On this day: Barbie is introduced at NY International Toy Fair

The new Barbie dolls are of different ethnicities to better relate to multicultural girls and their mothers. Mattel, the toy company behind the plastic dolls, said there were some signs of improvement for Barbie after years of falling sales. (Mattell via the AP)

She looks pretty good for a gal of 58!

On this day in 1959, Mattel's Barbie doll made its public debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York.

Standing 11 inches tall in a black and white one-piece, Barbara Millicent Roberts (“Barbie”) would go on to both inspire and incite controversy with a flip of her cascading blonde ponytail.

Created by Ruth Handler, Barbie presented a modern, 3D alternative to the traditional paper doll. Her voluptuous figure was inspired by an “adult” German doll called Lilli – however — the name “Barbie” came from Handler’s nickname for her daughter, Barbara.

In her 58 years, Barbie has lived a number of adventures – pursuing highfalutin careers in surgery, as an astronaut, a special education teacher, a paratrooper, Canadian Mountie, a SeaWorld trainer, a cat burglar, a news anchor, Paleontologist, ballerina, a rapper, and NASCAR driver, and even President of the United States.

Barbie may or may not be celebrating with longtime love Ken. After the on-and-off couple announced their divorce in 2004, rumour has it that the pair rekindled shortly afterwards, once Ken had a much-needed makeover.