Barbie’s famous figure has always overshadowed her business outfits. At her core, she’s just a body, not a character, a canvas upon which society can project its anxieties about body image.

a flouncy red-and-white "Barbie-Q" outfit, the "evening splendor" kit with a fur-trimmed gown, an elegant wedding dress and a delicate nightgown. You can see all of them on display at the exhibit.

Maansi Srivastava/The New York Times Jennimai Nguyen, 25, and Livi Empson, 24, pose for a portrait in Barbie-inspired outfits outside the AMC Kips Bay theater in Manhattan on July 20. Maansi ...