November isn’t my favorite month and were it not for our wedding anniversary and the historical value of the month (on 11th we celebrate our Independence Day) I would be perfectly happy for a smooth transition from an October so colorful from leaves into white and Christmasy (there’s no such word) December. But it’s in November, with its gloom and fog and cold, that I crave for a special kind of dolls. These would be extravagant, lavish Barbies dressed in ball gowns of great proportions, with equally large hair and shimmery jewelry. Somehow, when it’s cold outside, their enormous dresses and a flurry of curls don’t look so heavy but they make me think of a lavish, candle lit party with a fire cracking merrily at an ancient looking fireplace, cozy velvet armchairs and sofas, soft carpets and violin and piano playing in the background. My new doll – the JCPenney Evening Sensation fits perfectly with that picture.
I’ve recently ordered two Barbie dolls on eBay, well maybe not so recently. It was at the beginning of October. One of them made it already, the other is pretty close but she’s been kept at customs for the third time. I had no idea the procedure can be so complicated, but the customs officers are clearly very diligent. Anyway, I entertain high hopes of the doll arriving this week. In the meantime, I wanted to show you Evening Sensation. She was produced in 1992 and is not very popular amongst collectors which seems to be universal for all JCPenney Barbie collaboration dolls. I happen to be a great fan of them and I’m glad I managed to snatch her NRFB. She’s such an excellent doll.
My doll has a slight defect I hadn’t noticed prior to the purchase – one of her eyebrows is painted a little higher than the other, but it’s not a problem. Her facial screening is so unique that it actually fits. I personally like the way her face was painted, but I can understand the other point of view and that is … her beauty can be questioned by some. She does have a pair of very round, cartoony eyes and it’s hard to determine their color. Heterochromia is pretty standard for Mattel, but my Barbie’s creators clearly couldn’t make up their mind if they wanted them to be pale blue, teal, lavender or pink so they used all those colors. Barbie’s eyebrows are very pale, she has a large forehead and an eccentric hairdo. Her kanekalon hair softly cascades to her shoulders. So perhaps not everybody loves this doll, but I sure do. There’s something a little silly and very sweet and innocent about her face expression.
As for the clothes, JCPenney Barbies like it risky. In fact I think their designers didn’t get any clear instructions as to what the dolls should look like, so they put no restrains on their imagination and as a result we get this amazing, colorful, opalescent cape that needs another fastener to keep it in place. It goes really well with the soft velvet, very fitting dress underneath. There’s a large bow on the upper part of the dress that’s consistent with the cape and reminds me of Sailor Moon. The dress accentuates Barbie’s voluptuous contours and I think I even prefer it without the cape. I like how it’s perfectly tailored for Barbie all the more, because nowadays it’s hard to get any Barbie clothes that really fit her. That’s because Mattel makes sure the fashion packs they produce fit all the body types they have on the menu. As a result, Barbie clothes are a little baggy and some would even fit Ken.
I love the doll and her bold ensemble, but it’s the shoes that really bought me. Evening Sensation got some absolutely amazing shoes, they’re royal blue and metallic! My Enchanted Evening Barbie by JCPenney has an identical pair in purple and I simply love those shoes even if they absolutely refuse to stay on the doll’s feet. That was actually why I wanted both of them NRFB. Secondhand dolls usually come without the shoes and no wonder. They slip off even when I just slightly move the dolls on their stands to rearrange them on the shelves or to wipe the dust. The shoes are my favorite part, but I also like the beaded jewelry so perfectly color-coordinated with the outfit. I wonder about the head piece though. What is it exactly? A headband? A giant scrunchie? It velcroes in the back and has an oversized gem up front.
Overall, I find Evening Sensation simply sensational and I love the sight of both JCPenney Barbies side by side, they have a lot in common. I also have a third JCPenney Barbie – the Evening Majesty from 1996 but I forgot to include her in the pictures. I have other plans for her though so you should be able to see her in my next post that I hope will be soon. Somehow, I don’t feel like writing in November, but December should be busier for me. I have about 5 winter/Christmas themed dolls and some fashions to photograph and show you and I can’t wait to do that, all I need is a Christmas Tree. Thanks for dropping by and till next time!
Happy anniversary! I understand how you feel about November. I wish our Thanksgiving holiday didn't come so late in the month, because it makes it very gloomy to travel or to make preparations. This year, we have been blessed with mostly sunny weather, though. February is usually my worst month out of the year, but I think that is related to my need for natural sunlight to regulate my mood.
ReplyDeleteIf it makes you feel any better, Tonner doll shoes fall off easily as well. Those purple and blue ones are gorgeous, though.
Thank you :) You're right, this year November is exceptionally sunny and warm as if to make up for everything that's been going on with covid.
DeleteI had no idea Tonner shoes are so loose on their feet. I like Tonner dolls, they're so statuesque and beautiful, but I don't have any of them. I like to read about them though.