From Object to Subject: The Evolution of Female Consciousness as Reflected in Barbie's Sartorial Discourse

This study employs feminist theory as an analytical framework to systematically examine the interactive relationship between the intergenerational evolution of Barbie's image since its debut in 1959 and the development of feminist thought. Selecting three key samplesthe traditional Barbie (1959-1980s), the "girl power" Barbie (1990s-2000s), and Greta Gerwig's 2023 live-action filmthe research utilizes textual analysis and feminist critique to deeply analyze the ideological connotations of Barbie's body design, costume changes, and narrative representation from the perspectives of male gaze theory, commodity feminism, and gender performativity. The findings reveal that Barbie's image has undergone a transformation from patriarchal aesthetic ideal to feminist deconstruction. While Mattel's diversification efforts remain superficial, Gerwig's film achieves substantive critique by exposing the inherent contradictions of "marketable feminism." The study demonstrates that Barbie's sixty-year evolution essentially constitutes a condensed history of feminist resistance, reflecting profound tensions between empowerment discourse and institutional change.