Toy Story 3 Made For Each Other Ken 2009

It’s a truth universally known that when you don’t look for a particular thing, it finds you on its own accord. So as soon as I stopped searching for Dummy, he just … appeared! Dummy is one of my favorite Ken dolls – the Toy Story 3 Ken and I call him like that because Mattel gave him that permanently perplexed expression that makes him look utterly silly and adorable at the same time.

Toy Story 3 happens to be my favorite movie in the entire series (save for the last one that I’m yet to watch) and it’s all thanks to Ken who's such a dynamic character there, first depicted as a villain only to change through love for Barbie. But first and foremost, he’s his own man and not somebody’s accessory, so it's Ken who owns the Dreamhouse and a room full of clothes. He’s obviously inspired by the 1988 Animal Lovin’ Ken doll with an orange suntan and a blue safari outfit. You will recognize Barbie as the amazing 1983 Great Shape, slightly changed but still wearing her iconic blue lurex leotard and striped leg warmers. Mattel used the movie premiere as a great opportunity to blow dust off the two dolls and released a slightly more modern version of the pair in a set called Made For Each Other (2009 box date). I don’t care two straws for Barbie, she’s not to my taste with her Generation Girl headmold, weird face paint and the Lame leotard. Ken, on the other hand, caught my eye, he’s unique and there’s something disarming about him. But then for some inexplicable reason Mattel released another version of him and used a different headmold that I don’t think I’d ever seen before, or since for that matter. The unknown headmold looks artificial, hollow and expressionless. I don’t like that Ken at all! To tell the two versions apart, collectors would call them the first and the second edition. Interestingly enough, Barbie was also available in a single pack but slightly more accessorized. 

 

Made For Each Other first edition

the source: https://www.amazon.es/Mattel-R4242-0-Barbie-amantes-mu%C3%B1ecas/dp/B002VR4VIM

Made For Each Other second edition

the source: https://www.ebay.com/p/Disney-barbie-Toy-Story-3-Barbie-and-Ken-Doll-Made-for-Each-Other-Gift-Set/1701465562

 

A single Toy Story 3 set looked just like a missed opportunity and somehow desolate too, so Mattel decided to shower us with Toy Story Ken and Barbie dolls. There was Barbie & Ken in Hawaiian Vacation for one thing. Ken looks just like the first edition Made For Each Other except for the outfit, Barbie’s face paint got even worse. Soon after that, the entire Barbie Loves series followed and so there was Barbie Loves Woody, Barbie Loves Ken, Barbie Loves Aliens, Barbie Loves Jessie, Barbie Loves Buzz, Skipper Loves Buzz and Ken Loves Barbie. It seems that everybody loves just everybody and they’re all dressed in Toy Story 3 themed outfits. The dolls also came with miniature figures of the move characters – perfect size for Barbie’s hands and I would be so thrilled to have the tiny version of Animal Lovin’ Ken. And since I’ve already devoted two whole paragraphs to just “mention” the entire Toy Story 3 Ken/Barbie line, I might as well close the subject with the Toy Story 2 Tour Guide Barbie 1999 and the very new and fresh Toy Story 4 Barbie 2019. Both girls got the adorable Superstar headmold and the new release is also set on an articulated body and she’s wearing what seems to be a lurex leotard and the familiar leg warmers. I’d love to own her and the entire line of Toy Story 4 fashion packs!

Barbie & Ken in Hawaiian Vacation

the source: https://pl.pinterest.com/pin/423408802439337768/

 

Barbie Loves Ken 2010

the source: http://www.barbiedb.com/showbarbie.aspx?barbieid=6311

Toy Story 2 Barbie Tour Guide 1999

 the source:https://www.amazon.fr/MATTEL-BARBIE-poup%C3%A9e-blonde-STORY/dp/B00004Y756

Toy Story 4 Barbie

 the source: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Toy-Story-Disney-Pixar-4-Barbie-Doll-/352637076696

 

Ok, I think I’ve exhausted the topic  of the numerous Toy Story x Barbie collaboration releases so I can finally move on to my Dummy! I found him just by chance amongst a bundle of 10 or so dolls and though the picture was far from perfect, I instantly recognized that silly face and the safari outfit as the first edition Made For Each Other. Ken’s headmold is unique and it’s dated 2009. It looks like a slightly modified Crystal Ken mold. Unfortunately, I don’t have that one but I do own the Super Star 1988 with the New Superstar Ken face which looks very much like Crystal. The hair is brushed more to the back than to the side, but the other features seem to be quite similar. Anyway, Dummy’s got a chiselled chin, a half smile, and a silly look on his face. His most distinctive feature that tells him apart from all the other Ken dolls in the world is that raised eyebrow.

Dummy is articulated just like an old school Ken should be. He’s got the 1968 body with the TnT waist and click-bend knees. He’s got vinyl legs and he can do an open stance. His arms are slightly bent and he’s sometimes criticized for that, but I honestly like him like that. The newer Fashionista type Ken dolls seem so stiff with their arms straight. Unfortunately, his neck doesn’t have that special joint that allows him to tilt his head to the side, he can only turn it left and right.

Ken’s outfit is inspired by the original 1998 Animal Lovin’ release but it’s not very accurate. The shirt looks quite similar, but it’s got Velcro at the back and the collar is different. The golden glitter adds some cute tackiness of the 80s to the general look. Ken’s shorts are quite modern, they’re knee long and fitting, folded at the bottom and much darker blue than the original thing. Both Ken dolls got their golden Lame belts with a buckle. My favorite part of the entire outfit are the light blue shoes. I like their color and their mold. Since the original release is quite old and often barefoot I'm not sure what color or mold the Animal Lovin' Ken's shoes are. I sometimes see him with white shoes on, but I cannot determine whether these actually belong to him or not. The ascot is missing, but the used Made For Each Other don’t have it most of the times either.

Several months ago I had the chance to buy the original Animal Lovin’ and the price was so good it would’ve been a steal. Unfortunately, someone else got him first. Still I’m very fond of Dummy, he’s just one of a kind. Now I need to get him some outfits so he can do a fashion show like he did in the movie. My collection is utterly female-dominated and I only have 4 Ken dolls but I have some plans to expand. So here’s my wolf pack.

Perfume Pretty Whitney 1987

Steffie headmold is one of my favorites, however there are just a few such dolls in my cabinet. Recently and quite unexpectedly a new Steffie has arrived and she’s none other than the very gorgeous Perfume Pretty Whitney 1987. That day I had no intention of buying a new doll and I opened my laptop in order to restock my doll stands. Strangely enough, instead of opening my mail box I decided to check what one of my favorite vendors had in her offer. I was surprised to see a homeless Whitney, especially that she was still wearing her stock dress with the removable sleeves. The mystery was quickly solved when I checked out the pictures. The doll’s legs were spotty and bent and she had kanekalon hair – a Chinese version. I closed my laptop and I didn’t buy either the doll stands or the doll whom I kept thinking about for the next three days. Then I decided that if she was still available, she’d been waiting for me.

Now a few words about the Perfume Pretty series that comprises four dolls – Barbie, AA Barbie, Whitney and Ken – Perfume Giving Ken. I’m really happy that his name was modified. It’s enough to think that in the 80s Mattel would repeatedly dress him in various shades of pink to match Barbie’s shoes. Let’s not make him any less a man by calling him ‘pretty’. Barbie, AA Barbie and Ken came with a bottle of perfume, and Whitney got a locket for her owner. The dolls were produced in Malaysia and China and the Chinese dolls are of far worse quality. The Malaysian girls got beautiful saran hair and seem to suffer from spotty legs much less often than the Chinese. Now it’s only an assumption based on several online pictures and I have nothing solid to support it with. Anyway, the girls got some amazing outfits, beautifully pastel too. Barbie’s is especially interesting because it can go from short to long. And if you wished to dress the dolls in something else, there was also an assortment of Perfume Pretty outfits waiting to be purchased, now extravagantly and outrageously expensive.

When I unpacked Whitney and looked at her closely, my enthusiasm evaporated. I’d already come to terms with the spotted and crooked legs, but the hair! I had nothing but questions. How to restore the hair? Where to begin? And what was it anyway? Whitney’s kanekalon hair is of two colors – the darker part is quite decent, but the higlights are just awful. Awful! These were rooted at her nape and over her forehead and both were curled tight. I cannot understand this at all. I mean, the highlights at the neck are very well indeed but why give them a perm while the rest is just loose curls?! The highlights looked like they’d never been brushed but time has changed them into dreads. What is it pray, Rasta Whitney?? Dear Mattel please explain! Anyway, I played Bob Marley’s album and humming ‘get up, stand up, don’t give up the fight’ I began to wash her, then I submerged her hair in fabric softener and left her to soak for three days. When I washed and conditioned her hair it got greasy!  So I poured some hot water on the hair – the darker kanekalon straightened and looked fresh but the dreads didn’t change one bit. So finally I curled the hair and now, after a week of fighting with the unruly hair, I’m satisfied. The pictures below show the hair after softening and curling. 

The hair was a bummer, but the doll’s face is so beautiful it was worth the effort put in restoring her. There’s much color to her face but it’s not tacky. It’s harmonious. Her eyes are blue and so is the eyeshadow that’s put with economy, but the lavender one goes up all the way to her brows. Her lips are Magenta and her complexion is tanned. Her legs are bent and spotty and I know I could boil them but somehow the mere thought seems too barbaric to me. I’d rather rebody her but I always promise myself this and I never do it. Whenever a new body donor arrives, I feel sorry for her and restore her.

  

Whitney’s outfit is very beautiful. I cannot believe that the silky lurex isn’t damaged by Velcro (though to be honest there’s none in the outfit) and the mesh has just one tiny hole that’s well camouflaged by all five layers! Her mesh sleeves are removable but I like them, they’re so puffy and so incredibly Dynasty! Her blue, pearly heels are missing and so is her jewelry – pearl earrings, a matching ring and necklace.

It’s been a battle to restore her but I’m very fond of her now. I own two Whitney dolls and below Perfume Pretty and Nurse Whitney stand side by side. As a collector is such an insatiable creature, I’m dreaming of another Steffie already – the outrageously beautiful Parisian Barbie first edition. Now, unless I’m lucky beyond measure, I don’t think she’s going to end up in my collection, she’s pricey! The second edition is not bad though, so she’s a much more realistic option. 

 

Teen Looks Cheerleader Jazzie II

I’m very fond of my Cheerleader Jazzie. So far she’s made her appearance twice on my blog, each time presenting an assortment of contemporary Barbie fashions which, for her slender figure, she's able to wear. However, they don’t quite correspond to her style. So I made my mind to purchase a Jazzie fashion pack. Jazzie was never successful despite all the initial hustle, the playsets, the fashions, the commercials and such. So it’s really hard to find Jazzie stock outfits but luck struck! I found it and in an excellent condition too!

Before I begin to describe the outfit in detail, I thought I might mention Jazzie’s fashion packs as I’ve checked out them all. As far as Jazzie’s fashion style goes, Mattel decided to be consistent. They’d dress the doll all in neon colors with just a touch of black or white to maintain some balance. The only dolls that don’t follow that rule are the Jazzies that belong to Barbie’s beach series as well as the very avant-garde Teen Scene 1990 Jazzie. The doll’s dressed all in black with just a tiny bit of gold and pink here and there. Jazzie seems to be unable to decide what she likes better- comfortable, sporty leggings or lovely skirts. So she wears both. 

  the source: http://www.nrfbfashiondolls.com

Jazzie’s production began in the late 80s and that was the time when Mattel was full of ideas and the outfits consisted of many separate pieces to create several different looks. The Teen Scene Jazzie’s outfit could be worn in 15 different ways. The factory outfits and the additional fashion packs were consistent in terms of style and color and you could combine them so the playtime would last forever! Mattel released two waves of fashions for Jazzie, 6 sets each. The first series was called Totally Cool 1989 and it allowed you to create two different looks but there were no shoes included and as we know, Jazzie has some enormous feet so Barbie’s shoes don’t fit her. In 1990 Mattel corrected the mistake and so the Teen Scene fashion packs came with shoes and the sets could be combined in three different ways.

 

the source:https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-NIP-BARBIE-1989-TOTALLY-COOL-FASHIONS-JAZZIE-3781-3787-NEW-Mattel-/172062490316

the source: http://www.nrfbfashiondolls.com

 the source: http://www.nrfbfashiondolls.com

  the source: https://www.ebay.com/p/Teen-Scene-Jazzie-Barbie-Fashion-3774-Vintage-Clothing-1989/523017618

So finally, here’s our Jazzie almost complete, she’s missing only her single pompom. By the way, have you ever seen a cheerleader with only one pompom? Anyway, Jazzie’s outfit comes in three pieces. There’s a short blue top with a decal in perfect condition. The top closes with a metal snap. There’s a pink, neon skirt that can go from short to a little longer. And finally, we have the short leggings with … suspenders. I’ve never seen anything quite like it, but I like it! The three separate pieces allow you to create at least three styles, though there may be more variations.

The package that I purchased included also Jazzie’s stock shoes and I’m very glad it did because I have my mind set on the Swim Suit Jazzie who unfortunately is barefoot, so the shoes will wait for her arrival. That may not be soon as the doll is too expensive and appears but rarely on eBay. To be perfectly honest, each time I browse for Jazzie I see the same dolls that seem to fail to find homes. Anyway, I’m very happy to own at least one Jazzie in her complete, well nearly complete outfit.