20 Rare Barbie Dolls With Impeccable Style

America's favorite fashion doll has taken the world by storm once more with the release of Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" movie in 2023. Her fabulous signature ensembles and effortlessly chic accessories are inspiring both old and new fans alike, even giving birth to the Barbiecore trend sweeping the globe. Margot Robbie, the star of "Barbie" and an icon in her own right, has even emulated many rare and popular Barbie looks during the film's press tour.

Barbie has had her fair share of controversy over her 64-year existence, much of which has revolved around representation and messaging surrounding body image. However, it cannot be denied that this humble toy's meteoric rise to fame has cemented itself in pop culture and made a nostalgic home in hearts around the world. It can be said that her decades of awe-inspiring style have had an impact on the fashion world as well. From the zebra-print bathing suit worn by the original Barbie to bedazzled, one-of-a-kind dolls sold for thousands of dollars at auction, the 20th and 21st centuries have seen some wonderfully rare Barbies with truly impeccable style. 

Career Girl Barbie was released exclusively in Japan, where the majority of Barbies were manufactured in the doll's early history, in 1963. Currently worth $3,495, Career Girl Barbie had a similar mold and facial expression to Original Barbie, with her side eyes and pouty red lips. However, Career Girl featured a variety of hair colors and styles, from long red ponytails to short brunette bobs.

This doll was modeled after fashionable career women of the early 1960s. The business attire she wears includes a red knit blouse, a fitted black and white tweed skirt and matching jacket, a black and white tweed hat with a black velvet ribbon and rosebud accent, open toe heels, and long black gloves. Some dolls did not come with the elbow-length gloves, which increases their value if found. A reproduction of the 1963 doll was released in 2006 which added a sleek black clutch to the chic, vintage ensemble. However, this newer version is only worth around $150.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Barbie, Mattel released Pink Jubilee Barbie in February 1989. A black-tie ball was thrown in her honor at the Lincoln Center in New York City, with each attendee receiving one of the 1,200 limited edition dolls. Today, she is worth around $800. 

Pink Jubilee Barbie had a SuperStar head mold, featuring a more modern-looking face which was released in 1977. For her birthday celebration, Pink Jubilee Barbie wore a long, puffy-sleeved pink and silver lamé dress, a fabric which features metallic threads woven throughout for a glitzy, eye-catching sparkle. A large sash is wrapped around the hips and tied in a bow on one side, which trails into a voluminous shimmery skirt. Long silver earrings peek out from behind her platinum blond hair, which is long and curled in accordance with fashion of the day. Barbie's bright blue eyes are accentuated by electric blue eyeliner and lashes as well.

Totally Hair Barbie, Mattel's bestselling Barbie doll released in 1992, sold more than 10 million dolls around the globe. "Totally Hair Barbie was an extension of a long career working with hair play, stemming back to the 1960's," the doll's designer Carol Spencer is quoted in Women's Wear Daily. "It started with Elliot Handler, the founder of Mattel. It was his idea to produce hair-featured dolls."

Totally Hair Barbie wears a bold, multicolor print minidress inspired by the designs of Italian fashion designer Emilio Pucci. She wears dangling triangle-patterned earrings in a coordinating hot pink, which also match her closed toe pumps. Of course, despite her fun and fashionable outfit, it is her hair that consumers clamored for. Totally Hair Barbie has long, ankle-length crimped hair that came in blond and brunette. The doll's original packaging also featured hair gel and a comb which encouraged creative hairstyling. Today, Totally Hair Barbie is worth around $160.

The most expensive and elaborate Barbie in existence is the De Beers 40th Anniversary Barbie, released in 1999 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the legendary doll. The renowned British diamond company, famous for creating the slogan "diamonds are forever" that sold diamond engagement rings, helped Mattel design a diamond-encrusted Barbie doll.

The raven-haired Barbie wears an evening gown made of a gauzy, layered skirt in shades of pale yellow and pink, which coordinates with a long, orange shawl draped over her shoulders. At the time of her release, her long, straight hair with straight-across bangs were unlike anything currently on the market, and her dark lipstick made her stand out from the traditional Barbie's pink and blue makeup palette. The doll also came with a risqué bikini top and accompanying accessories which are made of white gold. The entire outfit features a dainty belt that hangs over the skirt and is made of 160 individual diamonds, putting the doll's retail price point at $85,000. The doll was never made available in stores and instead went straight to auction.

The glamorous line of Silkstone Barbies was released in 2000. Also referred to as Fashion Model Barbies, these couture-dressed dolls were made of a silky vinyl intended to mimic porcelain, resulting in a heavier, more durable doll. Unlike previous iterations of the modern Barbie mold, Silkstone models had a vintage look to them as a result of being sculpted from the Original Barbie from the '50s.

The City Smart Silkstone Barbie Doll was a limited edition release that hit the market in 2003. Only 600 were made, 200 of which made it to the U.S. collector's market. City Smart Barbie wears an elegant silk dress with bows at the shoulder and a small slit in the skirt. Her accessories include a large, white straw hat with a black tulle bow, wrist-length white gloves and black pumps. Her rarity and sophisticated style makes her worth between $1,151 and $2,995.

Châtaine Barbie was a Limited Edition doll included in the Barbie Fashion Model Collection. The collection, which launched in 2000, featured Silkstone dolls that had the face of the original Barbie. The majority of the collection had Barbies adorned in glamorous outfits inspired by the high end fashion world, all designed by Robert Best. Roughly 600 of these dolls were made.

Châtaine, which translates to "chestnut" in French, is an apt name for the brown-clad Barbie doll, currently valued at $1,150. She wears a strapless bustier made of taffeta under an elegant floor-length, figure-hugging skirt in a shiny cappuccino color. An elaborate organza jacket with bell sleeves, also made of a sheer taffeta, features swirls of lace and gold sequins and a velvet-like brown bow. In addition to long, sparkly earrings, Châtaine Barbie accessorizes this look with a long chocolate fur stole that perfectly complements her dark updo. It is easy to picture this magnificently dressed woman attending a movie premiere or stepping onto the runway at Paris Fashion Week.

Dahlia Barbie was another beloved feature of Robert Best's Barbie Fashion Model Collection. The BFMC doll was released in December 2006 and received Platinum Label status, meaning less than 1,000 were made. Exactly 999 Dahlia Barbies were released, in fact, putting her resale value at around $2,400.

Dahlia Barbie is the designer's ode to the romantic and vibrant Spanish culture. The redheaded doll wears a strapless ball gown made of black lace and a fitted bodice through the hips. Delicate gold lace trims the sweetheart bust and repeats in the sash of the bodice, embellished by a black satin bow and Swarovski crystal brooch. The gown features a full, tiered skirt reminiscent of the country's flamenco dancers, and is embroidered with elaborate gold flowers. White, elbow-length gloves and a pair of sparkly earrings complete the ensemble, cementing this Barbie as one of the most rare and well-dressed Barbie dolls in existence.

Alpha Kappa Alpha, a sorority founded by Howard University students in 1908, was celebrated on their 100th anniversary with the AKA Centennial Barbie. AKA was the first sorority for Black women in the country, with notable members like Rosa Parks and Maya Angelou.

In a 2008 interview with Houston Style Magazine, director of Barbie collector marketing Elizabeth Grampp noted the importance of highlighting the organization's milestone with a collector's edition doll. "Mattel sought licensing for the doll — the first in the company's flagship brand based on any sorority and any predominantly Black organization — upon learning that Alpha Kappa Alpha is marking its 100th anniversary this year," she said. "When you pair that milestone with an organization representing an amazing cross-section of women who are empowered leaders in any field, it's a real opportunity to introduce the hobby of collecting to a new group of collectors."

The doll is dressed in a flowy, pink and green evening gown to honor the sorority's colors. In 2008, the collector's edition doll was sold for $50. Today, an AKA Centennial Barbie can cost as much as $500.

The Original may be one of the most sought after and rare Barbies, but it is hardly the most expensive doll to ever exist. That title belongs to the Stefani Canturi Barbie, released in 2010 as part of the Barbie Basics collection. The doll was created with the help of Australian jewelry designer Stefano Canturi, who created a dazzling necklace of emerald cut pink diamonds for the doll. Each pink diamond is one carat. Surrounding these rare gemstones are three carats of white diamonds. This rare and expensive accessory helped the one-of-a-kind Stefani Canturi Barbie sell for $302,500 at auction, funds which went to the National Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

In addition to her dazzling necklace, the Stefani Canturi Barbie wears a matching ring. All this bling is offset by a simple, knee-length dress. The strapless party dress features voluminous layers of black tulle. Her bright blond hair is styled in a polished, high ponytail with bangs, similar to her predecessor Original Barbie.

Pink Diamond Barbie had an estimated worth of $15,000 when she was released during New York Fashion Week in 2013. Designed by Mattel and fashion designers Phillipe and David Blond, the statuesque blond Barbie is dressed in her signature hot pink color from head to toe. The Blonds' real-life designs, which have been worn on celebrities like Beyoncé and Katy Perry, are theatrical, sparkly, and always glamorous. Their signature look easily translates to the fun and colorful Pink Diamond Barbie. She was sold at auction and the proceeds were donated to the MAC AIDS Fund organization.

Pink Diamond Barbie was aptly named, considering her strapless minidress is covered in tiny pink and fuchsia diamonds, reportedly hand selected by the Blonds. Her sky-high pink heels are also bedazzled to match her pink diamond ring and pink diamond earrings. A trailing pink faux fur coat completes the ensemble.