Silken Flame

Vintage Barbie illustrations, built environment, clones and more

  • Welcome!

    Thanks for swinging by my vintage Barbie fan site, where you’ll find articles on Barbie’s built environment, Barbie illustrations, vintage rival and clone dolls and playsets, and miscellaneous musings/deep dives. What are you looking for?

    Color illustrations of Barbie and Midge from little Mattel fashion booklets that came with the dolls. Shown are: Sheath Sensation, Red Flare, Dinner at Eight, Sweater Girl, Career Girl, Movie Date, and Senior Prom.

    Vintage Barbie Illustrations

    Plus the illustration “sidebars,” short entries on niche topics:

    Barbie Family Deluxe House exterior bearing illustration showing a yellow brick house with two pairs of doors: arched, louvered red doors with rectangular shutters to either side, and arched glass doors. Skipper, Tutti and cat cavort on a brick path leading to the red doors. Through the glass doors walks Barbie, holding a tray of drinks, onto a fieldstone pation on which Francie sits at a white circular table with umbrella and two wrought iron chairs. Greenery surrounds them. A dog sits close to Francie in the extreme foreground.

    Barbie’s Built Environment

    3 shots of doll penthouses. L: color catalog image with caption reading "Here's Tressy's modern penthouse apartment." C: Jamie stands inside her "Party Penthouse" case. R: Photograph from the front of Tuesday Taylor's pentouse packaging shows Tuesday seated inside her structure.

    Articles relating to clones, rivals, and off-brand Barbie-style products

    Four images of Sixties Sparkles nostalgic Black Barbie wearing: her original swimsuit; reproduction of the red swimsuit worn by vintage bubble cut and swirl ponytail Barbies; white pak playsuit; and the 12 Days of Christmas (2022) Belle dress).

    Miscellaneous Musings and Deep Dives

    There’s still more to come, but before you scroll away, here’s the first image ever posted to this blog back in 2022: some of my dolls, dressed in vintage or vintage reproduction, in front of backgrounds belonging to Bill Cotter:

    Four vintage or reproduction dolls in front of 1950s-1960s photographs of Disneyland. Counterclockwise from top left, vintage Walking Jamie in Studio Tour crosses in front of Tomorrowland, with the Clock of the World, Monsanto Hall of Chemistry, and Douglas rocket visible. Next, reproduction My Favorite 1981 Black Barbie in vintage Red Flare in front of Fantasyland, with the Matterhorn, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, and the Sky Buckets visible. Third, vintage bubble cut Barbie in Crisp 'n' Cool stands in front of the Monorail and Autopia sign in Tomorrowland. Finally, reproduction blonde Stacey from the Nite Lightning set, wearing the Matinee Fashion dress from the reproduction 1965 My Favorite American Girl set, along with short white gloves and gold dimpled clutch.
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  • Fireplaces, 1963-79

    Winter weather moved in last week and put me in the mood to huddle near pictures of mid-century toy fireplaces. Join me!

    Chipboard living room. On the back wall, a fireplace in white brick with black hood dominates. Next to it, a TV stand with black-and-white TV showing a smiling woman's head; she looks like a dark-haired Betty Grable. Beneath the TV in the stand is a record player. Closer to the camera, a "fish tank" (printed onto chipboard), wood-look armchair, and upholstered-look orange chair with matching ottoman are arranged. One wall has plaid wallpaper and a few indistinct framed pieces illustrated.
    1963 Ideal House for Tammy or Barbie. Source: sunset4813 on eBay.
    Chipboard interior including fieldstone wall and fireplace (no fire) with potted plant hanging above and two stylized cat drawings hanging alongside. Atop a "marble"-topped coffee table, Skipper is shown on TV. A yellow chipboard armchair peeks in at the edge of the frame.
    1964 Barbie’s New Dream House. Source: jbak4493 on eBay.
    Open floor plan set; at center, a narrow piece of orange wall with a fieldstone fireplace in orange and green stone, with bright fire illustrated inside. Also on this wall are a clock, a wall sconce and some framed art pieces. To either side are a room divider and wood-look shelves with books and TV. Before these are a pink two-seat sofa, coffee table with tall-shaded lamp, teal patterned chair and matching ottoman.
    1964 Tressy’s Penthouse. Source: Theriault’s.
    Two side-by-side images. The first shows a dining room with a classical looking style; white moulding surrounds the fireplace and a mirror with candle holders sits above. Plastic table and chairs in wood color with pink cloth seats, and turquoise dishes, sit before the wall. At right, wall includes red brick fireplace, framed still life, and potted plant. Plastic sofa with grey-stiped cushions sits in the foreground.
    1964 Mattel Go Together Rooms. Source: Theriault’s (L), messejoshu on eBay (R).
    Chipboard dinette scene. On the back wall are illustrated windows with real cloth curtains; between them is illustrated a somewhat conical, teal fireplace in freestanding style, with bright fire. the fireplace has a little dimensionality (chipboard protrudes slightly from the wall) and sits on thin legs. to either side are small framed pieces. In the foreground, two chairs and round table with real cloth table cloth, teal dishes, white Corningware-style baking dishes. To one side the pass-through into the kitchen in visible; beyond it, illustrated shelves full of dishes.
    1965 Barbie Dream Kitchen and Dinette. Source: hues999 on eBay.
    Low plastic fireplace in blue stone, with warm fire illustrated. Before in on an illustrated round, woven rug sits a light purple barrel chair, and table lamp on barrel-shaped table sits to the other side.
    1966 Barbie Family Deluxe House. Source: retrowasteland81 on eBay.
    Living room scene in vinyl house. The back wall is fluorescent orange with various illustrated wallhangings in bright colors, including an oversized key, candelabra, eagle, several framed pieces. Beneath these is a yellow plastic couch with two cushions, and before it a vinyl floor piece with deep pile carpet illustrated by rounded scribbles. Left of the orange wall is a narrow section on white brick with, from the height of the couch back down almost to the floor, a nose-shaped protrusion in white plastic. On the underside and beneath are a fire illustrated. In the extreme foreground is a pink barrel chair and yellow-topped table.
    1967 World of Barbie house. Source: debonbay on eBay.
    Vinyl case room image. On one white wall are framed and autographed headshots of Chris, Skipper, Casey and Francie (Tutti got cropped out) and a floating shelf with books, vases and jars. Below them are a bench-shaped red sofa and red-brick-framed fireplace illustration with roaring fire. To the other side of the fire is a bookshelf with books, vases, and a bowl, and a bottom shelf for firewood (all in illustration. Past these a vanity scene leads to the bedroom section of the case room.
    circa 1967 German Villa Barbie. Source: barbielistholland.
    Two images of chipboard wall with white brick section including fireplace, framed landscape and hanging potted plant illustration. To one side is a shelving unit with duck, lion statuette, books, potted flowers; to the other is vertically-striped blue, green and white wallpaper with grandfather clock illustration. In the product photo (box art) blue snap-together plastic sofa, chair and checkerboard table sit at front with mod Barbie seated. Fireplace is additionally decorated with screen and fireplace tool chipboard accessories.
    1970 Barbie Lively Livin’Room, product photo with furnishings (L) and backdrop (R). Source: wonderwoman13 on eBay.
    Vinyl hexagonal case room; two walls have windows from the ceiling almost to the floor showing city skyline outside; beneath them is a single shelf with books and TV (turned off). Next to the windows, one wall has bright-colored fieldstone in rainbow colors, roaring fire, and small semicircular rug; the next wall illustrates passage into another, non-physical room with yellow upholstery and enormous chandelier.
    1970 Jamie’s Party Penthouse (Mattel). Source: beanieblazer on eBay.
    Vinyl house illustration. On one wall, rainbow-colored brick fireplace with red or orange hood, owl fireplace accessory, and warm fire. On the other wall, front double doors with bright stained glass, as well as windows shaded with red and pink vertically striped pattern. Between these, the walls are hot pink, Other wall hangings are a metal-look letter "B" and four butterflies in a frame. In the foreground are a drop-leaf table and two chairs in plastic, with place settings and wicker seats represented by stickers. (In product photos, this room has living room furniture).
    1970 Barbie Lively Livin’ House/1972 Surprise House. Source: aur_2547 on eBay.
    Vinyl case room. On one wall is stone fireplace in muted tones, with colorful brick wall above and shelf with clock, fruit bowl, and framed pictures of fruit. Above these are closed wood-look vinyl cabinets. To the left a tall closet unit with skis illustrated, and to the right narrow bunkbeds with mountain scene shown through a window with yellow and orange polka dot curtains. A woven area rug in pink, orange and yellow, and wood-look vinyl table, complete the scene.
    1972 Barbie Mountain Ski Cabin. Source: cegossett on eBay.
    Vinyl home with red/orange/pink brick wall section and tall fire, wood-look back door with window to sky and trees, and shelves including books, potted plants, TV, bubblegum machine. In the foreground, plastic snap-together couch, armchair, and low table in white with blue cushion design.
    1973 Barbie’s Country Living Home. Source: janzy67 on eBay.
    White or off-white plastic A-frame cabin with wood-look accents and open front and back. Wood-look plastic seating with green "cushions", yellow tulip table, and red conical free-standing fireplace sit within and before the house.
    1973 Omlie Industries A-Frame Ski Cabin. Source: saltyladybird on eBay.
    Chipboard wall with brick in realistic colors and illustrated gold-colored fireplace in the style of a freestanding conical fireplace. Also illustrated is a globe wall light, poster with pink-hued rainbow and heard, credenza with basket of flowers and other knickknacks. In the foreground, plastic furniture with real cloth stuffed cushions: orange or reddish stuffed table, brown plastic circular table, brown plastic bench-style sofa with built-in end tables and blue fabric cushions.
    1975 Barbie Room-Fulls Firelight Living Room. Source: motown-girl on eBay.
    Chipboard two-panel backdrop, green plastic armchair and matching ottoman, on a wood-plank-look floor with yellow railing surrounding. On one panel of the backdrop are illustrated a wooden bench with cushions and alpine flower detailing, hanging house plant and pendant lamp. On the other are grey stone fireplace with bright fire, and on the wooden mantel a jar of flowers, cat and mouse (statuettes? animals that are friends?) all beneath a "Barbie Olympic Ski Village" poster. The resat of the wall is yellow with wood-like lithographed texture.
    1975 Barbie’s Olympic Ski Village. Source: metaltree on eBay.
    Chipboard house interior. On two walls are windows illustrating rural scene, and between them, a conical fireplace in freestanding style, with roaring fire inside. Nearby are a patterned chipboard chair and desk or sideboard with radio atop. The walls and floor are wood-panel look, with a bearskin rug illustrated on the floor.
    1976 Empire Rustic Lakehouse. Source: fabcitytoys on eBay.
    Photograph from product packaging shows Tuesday Taylor doll on a white plastic stool, sitting near a freestanding fireplace in the round, with circular lower half and detached, cone-shaped hood hanging from the ceiling. Behind them, the back wall consists of floor-to-ceiling windows showing city skyline (photograph) at dusk. In the foreground is more molded plastic furniture in red and photographed shag carpet for the floor.
    1976 Ideal Tuesday Taylor penthouse. Source: Savacool and Sons.
    Clear plastic inflatable house with white trim. At left, a green plastic freestanding fireplace sits in the center of the dome, and the floor beneath is a hexagonal pattern in green, yellow, and pink. At right, catalog image shows the dome in the background, and in the foreground the hexagonal floor, the green fireplace, and two lounge chairs or beach chairs with Bionic dolls posed.
    1976 Kenner Bionic Woman Dome House. Source: Worthpoint (L); ’76 Sears Christmas Catalog via Wishbook Web (R).
    House interior with red brick wall section including semicircular opening and blazing fire within. In front of this, a square table and two chairs in while and blue plastic. To one side hangs an egg-shaped orange plastic chair and a blue spiral staircase leads to the upper level (not shown).
    1977 Kenner Bionic Woman’s Carriage House. Source: Savacool and Sons.
    1979 Marx Sindy’s Scenesetter. Source: Awesome Treasures 4 U on eBay.

    Where to next? This post is about Barbie’s early built environment. The most recent post in this category concludes the Barbie’s Seventies Travelogue series, and the most popular are those on Mattel Modern and Susy Goose furniture and on penthouse apartments. Otherwise, the overall most popular posts on this site are about Barbie shoes, 1959-67, and about Mattel fashion booklets. Or just head up to the Table of Contents to see more options.

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  • Queen of the Prom, AKA the Barbie game
    Teal lid for the board game, reading "the Barbie game; Queen of the Prom; A fun game with real life appeal for all girls." A large image of Barbie in profile, as she appeared on the first fashion booklets but with a gold crown added atop her head, dominates the image. Additional details are described below.
    1961 Queen of the Prom board game box lid. Source: Theriault’s.

    In 1960 Mattel developed a gorgeous board game for its brand new character, Barbie, and her boyfriend Ken. Titled “the Barbie game” upon its 1961 release, it’s better known by its subtitle, “Queen of the Prom.”

    The lower lid of the game holds money, cards for boyfriends (Bob, Tom, Poindexter, and Ken), school clubs (Athletic, Scholarship, Music, and Dance), and fashions: Enchanted Evening, $65; Silken Flame, $35; Let's Dance, $40; and Solo in the Spotlight, $50. The cards are held in place by a teal cardboard piece that also lists the rules for gameplay.
    Source: hello-good-buys on eBay.

    Never mind that the Barbie close-up on the box lid and the fashion illustrations–of Enchanted Evening, Silken Flame, Let’s Dance and Solo in the Spotlight–both on the board and on the cards, above, were reused from the fashion booklets. The game was a candy-colored masterpiece whose design is still celebrated today.

    Beyond the reused booklet art, there were some fresh little sketches of Barbie and friends, such as the illustrations of shopping, dating and school activities on the box lid:

    Detail of the game's top lid shows characters, in line ink and marker, shopping (looking at dresses on a rack); dating (escorted by a tuxedoed male holding a corsage), and school activities (two female figures stand holding books under one arm). A blonde ponytailed female figure appears in each scene, and her outfit in the "dating" image is similar to Enchanted Evening, with a fuller skirt and red sash.
    Detail from the 1961 Queen of the Prom board game box lid. Source: Theriault’s.

    as well as illustrations of Barbie cavorting, dancing, and approaching a sweeping suburban home on the corners of the game board:

    Game board detail showing 3 of the board's corners. On the HOME square, a female figure approaches a large, single-story home surrounded by trees and other greenery. At the CLASS PARTY, two couples, represented in minimal style, dance. Balloons surround them, and text reads "Your boyfriend asks you to go steady." At the BEACH PARTY, a male and female figure throw a beach ball next to a large umbrella, with the sea and sand represented by solid color blocks in the background. Text reads "If you have no boyfriend, go to Introductions."
    Details of 1961 Queen of the Prom game board. Sources: dcamma on eBay; csg675 on eBay.

    and little renderings of not Barbie, we assume, but all of her friends, lining the approach to the winning square, where Barbie is crowned Queen of the Prom:

    Rows of tuxedoed gents and full-skirted gals in a simple, slightly abstracted style, Each dress is colored with a single, bright shade, while the men's tuxes are strictly black. One female figure holds a balloon on a string, wile different colored dots are interspersed among their figures at head level--maybe more balloons.
    Detail of 1960 Queen of the Prom game board. Sources as above.

    These last remind us of the Busy Gal fashion sketches.

    But Queen of the Prom was so much more than the sum of its sketches. The appeal of its broader aesthetic has led the game to be revived and honored in many ways over the years, including in high quality reproductions, starting with the 35th anniversary re-release:

    The reproduction game box looks like the original with a gold banner across the top right corner indicating it as a reproduction. The board has dominant pink and orange colors along with gold, green, blue and purple. Also shown are game money in yellow, pink and blue and cards: "Surprise," "Formal Dress," "I.O.U.," "Boyfriend," "Club President" in pink, purple, teal and gold, and the box lower lid with instructions and (unillustrated) sections for holding various cards.
    35th anniversary release. Source: buzz-dealzz on eBay.

    in miniature as a Barbie-scaled box sold with the nostalgic Cool Collecting Barbie, and a playable keychain game, both 1999:

    L: Cool Collecting Barbie prototype photographed by Mattel for the box art or other promotional purposes. In this image the doll, with an early 60s Barbie face, shirt with printed boomerang pattern, and capri pants, has a side part American Girl hairstyle (that changed before the doll went into production). She is surrounded by scaled-down Viewmaster, magic 8 Ball, and Queen of the Prom game box. She holds white cats eye sunglasses and a vinyl or patent leather look handbag. R: Keychain that looks like the reproduction game box, plus tiny dice, player pieces and cards showing the fashions and boyfriends shown emerging from a little drawer in the side of the keychain. Not shown, the keychain unfolded to form a mini game board.
    L: Mattel product image of Cool Collecting Barbie and accessories. R: Queen of the Prom keychain, source: jenniferc1961 on eBay.

    and in a convention-exclusive set of notecards for the 2001 Barbie convention, which was itself Queen-of-the-Prom-themed:

    Notecards depicting the fashions of Queen of the Prom, the game board, the four suitors, one showing Barbie in her crown as on the box lid, and one portrait of Ken. The last two look autographed by the characters. The portrait of Ken is different from the one that appears with the other boyfriends, and may not actually be from the Queen of the Prom game.
    Source: shoppingwithmarnie on eBay.

    In 1963 the board game was revamped with all-new art that has not been reused or reproduced, and was formally renamed, eliminating “the Barbie game” from its title (by now it coexisted with Barbie’s Keys to Fame, a second board game).

    Lid of the 1963 Barbie Queen of the Prom board game, as described in the post. Text reads Barbie Queen of the Prom Game by Mattel; share Barbie's most glamorous moments!"
    1963 Barbie Queen of the Prom board game box lid. Source: rmac2 on eBay.

    On the cover stands Barbie, radiant in white, surrounded by maid of honor Midge, flower girl Skipper, and groom–wait, this isn’t a wedding, it’s prom! Then what’s Skipper doing there? The ’63 Queen of the Prom box lid could easily stand in for the wedding gift set packaging of the same period. However, game play still revolved around getting a date–and dress–for the dance.

    Inside the lower lid of the game box, a detail showing four characters against a pink curtained backdrop interspersed with candelabras and columns. The characters are Midge in Senior Prom, Barbie in Party Date, both with short white gloves; and Barbie in Enchanted Evening and Sophisticated Lady, both with long white gloves.

    This iteration’s ensemble options were Enchanted Evening (again), Sophisticated Lady, Senior Prom, and Party Date–which was still labeled “Silken Flame.”

    Game board detail shows Barbie babysitting in Barbie Baby Sits/pak items in a sequence labeled "A Change to Earn"; two "Stop and Shop" options of "Silken Flame" (but Party Date is illustrated), $35, and Senior Prom, $50, and in an "In School" sequence in Fancy Free.

    Midge pitched in to model Senior Prom, a favorite look for her.

    Game board detail shows Barbie in Sorority Meeting illustrating a School Club Sequence; two "Stop and Shop" options of Enchanted Evening, $40, and Sophisticated Lady, $65; and Barbie in Busy Morning sharing a shake with Ken in an "On a Date" sequence.

    Alongside the four formal ensembles, Barbie is shown wearing a number of familiar outfits for school and extracurricular activities (including playing “mother” to Midge and Skipper, seemingly, in the “Home” tile shown below right).

    3 corners of the 1963 game board show Barbie in Student Teacher at a football game; in Masquerade at a masquerade party; and on the HOME square, in Sheath Sensation. In the last image, she and Ken are centered in the space, Ken in a suit and she with bubble cut hairdo; Skipper and Midge stand to either side, Midge in Lunch Date, and Barbie touches Midge's upper arm in a gesture that appears caring and protective.
    Details from the 1963 game board corners. This and above three images: woodycrew on eBay.
    Four metal-look pins for "Music Club," "Scholarship Club," "Athletic Club," and "Drama Club," accompanied by illustrations of Barbie in Busy Morning, playing guitar, in Knitting Pretty, reading, Midge in Tennis Anyone, cradling a racket, and Barbie in Arabian Nights, reading a script.
    Detail from the 1963 game box interior. Source: rmac2 on eBay.

    The updated version of the game came with more gadgets, like the club pins above, as well as rings for going steady and custom-molded game pieces, unlike the mostly generic components used for the original version. The added expense of all these custom pieces may be part of the reason we haven’t seen this version, with its unique and beautiful art, reproduced.

    Queen of the Prom was refreshed one more time, in 1991, with contemporary art and costumes, and the Sixties originals almost certainly also provided inspiration for the off-brand Campus Queen lunchbox a couple years later. But neither of these compares to the original game, with its rich mid-century color palette, or the first revamp with its glamorous illustrations.

    Most of Mattel’s nostalgic looks back at the board game came within a few years of each other in the Nineties to the early Aughts. Will there be further tributes, or is that ground now well-trodden? We’d love to see a 1963 reboot, or even a Queen-of-the-Prom-themed doll gift set, though most of the ensembles have been reproduced separately already.

    Bye for now, from us and all of Barbie’s beaux:

    L-R: game board details showing illustrations of "boy friends" from 1961 and 1963 games, plus cards showing the boyfriends available in 1991.

    Where to next? This post is about vintage Barbieillustrations. Our most popular post in the category is on Mattel fashion booklets. The most recent post in the category is on the World of Fashion board game. Other popular posts on this site include the Many Abodes of Barbie series (currently covering 1962-1970) and our Chronicle of Barbie shoes, 1959-67. Or just head up to the Table of Contents to see more options.

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  • Basic and dressed doll boxes
    L: Top portion of a dressed Ken box shows Tuxedoed Ken escorting Enchanted Evening Barbie with blonde ponytail, behind the words "You can tell it's Mattel... it's Swell!" M: Top portion of a Barbie dressed doll box shows ponytail Barbie in Mood for Music and bubble cuts in Red Flare, Silken Flame and Enchanted Evening. R: Top side portion of a Midge box shows Midge in Red Flare, identical to Barbie besides her hair and face.

    Basic Barbie boxes

    The first boxes in which Barbies were sold came decorated with illustrations that were simultaneously more detailed and softer in style than the fashion booklets of the time; where the booklet sketches employed heavy lines, the illustrations on the first dolls’ packaging were mostly without lines, except where needed, as in their stylized facial features.

    The lid of the basic doll box, front and long sides, features 3 rows of doll sketches, mostly in fashions that were available for Barbie in the first couple years, including Peachy Fleecy, Gay Parisienne, Easter Parade, Evening Slpenour, Ballerina, Winter Holiday, and Picnic Set. There are two views of the looks: front and back, with or without jacket, the two looks in the Ballerina set, seemingly randomly scattered. Three looks are not recognizable as early Barbie ensembles, as discussed in the text.
    Basic Barbie doll box used from about 1959-1961. Source: handmadeandvintage1 on eBay.

    This first box is festooned with images of some of Barbie’s earliest fashions, like Easter Parade, Evening Splendour and Gay Parisienne (Ballerina, 1961, is one of the later arrivals shown). Three of the depicted fashions, however, were not released at all around that time: a peach-colored, drop-waisted chemise; a bright blue sheath with white trim, once shown with a loose-fitting jacket; and a strapless swimsuit with vertical red and white stripes. These outfits were finally produced, for Barbie’s 50th anniversary, as convention exclusives: Voyage in Vintage and Red, White and Beautiful.

    Two past convention offerings. Left, the Red, White & Beautiful gift set includes a brunette ponytail doll dressed in a suit that looks like the vertical red-and-white striped suit depicted on the early basic doll box; around her are the blue sheath, loose white jacket, and accessories including shores and a white envelope clutch; the box cover echoes the style of early carrying cases with three figures from the first basic box--two in the sheath, with and without jacket, and one in the swimsuit--before skewed rectangles in red, white and blue. Right: The "Voyage in Vintage" design is based on the peach chemise from the basic box. A blonde ponytail doll is shown, also with a hatbox, white gloves, sunglasses, and purse. The box lid also shows a figure from the first basic doll box before a slightly angular, solid-colored shape.
    Nostalgic dolls based on the Ponytail doll box; their packaging reproduced the original box art, enlarged. Source: joeslist.com.

    The box itself has been reproduced a few times, including as part of the 35th anniversary reproduction doll offerings, in miniature in a 50th anniversary 2009 Hallmark ornament, and even more in miniature to contain a Barbie-scaled Barbie included with the 40th anniversary doll.

    Boxed mini Barbie wearing zebra swimsuit. A circa-1960 booklet repro, in miniature, peeks out behind her in the box. The box lid looks just like the box above, perhaps in a richer shade. To either side lie a quarter and a clothespin for scale--the box is longer but thinner than the quarter, shorter than the clothespin but about as wide--about 2" long.
    40th anniversary mini Barbie and box; quarter and clothespin for scale.
    Box top and long sides all contain 3 rows of sketches of ponytail and bubble cut Barbies wearing classic fashions including Friday Nite Date, Solo in the Spotlight, After Five, Enchanted Evening, Red Flare and Silken Flame.
    Source: booksandschmitt on eBay; Theriaults

    The next iteration, above, included sketches of the bubble cut and updated the selection of fashions from Barbie’s wardrobe. The artistic style had grown closer to that used in the fashion booklets starting in about 1963.

    Box front is American Girl Barbie photographed in her original swimsuit, shown bending a leg. On the long sides of the box top are 3 rows of fashion sketches from the Mattel booklets, all showing American Girls.
    American Girl Barbie packaging. Source: laj821 on eBay.

    The third basic box, starting in 1964, was for the bendable-leg American Girl doll. Its front was a full-size photograph of the doll, but the box sides still featured small illustrations. These came straight from the fashion booklets. The next iteration, for Twist ‘n’ Turn Barbie, featured only photographs: a full-sized photograph on front, and small ones illustrating the doll’s poseability on the sides.

    Dressed Barbie boxes

    L: Ponytail Barbie in Sweater Girl displayed in a box whose exterior is pale pink, covered with rows of light and dark Barbie silhouettes that match the outlines of the drawings on the first Barbie box. R: Titian bubble cut wearing Black Magic, displayed in the second dressed doll box. The box consists of 3 rows of sketched ponytail and bubble cut Barbies as in the second basic box, but rearranged. Horizontal light blue stripes between rows contain text reading "Barbie Genuine Teen-Age Fashion Model by Mattel."
    1960 and 1962 dressed doll boxes. Source: Theriaults.

    The early dressed doll boxes were lined with silhouettes, in which the sketches from the basic boxes can be recognized. The second version used the sketches from the bubble cut-era basic doll box, but rearranged.

    Midge and Ken boxes

    Two Midge boxes. Left, the earlier box has overlapping illustrations of Barbie in Garden Party and Midge in her original swimsuit, while the sides have three rows of Midge wearing many of the same outfits shown on the bubble cut box, and in the same poses--except with Midge's head. At right, her second box has a photo of the doll on the front and the 3 rows down the sides are all Midge dolls from fashion booklets.
    1963-64 Midge boxes. Sources: kst7714, lynette195209 on eBay

    Midge’s first box featured a large illustration of herself and Barbie in the “Travel Pals” pose on the front. The sides reuse many of the same drawings as Barbie’s second box, just with new (Midge) heads. Her second box had bend-leg Midge illustrations from the fashion booklets running down the sides and a full-size photograph on the front, just like Barbie’s box from that time.

    Each box front has 3 rows of illustrations, each including one of Barbie and one Ken. At the top, tuxedoed Ken escorts Enchanted Evening; middle, Barbie in a plain blue dress with the Friday Nite Date silhouette carries a tray of drinks or milkshakes away from Ken; bottom, Ken in his swim attire with Barbie, holding a beach ball, in an unknown strapless, waisted swimsuit or playsuit. Differences in the two boxes are minor, but the "dressed" box has tan horizontal bars under lines of writing both share, "He's Barbie's boyfriend Ken by Mattel."
    Basic Ken doll box (L) and dressed. Sources: stargazer9254 on eBay, jenmar on eBay.

    Ken’s boxes–either basic or dressed–had their own Barbie renderings, wearing what may be Enchanted Evening, a de-embellished Friday Nite Date, and some manner of playsuit. The sides of the boxes showed just the gents.

    Hand-drawn boxes yielded to photography in the latter part of the Sixties, but they never went away entirely, as Barbie would be illustrated on her packaging countless times through the decades and until today. Many Barbie fans favor the lush Superstar-era illustrations, while some Barbie Fashion Model Collection offerings clearly reference the vintage illustration style we cover here.

    Three later illustrated doll boxes. L-R: Jewel Secrets Whitney exhibits the lush 80s style with rich colors and textures; 45th Anniversary Barbie Fashion Model Collection's box mimics the classic boxes, with 3 rows of sketches in a light style; Busy Talking Barbie from the Seventies is illustrated in flat, graphic washes of color.
    L-R: 1980s Jewel Secrets Whitney doll in package, 45th anniversary BFMC “Silkstone” doll with nostalgic-style box illustrations, and 1970s Talking Busy Barbie doll in illustrated packaging. Via eBay and Theriault’s.

    Where to next? This post is about vintage Barbieillustrations. Our most popular post in the category is on Mattel fashion booklets. The most recent post in the category is on the World of Fashion board game. Other popular posts on this site include the Many Abodes of Barbie series (currently covering 1962-1970) and our Chronicle of Barbie shoes, 1959-67. Or just head up to the Table of Contents to see more options.

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  • The Many Abodes of Barbie, Part V: 1967-68
    3 details from play set exteriors: Illustration of Barbie reading in her garden in a possible wicker chair, next to a fluffy caged bird; view through a window into the Dressing Room case of Barbie standing, wearing a hat, jacket and pants, holding a dress; Barbie, Stacey and Francie in front of the second version of the World of Barbie House with a colorful stained glass door and flowering shrubs.
    1967 Barbie House-Mate; 1968 Dressing Room case; 1968 World of Barbie House. Sources (all eBay): cantrellclutter, the_old_vineyard, topg.

    In Barbie’s mod housing saga, the parade of small houses continued in 1967 with additional Sears exclusives, the “House-Mates” for Barbie, Francie, and Tutti:

    Christmas catalog ad for 3 House-Mates one-room dwellings. Text reads, "Set of 3 houses; fashionable "neighborhood" for Barbie, Francie, and Tutti; Set $9.99; Easy to carry and store..use vinyl cases alone or as a set. The Barbie house has a closet, couch, bed and hassock seat (12x4x14 in. high--for 11 in. dolls); Tutti house has 2 beds, table, and 2 chairs (9x7x9 in. high--for 7 in, dolls). Francie house has bed that can be folded up, desk, and chair (12x4x14 inches high--for 11-in. dolls). Dolls, clothes not included." Barbie, Tutti, and two Francies pose in the pictured rooms.
    1968 Sears catalog listing for the House-Mates. Source: WishbookWeb.com

    These cozy quarters, with their few furniture pieces mostly nailed to the floor, inhabited a grey zone between house and case room, with a couple aspects differentiating House-Mates from Sleep-‘n-Keep cases: first, they weren’t advertised to carry dolls, just to be portable themselves; second, their exteriors illustrate the house exteriors, while the case rooms’ exteriors simply illustrate the characters.

    Front and back of two House-Mates. On the fronts, Barbie and Casey stand on the sidewalk, with windows, doors, and well-groomed plants around them. The tops are pink shingled roofs. On the backs, Barbie sits reading next to a caged bird, with magazines strewn about, while Francie stands next to a record player, both in their gardens.
    Barbie and Francie House-Mates exteriors, front (left) and back. Source: misscarol on eBay.

    Convergent evolution at work: by adding fold-down vinyl beds and some lithographed features, the Sleep-n-Keep cases developed room-like complexity beyond the basic carrying case (which had had a closet-like component already), while the House-Mates continued the streamlining and simplification of the “deluxe” plastic houses of the previous two years.

    (Note: A similar circa-67 offering, the Francie and Casey Studio House, we’ve ruled as more of a case-room and less of an abode–and no abode of Barbie’s, in any event. Its furniture folded down from the wall, Sleep-n-Keep style but with no floor; and on the outside its characters were posed before something like a cross between a building exterior and abstract Tiffany stained glass.)

    But the main event in 1967 Barbie dwellings was the World of Barbie Family House. Finally, Barbie had a little space again–although this set still sported nailed-down furniture and folded up compactly, its two rooms were decently-sized for living and entertaining.

    Mattel booklet advertisement reads "The New World of Barbie Dream Houses; Barbie Family House; Ready for Play! Opens into Bedroom and Living Room! #1005; Molded furniture! Real Mirror! Closet, hangers! Full color! Sturdy washable vinyl! Easy to carry! Stores dolls & accessories!" In the image, mod Barbie is shown sitting on the sofa in the foreground, with bedroom visible in the back. The Travel Togethers suit hangs in the middle of the space.
    The first World of Barbie Family House, advertised in a 1966 Mattel booklet.

    Barbie had a sofa, table, chair, vanity, ottoman (or “hassock seat,” as in the House-Mates description), bed, fireplace, and a place to hang her clothes: out in the open between the rooms, as seen above. A distinctive feature of this set is its pitched, pink roof.

    In 1968 the set got a face lift with all new wall decor, inside and out, plus a redder roof.

    Top: The first World of Barbie house sites open. Left is a bedroom with matched floral wallpaper and (hard plastic) bed. Illustrated on the wall are a couple of pennants (one reading "RAH RAH") and six framed heads of Barbie and family. Attached to the mirror is a pink plastic vanity with mirror. Between the rooms is a white brick wall (bricks lined in orange) and white "fireplace" angling out from the wall, pointing to the floor. At right is the living room, with yellow plastic couch, orange wall, and many wallhangings including a candelabra, oversized key, smiling sun, various pieces or framed art. White window shutters apparently extend into the room. Bottom: the next year's house has the same layout but new styling, including new flowered carpet in the living room, blue and green tile in the bedroom, bedroom wall that is half teal and half vertical pink-and-blue stripes, a pink and orange canopy hanging over the same vanity as last year, a pink and orange bureau with vale and photo frame atop, and, in the living room, new green curtains with pink polka dots and sparser wallhangings.
    World of Barbie Family House interior in 1967 (above) and 1968. Sources: debonbay on eBay, moxie213 on eBay.

    The new version of the house replaced the fireplace and iffy clothes storage with a wide arched doorway:

    Same interior as immediately above, but two shots with the camera aimed slightly toward the center of the house from either side. Between the rooms is a yellow wood-look wall with large arched doorframe. To one side of the door is a yellow oval frame with pink interior, and to the other is a potted plant covered in colorful balls. The wall screening seems identical from either side, in other words, the two rooms have the same decor on the shared wall.
    1968 World of Barbie Family House interior. Source: moxie213 on eBay

    Also in 1968, a Dressing Room Case with a matching pitched pink roof was sold. Although not resembling a building on its exterior, and implausible as a standalone structure in any case, it made a nice addition to the World of Barbie houses and gave Barbie somewhere more appropriate to store her clothes.

    The dressing room is five-sided with a sloped pink plastic lid. On the outside, characters are illustrated. Text reads "Barbie & Francie's Dressing Room Case." Inside, illustrated on the walls are vertically-striped, red-and-pink wallpaper; a Tiffany-style pendant lamp; shelves with a piggy bank, cat figure, stuffed octopus, record player, and books, a poster of Beatles-style character singing and playing guitar, an actual guitar, and a pair of arched leaded glass doors. Physical components are a vanity with mirror and a rounded stool, both in pink plastic.
    1968 Dressing Room case exterior (left) and interior. Sources: jungleberry on eBay, the_old_vineyard on eBay.

    The dressing room’s richly psychedelic lithographed interior details include some of the nicer touches of late-60s Barbie habitations.

    This entry covered two years in one go, and up to three separate Barbie abodes, depending on how you count them. Are we gaining speed as we spiral toward the conclusion of the “Abodes” series? Probably! Stick around to find out.

    Illustration of a shaggy, white dog from the exterior of the first World of Barbie family house. The dog is scratching one ear with a back paw; a bone sits in front of it. Behind it is an arched, blue door in a yellow wall, and potted flowers and other foliage sit to either side.
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  • Skipper’s Schoolroom (1965) and the play sets that never were
    Color catalog image of Skipper's Schoolroom. Brunette American Girl Barbie wearing Student Teacher sits at the front of the class behind a pinkish desk. Three student desks in pink and red face her; Skipper, wearing School Girl, sits in one, and Skooter, wearing School Days, stands at the back of the room. Along the wall are posters of the American flag, a map of the contiguous US, a blackboard with writing, and many windows over illustrated shelves. In an inset is shown the playground with two slides, some sort of hopscotch tiles, and (illustrated) a jungle gym; Ricky stands to one side.
    Skipper’s Schoolroom in the 1966 Sears Christmas catalog. Source: Wishbook Web.

    A Sears exclusive in 1965 and 1966, Skipper’s Schoolroom was notable as the first Mattel play set where Barbie went only to work (she may have worked or shopped at the Fashion Shop, and the Little Theatre similarly had multiple uses), as well as the last public space introduced to the Barbiesphere for a handful of years and maybe the last chipboard structure ever added. The play set contained all the school essentials: desks, chairs, books, globe, a chalkboard you could write on, and a playground for recess on the flipside. In the catalog graphics (1965’s image is identical to the ’66 one above), Barbie is seen wearing Student Teacher, as one might expect. Like the other late chipboard sets, details abound; many images of the interior, grounds and accessories can be found on a 2019 listing from Ripley Auctions (love the functionality in that trash receptacle!). This play set, marking the end of an era, got us thinking about where else Barbie went to work during the Sixties.

    Color catalog image of Barbie's Fashion shop, as also shown in our post on the Shop; refer to that post for more details.
    Barbie’s Fashion Shop, from the 1964 JC Penney Christmas catalog. Source: christmas.musetechnical.com

    It makes sense that the Teen-Age Fashion Model’s first realized place of employment was the Fashion Shop: according to the Random House chapter books, most of her teen-aged modeling career was spent doing trunk shows or similar; furthermore, fashion was central to the Barbie enterprise. It also makes some sense that another was the schoolroom, since it also accommodated Skipper and her crew. However, Barbie had many careers in the Sixties, most of which never got an official setting.

    Littlechap doctor's office packaging (L) and interior (R) in color photographs. The dominant colors are light and dark wood. There is an examination table, a desk, a couple of office chairs, a counter, cabinet, scale, and more.
    Dr. Littlechap’s chipboard office, sold in 1963, may have been suitable for Barbie as Nurse; according to flickr user Foxy Belle, it was sized for Barbie rather than the larger Littlechaps.

    The Keys to Fame game supplies a good roundup of Barbie’s confirmed early occupations, from more-traditional female roles like Teacher, Nurse, and Mother, to more audacious ones like Fashion Designer, indicated by the Busy Gal ensemble: while female precedents existed, in the ’60s it was a very male-dominated profession. (Barbie was actually demoted to Junior Designer around the time the Schoolroom was produced, but that’s a scandal for another day.)

    Color film stills. L: A semicircular room is all in white except for solid-colored doors lining the curved wall, in blue, red, yellow, black, pink, orange, and green. Receptionists sit at two white desks in the foreground: R: actors portraying magazine employees watch their boss unroll a bolt of pink fabric dramatically. One wall is lined with windows to the ceiling, showing a cityscape. This room is decorated in grey and beige, and furniture of the sort used for the Fashion Shop would not be out of place here.
    Not a fashion designer’s office, but a fashion magazine office–with bolts of fabric and a dressmaker’s dummy–in the 1957 film Funny Face. Source: Paramount Pictures.

    A fashion designer’s studio play set could have made a great accompaniment to offerings like Sew-Free fashions, Color Magic, and even the Busy Gal and Junior Designer ensembles.

    Barbie’s most trailblazing early career was Astronaut: although commentators today are just as likely to fixate on the goofy hot pink, puff-sleeved ’80s space suit, Barbie’s original astronaut garb was wholly appropriate to the task, and she wore it into space before the real NASA employed a single female astronaut.

    L: Color illustration of Barbie as astronaut in a grey space suit, seated in a pod like the one John Glenn orbited earth in, surrounded on all sides by stars. R: Children sit behind a moonscape that only existed for this Eighties television commercial, in which pink-spacesuited Barbie plants a flag on the moon and waves to her fans.
    What would an astronaut play set for Barbie look like? Visions from the Sixties (Barbie’s Keys to Fame, via statestpac2011 on eBay) and Eighties (Barbie commercial via Jemz.Archive. on YouTube).

    Based on certain of her less-job-specific ensembles, we can conjecture that 1960s Barbie had other business-y careers, as well: while Commuter Set may have been a mere secretary or receptionist, Career Girl looks more executive, and no one’s telling the woman wearing On the Avenue to take a memo. Since our knowledge of Sixties career women is based, for better or worse, on Doris Day and Rock Hudson comedies, we conjecture Career Girl and On the Avenue as interior designer and advertising executive, respectively. But Mattel wouldn’t provide Barbie with a business setting for professions like these until–we believe–the Day to Night office in 1984. And yes, it was kinda pink-forward.

    L: Barbie in her 1980s Day to Night fashion ("Day" version) sits at a pink desk with a little computer atop. The backdrop consists of rich blue walls with pink trim, decorated with book shelves, a gold filing cabinets, butterflies in frames, and a pink wall clock. R: Barbie in a grey pantsuit sits in a wood-paneled office, surrounded by computers in teal, tan and orange. A map of the world dominates one wall. A set of offbrand pink luggage is advertised in an inset.
    Left: The Technicolor-appropriate Day-to-Night home/office play set from 1984 was the first Mattel Barbie office. Source: Pinterest. Right: The offbrand Airline Reservations Set, seen in the 1978 Sears Christmas catalog, was a forerunner in office-type settings suited to Barbie. Source: christmas.musetechnical.com.

    Further careers are posited in the Random House books. While Barbie’s Fashion Success finds our heroine merging fashion design and modeling in one temporary position, another early offering, Barbie’s New York Summer, places her in an internship at a fashion magazine where she performs a mixture of modeling and journalistic tasks, while contemplating making a career of it (the mid-Sixties Fashion Editor ensemble suggests how deliberations went). Back home, Ken urges her to consider whether a career is really what she wants, or whether she might rather remain in their small town as a lawyer’s wife; his wife. In Ken’s mind the two possibilities are that Barbie stay by his side while he pursues the path he’s chosen without her input, or that they part ways; Barbie seems to find nothing exceptional in his attitude. Though Barbie and Ken don’t break things off, two years later, in 1964, she seems committed to pursuing a career of some sort. She’s decided that modeling entails too much standing around and decides to try out broadcasting in Barbie in Television.

    At left, black and white illustration shows Barbie and the talent and crew from a local TV cooking show standing at a table, surrounded by floodlights. Right: color catalog image shows Donny and Marie on a plastic stage, with both photo and illustrated Osmond-type characters depicted on the backdrops. Freestanding TV cameras are pointed toward them. In a small inset image we see that the reverse of the play set has dressing room quadrants for the two stars, with seats and vanities.
    Left: in an illustration by Robert Patterson, Barbie visits the set of a cooking show during the events of 1964’s Barbie in Television. Right: Mattel later produced a television studio for Barbie-sized Donny and Marie Osmond dolls, as seen in a 1977 JC Penney Christmas catalog. Source: WishbookWeb.com. Barbie herself got a somewhat similar photo studio the same year.

    Based on all these possibilities, any number of Barbie-as-working-professional play sets could have been devised. Astronaut may have been out of scope for mid-Sixties Mattel, while Barbie as Stewardess would get her aircraft in the Seventies, and a brightly-hued, though not particularly executive, office awaited various other of her careers in the Eighties. Did any career-focused chipboard play sets make it to prototype, or at least the planning stages, besides the couple that were produced? We’d love to know.

    Color catalog image of the Friend Ship play set. Barbie is seen in a blue suit-type stewardess outfit along the lines of American Airlines Stewardess, while Ken sits in a window seat (and an illustrated Ken, simultaneously, flies the plane in the cockpit).
    Stewardess Barbie finally got an airplane in the 1970s. JC Penney catalog images like the one above from ’73 showcase Barbie in an offbrand stewardess outfit that looks more Sixties, compared to the colorful United Airlines uniforms that coincided with the Friend Ship offering.

    Where to next? This post is about Barbie’s early built environment. The most recent post in this category concludes the Barbie’s Seventies Travelogue series, and the most popular are those on Mattel Modern and Susy Goose furniture and on penthouse apartments. Otherwise, the overall most popular posts on this site are about Barbie shoes, 1959-67, and about Mattel fashion booklets. Or just head up to the Table of Contents to see more options.

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  • Barbie’s Keys to Fame
    Six of Barbie's callings in life: Fashion Designer, Stewardess, Movie Star, Astronaut, Mother, and Teacher, illustrated in color. These images reappear through the text and will be described in detail when they recur.

    Illustrations from the Keys to Fame game. Source for all images in this post: statestpac2011 on eBay.

    A funny little mid-Sixties board game, Barbie’s Keys to Fame illustrates a number of possible futures for the one-time Teen-Aged Fashion Model, each emblematic of a “key” to fame: the stamina of the Ballerina, the style of the Fashion Designer… Note: fashion model is not one of the possible callings.

    Each of the eight vocations is depicted in six illustrations that we believe are entirely unique to this game–a total of 48 exclusive illustrations. Unlike a certain, more famous Barbie board game, Keys to Fame has never been reproduced, so these illustrations are rare.

    The different versions of Barbie’s future are distinguished by unique combinations of hair style and color, with only the ballerina repping her original ponytail.

    Six scenes of Barbie as "Ballerina" practicing by a barre and away from it, posing in a row of female dancers, dancing with a male partner, and bowing with a bouquet next to a key reading "Stamina."

    Most of the others have either a “flip” wig or an American Girl ‘do–the two can be difficult to distinguish in an illustration, but we’re tentatively classing Teacher and Mother as flip wigs, and three others (Nurse, Stewardess, and Astronaut) as American Girls.

    Six scenes of brunette American Girl Barbie as "Nurse": reading a thermometer; weighing a baby; talking to a patient; pushing a patient in a wheelchair; sitting at a desk; in surgery (wearing surgical scrubs, not Registered Nurse) next to a key reading "Kindness."

    As Barbie attains success along each of these life paths, she seizes the opportunity to model a number of recognizable fashions from the first half of the Sixties. The Nurse, Ballerina and Stewardess paths show her wearing exactly what you’d expect–Registered Nurse, Ballerina, and American Airlines Stewardess, respectively; all 1961–whereas on the Astronaut path she wears the 1965 Miss Astronaut ensemble right up to the end, then attires herself in 1962’s After Five for a ticker tape parade.

    Six scenes of blonde American Girl Barbie as "Astronaut": Holding her helmet; floating in 0 G's; entering a capsular spacecraft like the one John Glenn rode in 1962; drifting through space in said craft; waving to a helicopter from a safe ocean landing; riding in the back of a convertible during a ticker tape parade, wearing After Five, next to a key labeled "Courage."

    Sometimes Barbie deviates from the expected in her dress. As a teacher, Barbie wears Sorority Meeting (’62), Knitting Pretty (’63 version), Graduation (’63), and Country Fair (’64)–but never 1965’s Student Teacher. As a fashion designer she wears the pak Silk Sheath to design the Belle dress ( both ’62) and wears Career Girl (’63) to visit Paris, but eschews the fashion-designer-themed 1960 ensemble Busy Gal.

    Six scenes of Titian bubble-on-bubble Barbie as fashion designer: sketching the pink version of Belle; cutting fabric; fashioning the dress onto a mannequin, now wearing the turquoise silk sheath; still in the silk sheath, making adjustments to Belle on a live model; maybe narrating a fashion show while a seated gentleman looks on; wearing Career Girl and escorted by the same or a similar gentleman in front of the Eiffel Tower, next to a key labeled "Style."

    The movie star, who, along with the fashion designer, sports a bubble-on-bubble hairdo, has some of the more elegant costume changes: reading a script in Golden Girl (’59), walking a red carpet in Enchanted Evening (’60), signing autographs in a four-button sheath (’62), and receiving an award in Senior Prom (’63). Her garments aren’t visible in the remaining two images, but it’s fun to see her on the big screen after her many television appearances.

    Six scenes of dark brunette bubble-on-bubble Barbie as "Movie Star": having makeup applied; sitting in a director's chair and reading a script in Golden Girl; walking a red carpet in Enchanted Evening, escorted by tuxedoes Ken; kissing on the big screen; signing autographs in a red sheath with pockets; and accepting an award next to a key labeled "talent."

    The award for most costume changes goes to Mother, who goes through Fancy Free (’63), Busy Morning (’63), pak cotton separates (’62), Knitting Pretty (’63), Friday Night Date (’60), and Nighty Negligee (’59) for her scenes.

    Six scenes of brunette flip Barbie as Mother: holding a baby in Fancy Free; waving to the school bus in Busy Morning; vacuuming the carpets--really!--in a pink pak blouse and patterned full skirt, before an orange striped sofa set; grocery sopping in Knitting Pretty; welcoming Ken home in Friday Night Date; and getting breakfast in bed next to a key labeled "Patience."

    Some of these occupations seem to lend themselves more readily to fame than others, but with a little mulling, we were able to think of women who’ve attained fame from all of these pursuits, except one: the stewardess. Do any famous flight attendants spring to mind?

    Six scenes of Titian American Girl Barbie as American Airlines Stewardess: Standing on the runway near stairs up to an airplane, holding a clipboard; walking down the aisle with a tray; positioning a pillow for a handsome Ken-type passenger; peeking into the cockpit to talk to another Ken; making an announcement in front of a lighted "fasten seat belts" sign; and standing in profile next to a key that reads "Courtesy."

    Want to see more board games? Stick around. We’ll tackle that famous one–plus a mod game or two–in upcoming posts.

    Where to next? This post is about vintage Barbieillustrations. Our most popular post in the category is on Mattel fashion booklets. The most recent post in the category is on the World of Fashion board game. Other popular posts on this site include the Many Abodes of Barbie series (currently covering 1962-1970) and our Chronicle of Barbie shoes, 1959-67. Or just head up to the Table of Contents to see more options.

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  • Visions of Solo in the Spotlight
    Illustration of redheaded ponytail Barbie crooning in the Solo in the Spotlight fashion. She gestures dramatically with her pink chiffon handkerchief; in the background are abstract polka dots in teal, sky blue and periwinkle. The number 170 is printed in the lower left hand corner.
    Barbie Jumbo trading card #170 by Dynamic Toy, Inc. Source: joeslist.com.
    Booklet illustrations of Solo in the Spotlight worn by Titian bubble cut (left) and blonde ponytail (R). Text reads, "(without doll) #982; Dramatic black glitter-gown with bare shoulders and rose corsage on nylon net flounce. Long black nylon tricot gloves. Pink scarf and bead necklace. Black plastic pumps. Plastic microphone. The set, $3.00."
    1962 Mattel fashion booklet illustrations.
    Color catalog image from a recent auction: Dark-haired ponytail in Solo in the Spotlight (L) and blonde ponytail in a Solo variant that is all white, with white elbow-length gloves and white open-toed shoes. Prototype variant has the rose on her "flounce" but lacks a necklace and microphone. Neither is shown with scarf.
    1960 Solo in the Spotlight fashion and variant prototype. Source: Theriault’s.
    Carrying case illustrated with blonde bubblecut wearing Solo in the Spotlight, standing at a mic and holding her handkerchief. The mic, handkerchief, and flounce are all in pink. Color inventiveness was routine in carrying cases, and in the background of this one we also see Enchanted Evening in gold with pink stole, plus Ballerina in standard pink.
    1962 Barbie doll carrying case by Ponytail. Source: pfmink on eBay.
    Carrying case image showing Solo in the Spotlight in all white, with yellow accent in the flounce. Handkerchief is pink, open-toed shoes are black, and rose accent is red with green leaves. Titian bubblecut models. Next to her is Midge in her first swimsuit, two-piece of yellow and orange.
    1963 Barbie doll carrying case by Mattel. Source: fuzzypeacheese on reddit.
    Blonde swirl ponytail Barbie paper doll wearing Solo in the Spotlight with a pink tulle or chiffon sash about the shoulders (possibly an interpretation of the ensemble's scarf). Next to her is Skipper in pink Ballet Class.
    1964 Whitman paper doll fashions overlaid on dolls from the same set. Source: onceagain34 on eBay.
    Photograph of dressed doll, blonde ponytail, in the complete Solo in the Spotlight ensemble. She stands at the microphone before a vintage music box piano.
    1990 Barbie trading card. Source: PostcardsAndMore on eBay.
    Package exterior for ornament is a photograph of molded and painted Solo in the Spotlight Barbie with blonde ponytail, holding a scarf of real fabric that appears a little frayed even in the product image. Barbie's painted face has striking angles and contrast suggesting the earlier ponytails, but with healthy skin tone. The "glitter" of the dress appears to be painted on in silver.
    1995 Hallmark ornament. Source: Chris15collectionCorner on eBay.
    Film still of actress Betty Grable posing before a set of mirrors, wearing an all-white, strapless, beaded mermaid dress, white elbow-length gloves, white open-toed shoes, and white rose tied at the next like a choker. Unlike Solo in the Spotlight, the hemline sweeps up in the front so that the tight skirt ends before her knee in front, changing over to flounce--she can walk in it, in other words.
    Costume by William Travilla, worn by Betty Grable in How to Marry a Millionaire, 1953. Source: Fox Studios.
    Three life-size renditions of the Solo in the Spotlight outfit that look fairly similar to one another, styled with open-toed shoes. Unique Vintage version shows the scarf tied at the neck, while Margot holds hers and the 1980 version may not have one. Margot's gloves and the 1980 gloves extend almost all the way up the arm, while the Unique Vintage version end just above the elbow. Unique Vintage model poses on a white background; Margot Robbie poses on a "pink carpet" at a premiere; and the 1980 image is a black-and-white newspaper clipping, also on plain white background.
    Interpretations by (L-R): Barbie x Unique Vintage; House of Elsa Schiaparelli custom for Margot Robbie, 2023 (via justjared on Instagram); Timothy Dunleavy for Barbie’s 21st birthday, 1980 (via New York Daily News).
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  • Fashion Booklets
    Six Barbie ensembles advertised in 1960s Mattel fashion booklets. They are: Sheath Sensation, Golden Elegance, Golden Evening, Theatre Date, American Airlines, and Color Magic Pretty Wild!. The first two and Teatre Date are from early booklets in which Barbie's skintone is white as a sheet and the accessories are both on the doll and drawn floating off to the side. These three have backgrounds in varying shades of blue and green, while the other three are white-backgrounded.

    The first, foremost, and most famous source of vintage Barbie illustrations is, of course, the fashion booklet. When we assess the drawings on items like carrying cases, doll packaging, and sewing patterns, our evaluations often center on similarities to and differences from the booklet versions. Within the booklets, there are hundreds of hand-drawn illustrations to admire in incrementally evolving styles, up until photography takes over at the end of the Sixties. In this post we’ll pick through some interesting themes and patterns we observed; you can browse unedited booklets on Toy Addict, Constance Ruppender’s Flickr feed, Vintage Toy Advertiser, “and everything else… …too” blog, House of Retro, and elsewhere.

    Fashion illustration by 1959

    The 1920s and ’30s are regarded as the Golden Age in fashion illustration, according to Cally Blackman in 100 Years of Fashion Illustration. Photography, while technically available, could not yet approach the mood, the mystique, the glamour of the fashion sketch.

    Four panels in color: 1. Harper's Bazaar cover (here spelled Bazar, as it was at the time) in Erte's art deco style, the figure influenced by japonisme, twisting in an abstract field of blue and yellow dots on green, wearing a full, bubble-shaped white skirt from which black tentacles seem to emerge, and slim black sleeveless bodice. 2: sketch shows a woman in two poses, from back and front, in each looking over her shoulder, wearing a colorful dress of vertical sections in green, red, purple, and blue that extend from the neckline to the floor; over the sections of the skirt are large flowers printed. 3: Vogue cover, woman dressed in slim black floor-length garment with oversized sash near waist and ostrich feather extending out from a compact black hat. The background is washed with a rainbow of shades. 4: Two women in blue and white formal wear before a scene resembling an opera house. In the foreground someone holds up what looks like a program reading "PARIS" with other text too small to discern.
    Erte cover for Harper’s Bazaar, 1922; Eric drawing of Lucien Lelong’s opening for Vogue, 1937; Bebe cover for Vogue, 1939; and Coty perfume ad by Eric, 1944. Sources are linked in artist names.

    By the Fifties, however, customers wanted the accuracy and detail photography offered, and magazine publishers, even the more artistically-inclined, obliged. The celebrity photographer and his model muse were born–think Bailey and the Shrimp, or Avedon and Dovima–while illustration faded to obscurity, at best used for longstanding campaigns in lingerie or scent, like Eric’s work for Coty perfume, sampled above.

    During this time Rene Gruau was fairly ascendant, due in part to his friendship and working relationship with Dior, whose scent campaigns he illustrated for some forty years. Gruau’s bold outlines, flat planes of color, sparse backgrounds, elongated forms, pointed toes, and colorless flesh are among the hallmarks he shares with Barbie’s early illustrators.

    3 panels. First, a woman in a red coat with tie waist, full skirt, and matching red hat, stands facing to the side with her elbows pointed back. Her skin is the white of the paper, and the background is white from her waist height down, marker- or gouache-filled black above. Second, a woman in full white gown with large red ribbon accents looks down and to the side; the background and her skin are a wash of pink. Third, a woman in a dramatic red dress leans forward, hands clasped, head thrown back, her hair the red of her dress and her skin an empty white, on an entirely black background. Each figure points a toe toward one or the other lower corners of the images.
    Rene Gruau illustrations for Dior, Jacques Fath, and Lanvin, all circa 1955.

    Red, a favorite color of Gruau’s (per Rene Gruau: Master of Fashion Illustration by Chariau and Brubach), was also prominent in Barbie’s early wardrobe.

    3 panels from Barbie fashion booklets circa 1962: Red Flare, Silken Flame, and Sheath Sensation. Red Flare and Sheath Sensation are red garments, while Silken flame has a red bodice and white skirt. The figures are illustrated mostly in profile, with entirely white skin and flat washes of color for clothes, plus some shading to show fabric contours. Legs and arms are long and lean, toes slim and pointed. Backgrounds are not quite solid colored but markered or watercolored in a single shade per panel. All three have one foot facing forward and one angled to the side.

    In Barbie: Her Life and Times, author BillyBoy* points out the similarity between this Gruau-drawn Dior lingerie advertisement, circa 1950, and one of the earliest Barbie fashion sketches:

    Left: lingerie ad for Christian Dior. Background and model flesh are the same pinkish tan tone, while underthings are gouached over in white. The model faces to our right, her pelvis slightly forward, hands to her head and elbows jutting forth, as she holds what the Gruau book describes as a black petticoat "playfully" over her face and head. R: Barbie from the 1960 fashion booklet in the black-and-white chevron swimsuit. Background is marker-filled sunflower shade. Barbie stands facing to our right, pelvis slightly forward, one leg extending back toward the corner of the image in a pointed toe, hands at the top of her ponytail and elbows pointed forward, partly obscuring her face.

    Now we know where things stand in the wider fashion illustration world. Let’s dig into the Mattel booklets.

    Evolutions in time

    Some categories of Barbie fashions persisted through the years and can be used to summarize the booklet sketching styles all at once. Most prominent are the bathing suits, the most common way that Barbie dolls were sold throughout the Sixties and thus receiving coverage in every fashion booklet.

    Two rows of swimsuit doll illustrations: blonde ponytail Barbie in the zebra stripe, dark bubble cut in red, brownish ponytail in red, bend-leg blonde American Girl Barbie in her striped suit seated next to blonde swirl ponytail standing in red; and blonde American Girl standing with one knee bent in her striped suit. Second row: Color Magic in her diamond-print suit, with black hair tied into a curly mass at the nape of her neck; blonde swirl ponytail in red again; Color Magic with black hair worn straight with a headband coordinated to her suit; Blonde T'n'T Barbie in her bikini and mesh cover; ash blonde Standard Barbie in her two-piece pink suit with flower embellishment; and Talking Barbie in another two-piece pink suit with coverup.
    Twelve damsels in their bathing costumes, from about 1960-1968.

    Underthings were another common offering, though they were demoted to the “pak” category for a while, and not shown on a dressed character (more on that below).

    In a 1961 Barbie booklet, two early sets of undergarments were staged in a group pose; the same sketch of Barbie in Floral Petticoat was used without Fashion Undergarments subsequently. Later, the same or similar sets appeared in the pak category where they were displayed flat–in one white Barbie, Ken, and Midge booklet, the apparently identical Floral Petticoat and Embroidered Set (Lingerie) were both advertised, for $1.25 and $1 respectively. Over the next few years, Underfashions arose in the ensembles, followed by Underprints and Underliners.

    The earliest booklets sometimes used group poses to display multiple ensembles, as shown above left, or even to show the same ensemble in two configurations (jacket on or off, for example); one illustrating a nightgown with and without coordinating peignoir appears at the bottom of the post.

    Finally, though she never married, Barbie was frequently seen modeling a bridal ensemble.

    Two-panel profile view of a blonde Barbie in the "Wedding Day" set, its long train extending across two pages. Barbie' skin is a starker white than her dress, and the background in a light blue shade.
    The first Bridal ensemble shows the hasty, angular style of the early illustrations in a two-page spread.
    Six more Barbie brides. The first three wear Bride's Dream: one with stark white skin, one with softer coloring of skin and hair, but scant detain on the dress; and the last both colored more softly and with detail filled in. The remaining three, in bubble cut, American Girl, and T'n'T styles, tend toward greater realism in color and detail.
    Bride’s Dream is thrice redrawn, softening each time; Here Comes The Bride, Beautiful Bride, and Wedding Wonder bring us closer to photorealism.

    Some stars of the Ponytail era

    The early books have a minimal art style: Barbie’s skin lacks color, her face has little detail, the pen strokes appear bold and angular. Some of Barbie’s most-loved vintage fashions were produced in her first few years and are depicted in this style.

    Early Barbie fashion booklet sketches for Enchanted Evening, Silken Flame, Cruise Stripes, Cotton Casual, American Airlines Stewardess, and Sheath Sensation, most on pink, purple, and cyan backgrounds (Cotton Casual is on white), and with their accessories illustrated all around them.

    Bubbles rising

    When bubble cut Barbie arrived on the scene, she started to model some of the fashions. Our review indicates that bubbles were used to model some of the new ensembles, rather than redrawn existing ones.

    In the same style as the previous image, bubble cut dolls in Mood for Music, Tennis Anyone?, Sorority Meeting, Icebreaker, and After 5, on bright backgrounds with accessories hovering round.
    Bubbles in a 1961 Barbie and Ken booklet

    However, redrawing toward more detailed and doll-like depictions did occur subsequently.

    Three bubbles in Red Flare: A blonde, facing forward, with stark white skin and floating accessories. A black-haired doll with the same stark white skin and floating accessories; and a second black-haired figure in the same pose, with peach-tones skin, a carefully redrawn face, and more definition to her hair.
    Red Flare and Bubble Cut make their debuts together in a 1961 “Barbie and Ken” booklet; redrawn for a 1962 “Barbie, Ken, and Midge” booklet; colors updated and face details enhanced for a 1963 “Exclusive Fashions” volume.

    Midge models, too

    While not herself a Teen-Age Fashion Model, when Midge hit the scene she took on some of the booklet modeling duties. Midge’s illustration style evolved considerably over those few short years, following the broader trends.

    Swimsuit Midges: Black hair, white skin and a pink and orange swimsuit, with one hand at her chin and one raised; a similar figure with more-detailed hair and face, blue and teal swimsuit, peach skin, and raised arm repositioned somewhat; red-headed in a pink and red swimsuit, standing next to seated, bend-leg Midge in her striped suit and headband; and bend-leg Midge standing in her striped swimsuit. Backgrounds are orange and yellow, except the last who is backgrounded in white, with a yellow arch surrounding.
    Of course, Midge modeled her own swimsuits. The straight-leg two piece swimsuits’ colors should have varied with Midge’s hair; some of the illustrations contradict that.
    Early white-skin, rough-drawn Midges in Icebreaker, Graduation, Raincoat and Fancy Free, on cyan-to-indigo backgrounds.
    Midge’s debut in a blue 1962 “Barbie, Ken, and Midge” booklet focused on sporty and casual attire. Note she’s claimed Icebreaker from last year’s Bubble.
    Midge in three styles. Icebreaker, at left, looks fairly realistic. Midge has kind of a Hayley Mills look here. At center, the drawing is identical to the "early, rough" style but her skin is filled in and her face may have a bit of detail; at right, A new drawing was made in the silhouette of an early, rough one, with improved shading and details but not to the high standard of the left-most image.
    Some transitional Midges in different styles from a single “Exclusive Fashions” booklet. The Icebreaker rendering is all-new; Senior Prom is recolored from the white “Barbie, Ken and Midge” booklet; Friday Nite Date is redrawn in the same pose from the white “Barbie, Ken and Midge” booklet.
    Six bend-leg Midges wearing headbands coordinated to: Fun 'n' Games, Country Club Dance, Vacation Time, Dancing Doll, Fraternity Dance, Aboard Ship.
    In the bend-leg era, Midge apparently had a headband to go with everything.

    A special Skipper booklet

    Skipper’s fashion coordination with Barbie-sized outfits was depicted in a special standalone Skipper booklet, with Barbie, in her matching looks, appearing in uniquely detailed booklet backgrounds.

    Six panels from a Skipper fashion booklet. The "uniquely detailed" backgrounds here basically just means any background at all, as other booklet backgrounds tend to be a wash of color or nothing at all. These backgrounds are hazes of several colors with an occasional detail, like a house, a vanity with stool, or a tree, included as a line drawing. In each image Skipper poses in the foreground, and Barbie in her coordinated look can be seen at the back--half the time, escorted by Ken. Clockwise from top left, the ensembles are: School Days/Knitting Pretty; Ballet Lessons/Ballerina; Red Sensation/Sheath Sensation; Under-Pretties/Ruffles 'n Lace; Dress Coat/Red Flare; and Silken Flame/Silk 'n Fancy.
    A smattering of illustrations from the 1963 Skipper booklet. What did they get on their Silken Flame/Silk ‘n’ Fancy skirts?

    Pak fashions

    As a rule, Pak fashions were sketched hanging or lying loose, not on a figure.

    A collage of many pak illustrations without a doll to model them, including Sweet Dreams, Tee Shirt and Shorts, Two Piece Pajamas, many pak knits, Peachy Fleecy Coat, Singing in the Shower, many pak satin pieces, a "shoe pak" showing 12 closed-toed shoes in different shades; and the On-the-Go sheath and shoes.

    Due to some fashions drifting in and out of the pak classification and other factors, certain pak-associated styles were also modeled by characters.

    Booklet illustrations of the ensembles Peachy Fleecy, Sweet Dreams, Sheath Sensation, Singing in the Shower, Pajama Party, White Magic, and Satin 'n Rose. Also included are two illustrations, of barbie in Tee Shirt 'n Shorts holding a pak blouse on a hanger, and of barbie and Midge in pak knits, that weren't associated with ensembles but were used to advertise the paks.

    This category also includes the fabulous Golden Evening, shown at the very top of the post.

    American Girls

    In the bend leg era, some of the poses went next-level (I’m looking at you, Drum Majorette). A newer, more-detailed artistic approach helped to emphasize the high glamour of these years’ couture looks.

    Some American Girls and some others, in poses that show off their bend legs or with greater detail in texture and print than was employed in earlier books. They are: Miss Barbie on her swing; Drum Majorette with one knee raised high and her back arched way back; Lunch Date, raising the hem of her overskirt slightly; Dinner at Eight, a bubblecut, swishing her overskirt about; Saturday Matinee in her textured suit. Second row: Skater's Waltz, both lifting a knee and twisting at the waist as the American Girl didn't do; Holidat Dance, in dense stripes; Black Magic Ensemble, a Fashion Queen in bubble-on-bubble wig with her sheer cape floating around her; Golden Glory, and On the Avenue, both in patterned and textured attire. About half the backgrounds are white and half are spring green.
    Increased realism for both leisure and elegance, approx. 1963-65.

    The Move to Mod

    Barbie went mod in her final days as an American Girl with a massive wardrobe refresh, and then she did the same thing again the following year with her new T’n’T body. Two “World of Barbie” booklets in our possession show no overlap between the fashions of these years and any previous, so while the style continued to evolve, side-by-side comparisons aren’t as useful; nothing was redrawn for the T’n’T doll, that we could find.

    Four American Girls in early mod: Fashion Shiner, Pink Sparkle, Tropicana and Patio Party.
    Late American Girls in early Mod ensembles

    One of our 1966 “World of Barbie” volumes, above, advertises the T’n’T doll but uses American Girl as a model for all the fashions; the second shows the T’n’T model in entirely different ensembles.

    T'n'T Barbies, with the bows atop their heads, in Night Clouds, Scene-Stealers, Extravaganza, and Zokko!
    Early T’n’T Barbies in the next wave of Mod fashions

    Some photographs had been used in the booklets to advertise gift sets, cases, play sets and other miscellany, dating back at least to Fashion Queen. At the end of the Sixties, the booklets pivoted to 100% photography of dressed dolls to advertise the ensembles (and doll-less photographed garments to advertise paks). Doll photography, of course, is an art form all its own, but the booklets’ photographed fashions seem workmanlike to us. We’ll leave that for others to examine.

    Until next time, don’t talk to me or my daughter ever again.

    Nighty Negligee set from an early-style booklet. At full-size, Barbie is shown dressed in the peignoir, holding a stuffed dog, with the gown just visible beneath the peignoir; next to her, sized to her elbow's height for some reason (maybe space considerations) she is drawn again in the gown alone. Next to her float the stuffed toy dog and one of the pompon shoes. On pink background.

    Where to next? This is the most popular post in our category on vintage Barbie illustrations; another popular entry concerns vintage Barbie carrying cases, while the most recent post in the category is on ’60s fashion packaging. Other top posts on this site include the Many Abodes of Barbie series (currently covering 1962-1970) and our chronicle of early Barbie shoes. Or just head up to the Table of Contents to see more options.

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  • Clone Carrying Cases
    Three cases. At left, on a light blue background, Ideal's character Tammy wears a cocktail-length, pink-and-yellow flowered dress with white stole, the Eiffel tower in the background. Cursive text reads "Evening in Paris." Center, on a teal case, four figures stand before a background resembling arched doorways drawn with simple dashed lines in different colors. One wears a long, gold strapless gown with large purple bow; one wears a flowered top and pink slacks; one a purple suit with skirt and gold lining and hat; and one, a solid top with pink striped skirt. Right, on pink vinyl, a woman in a full green evening gown, white stole, and long white gloves is helped from a car by a man in a black tuxedo; a city skyline is rendered in white and green behind them.
    Credit: witalis120, jennile3, levysmercantile

    We previously discussed some of the gorgeous fashion illustrations that graced the lids of Barbie’s early carrying cases and other various totables; concurrently with these, an assortment of off-brand and competitor cases boasted similar stylish graphics. Like Barbie’s official carrying cases, they also offered alternate color palettes in otherwise identical cases, as you may find by comparing the image at top with some scattered through the post. Now, let’s browse a sampling of these cases (all images via eBay unless otherwise specified).

    Ideal Cases for Tammy and Misty

    Tammy and Misty were competitor dolls launched by Ideal in the early 1960s; some of their carrying cases exemplified a level of chic that the dolls themselves never managed to attain.

    Four cases. Left, a cartoonish Tammy in a shirtdress holds a phone to her ear; three simply-rendered chilrden are also scattered about with phones; next, Tammy in a full-silhouetted red coat carries a round yellow case with "Model Miss" written on the side and walks a tiny dog; the leaning tower of Pisa, a gondola, and a bridge are sketched in the empty space; next, a red case with white oval in which Tammy is sketched wearing a red top, a black-and-white checked skirt, and a tan coat with fur trim and hat, plus high boots. At right, on a light blue background, Tammy wears a cocktail-length, pink flowered dress with white stole, the Eiffel tower in the background. Cursive text reads "Evening in Paris."
    Credit: mwdolls, thelittleblackcloset, dollsamore, pied_pipers_vintage

    To be fair, Tammy was marketed as the girl-next-door answer to Barbie’s worldliness: more likely to spend leisure time at home, on the phone, as on the above left case, than to enjoy an “Evening in Paris,” at right. Glamour Misty, as the name implies, was Tammy’s style-conscious counterpart.

    Three cases. L: on a white background, Misty is drawn in evening dress and fur stole, holding a clutch, emerging from a limousine with a city skyline behind her. Next, Misty walks a poodle through Paris on a black background, rendered in white, yellow and black. Right. the case says "Misty and Tammy" and shows two figures, one in outerwear including a bright yellow checked jacket and high black boots, and the other in a red nightgown standing before a vanity. The last case is round while all others in the post, unless specified, are rectangular.
    Credit: nikisworldofstuff, kscloset2, hazelbuzz11

    Wendy Ward and Tressy

    Wendy Ward, the Mongomery Ward exclusive doll by Uneeda, and Tressy, by American Character, were close to Barbie in size and could also be toted.

    L: pink case with rounded corners, trunk-style. Drawing of Wendy is done in white with black line and blue accents for shadow and for a flower she holds. She wears a sleeveless summer dress and bob-length hair. The name Wendy Ward is "signed" in blue at top left. R: Light blue Tressy case. Tressy, with peahc skin and golden hair, models two French-looking fashions: one sheath with a similar look to Barbie's Silk Sheath, in rose with elbow-length gloves, and one white in a similar silhouette but with a square-cornered overskirt. With this she also has white flowers in her hair. Tressy is "signed" in white at top left.
    Sources: unknown via Pinterest; toyroombill on eBay.

    Beloved by collectors of non-Mattel fashion dolls, Miss Suzette was another Uneeda offering.

    Black vinyl case showing four ponytailed figures arranged on a curving stair. At the top stands a blonde in a white strapless cocktail-length dress with full skirt. To her right is a brunette in a yellow swing coat, and next to her a blonde in a red belted top and slacks. Opposit her stands a brunette with a blue suit, yellow top, and red bow. All wear open-toed shoes. The words "Miss Suzette" appear in the top left corner.
    via

    Miner Industries

    Miner were heavy-hitters in 60s generic fashion doll cases; if you’re beguiled by the glamour of a vintage doll case associated with no particular doll, odds are good it bears the Miner trademark.

    Three cases. Left, on a white backdrop, a woman in a beret and checked suit sits with colorful luggage; an airplane is sketched moving through clouds in the background; next, a woman in polka-dotted swing coat and cloche-style had walks in front of a shop window displaying hats and accessories, on a pink background; right, on a black background, a woman in a long pink evening gown is escorted by a man in a tuxedo.
    Credit: pattys1606, jennile3, nailgirl2

    Unbranded Sixties Cases

    Some cases with a distinctive Barbie-like style bore no brand. The one at right below is actually not unbranded but labeled “Weldseal Co Inc, NY”; it’s included here because its graphic approach is highly similar to the other, unbranded items we show in the category.

    Three cases in bold color palettes of red, yellow, blue, white, and black. L-R the vinyl is blue, black, white, with text reading "Teen Doll Wardrobe," "Fashion Doll Case," "Teen Fashion Doll Case." At right, three simply-rendered characters stand before skewed rectangles much as Barbie did in her early cases. One wears an outfit similar to Winter Holiday, one wears a coat, and one a dress with full skirt and wide-brimmed hat. At left, three similar figures stand inside differently-colored ovals. Center, four figures stand before a background resembling arched doorways drawn with simple dashed lines in different colors. One wears a long, strapless gown with large bow; one wears a flowered top and slacks; one a suit with skirt; and one, a solid-colored top with full, striped skirt.
    Credit: candiesandcuriosities (left and center); home_grown_deals

    Around the World

    We’ve focused on US-based makers so far. Some of the most memorable off-brand cases were international, like the two Canadian cases, below left and center, and one German one (by Theia Spielwahren) below right.

    Left and middle cases say "Doll Case; Mallette de Poupee" in white text. Both have sparkle trails like Barbie's early-Sixties cases. At left is a black case with a bubble-cut character in full-skirted red evening gown with white stole, long gloves, and white flower accent at waist. Center, on an orange case, the character is sportily clad in black leggings, white boots, green sweather and hat, with ski poles nearby. In one corner is a stylized Eiffel twoer, and at top left is a floating head in a black-and-white checked riding cap. R: Dark brown or maroon case opens at center. On right panel is young woman or teenager in green minidress with hip pockets, white belt, and white lace-up front, with long flip hair; at right is a child character in frilly pink dress with dog, and in small inset at op left is a blonde girl's floating head in pigtails.
    Credits: bob_drake16, luckyant0417, lilironlady1000.

    Miscellaneous Totables

    In the entry on Barbie carrying cases we covered other portable items, including record totes and even a clone lunchbox. Barbie-style graphics also graced other, similar non-Barbie products: Theriault’s auctioned off a Barbie-esque 1962 Vanity Fair record player and a Ponytail brand “Tune Tote” in one of their Barbie auctions (Ponytail also produced the early Barbie cases):

    Composition of images from Theriault's catalog. Label reads "131. Vanity Fair Record Player with Black Vinyl Case, 1962." The record player's black case is decorated with young people dancing or sitting next to a record player from which music notes fly, with skewed solid-colored boxes behind them as on some Barbie art; the graphics are in teal, orange and yellow on the black background. The included Tune Tote is pink vinyl and also features images of children listening to records and dancing. At right, the record player is open and we see similar images, rendered in black and white, on the inside lid of the record player.

    Case Rooms

    In the 1970s, when Barbie was jet-setting among her various case rooms, such accommodations existed for generic dolls, too.

    The exterior of this case shows two women in Farrah Fawcett style wearing negligees, one holding a mirror, in front of a room including two twin beds, a potted plant, a table lamp, and some framed art; text reads "Fashion Doll Bedroom Case; for dolls up to 12 1/2" tall; with fold out twin beds." At right, the case interior reveals the twin beds with floral bedspreads, a wardrobe area and drawer in the facing side of the case, and various lithographed details such as area rugs, bedside lamps, shelves, and hung artwork. Above the beds in both views is a window with ruffly curtains looking out on a flowering bush, and the wallpaper is yellow with vertical stripes.
    Credit: 1969340dart

    This 70s dressing room case for Crissy, another Ideal doll, “and friend,” is strikingly similar to Barbie’s 1968 dressing room case (though Crissy was a larger doll whose case wouldn’t have suited Barbie):

    A hexagonal case in psychedelic colors and patterns, the exterior has drawings of characters in swinging fashions, a woman's head with very long red hair in spiraling locks, and the text "CRISSY and FRIEND Dashion Tote." The inside is printed to look like a dressing room: on one side, a mirror, vanity, and shelf holding a hatbox and hat on hatstand, and on the other, low shelves with shoes, hats, and other items.
    Credit: jennile3

    The Seventies and Beyond

    Naturally, generic and competitor cases persisted into the following decades. Cases by the Tara Toy Corp were ascendant in the Seventies; we won’t explore that epoch but will leave you with a glimpse, courtesy of Tara, of the dystopian future (1984).

    A pink lunchbox features a drawing of the face and hair of a woman with Farrah Fawcett smile and hair, wearing a white sweatband, with red-white-and-blue striped collar. Behind her is a rainbow. Text reads "American Beauty."
    Credit: timefortoys2014
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  • Beauty Parlors (1964-1977)
    Promotional images of dolls posed in beauty parlors discussed in the text. LR: Sears Beauty Salon, Sears Glamour Beauty Shop, Tressy's Beauty Salon, Barbie Fashion Plaza, and Barbie Quick-Curl Boutique.

    Tressy’s was first, in 1964. Introduced by American Character the year prior, she had the most sophisticated hair play for the time among Barbie and her rivals, with a lock of hair that lengthened and shortened by two separate mechanisms (a button to press and key to turn). Tressy’s Beauty Salon wasn’t functional–it didn’t add any new customization to styling Tressy–but, like Barbie’s Fashion Shop and New Dream House that were advertised the same year, it was a nicely detailed chipboard scene with almost too much furniture.

    Color catalog image of Tressy doll in a "Beauty Salon" play set with many pieces of furniture as described in the post text. Two of the non-dryer chairs are positioned at hairdressing stations along the back wall, with non-functioning sinks, wall mirrors, various bottles illustrated along the surfaces, tile-look floor beneath. Also near the wall is a counter; a third non-dryer chair sits next to the tiered table with magazines and ottoman, and Tressy has before her a manicure table with hexagonal stool. Color palette is blue, aqua, and green. Text reads: "5.87; New hair glamour headquarters for all fashion dolls. An atmosphere of beauty reigns in high-style colors and professional furnishings like dryer-chairs, ottoman, manicure table, shampoo stands, beauty bar. Laminated chipboard. 22x9x14 in. Salon folds. Unassembled.; 79 N 9317C--Wt. 7 lbs....$5.87."
    Tressy’s Beauty Salon in the 1964 Sears catalog. Source: Wishbook Web.

    The two dryer-chairs and three other chairs suggest the salon was designed to serve many Tressys simultaneously. Speaking of design, Tressy’s Beauty Salon, like her Penthouse, is packed with modern touches including a room divider, potted plant, and tiered side table holding a lamp with tall cylindrical shade, all in what the catalog rightly calls “high-style colors.”

    Misty’s Glamour Beauty Shop followed in 1965-66. Made by Ideal, Misty’s hair play innovation was a set of washable markers that could be used to tint her platinum-blonde hair a variety of shades. The Sears-exclusive Beauty Shop set came complete with doll and markers, but otherwise, like Tressy’s Salon, added no functionality.

    Color catalog image of Misty doll wearing a yellow striped dress, seated in a pink chair with green flowered dryer over her head. The rest of the play set is a cornered wall with counter and shelves long one side, depicting mirror, flowered wallpaper, and portraid of blonde woman in profile. Floor is green and walls are mainly red-pink. Also shown are comb, brush, hair markers and rollers. Test reads, "Glamour Misty Doll by Ideal..change her from a blonde to a brunette or redhead..in her own Salon $4.99; It's easy with non-toxic color applicators. Style her air, too, with curlers, comb and brush. 12-inch Misty wears a sheath dress, shoes; can wear most 12-inch doll outfits. Chipboard beauty shop with chair, dryer, counter, sink and other items. Unassembled. Shop 11 in. high. Use your phone if you want to order it the easiest way of all. Shipping weight 3 pounds 4 ounces. 49 N 3882.....$4.99."
    Sears Glamour Beauty Shop for Misty in the 1966 Sears catalog. Source: Wishbook Web.

    Compared to Tressy’s salon, Misty’s, with its single dryer chair and counter, looks pretty spare. However, some nice details are scattered over those shelves. While this set is rare, Flickr user Susan Hall archived eBay images from an unused set back in 2013, and Worthpoint has good images from a less-mint auction.

    It would be years before Barbie got a hair salon of her own. Before we reach our destination, let’s pause to review a few Mattel releases that were not salons.

    L-R: Fashion queen head and three wigs on wig stand on a card that reads "Barbie's Wig Wardrobe"; catalog image of Color 'n' Curl set including mixing bowl, wig stand, and battery-operated dryer in pink and blue plastic, a set of long wigs in Color Magic shades, bottles of coloring solution, Fashion Queen head, and more. Text says: "Color 'n Curl; $7.88 without batteries; Doll head with 4 specially treated wigs change colors. Dryer (order 2 "D" batteries, page 482), rollers, cob, brush, activator solution, spray, wig stand. Wt. 2 lbs. 13 oz. 49 N 3817...$7.88"; Catalog image of Barbie Action Beauty Scene, a single wall with yellow wall paper, tiny outlet, framed picture of Ken, mirror and vanity, second light-up makeup mirror sits on the vanity, and dryer with hose sits on the floor. Barbie is seated in a pink chair wearing a blue robe and satin pajamas. Text reads, 'For Barbie, Francie, and all their friends; Barbie Action Beauty Scene; From MATTEL; $5.99 without batteries; It's a super "dressing room" with light-up make-up mirror and a working hairdryer.. It actually lows air through hose and bonnet. Styrene wall panel has a decorative "mirror." Plastic chair and "built-in table. Partly assembled. Uses 2 "D" batteries, order pkg. below. Doll not included. 49 C 311111--Shpg. wt. 1 lb......$5.99.'

    L-R: Barbie’s Wig Wardrobe (source: Theriault’s); Color ‘n Curl play set in the 1966 Sears catalog; Action Beauty Scene in the 1971 Sears catalog (both Wishbook Web).

    Fashion Queen was Barbie’s first foray into hair customization, although the wigs were not meant for styling. They came on little wig stands like the one pictured, above (and Midge also had a set). The opportunity for a salon was there, but Mattel didn’t take that step. A couple years later, starting in 1965, they were again releasing doll heads and wigs as part of the Color ‘n’ Curl Color Magic play set. Now the styling aspect was very real, as the wigs were meant to be both colored and cut, and the set included extensive styling instructions; it even came with a little battery-operated dryer–innovative functionality preceded only by Tressy’s 1964 cool-air-blowing dryer–but still, no salon-like environs for Barbie to enjoy. In 1971 another set with battery-operated dryer, the Action Beauty Scene, DID feature basic environs (wall with wall outlets, counter, chair, wall mirror and separate lighted mirror), but the pieces suggest a domestic setting rather than a visit to the beauty parlor. As with other sets discussed here, the Action Beauty Scene was connected to hair play, being advertised alongside the Growin’ Pretty line of dolls whose hair lengthened and shortened in a manner similar to Tressy’s–although Growin’ Pretty Barbie and pals are not actually shown in promotional images like the one above.

    In 1973 Barbie finally had her hair professionally styled at the Quick-Curl Boutique. This latest advancement in hair play added thin wires to Barbie’s and friends’ hair, enabling, as the name implies, rapid coiffurization. Along with the dolls a simple case room containing a vanity, chair and mirror was sold. These furnishings are not terribly different from what Barbie had enjoyed at home in ’71; however, the name Boutique indicates this set as a commercial shop.

    Tall, thin rectangular case in lavender and pink. Exterior graphic shows blonde Barbie wearing what looks like Quick Curl Kelley's green dress, sitting before a mirror, the scene garlanded by flowers. The box opens ot a simple counter, floor with rug graphic, and closet space to store clothes.
    Barbie Quick Curl Boutique via eBay user jennile3. The original chair can be seen in the small catalog image at the top of this post.

    The case also had space for clothes storage, which further blurs the line between salon and home, but we’ll take what we can get.

    Sears had another salon offering starting in 1973: the famous Sears Beauty Salon. Its dryer chair and other features distinguish it as a professional operation. Both the dryer and mirror lights were battery-operated. The set was advertised at least until 1977.

    Sears Beauty Salon in mostly pink, orange and white, includes a revolving chair with working dryer, a small table for holding bushes and rollers, counter with non-functioning sink, and two working drawers beneath the counter.

    Sears Beauty-Salon and its original packaging. Source: Theriault’s.

    In the years that followed, Barbie kept getting better at going to the salon. The 1976 Barbie Fashion Plaza included a small salon, and during the Superstar years various beauty parlors competed for her custom.

    Packaging for the Barbie Fashion Plaza, a department store with rooms for clothing retail, a table and chairs implying dining, and a simple salon consisting of a counter and single dryer chair. A moving escalator took Barbie to the upper level to try on wedding dresses.
    Barbie Fashion Plaza packaging; the modest salon is shown at lower left. Source: lammer007 on eBay.
    Photo image on cardboard box shows Superstar Barbie, in hot pink dress and stole, doing "Photo Finish"-type pose on a swivel stand before a triptych of full-length mirrors; beyond her, an earlier-70s straight-armed doll with the mod face is seated in a styling chair; a stand dryer hovers overhead. Signs above the two dolls read "Beauty Showroom" and "Beauty Salon," repectively, while a larger sign between them, reading "Barbie Beauty Boutique," hands over a mural showing Superstar-style Barbie characters with full and flowing hairstyles. The plastic playset is composed of green floors, pink walls, orange countertops in the salon, and yellow chairs and trip, with stickers representing shelves and mirrors. Text on the box reads, "SuperStar Barbie Beauty Boutique"--"Her own 'salon of the stars'!"--"Complete head-to-toe beauty!"
    1977 Superstar Barbie Boutique packaging. Source: aboundingvintage on eBay.

    Isn’t it strange that it took so long for Barbie to get to the hairdresser, considering what a difference that can make for a teenage fashion model’s career? Just look what it did for Twiggy! We’ll navigate other gaps in Barbie’s early built environment in future entries.

    Where to next? This post is about Barbie’s early built environment. The most recent post in this category concludes the Barbie’s Seventies Travelogue series, and the most popular are those on Mattel Modern and Susy Goose furniture and on penthouse apartments. Otherwise, the overall most popular posts on this site are about Barbie shoes, 1959-67, and about Mattel fashion booklets. Or just head up to the Table of Contents to see more options.

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