Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Cool Tops Skipper 1989



Ok, patience isn’t my strong suit but I’m determined to improve myself and my collecting helps me as it requires those inner battles that always look the same:

Yes! I’m gonna buy that doll!
No! She’s overpriced!
But I’ll miss the chance!
But there’ll be other chances!
But yes!
But no!
Oh **** **!!!!


This struggle repeated every time I saw Cool Tops Skipper pretty, boxed and complete, because that’s the only condition I could find her in actually. I don’t really need NRFB dolls, I take them out of their boxes anyway and having to pay a double, triple or quadruple price of the doll (depending on the vendor) just to have her in the box seems a little too extravagant for me at this time of my life, who knows, I may change my mind one day. But the thing is, redundant as her box is for me, I really wanted the doll dressed in her stock outfit as it’s fantastic and makes her so much different from all the other Skipper dolls.



But patience pays, really. To my utter disbelief, I found her for sale, her outfit complete to the last detail, the doll’s condition promising and the price couldn’t have been better. She even had her stock shoes on and that’s fortunate, because Skipper is like Cinderella’s evil stepsister- other doll’s shoes just don’t fit her. So I rushed to strike a bargain though the single photo got me confused for a second as the doll’s hair was crimped and the waves too regular to be a result of braiding. But then she arrived, and Cool Tops Skipper she was, no doubt about that.



The doll made me wonder what her story or who her previous owner was. She had definitely been taken a good care of the way her stock outfit and her accessories were preserved. Sure, the elastic bands of her skirt and leggings are no longer elastic, and her blue T-shirt has faded in places to the point it looks very much hippie now, which I don’t mind as the pink one is perfect. But the fabric isn’t damaged in any way I could notice (Mattel, thanks for the plastic snaps and not the vile Velcro). So I decided to have some fun and check out the possibilities the outfit gives. Yes, all looks great!!!




She had been displayed, which is evident by the dust that had accumulated over the years. This partially contributed to the sad condition of her hair which probably hasn’t been the best quality since day one, only to get worse over the years. For one thing, the hair’s got faded and discolored by the sun and the dust. It’s dull and dry from the crimping and frequent brushing though boil washing helped a bit. That would’ve been fine, she is a rescued doll after all, but when I first shampooed her hair gently, there were some fall outs, which worried me. So I brushed it extra softly, the rest of the treatment equally mild, but no matter what I did, she continued to lose her hair! She’s crying for a re-root, and desperately too. It’s such a shame as the doll is otherwise perfect! I’ve recreated her hairstyle, but at too great a cost, I’m afraid.


I might re-root her one day, or better yet – have her re-rooted by someone skillful and experienced, she sure deserves it, lovely as she is. But I don’t think I have to recommend the pretty big-eyed headmold, my favorite Skipper face. Her make-up is very minimal and subtle – just a touch of lavender on her eyelids and some pink lipstick, suitable for a teenager.


The initial disappointment as well as my other daily duties made me lock her in a drawer for a couple of days. Neither could I bring myself to finish the draft of the post. But when I took her out, it turned out she’s stopped losing her hair, the result of the treatment seems to me better now and I simply can’t resist the lovely smile. The disappointment disappeared somewhere and the joy took its place. Yep! Another doll from the top of my wish list is in my hands now, the wish list hasn’t shrunk though…



Here’s both of my Skippers presenting Shibajuku Girls Fashion.




Skipper’s moved in, for good.




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