The original 1959 Barbie doll wore black shoes.
Her footwear consisted of black open-toed high-heeled shoes that matched the strong monochrome styling of her black-and-white striped swimsuit. The shoes were small but important: Barbie’s fashion identity was built around coordinated outfits and accessories from the beginning.
The first doll also wore gold hoop earrings and carried the distinctive high ponytail later associated with early Barbie releases. Modern collectors distinguish the earliest shoe details by sculpt, finish, and production markings, so reproductions may not be identical to vintage examples.
A common mix-up is to remember the doll’s later pink shoes and assume pink was the original color. Pink became increasingly prominent in Barbie branding and packaging, but the launch doll’s shoes were black.