As first boyfriends go, you could do worse than Ken Carson. Introduced in 1961 by Mattel, the Ken doll was the epitome of the all-American boy next door. Clean cut, athletic and with a sharp haircut, he was the perfect counterpart to his more famous girlfriend, Barbie.
Ken’s first item of clothing was a pair of red swimming trunks, indicating his sportiness and reflecting the modern American lifestyle of leisure and penchant for outdoor recreation.
