I was talking with a friend recently about the doll I'd bought my niece for Christmas, an adorable little Rapunzel doll from the new movie Tangled. I got it at the big Disney store in Times Square when I was in New York last month. We (me and the friend, not me and the doll) got to reminiscing about what kind of baby dolls we liked when we were kids. Here's the thing, I don't remember ever really liking baby dolls that much. Maybe when I was really little, but for the most part I was a tomboy. I liked Hot Wheels cars and Tonka trucks, bikes and Big Wheels, climbing trees and playing in the creek. But there was one exception.
Barbies.
Yes, I know Barbie has her detractors. True, she's somebody's idealized version of the female form, not realistic for a real person. But when you think about it, Barbie could also be seen as a positive role model in that she's had just about every career known to man. Who else do you know who has been...
a computer engineer
a McDonald's worker
an airline stewardess
a nurse
a news correspondent
and even President of the United States?
In fact, according to this list at Wikipedia, Barbie's had at least 65 different careers. She's one busy gal.But if I have to be honest, it's not really about Barbie herself. It's about her clothes! I still like to walk down that overwhelmingly pink aisle at the store and look at all the new designs and collectible Barbies. And at this time of year, there's always a gorgeous holiday Barbie. More than once, I've wished I had some of Barbie's lush outfits.
2010 Holiday Barbie
I'm a fan of the Barbies of the World collection. Here's the Russian Barbie.
And I love the special edition collectibles, like...
Cleopatra
Athena
Marie Antoinette
And then there are the elaborate designs by fashion designer Bob Mackie. Here's his take on Lady Liberty.
Are you a Barbie fan? If so, do you have any favorite Barbies? Have any special Barbie memories?Since it's the season of giving, one commenter from today will receive a surprise Barbie. You won't know which one until you open your package. :)
It's FINALLY here! The Romance Bandits 12 Days of Christmas Booty. Every day between now and Christmas, one lucky commenter per day will win a daily prize and on some days, additional goodies from that day's blogging Bandita or guest. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, we'll give away more booty including autographed books, GR mugs and much more! Come join us! Tell your friends! Let's make the Season BRIGHT!
An early Christmas present - I got the GR!
ReplyDeleteLOL - I wasn't a doll person either, Trish. But, like you, I did have Barbie. It was more of a passport into socialization. Every girl had a Barbie and thus worlds of communication and role-playing ensued. She had some killer clothes, but my mother used to make the clothes for my Barbie...yes, I had the poor relation Barbie (grin).
ReplyDeleteMy sister-in-law still collects Barbies and has them displayed in their original boxes on every flat surface in her house. Barbie ornaments deck the tree, and every year, a new Barbie waits in a wrapped package under the tree. Now that's an addiction!
Yay, Donna got the bird!
ReplyDeleteHi Trish, wow, those Barbies really are amazing, aren't they? I love the Pompadour one and Athena, too.
I wasn't into dolls at all when I was a child but I quite liked Barbie because she had accessories and you *know* how I love those. I had Beauty Secrets Barbie and Kissing Barbie, which were great fun. Otherwise, I never played with dolls or stuffed toys. I was either curled up with a book or outside.
Ooooh, nice slide into home, Donna :-) I saw zero comments and had paused to admire the Barbies, then clicked to comment and HERE YOU ARE! LOL
ReplyDeleteTrish, what a fun post. I Loved Barbies. Barbie was my introduction to writing romance *g* I always made up stories with her as the heroine and Ken (and sometimes Frankenstein, a girl needs a little variety) as the hero.
I have a Fairy Barbie right here on my desk, her arm waving at the monitor as if the Muse were saying "get your butt to work". There are so many gorgeous, fun or quirky Barbies I'd love to have. Seriously, I'd collect those suckers in a heartbeat if I knew where to put them LOL.
Hmm... I do have a 12 foot long shelf that Hubby hasn't put up yet. If I found a place, I could have the Jude Deveraux Raider Barbie and Ken set. And the Fire Barbie, and the Ice Barbie, and the Cyndi Lauper Barbie, and the...
Yeah. I do like Barbie LOL
Donna you have him and what are your plans for him today I here it is very cold in some places in The States while it is really hot over here I have the air con on.
ReplyDeleteTrish
I so love those pictures you really can dress Barbie up in so many different ways. As a child I never had a real Barbie doll I had Cindy and a few other substitutes but never a Barbie but I would spend a lot of time making clothes for the dolls I had I would knit and sew them clothes that was the only way I would get outfits for them and they were never as glamorous as the real thing LOL.
My daughters always had a few Barbies and I would get them outfits for their dolls but my girls were tomboys as well LOL.
Great post Trish
Have Fun
Helen
Trish, I was a tomboy too. I was happiest reading books, playing the piano, climbing trees, riding my bike, or playing sports. My mom tells the story that when I was little they gave me a baby doll for Christmas and I threw the doll on the floor and played with the box.
ReplyDeleteI played briefly with Barbies. Made my little brother join me with his GI Joes so they'd have some boyfriends. We also played combat though. :)
Fun post!
I wasn't that into Barbie but I did have a baby doll. Mostly I remember making clothes for it when I was about 10 or 11 by hand. I don't think I really wanted one, but it was my Christmas present one year so I couldn't complain.
ReplyDeleteSomewhere in storage are a few Barbies, including an Asian Barbie that actually looked Asian (she looked Japanese to me) with roller blades that flash!
I was a Barbie fan but that is the only doll I can remember playing with. I still have my Barbies but they are in bad shape. Mine are the old Barbie's back in the early Sixty's. I have Ken, Barbie, Skipper and Midge. I played with them a lot.
ReplyDeleteHi, While growing up I didn't even know about Barbie. How sad is that. We had hand me down dolls from elder siblings! With eyes, hands and limbs missing for most part. So no, even til now I've never been a proud owner of a Barbie!
ReplyDeleteI didn't have barbies but I got to enjoy them with my daughters. My mother in law used to make these wonderful clothes for them so they always had a huge wardrobe. When both my daughters were grown we sold all the barbies and their clothes. Now I'm kicking myself because my granddaughter loves barbies, wish we could get them back.
ReplyDeleteHey, Donna, it's a while since he's visited you!
ReplyDeleteOh, Trish, pick me, pick me!!!!
I actually spent most of my childhood playing with Barbies. I had one with short hair and one with long hair (boy and girl although 'boy' Barbie wasn't exactly built like a guy, ahem, but then I was very young and innocent! Still am!). I used to tell endless historical sagas with these two characters. Isn't it amazing that that's what I grew up to do as a job? I credit much of my early inspiration to Barbie. Like you, I wasn't into baby dolls. I wanted a doll who would climb towers and ride horses and dethrone the false king. Yeah, a fair bit of Errol Flynn in my Barbie fantasies!
Hey, Tawny, noticed we have very similar memories! How cool is that?
ReplyDeleteFo said: I was very young and innocent! Still am!
ReplyDeleteI see we have this in common, too, Foanna *beg*
LOL, I only ever had 1 Barbie doll growing up :(
ReplyDeleteHer name was Peaches and Cream Barbie.
She had this ball gown and wrap that you could lift up into a short skirt. I loved her so much and carefully looked after her for a number of years...until the fateful day my little (insert bad word here) brother snapped her head off!!!
Cath
WOW, Trish--thanks for sharing those gorgeous Barbie photos! As a kid, I desperately wanted a Barbie! I did get a hand-me-down one, whose hair had been cropped super short. My sister and I spent many hours playing with her and her friend, Raggedy Anne, always devising outfits that involved scarves and hats and that sort of thing!
ReplyDeleteHave fun with the GR, Donna!
I only had one Barbie doll. It was gift from my brother and it wasn't one of those special edition ones. She had plain clothes. No dream house or Ken either. I guess I wasn't a huge Barbie fan.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHave a good time with him Donna
ReplyDeleteHi Trish I was like you and was a tom boy and played with my brothers and their friends. I will have to show my age and say that Barbies weren't thought of when I was young LOL
Great post, Trish! I had one baby doll - I think it was called Baby Alive and you fed her - she had an eating motion so it was like a real baby (and, yes, she pooped like a real baby ... though without the smell LOL).
ReplyDeleteLOVED Barbies - who cares if they aren't politically correct, that's a draw for me, as you know - had several, though not a clue what they were called. Loved the outfits and the shoes (I know - even then!). Like Fo and Tawny I used to play romances with my Barbies - though I thought Ken was a drip, so my Barbie had romances with my Action Man *g*.
I also had a Barbie Townhouse, camper, bicycle and I had a gym with a little Barbie-like doll.
My first Barbie was one from the Sixties, that if I'd kept her pristine would be worth a fortune now. I'm afraid she was well-played with and worth a fortune only in my heart.
I would be no good at collecting them as I'd get tied up with playing with them - but I LOVE Barbie (and now am pouting over the prize!). I wonder if they do a hockey Barbie - or Ken. Or is Ken still a wimp?
For the most part was a tomboy, I had dolls because my mother liked them...LOL I did change my dolls clothes once a week. Barbie was the last doll I had. She was just getting really popular when I outgrew them altogether. My favorite doll was a Tiny thumbalina, she moved like a real baby and even when her motor died and mom and dad did surgery I would still hold that doll.
ReplyDeleteI think I had one doll that I wanted when I was very little because I too was Tomboy. I was happier following my brothers on my Bike even if they didn't want me there :) I loved playing baseball and playing cowboys and Indian. But Barbie' pretty cool.
ReplyDeleteCarol L
Lucky4750@aol.com
I had a bunch of dolls when I was a kid but once I got a Barbie she was my favorite. The clothes and accessories had to be the most fun part of doll. You could dress her up any way you wanted.
ReplyDeleteI loved Barbie! The best gift I got was a paper bag FULL of homemade Barbie clothes. They. Were. Awesome. I had the plane and the camper, and my friend down the street had the mansion. I had my Barbies taken away for making them do the nasty, though :)
ReplyDeleteYes, I was a doll person. My next-door neighbor and I created wonderful imaginary worlds with our "little friends." And when we tired of the dolls we switched to dressing-up her three long-suffering cats for more fun!
ReplyDeleteI still have my Barbie. She's a little worn around the edges but, considering everything she's been through in the past 50 years, she's really in pretty good shape. I guess the same could be said of me! lol!
Donna, congrats on the early present! Keep an eye on him around the eggnog!
Barbies were a staple of my childhood. I had at least 15, but not many of the accessories. My parents would give me a big box and I'd spend hours building doll houses and decorating them with various scrapes of fabric. It was probably more fun building those houses than playing with the dolls. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the memories, Trish.:)
I was a Barbie girl. I had 2 hand-me-down Barbies & a Ken from my sisters (50's version) along w/ some of the clothes. Thought it was great when I got my own w/ bendable joints :) -- so cool for the to sit like a normal person ;). I had the airplane, camper & townhouse, some furniture (hand-me down again) that someone had made. Use to take Barbie to friends houses to play "Barbie" with them too. I didn't have tons of clothes but more than enough to fill the carrying/wardrobe case. When I got older I started to design & make my own clothes for her. (Poor Ken never had more than a handful of outfits.) Even after I was no longer playing "Barbie" I would make the clothes as I thought about being a designer when I grew up. That phase eventually passed but I still recall the pleasure I got from doing it.
ReplyDeleteI received my first Barbie as a Christmas present when I was in the 6th grade. A favorite of mine is the Lara Barbie. I got for my daughter Lara!
ReplyDeleteI also liked the nurse Barbie because I wanted to become a nurse and I did become an RN.
My sister Kaye has the very first Barbie!
Trish, I was huge Barbie fan! My sisters and I played with them all the time *g*
ReplyDeleteMy older sister had a Barbie cruise ship that my younger sister and I were not allowed to touch. Actually, we weren't allowed to touch any of our older sister's Barbies or their clothes. I think she was saving them for when she had kids - she had 5 boys :-)
As much as I enjoyed dressing up Barbie, I also enjoyed doing her hair. Unfortunately, Barbie hair isn't that easy to work with and many of our Barbies ended up with hair cuts *g*
Good morning, Trish! Yes, I was a doll person...and a Barbie person, but I was also into Matchbox cars, Legos, and sports, too. And now my daughter is a lot like me. She has asked for an American Girl doll this Christmas, along with Barbies and a few Lego sets. And my yearly Christmas gift to my mom is the latest Holiday Barbie. :)
ReplyDeleteI never had a Barbie but I had one doll which was special for many years.
ReplyDeleteNo Barbies, just the traditional doll which I treasured and loved. That was short lived since dolls were not as cherished as reading.
ReplyDeleteThat's not Lady Liberty Barbie...
ReplyDeleteThat's Goddess Sangria Barbie...:D
I had one Barbie, one Ken and one Skipper doll. Skipper had long red hair and a "mod" green wool coat and hat with black and white underdress.
But I digress.
Yes...(eeoyre voice) I had the nurse Barbie but I longed for the nightclub singing Barbie, you know... the one with the mermaid gown.
My best Barbie memory is of "trading in" my ORIGINAL Barbie for a new bendable Barbie.
THAT only came in handy when she and Ken were on their honeymoon under the hankerchief bed I made them.
:D
I did have a Barbie when I was a kid and these days I knit stuff for Barbie dolls (a great way to get rid all that left over yarn) and then trade what I've made for something else. At the moment I have quite few Barbie clothes, bags and stuff I need to get rid of before I'll make any more.
ReplyDeleteHassisen Kone - On jouluyö, nyt laulaa saa
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxPMHu-XOnU
Pave Maijanen:Kuokkavieras
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2VkzK2LS8E
Rajaton- Tonttu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZiJ0WvvGds
Joulu Peruutettu - Mamba
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3Oe8bC5Mdw
Mamba - Kulkuset
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-3i45acnkY&feature=related
Oh, oh!!! I hope I win!! I was never allowed a Barbie when I was a kid. My mom HATED them. *LOL* My special Barbie memories involve going to my friend's house, who had a couple Barbies (I don't remember their careers, it was about the shoes) and we played with them. Good times.
ReplyDeleteI was a doll person--I was always playing "mother" or "wife" when I was a kid. I had little baby dolls you could bottle feed and they'd wet their diapers. Great fun. (I also wanted a cabbage patch doll and that never happened either.) Of course, now, I'm single--as always--and discussion of having kids makes me sprint from the room. The charm has worn off from the doll stage when they looked so sweet sleeping. I've been around the real thing to know better.
Barbie--with all her careers--is the bomb. Has she ever been a writer in one of her careers?
Oh, and PS, I secretly want that Twilight Edward Ken-Barbie...
ReplyDeleteI had a few Barbie's when growing up. I loved playing Barbie on the front porch with my best friend. But I don't currently own any dolls.
ReplyDeleteFunny story, my son is crushing on a new girl but he hates her name...yep, it's Barbie.
I'm embarrassed to say, because it would show my true age, that I still have the Barbie I got when I was small. She has a bubble hair cut! I also have the original black carrying case.
ReplyDeleteI don't collect them now, but when I pulled these out a little while back, I couldn't believe how many accessories I had collected!
Love the post, Trish, and especially that Barbie computer engineer!
ReplyDeleteI must admit, while I love the look of all the cool Barbie clothes, I was horrified when my daughter started playing with Barbies. I was never one to play with dolls; I played almost exclusively with stuffed animals, and the body image stuff makes me cringe. But daughter seems totally unscathed by her interactions with Ms. 34DDDDDDD, so I guess it worked out okay. ;-)
I recently passed on my daughter's collection of Barbies to Susan Sey...I hear her kids like to torture poor Barbie. Sounds like fun.
Doesn't every little girl love a Barbie? Great post, Trish. My daughters all played with Barbies, made their own clothing line, and even created their own Barbie house out of cardboard boxes and left-over fabric.
ReplyDeleteLove the Marie Antoinette one! She's gorgeous.
I always loved Barbies when I was a little girl. I lots of them.
ReplyDeleteHey, I'm here! Had an office Christmas party this morning. But I'm back and ready to chat.
ReplyDeleteDonna, congrats on the GR. Whatever will you do with him? :) Good thing he has all those feathers to keep him warm with all this cold weather we're having.
Donna, LOL on the poor relation Barbie. :) I used to wish I could design and sew custom Barbie clothes. I'm just not that talented though.
ReplyDeleteWow on your SIL's collection. I used to have a few but have pretty much gotten rid of them except for one -- Patriot Barbie -- because I love the Colonial America era. They take up so much room that I had to finally let them go.
Christine, you sound like me -- I love me some shoes, and as a kid I'd much rather have been outside or reading (or reading outside).
ReplyDeleteTawny, I once envisioned having a room where all the walls were solid glass display cases for cool Barbies. And I think I'm a little bit of a Barbie snob though. Your average, everyday Barbie -- not really interested. I like the collectible, higher-dollar ones. Maybe when I'm rich and famous. LOL.
ReplyDeleteHelen, I think it's cool that you could make clothes for your dolls. I do well to put a button on one of my husband's shirts.
ReplyDeleteI remember having the Barbie camper when I was a kid - I loved that thing! I used to take it with me everywhere and had a lot of great adventures with it. Some of these Barbies are absolutely gorgeous with their dresses!
ReplyDeleteMargay
Laurie, I was waiting to see how long it was before someone mentioned GI Joe. I've heard so many stories about how Barbie was paired up with Joe because Ken was kind of a wimp. :)
ReplyDeleteSheree, a roller-blading Asian Barbie -- now that's cool.
ReplyDeleteVirginia, that's neat that you still have your Barbies from the '60s.
ReplyDeleteNas Dean, maybe you should ask Santa for a Barbie this year. :)
Linda, nothing better than a Barbie with a huge wardrobe.
ReplyDeleteAnna, you innocent? :) I love the image of you telling all these historical sagas with Barbies.
Cath, oh no about your brother snapping off poor Barbie's head! I think the Peaches and Cream Barbie sounds lovely.
ReplyDeleteFedora, I love that your Barbie was friends with Raggedy Anne.
ReplyDeleteJane, neat that your brother got you a Barbie. So unlike Cath's brother's Barbie decapitation.
Kirsten, your post made me chuckle.
ReplyDeleteBarb, seems like we have a lot of tomboys here. My sister and I were, and we didn't even have brothers.
There were no Barbies back in the dawn of civilization when I was a
ReplyDeletechild! My eldest daughter was one
of the generation which first knew
Barbie. I "played" Barbies with
both daughters and with my four
grandaughters. I never actually
had my own Barbie until several
years ago when I became the proud
owner of my Houston Rockets Barbie.
She is my one and only favorite!
Pat Cochran
I was more of a stuffed toy and action figure-kinda gal than a plastic doll one when I was a kid but I did have a couple of Barbies that were gifts.
ReplyDeleteBarbie memory #1:
One came with some blush for Barbie. The first time I tried it, I quickly got bored and decided to cover Barbie's face with the blush. I was highly unimpressed when it failed to completely wash off and permanently stained Barbie's entire face a deep pink colour.
Barbie memory #2:
Divesting Barbie of her dress and leaving her behind in the toy box because I found the little glow in the dark stars on her pink frou-frou dress much more interesting than Barbie, herself.
Ya, I guess I was a lost cause to begin with when it came to Barbies. I have to admit though, that Marie Antoinette Barbie and this year's Holiday Barbie are really pretty and Athena Barbie is pretty awesome. ...And it has just occurred to me that I currently have a boxed Wonder Woman Barbie...It was a gift, honest! :D
Anna S., who is this Action Man of whom you speak? Sounds like Barbie's kind of guy. :) Sorry to say, but I still think Ken is a wimp.
ReplyDeleteDianna, your Tiny Thumbalina sounds like she was special.
ReplyDeleteCarol, had to chuckle at your story of following your brothers around even though they didn't want you too.
Maureen, glad to have you here, fellow Barbie accessory fan.
ReplyDeleteMary, I'm rolling laughing at the idea of your mom taking away your Barbies because they were "doing the nasty." LOLOLOL!!!
ReplyDeletePJ, how cool that you still have that Barbie. And LOL on dressing up the cats. I'm sure that was easy. :)
ReplyDeleteGillian, so you were an interior designer for Barbie. How cool.
ReplyDeletegamistress, I had that wardrobe carrying case too. I'm fascinated by everyone who could design and make their own Barbie clothes. Hey, that could be the next reality show Barbie Fashion Designer.
Laurie G, how cool that your sister has the first Barbie. I don't even know when that was made.
ReplyDeleteBeth, funny story about your sister saving her Barbies for her kids and then have all boys.
ReplyDeleteYou're so right about the Barbie hair.
Andrea, I really do like those American Girl dolls. I like how they each have a story and books that go along with them. I like how they can teach girls about history.
ReplyDeleteThat's neat that you get your mom the Holiday Barbie for Christmas.
petite and traveler, thanks for sharing about your special dolls.
ReplyDeleteJoan, LOL about Ken and Barbie's honeymoon! And you know, I think that is the Goddess Sangria Barbie.
Minna, so I guess you can keep your Barbies warm with all the knitwear. :)
ReplyDeleteMsHellion, I consulted the list of Barbie careers, and I saw where she was a guest editor for an international fashion magazine.
MsHellion, I secretly want the Twilight Barbie and Ken too. :)
ReplyDeleteChristie, I'm actually a little surprised that a girl that age has the name Barbie. I think I've only ever met one person with that name.
Awesome photos, Trish! I love Barbie. I played with mine to death! My sisters and I still share custody of them and all the fun accessories. Sadly, the Townhouse and Malibu van and corvette all died years ago, but the dolls live on, along with the nail polish, haircuts, pierced ears and additional make-up we gave them.
ReplyDeleteMy first thought when my daughter was born (well, maybe my second thought after, "Sheesh, that wasn't much fun!") was "I'm so glad it's a girl. Now I can buy Barbies again!"
Have a great holiday and thanks for the walk down memory lane.
Susan Gee Heino
susied, oh, the original black carrying case. Cool. Mine was the pink one.
ReplyDeleteKirsten, I think the computer engineer Barbie might have been the result of a poll/contest to decide Barbie's next career. I like her cute little glasses.
I think I was three when I burst the head of an expensive porcelain doll one of my aunts had given me in order to see what made her eyes open and close. My mother was furious with my dad who let me have the doll. Other than that dramatic episode, I never played with dolls. My younger sister always ended up adopting my Christmas dolls. I preferred reading, playing school with books and chalk and blackboard, or riding the range with Dale and Roy.
ReplyDeleteThe oldest grand went through a stage when her Christmas and Birthday lists were dominated by Barbie and her accessories. She (the grand) is 11 now and only interested in couture Barbie. Some of them are gorgeous but expensive. I wouldn't mind collecting the Bob Mackie Barbies, and I think the Vera Wang Bride Barbie "The Romanticist" would make a great mascot for a romance reader/writer.
Jo, I think the Marie Antoinette one is gorgeous too. I hadn't seen that one until I went looking for images for this post.
ReplyDeleteCrystal, what Barbies do you have in your collection?
Margay, I can't remember which accessories I had for Barbie. Might have had the camper, but definitely not the plane.
ReplyDeletePat, an NBA fan, huh? I wish I knew how many different types of Barbies there have been, including these special issue types with the different sports teams.
ReplyDeletePissenlit, LOL on the blush-faced Barbie. And you have a Wonder Woman Barbie? How cool. I'm a big superhero fan along with fellow Bandita Nancy.
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm going to show my age because I don't remember Barbie dolls even existing when I was a girl!
ReplyDeleteI can remember having one doll but mostly it was paper cut-out dolls if at all. I was the youngest of three girls and I remember getting a lot of erector sets, playing baseball in the street and climbing trees. Maybe it was just to make up for the the lack of an "heir" but I think I sure had a lot more fun than my sisters!
Does the Marie Antoinette Barbie's head come off? Is one of it's accessories a basket?
ReplyDeleteSorry, but it had to be asked.
I played with one little rubber baby doll dressed in a homemade purple stripe dress. She was a poorly doll always having bandaids put on her boo-boos.
I had to tiny palm sized dolls that when you pressed their chests, their arms popped up. I named them Diana and Donna and embrodiered coverlets with their names.
I also had a Chatty Cathy whose voice cracked....
And my Raggedy Ann doll. Sigh. How I loved Raggedy.
Hey, Susan. Too funny about your second thought after giving birth. :)
ReplyDeleteJanga, that Vera Wang Barbie is gorgeous.
Jeanne M., I remember having some paper dolls too. I particularly like the historical ones.
ReplyDeleteJoan, LOL on the question about if Marie Antoinette Barbie's head comes off. I'm sure it would if you had a handy guillotine.
What a fun post, Trish!
ReplyDeleteI had an original short black-haired Barbie. I got her when I was four. I LOVED that doll. Over the years I got a Malibu Barbie, a Midge, a Ken and a Skipper. I wanted a Barbie townhouse sooooooooooooooooo badly, but never got it. My sister got the Barbie camper and we did have lots of fun with that until the day my mom made me put the dolls away. Sigh. (I still played some with my sister, she was 3 years younger than me.)
When my girls were young the fashion Barbies came out. I bought them one every year for a few years. I don't know if they still have them or not.
ReplyDeleteMy mom started collecting them, and my dad built shelves into her small extra bedroom. They're still in their original boxes for everyone to see them.
Joanie:Does the Marie Antoinette Barbie's head come off? Is one of it's accessories a basket?
ReplyDeleteLOL!!! Dear God, woman, you have the impishest (is that even a word?) humor!!
But you know, some guy in marketing, and I'm thinking it would be a guy, thought about that!!
Suz, does your mom specialize in a specific type of Barbie in her collection?
ReplyDeleteI never had a Barbie. :-( I was a tomboy though, so if I'd had one, she'd have been Adventure Barbie who played in the woods, climbed trees and built forts. She could also have played baseball and outrun every boy in 4th grade. ~grin~
ReplyDeleteBut at our blog today there's a cute pic of Barbie reading our guest blogger's book.
My granddaughter is 4 and loves Barbie. Alas, I see a few Barbie purchases in my future.
Marilyn
Someone mentioned Marie Antoinette's head coming off. This is true. I swear. One of the Dirty Santa gifts at our RWA chapter party was a Marie Antoinette action figure and her head came off!
ReplyDeleteMinna, so I guess you can keep your Barbies warm with all the knitwear.
ReplyDeleteI only have one battered Barbie and she's not the one who gets the clothes and other things I make. I always try to find someone who needs clothes and other knitted things for their (kids') Barbie dolls and then I trade the things I've made for something else, like yarn, books... Anyone needs any Barbie stuff, just let me know. I've made quite a few things by now and I want to get rid of them. Then I can make more!
romaaneja at hotmail dot com
Marilyn, that is a cute picture of Barbie reading the book. She looks like Adventure Barbie. :)
ReplyDeleteOkay, it must be Marie Antoinette reference week because I just today finished reading Feast of Fools by Rachel Caine, and there's a masked ball scene where someone dresses up like Marie Antoinette, wears a red ribbon around her neck and carries a miniature guillotine.
Minna, sounds like a great barter plan.
ReplyDeleteI used to go crazy for whatever the new Barbie was. For Christmas and birthdays I would get a Barbie. The most fun was doing their hair and putting the outfits together.
ReplyDeleteHi Trish! I have always been a Barbie fan. As a kid I had everything for Barbie. Yes I was the youngest child and spoiled, lol! My favorites were always the Holiday Barbie's. They always had the most beautiful dresses. Now my daughter is 6 and finally into Barbie. So this year I get to get her all sorts of Barbie things. She really wants the Rapunzel doll from Tangled too! We got her the set with the boy and the horse. Can't wait until she opens it Christmas morning.
ReplyDeleteHave a great day and a Very Merry Christmas!
As a kid, my favourite Barbie was a Sweet 16 Barbie. For a while I got some kind of Barbie gift every Christmas.
ReplyDeleteYou all had such COOL accessories for your Barbies!
ReplyDeleteI had Barbie Corningwear!!!
And not even any fake food to cook in it!
And yes, Suz...I think impishness IS a word.... :D
Donna, congrats on the bird! Keep him very busy!
ReplyDeleteTrish, I had Barbies, and I don't think that hurt my feminist mindset in the least. We just couldn't afford a lot of the little outfits, which I have to say were better made, of nice fabrics, than they are now.
Oh, and Barbie has also been a Starfleet officer (Kirk era; I have the Barbie and Ken set, still in the box despite the boy's advice that dolls should be played with, not just looked at) and Batgirl (I hope to acquire Batgirl Barbie at DragonCon next year).
I am sure that Batgirl Barbie could kick Ken's patoot anytime she felt like it, and Starfleet Barbie could blow any nasty old Klingons out of space with photon torpedoes, and without so much as chipping a nail.
It's funny. I hated baby dolls when I was little but I LOVED Barbies. I had everything you could think of for Barbie. House, boat, van, car, washer/dryer, everything. When I got a closer to my teens me and my mom started buying the special edtion Christmas Barbie. They are always so pretty. These new ones are gorgeous too. It makes me so nostalgic.
ReplyDeleteNancy, OMG! I keep wanting to squee every time I see the Special Collectors Edition of Barbie as Batgirl(the one with gold cape lining)!
ReplyDeleteI had an pristine Air Force Barbie but movers damaged the box. So I gave it to an "aspiring" pilot at the Girls' Club.
ReplyDeleteIs there a "Barbie Romance Writer"?
My parents weren't big on too many toys and I don't remember having dolls except one my sister sent away for from a ceral box lol. I had two girls and overdid toys but my oldest daughter loved dolls (especially Barbies) while my youngest wanted cars lol.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Trish! I had the original blond Barbie dressed in the striped bathing suit. I was never a huge dolls fan, but as it turns out, my Barbie doll played an essential roll in my social survival.
ReplyDeleteSee, whenever we would move to a new neighborhood, I would be sent outside to play with my Barbie doll on the front lawn/porch/curb while my parents were setting up the new house, moving furniture and emptying boxes. Invariably, other little girls in the neighborhood would come by, say hello, talk for a few minutes, then run home and get their Barbie dolls. It was the best way I knew of to make new friends.
Kind of sweet memory. Thanks for reminding me, Trish!
Donna, hope you had a fun day with the GR!
Pissenlit, I don't think I've seen the version with the gold cape. Sounds fabulous!
ReplyDeleteJoan, you had Barbie Corningwear? Cool!
ReplyDeleteCome to think of it, I had Barbie books. Chapter books, not picture books. Too bad I have no daughters to pass them to.
My sisters and I had tons of Barbies and all of the houses, campers, clothes, etc. to go along. Fun times!
ReplyDeleteHey everyone. My grandmother started the tradition of giving each of us granddaughters a collectors barbie ornament... it started with the holiday barbies and continued on with the Celebration Barbies. We also got not only the full size in the collectors box but we also got the ornaments. I still have them today. I actually tried selling them once but never got any offers on them :( lol so I still have them. but interestin that this was the topic of conversation so to speak.
ReplyDeleteBarbies....LOL...I have to admit I have still in the box the very first Holiday Barbie, and a Happy birthday baribie, oh and Belle. My mom used to make me have play dates with barbies, she thought I was strange because I didn't care for them. But I guess in the end I learned from Barbie. I could have great clothes, money and I didn't need Ken, he cost too much...lol
ReplyDeleteTrish, I was a huge Barbie collector. I actually have six of the mackie dolls on display in my dining room (I've narrowed dorm my collection. It wasn't until I hit 14 or so that I became a collector, not just a girl with dolls. I've sadly spent a fortune in the collector heyday of the mid nineties, which means most of what I own is worth a fraction of what I paid. Oh well...
ReplyDeleteOh, I love Barbies, since I was a kid... have a couple out -- my astronaut Barbie and Princess of the Nile one. :) Oh, and the Star Trek set too. :)
ReplyDeleteLois
OV_099@yahoo.com
I used to love Barbies but no big deal now, lol. Not sure if will get for my drandughter yet, there are other pretty dolls out now.
ReplyDeleteWith the GR as your present, Donna, I'm not sure if Santa is saying you were nice this year or NAUGHTY!!
ReplyDeleteLove those gorgeous Barbie photos! I have the original Barbie and the original Skipper (early 60's. I think I was four or five so that would make it 1962 or 1963) and I have the little miniature trunk with the little hangers that looked like a plastic wardrobe when you opened it up. Many of the clothes and shoes have gone missing along the way, but they still have a fairly decent wardrobe. They've been tucked away on the closet shelf in my room at my Mom's house for years. I wrote my first romance stories about my Barbie and Skipper dolls and the knights and gentlemen who fell in love with them. Good lord, that was AGES ago!
My Mom has been collecting the Holiday Barbies for as long as they have been issuing them. My Dad bought her one every year and when we lost him 12 years ago, the older of my two brothers took over. She has them all in the original boxes on the top of bookshelves in the den.
I LOVE the historical Barbies. Might have to get one or two of those for Mom!
Leni, you must have had quite the collection if you got them for every birthday and Christmas. Did you have a favorite?
ReplyDeletealinaduffer, so how many purchases did you make from the pink aisle this year? :) Hope your daughter loves all her prezzies.
chey, what did the Sweet 16 Barbie look like?
ReplyDeleteJoanie, I think Barbie Corningwear is appropriate because you're such a fabulous cook.
Nancy, why am I not surprised you have Starfleet Barbie? :) I think there should be a vampire Selene from Underworld Barbie. Hey, she's got the body for that catsuit.
ReplyDeleteDanielle, sounds like your Barbie was living in style! And I agree, I'm 40 years old and I still get a little excited when I see the new Holiday Barbie each year.
ReplyDeleteKim, sorry to hear about the damage to your Air Force Barbie. Bummer.
ReplyDeleteAnd, you know, there so should be a romance writer Barbie. Alas, they'd probably put her in a feather boa and give her a box of bonbons. Sigh.
catslady, I can so remember sending away to get toys from cereal boxes. And, totally off topic, but I remember there were some detergents when I was kid that had dishes in them. Like you'd buy a box of detergent and there would be a glass inside.
ReplyDeleteKate, that's a lovely memory of getting to know new friends through Barbies.
ReplyDeleteLis3182, I've seen those ornaments in Hallmark stores but never bought one. Can't remember the last time I was in a Hallmark store. Of course, I steer clear of the malls now too, so that could have something to do with it. :)
BJ, LOL on Ken costing too much!
ReplyDeleteHey, SmartyPants (wave!). How cool that you have some of the Mackie dolls. You're the first person I've know who does. Which ones do you have? Yeah, the collecting can get expensive and there's only so much space. That's why I quit.
Lois, I like that Princess of the Nile Barbie. Very pretty.
ReplyDeleteDina, you're right. There are lots of pretty dolls now.
Louisa, that's sweet about your dad and then your brother getting your mom the Holiday Barbies.
ReplyDeleteThat pink plastic wardrobe sounds very like the one I had.
Trish, Vampire Selene would be cool. And yes, she DOES have the body for it. *g*
ReplyDeleteI was never much of a Barbie fan, even with 2 girls, they would get Barbies and never open then because they were not interested.
ReplyDeleteTrish, I have Masquerade, Queen of Hearts, Neptune's Daughter, Madame du Barbie (looks a lot like the Marie Antoinette), and the Sun and Moon goddesses. Would like the Empress Bride and the Goddess of the Arctic, but I'm holding back.
ReplyDelete