How Barbie avoids bad hair days

September 17, 1996
Web posted at: 4:00 a.m. EDT

From Correspondent Gloria Hillard

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- Everyone loves Barbie. She wears fashionable outfits. She has perfect -- albeit plastic -- skin. And she has amazing hair.

It's the kind of hair that makes you wonder: Gee, just how do they do that?

Stephen Tarmichael can tell you. A licensed cosmetologist, he's been Barbie's personal stylist at Mattel since 1988.

"She's pretty hip, she's up with the times, she's a career girl, trendy and just on the cutting edge," said Tarmichael.

To help Barbie maintain that hip status, Tarmichael and his crew do their homework.

"We go to hair shows, see what's hot, what's in fashion. We look in magazines, on the beach, in fashion malls," he said.

When Tarmichael isn't styling Barbie's hair, he works in real salon.

"They (clients) love to tell people, 'Oh, I get my hair done by the same guy who does Barbie's hair,'" said Tarmichael.

But Barbie is still his favorite client. "She's much quieter," said Tarmichael.

Another advantage to having Barbie as a client is that he can decide how to style her hair. In fact, Barbie's hairstyles have been picked up by Hollywood stars on occasion.

"She had the classic Madonna ponytail ... It was a year before Madonna copied Barbie," said Tarmichael.

Perfect is not easy

Having the perfect hair isn't easy -- even for Barbie, who Tarmichael says is a natural blonde.

The doll goes through a lot for that beautiful head of hair. For starters, the hair is sewn onto her, and then brushed and pulled about with a dog brush.

Barbie also has to be tough enough to handle the little girl home test: brushing, tugging, even the occasional haircut by big brother.

Through it all, the doll that has endured so many generations, hairstyles and fashions continues to be an American childhood fixture.

Related stories:

• CNNfn - Barbie Bazarre - December 4, 1996
• Ken and Barbie 'freaks', says researcher - October 27, 1995

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• Yahoo!'s list of Barbie Links

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