Barbie 2-pack fashion 2016-2018

Recently, I've managed to purchase one of my wish list dolls – Jazzie. To be perfectly honest with you I didn’t even care which Jazzie in particular that was, I love the mold, I love them all. Jazzie came with her shoes and a replacement dress that seems too sweet for her. Luckily she’s not as well-endowed as Barbie in the chest department so most of the contemporary Barbie outfits fit her and that’s fortunate because the 80s Jazzie-dedicated outfits that circulate on eBay are too expensive for my budgetary means (add the outrageous International Shipping costs and customs to Poland – yuck!). So Jazzie girl will be presenting some fashion packs today. Joining her is a special guest – JCPenney Enchanted Evening Barbie – one of my top favorite 90s Barbie dolls.  

Some time ago I got these amazing 2-packs. Jazzie’s trying on #FBB79 that hit the market somewhe in 2017-ish and you might have seen some parts of the set on my blog already. This school look seems appropriate for Jazzie. The set consists of a dress, a top, some pants, a pair of shoes, a headband and a backpack. In the photo below, Jazzie’s wearing a cute little pleated dress (only the front part of course) with a collar and some horse or ponies print. The backpack is made of some elastic plastic or hard rubber and it opens, but there’s little room for storage, the pieces connecting two parts of the backpack take up most of it. Still I appreciate the details.

 the source: https://barbie.mattel.com/shop/en-us

Here’s the other look. There’s a pair of pink and red checked pants that are a pain to put on, but once this ordeal’s over, the pants look very nice. The pants are paired with a simple cotton floss pink top with silicone straps. Finally, there’s a jacket that’s made of an unknown  material that I’m afraid will flake off in a couple of years, but so far it’s fine. Apart from the pink backpack, the set also included some accessories like the white weird boots that obviously don’t fit Jazzie and a gold headband. My daughter especially likes the headband and plays with it all the time so the paint already flaked off as you can see.

I love the second 2-pack. It’s # FKT29 that was released last year and it comes with a simple dress, a “school uniform sweater”, a loose fitting top, a skirt, a headband and basket. No shoes! My skinny Jazzie had no problem to close the Velcro on the dress – I didn’t even attempt to put it on Barbie. The dress is simple and lovely, I love the combination of yellow and purple and the flower pattern goes all around and that’s something when you consider Barbie standards nowadays! Now flowers are not to Jazzie’s taste so she covered them with the pink sweater with some purple stripes around elbows and an unknown Barbie academy crest. The set also includes a dark purple basket that looks very much the 80s to me.

 the source: https://barbie.mattel.com/shop/en-us/ba/barbie-fashions-2-pack-fkt29

And here’s the other look that the set provides. The top and the skirt are a little too loose for Jazzie, but they’re perfect for Barbie. Now isn’t she lovely! The v-neck top has a very simple design to balance the spring craziness going on the skirt. The tiny red, white and blue flowers are just cute against dark purple. The colors match Barbie’s eyes so well and looking at her I can’t understand why this doll is so underappreciated – she’s just so pretty! Is there anyone else who likes this doll just like I do? Because she’s worth it I guarantee you. I fell under her spell with a single photo of the doll on some auction that disappeared before I made up my mind … so probably she has some other fan after all.

The accessories that Barbie’s wearing belong to the set #DHC53 released in 2016, I think. Around that year Mattel had a great idea to release some accessory packs and these were awesome! They usually consisted of two pairs of shoes – heels and flats, a handbag or two, some jewelry, hair accessories or sunglasses. The only flaw was the flats wouldn’t fit event the contemporary flat-feet Barbie dolls. I loved them all despite that minor imperfection, but sadly they came and went and there were no re-releases, not to my knowledge at least (I hope I’m wrong though). Anyway, this set comes with some knee-high flat sandals that are useless for both of my models, the fabulous looking lavender platforms that fit Barbie perfectly, a matching basket, a mint-colored bangle, a silver necklace and a pair of glasses. Below you’ll find a photo of some other sets, oh how I’d love to get my hands on them, especially the pink one with the black cat purse!

 the source: https://barbie.mattel.com/shop/en-us/ba/doll-clothes-closets/barbie-accessory-pack-golden-glam-dhc53

 the source: https://www.entertainmentearth.com/product/barbie-fashion-accessory-pack-case/mtcfx30a

That’s all for today, but Jazzie will show you some more fashions soon, because I feel I haven't found what I'm looking for yet.

Easter Basket Barbie Special Edition 1995

Oh how I love Easter! No more winter jackets and scarves, no more heavy boots! Warm sun wakes the nature back to life, there are flower buds and pastels all around. I feel light and cheerful. That’s the aura that surrounds the Barbie of this entry – the Easter Basket Barbie Special Edition 1995. Just like Birthday Surprise, Easter Basket Barbie belongs to my daughter, however Easter Basket does get to be played with a lot. Nevertheless, my little girl takes a good care of her and after play time, the doll always returns to her place of honor on the chest of drawers next to proudly looking Birthday Surprise while the fashionistas sleep in the drawer. Now who’s got special treatment?

While doing my research on Easter themed Barbie dolls, I’ve dug out some interesting information. I had no idea there were so many of them! Easter Barbies were released once a year between 1991 and 2009 and the first of them is the Sweet Spring Barbie. Between 1993 and 2009 most of the doll’s name would include the word “Easter” so that there’s no doubt as to the theme. My favorite releases would be 1993-1997. Now, as far as I know, Easter Barbie dolls were sold at pharmacies or supermarkets without all the hustle that accompanied Christmas Barbies. The dolls were packaged in simple, slim pink boxes and despite the loud “Special Edition” spelled on their boxes, there was nothing special about those dolls. These were all simple and charming Barbies, they usually came with some Easter themed accessories but that was really not much. Now that I checked the contents of the fashionista drawer, I can see how special they were. Their beauty is their simplicity.

the source: https://pl.pinterest.com/pin/352336370843453137/

the source: https://pl.pinterest.com/pin/479914904034664680/?lp=true

the source: https://www.amazon.com/Mattel-17652-Barbie-Easter-Style/dp/B003UTON4C

 

When describing Easter Barbie dolls it’s impossible not to mention the Mattel x Russell Stover Candies collaboration. Russell Stover and his wife opened a candy factory in Denver in 1925 which in 1940 was officially called Russell Stover Candies. Now we know it under a different name – in 2014, 60 years after Stover’s death, Lindt company purchased it however, back in 1995-1996 RSC and Mattell released Easter/Spring themed Barbie dolls. There were 5 of them including one AA version. Their outfits were simple but cute at the same time. It’s a pity there weren’t any more RSC x Mattel collab dolls produced.

 the source: http://www.barbiedb.com/showbarbie.aspx?barbieid=1820

 the source: https://pl.pinterest.com/pin/224828206372966352/?lp=true

 

Easter Basket was purchased as NRFB but I’ve kept the box of course. The box has some lovely graphics at the back and a riddle – How many Bunnies can you count? The doll came with a brush, a sheet of punchouts, and a cute little plastic Bunny that cuddles an orange carrot. No basket though, unless you decide to call one of the punchouts a basket, but the bunny makes up for it.

Easter Basket is wearing a cute baby blue dress that’s made of a good quality fabric. The dress is happy, colorful and very busy and the pattern that goes all around it is baskets, bunnies, ribbons, Easter Eggs and what not, all in pastel colors. The puffy sleeves are made of tulle and make the dress look light and graceful. I would have given the doll some panties, but Mattel decided they’re not necessary. Barbie’s got some light blue pumps that keep falling off her feet and that irritated my daughter who was worried she might lose them. So we swapped them with some contemporary sandals that stay on the doll’s feet and my Magic Moves borrowed the unused pumps. What really surprised me is that my daughter hasn’t taken off Barbie’s jewelry – not once. When I asked her, she replied in a very matter-of-fact way: Why take it off? She looks pretty just as she is. Very wise indeed.

Easter Basket has a lovely face that brings Toy Story 3 to my mind. Her face paint is a good example of the way Barbie’s eyes were drawn in the 90s but her blue eye shadow and her narrow lips are very reminiscent of the 80s. Her hair is beautiful soft, light blonde saran styled with simplicity and moderation and it makes the doll look very youthful. The excessive bangs are swept to the side so nothing obscures Barbie’s pretty face.

'Bunny Barbie' returned to her rightful place and I’d like to wish you a very happy Easter!

Baton Twirling Skipper AA 1992

This month has brought two posts featuring Dolls of the World and it’s time for a change of age group now. This is the newest addition to my Skipper collection – the Baton Twirling Skipper AA 1992. Until very recently, the AA Skipper doll’s kept escaping me despite my best efforts at procuring my copy. I’ve noticed that AA Skippers find their homes easily and in the 80s/90s there weren’t all that many releases to begin with. Some versions don’t appear on Ebay at all, and the ones that I usually see would be the Homecoming Queen and the Baton Twirling Skipper. Homecoming Queen is cute enough, her facepaint is very sublte and she has no bangs that serves to her advantage, but she’s been dressed in a shapeless ball gown that’s not to my taste. Now Baton Twirling Skipper is hard to pass without noticing, but she often comes with bangs so huge that they cover half the doll’s face. Oh well, I could always tuck those bangs in the pink bucket she wears on her head – I thought. Now that she arrived, I couldn’t be happier with her, but she photographs awfully. I kept looking for the best place to take photos of her and no matter what I did, her face and her hair would blend and blur together. Finally I found a good spot – in my kitchen, so I’m sorry for all the coffee mugs and the appliances you can see in the background.

While doing a research on the topic of AA Skipper dolls I’ve realized that the first African American version of Barbie’s little sister appeared only in the late 80s. She came out in 1989 to be exact and that was the before mentioned Homecoming Queen, produced in 1988 as the second wave of the big-eyed Skippers. She was released about once a year and she changed twice, just like the Caucasian Skipper and Courtney.

Homecoming Queen Skipper AA 1988

 the source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sarahdolls/7099091425

The below list shows all the AA Skipper dolls that were produced before Skipper and her gang were discontinued altogether.

1.       Homecoming Queen Skpper AA 1988

2.       Cool Tops Skipper AA 1989

3.       Babysitter Skipper AA 1990 (+1 dziecko)

4.       Pet Pals Skipper AA 1991

5.       Baton Twirling Skipper AA 1992

6.       Cool Crimp Skipper AA 1993

7.       Babysitter Skipper AA 1994 (+3 dzieci)

8.       Pizza Party Skipper AA 1995 (Pizza Party headmold)

9.       Phone Fun Skipper AA 1996 (Pizza Party headmold)

10.   Cool Sitter Teen Skipper AA 1998 (+4 dzieci) (Teen Skipper headmold)

11.   Barbie and Skipper AA Pajama Fun Tote 2003 (Teen Skipper headmold)

Pizza Party Skipper AA 1995

the source: https://www.picswe.com/pics/barbie-pepsi-labels-4b.html

Cool Sitter Skipper AA 1998

the source: https://www.amazon.com/Barbie-Sitter-SKIPPER-Babies-Dolls/dp/B004286PDC

When Skipper AA grew up an changed her face sculpt for the second time, Nikki was on her way to replace her and after 2003 the official sources announced Skipper left for boarding school in Rio. She came back only in the Caucasian version, much shorter, with dark hair and a new face. The African American Skipper decided to stay in Rio a little while longer because her next release would be in 2018 as a part of the Skipper Babysitters inc.  

Babysitters Inc. Skipper AA 2018

 the source: https://barbie.mattel.com/shop/en-us/ba/sisters-pets/skipper-babysitting-doll-with-phone-baby-bottle-fhy91

Now the series to which my Baton Twirling belongs is very interesting. 4 dolls comprise the series and these are Baton Twirling Skipper, Baton Twirling Skipper AA, Cheerleading Courtney and Basketball Kevin. I’d love to all of them because they’re all cute. Unfortunately, once Mattel decided to finally release an AA Skipper (or Barbie for that matter) they made their point to treat racial equality very much literally and dress both Skippers in identical outfits. I’d much prefer the Caucasian Baton Twirling in a combination of blue and green that would bring the color of her eyes better. Oh well. Now back to the series, you can see that it’s all about sports in  general terms and somehow this time Mattel decided against one name that would describe all four dolls. Instead, they called each doll differently. The boxes also differ in terms of the graphics at the back. Inside the box, I’ve found a poster catalogue showing all the pretty things Mattel had on the menu at that time.

Baton Twirling Skipper caucasian- the box

the source: https://barbie-shop.pl/en_GB/p/1992-Baton-Twirling-Skipper/251

Skipper Majorette is dressed in a one-piece all in neon colors. The outfit is basically a long sleeved body with a skirt attached to it. The uniform has some silver detailing to it and it’s trimmed with sequins. The details up front are printed on. The doll’s also got a hard plastic hat with some fringe I suppose. Her ankle boots match her hat and the only accessory that she comes with apart from her brush of course, is her baton and it does twirl. The baton can be attached to her hand thanks to a skin colored piece and it turns smoothly both ways. I played with the baton just like a little kid, but don’t tell anyone. I’m supposed to be a mature and responsible grown-up after all.

On the basis of the available pictures I couldn’t really tell the material her hair’s been made of. But to my great joy it’s turned out to be saran and beautiful too. The black and brown mingle together giving it a very soft hue. Her bangs are also much shorter than usual and they don’t get in her eyes, and those are very pretty indeed. If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve assumed most AA Skipper dolls to come with brown eyes. It’s not so. In fact grey and purple are very common for these dolls, and mine’s got a mixture of purple and brown to her eyes. She’s a little more made-up than I would’ve thought, but she’s taking part in a parade after all. So there’s some opalescent violet and silver eyeshadows on her lids. “She’s ready to wow the crowd”

I’m very happy with my new doll, finally I own all versions of the 1987 Skipper headmold. They look so cute together. Now I’m slowly moving in the direction of the vintage and Pizza Party headmolds. But the big-eyed sculpt will always be my favorite face of Barbie’s little sister.