the 1960s and was marketed as Barbie’s wholesome best friend. She stayed popular until 2002 when Mattel introduced her as a pregnant doll. It didn’t end there; the baby bump could be detached and it contained a baby.

It’s no wonder parents were creeped out by the doll, with many thinking it promoted teen pregnancy. The company sold the doll as part of the Happy Family set, but as it turns out, the family was not so happy. Sometimes, we’re left scratching our heads about what the designers were thinking!

Mattel followed the electronics theme in 2015 and unveiled Hello Barbie. The doll could talk, listen and respond to what she heard through a microphone and a Wi-Fi connection. As if that wasn’t enough to raise eyebrows, the doll could remember what was said and bring it up days later.

The doll’s functions creeped out parents, and they raised privacy violation concerns. Parents were scared of the doll being hacked since it functions by connecting to Wi-Fi. Mattel discontinued the doll two years later – a decision that didn’t surprise us at all.

In 1964, Skipper was introduced as Barbie’s younger sister after some fans demanded that Barbie have a child. She joined the Barbie universe as an eight-year-old, and in 1975, Mattel decided it was time for Skipper to go through puberty.

They introduced a doll called Growing up Skipper to teach kids about changes undergone through puberty. When her left arm was rotated, the doll would elongate and “develop” a chest. The company boasted that the doll went from a “cute little girl” to a “tall, curvy teenager.” Ew, Mattel. Gross!

Tanner the Golden Retriever was one the most adorable cameos of the Barbie film. Mattel launched the Barbie-Tanner playset in 2006, with the toymaker making it incredibly realistic. Tanner could eat his play treat and poop it out for Barbie to pick up after him.

However, they discontinued this playset in 2007, and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled more than 680,000 units. The set included a scooper accessory with a magnetic end for kids to pick up Tanner’s play poop. The loose magnets on the scoopers were considered a health hazard, as children could swallow them.

In July 2010, Mattel released Video Girl Barbie, which was designed to double as a video camera for kids. The doll had a video camera with a lens in the necklace the doll was wearing. Video Girl Barbie could record up to 30 seconds of footage that could be played on a video screen on the doll’s back.

However, concerns about privacy arose. At the time, no one caught any instances of misuse of the doll, but people stated it was possible. This sparked outrage and concern among many parents, who got rid of the doll immediately.

In 1993, Mattel launched Teen Talk Barbie, which had a voice box and could say various phrases. Although this technology was pretty impressive back then, some of the words spoken by the doll raised the eyebrows of many parents.

Some phrases include “Will we ever have enough clothes?” and “Let’s plan our dream wedding.” What ultimately caused most parents to reconsider if their kids should play with the doll was “Math class is tough.” They argued that the phrase promoted harmful stereotypes and discouraged young girls from studying math.

The Ken doll was released in 1961, two years after we were introduced to Barbie. For Ken’s 50th birthday, a special edition Barbie called the Happy Birthday, Ken doll was released. Although the doll was intended for ages six and over, some things about it were considered inappropriate for kids.

The description on the box reads, “Wearing her most eye-catching, show-stopping outfit to present Ken with his birthday ‘gift,’ Barbie is every bit the beautiful birthday present herself.” Oddly, they put “gift” in quotation marks. What sort of gift are they trying to imply here?

Shaving Fun Ken hit the shelves in 1994. The doll has a water-activated color-change to make his beard appear and disappear; a sponge razor and cloth towel let kids immerse themselves in role-play fun.

Shaving may be strange to some kids, while others may be acquainted with it. Releasing a doll like this for little girls to play with seemed a bit odd. Perhaps the target demographic was boys and this was how they were trying to do the crossover. It’s a bit strange if you ask us.

This doll, released in 1965, was a version of Barbie prepared for a slumber party. Everything she needed for a night with her best friends was pajamas, a brush, bobby pins, curlers, a scale permanently set to 110 pounds, and a book called How to Lose Weight. The book offered only one piece of advice – “Don’t eat.”

The doll wasn’t recalled or discontinued, but the toy company released an updated version called Sleepytime Gal. However, she still came with her diet book, and it’s one important rule. How wildly inappropriate, especially for young girls just learning about their bodies!

Beauty and the Beast was an incredibly popular Disney film that won several Academy awards. With its vast popularity among young girls, it was hardly surprising that the toy company released Barbie dolls of Belle and the Prince.

Creating the human form of the prince was easy, but they hit a snag while creating the Beast. Beast didn’t fit the mold, so they had to make a new one for him. We had no idea the Beast could look any worse, or even weirder than he did on screen, but Mattel achieved that feat.

Becky was introduced as Barbie’s friend in 1996. According to Mattel, Share a Smile Becky was Barbie’s friend with a disability. The toy company designed and added the doll to the Barbie doll world to show the real world’s diversity.

However, a teenager with cerebral palsy noticed that Becky’s wheelchair didn’t fit through the door of one of Barbie’s three Dream Houses. The company rectified its mistake by releasing a new Barbie Folding Pretty House with a wider front door and no stairs.

The toy company released a doll they dubbed Earring Magic Ken in 1993, but it only lasted six months on shelves. The doll came with a lilac mesh T-shirt, matching pleather vest, black high-waisted pants, and a gleaming earring.

Earring Magic Ken was Mattel’s attempt to “gender-bend” and make him seem “cool” to young girls. Although the company didn’t succeed in this aspect, they did get some men to think Ken was cool. At the very least, owners of the doll received real clip-on earrings, so all is not lost.

If you’re a fan of vintage horror movies, chances are you’ve seen Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 film The Birds. It’s a classic tale of terror, so people were left wondering why Mattel thought it’d be a good idea to commemorate the scene in which actress Tippi Hedren gets attacked by birds.

The company created a Barbie doll that came with birds attacking her and noted that it was “for the adult collector.” However, they also added a note to parents that read, “The Birds is rated PG-13,” in case anyone was considering giving that Barbie to a kid.

In 2013, Mattel introduced Mexico Barbie Doll as part of its Dolls of the World collection. The doll came with a passport, stamp, and a Chihuahua. This was met with immediate controversy. We can’t think of a single thing more stereotypical and ignorant than this, can you?

The toy company was accused of portraying other cultures in the light of the past instead of using contemporary designs. Mattel released a statement saying they consulted with the Mexican Embassy on the Dolls of the World Mexico Barbie, especially concerning the selection of the Chihuahua.

Kissing Barbie was launched in 1979; as her name implies, her sole purpose was to make out. The doll came in a “romantic dress of sheer pale pink nylon” and had a little tube of lipstick with her. She had a button on her back that, when pressed, made her kiss someone.

Creating this Barbie was weird since any kid could make their Barbie doll kiss them without the use of a button. It was even stranger that the toy came with a lipstick application. Who on earth would little girls be getting their Barbie to kiss? No, no, no, Mattel, this is not okay!

In 2009, Barbie celebrated her 50th birthday, and Mattel commemorated the occasion by releasing a Totally Stylin’ Tattoos version of the doll. Although she wasn’t technically rocking ink, parents were furious that the iconic doll came with stickers and a small plastic tattoo gun.

The stickers and tattoo gun allowed children to customize and apply birthday tattoos on their dolls. Many thought the company should’ve done better than encouraging kids to get tattoos. We aren’t too concerned about this one, but it’s a little strange nonetheless.

This Barbie doll is a Gold Label collector Barbie designed by Christian Louboutin and released as the premiere doll in the Barbie by Christian Louboutin Collection in 1999.

The Barbie doll caused people to ask a lot of questions. Why was she dressed in a tight suit while breaking into houses? Was the Barbie doll intended for collectors rather than children?

If there’s one Barbie doll that’s cringy and weird, it’s this Barbie doll released in 1992. Rappin’ Rockin’ Barbie was introduced along with three of her friends (Teresa, Christie, and Ken), and all four dolls carried their boombox that even played a beat.

Mattel hoped to take advantage of an era many consider rap and hip hop’s finest, but things backfired. Everything about Rappin’ Rockin’ Barbie was clearly appropriated from another culture, leaving a sour taste in people’s mouths.

Just like Rappin’ Rockin’ Barbie, Rappin’ Rockin’ Ken hit shelves and left many filled with indignation. The doll came with a boombox, a gold chain, and some lyrics about the Cabbage Patch Kids.

The Ken doll had a neon-colored garb and was armed with the jamming beat that erupted from his baby blue speakers. Like Rappin’ Rockin’ Barbie, this left an equally sour taste in people’s mouths.

It’s easy to see how weird creating these Barbie dolls for a child was. These three look like they’d fit in better in sci-fi movies of the 1950s than in the hands of a kid. The three rulers are the Queen of the Constellations, the Empress of the Aliens, and the Goddess of the Galaxy.

They were designed by Bill Greening and are exclusive Barbie Collector Gold Label editions. Each doll has a certificate of authenticity and details such as feathered eyelashes, thigh-high metallic platform boots, shimmering corsets, and incredible tiaras.

We remember the ’70s for many things, including disco and leisure suits. That was also the decade Barbie showed up in a dress with her own face printed on it. Barbie is well-loved for her humility, and wearing a dress like this seemed unlike the Barbie everyone knew.

Only someone with a certain degree of arrogance could wear a dress with their own face plastered on it. The company described her as “a doll for a new era: stylish, sensational, and oh so chic, this leading lady knows how to rock the spotlight.”

Elvis Presley was regarded as the King of Rock and Roll and known as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. He married Priscilla in 1967, and their marriage lasted six years.

People found it weird that Mattel commemorated their marriage with a doll set, considering Elvis first met Priscilla when she was 14. The toy company didn’t seem to mind this, as they released this wedding set in 2008, decades after the couple got married.

The toy company launched Sun Gold Barbie in 1983, and judging from appearances, it seemed Barbie forgot to put on sunscreen. They released the beach babe doll with three pairs of sunglasses and a tote-to-towel bag.

People were worried that this Barbie had no thought for proper skin care and seemed to have sun-damaged skin. Many believed she didn’t need more hours under the sun but needed medical attention instead.

The first Ken doll was released in 1961 and back then, the production and sculpting techniques weren’t as refined as they are today. Consequently, the old dolls had peculiar proportions.

The first Ken doll looked worse than the others, as he had tiny arms and a chest that was quite broad in comparison. For Ken’s 45th anniversary, they rereleased the original Ken doll in all its broad chest and tiny arms glory.

Mattel released this Barbie doll in 2011 and called it Shoe Obsession Barbie. Not only is the name weird, but so is the design. The doll came in a white dress with shoes of different colors sewn into it.

As if the dresses weren’t weird enough, the doll is wearing a necklace with shoes on them. For a toy company, it’s both weird and disappointing that Mattel is encouraging obsessions in children.

McDonald’s Barbie was launched in 1992 and was controversial for several reasons. It’s a general opinion that McDonald’s food isn’t healthy. Obviously, having an iconic doll like Barbie serving unhealthy food was controversial.

Some parents were concerned that their kids would want to eat more McDonald’s food and worried about their health. Once again, Mattel ignored these concerns and produced more McDonald’s Barbie dolls.

Black Canary is a DC comics superheroine known for her martial arts skills and “Canary Cry.” Black Canary has several outfits, but for some weird reason, Mattel thought it best to go with the one with the fishnet tights.

The outfit choice didn’t sit well with some values groups as they felt there were more innocent-looking options from which the toy company could choose. In Mattel’s defense, the doll is a Black Label, which isn’t meant for kids.

Obesity is a serious issue and in America, more than one-third of adults have obesity, and almost 20% of children and adolescents too. One of the reasons the numbers are that high is because most people’s diets are too high in calories — often from fast food and high-calorie beverages and soda, like Coca-Cola.

Mattel teamed up with Coca-Cola and released this Barbie doll in 2000. This Barbie is wearing a cheerleader uniform, Ken’s letterman jacket, and holding a megaphone with the Coca-Cola trademark. Encouraging kids to consume more Coca-Cola wasn’t one of Mattel’s best ideas.

Did Mattel listen to the concerns parents had about Growing Up Skipper? No. We’re sure they wouldn’t have released this doll if they listened. This doll is basically Growing Up Skipper 2.0., except they called her Kennedy from the My Scene collection.

Like Skipper, this doll grew several inches in length and had a noticeable growth in the chest area. The company added a few changes to avoid making a direct copy of Growing Up Skipper. Instead of shoes, this doll wears heels and has a full face of make-up to give her a more “mature look.”

Although parents weren’t thrilled with Mattel releasing a doll with tattoos in the form of stickers and a tattoo gun, the company released a pre-tattooed doll two years later.

The Barbie doll was intended “for the adult collector,” but parents were still outraged. Some argued that the doll taught kids to want tattoos, even as teenagers. The company didn’t recall the doll and in 2015, Mattel released two more versions.

People started to see SeaWorld in a different light after the documentary Blackfish came out in 2013. The documentary revealed some issues the amusement park had with how badly they treated their animals. SeaWorld Trainer Barbie came with a toy whale and a toy dolphin, which squirts water, and a tiny fish pool. Of course, the doll was met with criticism.

An animal rights group approached Mattel in 2012, asking them to discontinue the doll’s production. In 2014, Mattel stopped producing the doll, stating that their license agreement with SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment had expired. They didn’t mention why the agreement wasn’t renewed.

Teaching was one of the few careers available for women in the ’60s. So, it’s no wonder that in 1965, Mattel released a Barbie doll that was a teacher. Fast forward to 2009, and the toy company made a replica of the original version.

This Barbie doll comes with a certificate of authenticity, a globe, and a pointer stick. However, it’s weird that this Barbie isn’t a full teacher. Other Barbies of the My Favorite Career Series include a nurse, an astronaut, and a stewardess.

Jude Deveraux’s The Raider Barbie and Ken Doll Giftset was launched on March 9th, 2018. Since it was released, it raised some eyebrows, and if we’re honest, we can completely understand why.

Here’s an excerpt from the romance novel that adorns the box of this 2003 special collector’s edition: “I knew you’d understand. What the Raider and I have goes beyond mere passion; it’s a meeting of the minds. Oh, Alex, I wish I could forget him. Would you kiss me again? Try to make me forget.” Ken stars as Alexander Montgomery in this set, and Barbie is the swooning damsel in distress.

For some weird reason, Mattel thought making a doll like Medusa would be a great idea. Medusa is a Greek mythology monster that has live snakes for hair. Anyone who looks at her would turn into stone.

In 2008, as part of their Goddess series, the company released a Barbie doll as Medusa, which was weird considering the other Barbies in the series were Aphrodite (the goddess of love and beauty) and Athena (the goddess of wisdom and craft).

Just when we thought it couldn’t get weirder, in 2012, Mattel released a Barbie doll that wasn’t quite like the ones we’re used to. Mattel describes the Haunted Beauty Ghost Barbie Doll as living “between this earthly life and an unknown world beyond.”

According to the company, “her long, pale platinum hair and dramatic face paint take her far beyond the paranormal to extraordinary!”

Like the Ghost Barbie doll, this Barbie was also part of the Haunted Beauty series. The doll was released in 2014, leaving many wondering why Barbie was turned into an evil-looking spinster. This concept is a weird one.

She’s giving off Cinderella’s wicked stepmother vibes. The level of attention paid to details is quite impressive, though. The candelabra is a nice fit for her outfit and general demeanor.

Everything about this set is weird and disturbing. We all know Little Red Riding Hood to be a child. It seems Mattel didn’t know this, or maybe they didn’t care about that detail.

We can’t imagine Red Riding Hood dressed in knee-high fishnet stockings to visit her grandmother, but apparently, Mattel could. Let’s not get started on the wolf! There are several weird things about it too.

Sometimes, you see a doll line and wonder who thought of it and why it was even allowed to go into production. For us, this is one of those times.

Lounge Kitties Barbie was launched in 2003, and we’re still yet to get over how weird it is. And maybe it’s not so strange. After all, after a long day, we put on our best leopard-printed bodysuit, cat ears, and tail, and lazily lounge around for the rest of the evening.

Well-known as a fashion icon, Barbie always makes good fashion choices. At least, most times. Rendezvous Barbie hit shelves in 1998, and we can’t help but wonder how Barbie arrived at that fashion decision.

This doll is one of the three dolls in the Masquerade Gala Collection and is the most weirdly dressed one of the three. If we didn’t know any better, we’d say Barbie was possessed by the spirit of a 1988 trapper keeper!

In 2009, Mattel released this Ken, who wore a satin green paisley blazer, and white pants, and led a small white dog on a pink leash. The doll was called Palm Beach Sugar Daddy Ken. Unsurprisingly, the name sparked reactions in many people.

As it turned out, it was all a big misunderstanding. Ken wasn’t a “sugar daddy,” but Sugar’s daddy, as the dog’s name was Sugar.

Barbie & Ken Star Trek Giftset was launched in 1996 to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the classic Star Trek series. We must say, these dolls actually look like they fit into the Strekkie world. Ken wears a gold jersey and badge indicating his position in the Command division.

Barbie is outfitted with an authentic Star Trek uniform, her red uniform denoting her status as a member of the ship’s engineering section. The difference in their positions is a weird one. It’s also strange how Ken is the only one who looks out of shape.

The intended audience for Barbie dolls is mostly young girls, although there are many adult collectors. A few Twilight Barbies were released as the movie franchise gained popularity, and the dolls were produced until the final movie.

Jacob was one of the popular Twilight characters that Mattel produced. They also created Edwards, Bella, and Emmett to name a few. What’s weird is that the company continued to make dolls of him until the final movie, when he fell in love with Renesmee. This is still quite gross to many people, but the dolls were still very popular.

Mattel released a playset in 1991 that wasn’t only weird; it also caused a lot of indignation. If this doll was launched in the ’50s, the company may have been excused, but in 1991, not a chance!

Mattel thought every little girl needed a Wash and Watch Dishwasher Playset. It’s almost difficult to pronounce the name without wincing. The playset also came with choking-hazard parts like tiny knives and forks. And it also encourages the female stereotype that women belong in the kitchen cooking and cleaning. Gross!

What do you do when your toy company is constantly berated for being a terrible role model for girls? You partner with certain pro-girl groups to improve your image. Mattel really thought this was the way to go, but their plan backfired.

The toy company made a two-million-dollar deal with Girl Scouts to have Barbie wear the Girl Scouts uniform and give Daisy and Brownie members a patch. Many were unhappy with the development as they felt Barbie, the quintessential fashion doll, should not be a role model for Girl Scouts.

Rollerblade Barbie Skates Flicker N’ Flash hit shelves in 1991. The doll came with a cute skating outfit, knee pads, and some rollerblades that sparked when you rolled them across a surface.

The toy company soon recalled the doll because her rollerblades posed a potential fire hazard. It’s pretty odd that the company released this doll in the first place. They must have known about its potential to start a fire. Oh well, at least they recalled it… No harm, no foul, right?