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 off into the distance, 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 vintage Disneyland 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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  • 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.
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    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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  • Random House Books (1962-1965)
    Three Random House Barbie book covers in color. L-R: "Barbie and Ken" shows the title couple each holding a phone to their ear; "Barbie's Fashion Success" shows Barbie holding a pain brush next to renderings of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge; "Barbie's Hawaiian Holiday" shows Barbie in a lei, fixing more flowers beside her ear, before a scene of a beach and sailboat. "Fashion Success" is on a white background, the others on pink. Each Barbie sports a blond ponytail.
    Random House Barbie book covers from 1962. Sources (L-R): jilevr0 on eBay, brickabrackandknicknknack on eBay, kellerbooks on eBay.

    Starting in 1962, Random House released a series of books set in the Barbieverse, and naturally, those books were illustrated. By themselves, the books’ covers, like those above, form a nice collection of illustrations; however, the interiors have even more to offer, and we’ll detail a few favorites here. Almost unique within the annals of Barbie illustration, the illustrator of each work is identified by name–it would have been even more unusual for Random House to omit the name of a book illustrator.

    1962 Chapter Books

    In the first year six books were released, along with a compendium merging the first three. These were chapter books and short story collections, not heavily illustrated but with a simple sketch at the top of each chapter or story.

    Four black-and-white drawings. L: Barbie in a sleeveless sheath stands next to a seated, suited woman who is looking through some papers (Barbie's fashion sketches); In an outfit somewhat suggesting Commuter Set, Barbie walks away from an airplane; Barbie, seated in an outfit that resembles Winter Holiday, is pulled to her feet by a dark-haired young man; and Barbie, apparently in Silken Flame, poses for a woman in a rocking chair.
    Three illustrations from Barbie’s Fashion Success and one from Here’s Barbie. From the author’s collection.

    The illustrations from the first set of books are all by Clyde Smith, who would also illustrate Barbie’s Easy-As-Pie Cookbook in 1964 (its illustrations being mainly of food, we won’t showcase this volume). He depicts Barbie in some more-or-less recognizable fashions; while the plots of these stories are not our focus, since this blog is Silken Flame let’s take a peek at the description of Barbie’s prom dress, illustrated above right: “Barbie’s dress was all red and white and shimmery, like a silken flame. The strapless top was of rich red velvet. Below it, a full white satin skirt billowed out, shining where it caught the light. Her belt was a streak of softly glittering gold. White satin pumps and a matching satin envelope purse added their touches of elegance.”

    That’s accurate in most of the particulars, although elsewhere the text by Betty Lou Maybee does describe the dress as “waltz length,” which may be excessive. Anyway, in case you’ve wondered, Barbie is crowned Queen of the Prom–the junior prom, that is–in something resembling Silken Flame.

    Fibe black-and-white drawings. Clockwise from top left: Barbie in a full-skirted knee length dress stands with a suited man; Barbie sits at a soda fountain counter with her shoes on the floor next to her; in a striped summer dress, Barbie, her shoes next to her, sits next to a gentleman lying on his side; Barbie in a flowered, full-skirted dress with side bow stands contemplating half-packed luggage, her shoes behind her and a second pair sitting on a suitcase; Barbie poses in a plaid or checked dress while a fan blows her fair and a woman pulls her skirt out to the side with a thread. All of Barbie's shoes appear closed-toed. Her hair is in a ponytail at the soda fountain but otherwise resembles American Girl (the haircut is a plot point as she prepares to serve as a cover model).
    Five illustrations from Barbie’s New York Summer. She keeps taking off her shoes in this one. From the author’s collection.

    You might think the height of glamour would be achieved in a book called Barbie’s Fashion Success, but overall the most glamorous images of the ’62 books are probably the ones in Barbie’s New York Summer. In this story, Barbie wins a prestigious summer internship at a fashion magazine. We’ve actually discussed a similar, real-life program here before–one whose alumnae included Betsey Johnson, Joan Didion, and Sylvia Plath, as well as one of Barbie’s early fashion designers. While that internship housed its college-aged participants at the Barbizon hotel for women, Barbie, still in high school and evidently the lone intern, is asked to bring her mother to chaperone her. At the end of her real-life internship, Betsey Johnson was offered a permanent position with the magazine; so is Barbie, which is weird: she still has a year of high school to go.

    More chapter books, 1964-65

    It wasn’t long before Barbie embarked on further Random House adventures, now with richer illustrations scattered through the text. The ’64 and ’65 releases include Barbie’s Secret, Barbie’s Candy-Striped Summer, Barbie and the Ghost Town Mystery (Nancy Drew much? Barbie was often solving mysteries in these stories), and our favorite: Barbie in Television. We’ve seen Barbie on TV a few times before, but this time she was in it. The new chapter books were illustrated by Robert Patterson.

    Two black-and-white drawings. Left, Barbie, in a long, strapless evening gown, sits with a man in a white tuxedo jacket at a table overlooking a swimming pool; in the background are palm trees, assorted other foliage, and possibly balloons. Right: In another long gown, this one with a wide neckline like the pak silk sheath, Barbie sits on a wrought iron bench with a gentleman in a dark tuxedo. Around them is tropical-seeming foliage and a hint of patio lanterns.
    Two Illustrations from 1964’s Barbie in Television. From the author’s collection.

    Maybe it’s worth pointing out that Barbie often travels in these books, and she finds suitors wherever she goes. When she’s around home her suitor is Ken, of course; but when Ken’s not available to escort her there’s always a handsome fellow ready to fill the role. As the stories progress her beaux often begin to hint at marriage, even after knowing her for only a few weeks.

    Picture books, 1964 and 2012 (!)

    In ’64 Random House also released at least one picture book with full-color illustrations: Barbie’s Adventures at Camp, illustrated by Burmah Burris. Barbie’s camp attire isn’t too glam, but the Fashion Queen bathing suit and some outdoorsy pak fashions can be spotted in its pages.

    L: Color illustration of Barbie rehearsing with a small child onstage. Barbie holds a script and wears a red striped top with jeans. The child brandishes a rapier. C: Black-and-white image of Barbie wearing Country Fair, sitting on a sofa and reading a book. This is the book's frontispiece so copyright and other info is below. R: full-color illustration of Midge in Knitting Pretty ('63 version) and Barbie in Career Girl, walking and carrying their school books. This is also a frontispiece with copyright info.
    L-R: illustrations from Barbie’s Adventures at Camp, Barbie’s Adventures to Read Aloud, and Barbie the Baby Sitter. Sources (all on eBay): rudyandcathi, ronnie-bird-fan, kreativestiles. Most illustrations in Adventures to Read Aloud have a single color in addition to black and white.

    Another publisher, Wonder Books, released additional “Easy Reader” picture books with either full-color or partially-colored illustrations. These images, by illustrator Claudine Nankivel, are a veritable vault of recognizable Barbie fashions. We’ll let the reader guess what Barbie wears for most of Barbie the Babysitter; in the short story book, Barbie’s Adventures to Read Aloud, she cycles through several of her beloved casual looks; but it’s in Barbie Goes to a Party that we see the most, and most fabulous, of Barbie’s early-Sixties attire.

    The cover of Barbie Goes to a Party shows Barbie before a mirror, holding up Senior Prom in front of her.

    The plot of this work concerns Barbie and her entire social circle having no idea what to wear to a party.

    Four illustrations that are in black and white, with red accents. L-R: Barbie wears Let's Dance, its sash colored red, while saying "I like this dress." Bookshelves can be seen behind her. Before a wardrobe, Mrs. Roberts holds up a pak striped jersey knit sheath; Plantation Belle or similar can be seen in the wardrobe behind her. Barbie models Fancy Free; Midge wears an unknown look that resembles a schoolgirl uniform, with necktie, plaid skirt, and kneesocks. She holds open a red coat to display the look and text says, "How about this?" Midge wears flats; the others wear heels, and all shoes are closed-toed.

    At right above, Midge is in fact not in a recognizable fashion, but Barbie’s mother quickly intercedes to let her know it’s not an appropriate look for the party, anyway. Mrs. Roberts is not one to mince words:

    Like previous image, black-and-white drawings colored with some red; each is a two-page spread. At left, Barbie says, "Let me see, I could wear this... Or this... Or this... what do you think?" while holding up a polka dot sheath, followed by After Five and Theatre Date. R: Barbie holds up a suit similar to Career Girl and says, "Do you like this?" while her mother responds, "No, dear." Behind them are a bookshelf, a television console, a plaid couch, and a pennant reading "STATE", all reminiscent of the first Dream House.
    This and above two images: Barbie Goes to a Party, from the author’s collection.

    An added delight: elements of the first Dream House are recognizable in the backgrounds of some drawings.

    In 2012, a Little Golden Book titled World of Barbie reused some of the vintage illustrations, newly colorized.

    Color illustrations: at left, Barbie and a female friend, both wearing strapless swimsuits, ride in a motorboat. Blue water foams and swirls around the boat. Text reads, "We like to relax, too. Sometimes we go for boat rides on the lake." Center and right, Barbie stands in front of the same city scene in two different outfits: one a reddish sheath, and one a purple dress with a black sweater. The center image is The World of Barbie's cover page; the right one has text: "I can be anything I want to be. I am Barbie!" Left illustration originally by Patterson; other two by Smith.
    Newly colorized illustrations originally by Robert Patterson and Clyde Smith. Sources: mickeejo and furchesl201y on eBay.
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  • The Many Abodes of Barbie, Part IV: 1966

    During the Sixties, Americans imported Mini cars and miniskirts from Swinging London, while Barbie innovated a “mini” all her own: the cramped accommodations she and her social circle favored in the second half of the decade. We got our first taste in the 1965 episode with the Sears exclusive “Deluxe” house; in the following year that house came back in a bold new visual scheme, its interior completely redesigned.

    Barbie Family Deluxe House

    Vintage color photograph of a case that opens up to create a "house." The thicker side of the case remains standing and includes a twin bed beneath a window looking out at (illustrated) deck furniture and pool, with a closet to one side and vanity, mirror, and stool to the other. The slimmer side lies flat, with furniture attached to form a living area (two-seater couch, chair, ottoman, plus round side table with lamp) and breakfast nook (two inverted dome-shaped chairs and round table, all with conical bases. The sofa, easy chair, ottoman, and vanity stool are all in lavender plastic. The kitchen table and chair bases are green, while the chair seats are orange and table top is colored yellow. The living room table has purple base and yellow top. The bed, curtains (illustrated/lithographed), and box exterior are yellow-dominated, and the wallpaper of the closet and vanity is purple with orange. Between the two living areas is a fireplace of green fieldstone, with a roaring fire illustrated.
    The redesigned Deluxe Family House in the 1966 Sears Christmas Catalog. Source: Wishbook Web.

    The new layout was less constricting, reducing the kitchen, pushing the bedroom to the back wall and separating the remaining space into sitting area and breakfast nook with a divider that doubled as a fireplace, on the living room side, with galley kitchen depicted on the breakfast nook side.

    Closeup on vintage example of the fireplace, left, now of blue fieldstone, and the reverse side which shows an over, a mini fridge, and some drawers with daisy-shaped pulls.
    The fireplace has a “kitchen” on the opposite face. Source: mill8834 on eBay.

    A double-sided fireplace could have been cuter, but Barbie’s got to eat.

    Inside the house, mod aesthetics are apparent in the space-age breakfast nook chairs and living room side table; at least one other innovation distinguishes this play set as the start of Barbie’s mod housing arc:

    One side of the case exterior is illustrated to show a blonde American Girl Barbie exiting the building through glass double doors, carrying a tray of lemonade and wearing Lunch on the Terrace (sans hat); Francie, in it's a date, seated at a cafe-style table; and Skipper and Tutti frolicking along the bricked walkway to a bright red louvered door. The bulk of the "building" is yellow brick. None of these doors are reflected in the play set interior.
    Tutti, Skipper, Barbie and Francie cavort on the exterior of the Family Deluxe House. Source: jll1966 on eBay.

    While last year we could see Barbie and Skipper through the “window” on the case exterior, this year the characters are portrayed outside the house, enjoying its outdoor spaces. Thus began a mod-era standard of depicting Barbie and friends recreating on the outsides of their houses, marking yet another intersection of Barbie’s built environment with her illustrations.

    It was this mod-flavored ’66 Deluxe House, and not the original ’65 version, that inspired a 2007 Hallmark ornament.

    The ornament is shown closed and open in pictures that are analogous to the first and third images in this post. It is a pretty faithful miniature with only minor simplifications to some of the patterns. Also included is a mini Barbie in Lunch on the Terrace, as depicted on the exterior of both play set and ornament; she has a ring on the top of her head to function as a separate ornament.
    A 2007 Hallmark ornament commemorates the later version of the play set. Source: purplesnoopy on eBay.

    Francie House

    Only Sears had the Family Deluxe House, but any retailer could carry Francie’s House–or “Contemporary Room, completely furnished to meet the needs of these swingin’ dolls,” as the catalog shown below described it–in 1966.

    Vintage color catalog image of a case that opens similarly to the Family Deluxe House. On the standing side is a wardrobe and desk, with shelves and a window looking out on greenery illustrated onto the wall. The "typewriter" embedded in the desk looks similar to an adding machine or large calculator, while the "television" lithographed onto the shelves is all shades of grey. There is a smiling sun with other red-yellow orbs (planets?) illustrated on the windowshade. An unattached record player in blue and black sits next to the keyboard. The walls are in various striped and dotten patterns. Next to the desk sits another cone-dome chair like Barbie had above, this one all in pink. On the flat side is a bed of blue plastic, two easy chairs in yellow and blue, and a lamp table like Barbie's but with an orange surface and yellow shade. Foam pillows in pink, yellow, and blue, a telephone, and two cups with tray, all in yellow plastic, complete the scene. The floor is cream and orange tiles covered in brown scribbles. It looks like a fast food kitchen floor right after the lunch rush, or like maybe it was mopped with murky brown water. It's disgusting.
    Francie’s House in the 1966 JC Penney Christmas Catalog. Source: Wishbook Web.

    Francie’s furniture was molded in place, including a “typewriter,” centered on the desk, and a kind of uninspiring television represented on the shelves. Fully mobile/removable parts of the set included the desk chair, pillows, telephone, and phonograph (looks like the one that came with the Dance Party ensemble–Francie had so many record players!). The mod trend is evident in the allover bright color scheme and the psychedelic sun decorations around the desk. The floor looks absolutely filthy, but it’s actually meant to suggest funky, tile-patterned shag carpet. In the product image above, there appears to be a little Francie illustration partially hidden in the closet. On closer examination, she may be doing a bit of flat-footed shimmying:

    Closeup on the backdrop and floor. The floor is as described above. At left the possible picture of Francie is no longer obscured by clothing. From the waist up she is in a pose resembling The Twist. but her feet are planted flat, facing the same direction, about shoulder-width apart. She wears a pink dress and shoes and light-colored stockings, maybe similar to Dance Party, but it's unclear what's happening with her hair or hat; the image, as printed on the play set, is not distinct. The shelves can also be seen more clearly and include additional sun images, a clock that is half moon face and sun face, book spines that resemble paper art, and a possible Barbie doll in a long white dress or top and full skirt with gold trim near the waist and hem and possibly a long white stole. It has sew-free vibes but doesn't match well any sew-free set I'm aware of.

    Details of Francie’s house. Source: Fallsavevintage on Etsy.

    The exterior puts this case right on the threshold in terms of rendering characters outdoors, as Francie is shown standing just inside the doorway, and yet disconcertingly large in proportion to the doorway, almost as if she were closer to the viewer.

    Front and back of the case that forms Francie's "house" is as described in the text. On the front, Francie is illustrated standing at a screen door wearing Party Date. Her form occupies the full height of the doorway. The bottom part of the door is a solid panel that says "francie house" in yellow on brown. In small letters below "francie" and impossible to see in this view is also the tagline "Barbie's MODern Cousin." In arched windows there is one blind with vertical red, orange and pink stripes, and one stained glass panel with stylized bird in birdcage beneath. At right, the reverse looks like the front, except Francie is gone--a window of magenta panes outlined in red replaces her, both windows have blinds of vertical aqua, magenta and yellow stripes, one window also showing a pendant lamp with stained glass in a similar scheme, and the "francie house" logo is at top right on a red panel. Flowers and flowering bushes line the bottom of both views.

    Front and back views of the “francie house.” Source: Fallsavevintage on Etsy.

    The same visual trick was used to chilling effect in Alejandro Amenabar’s 2001 gothic horror masterpiece, The Others–but I digress. Details to appreciate on the package exterior include the Tiffany pendant lamp–auguring things to come–and surfeit of mod daisies, psychedelic striped blinds, and stylized caged bird.

    If you read the previous entry and have been waiting with bated breath to find out whose boots we sensed approaching: they were Courreges boots! The mod era is now in full swing; we’ll see further evidence next time.

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  • Sidebar: Color Magic Illustrations
    Eight color fashion sketches from a 1960s Mattel fashion booklet showing four Color Magic fashions, each in two colorations. The fashions are (L-R): Stripes Away, Smart Switch, Pretty Wild!, and Bloom Bursts.
    Color Magic ensembles illustrated in a Mattel Barbie booklet. from the author’s collection.

    The Color Magic line was a juggernaut for Barbie circa 1966, and with it came a raft of illustrations used for advertising and instructions. The image above is a run-of-the-mill fashion booklet spread like all ensembles merited in those days, but do a little more digging–from the dolls themselves, to the fashions, to the Sew-Free Fashion Designer set, to the Color ‘n’ Curl wig-styling set–and a treasure trove of Barbie fashion and hair illustration emerges. See what we unearthed below:

    Clockwise from top left: Fashion sketch of Color Magic Barbie in her original swimsuit from a Mattel fashion booklet; eight fashion sketches of four outfits, each in two colorations, from the Fashion Designer set packaging; eight sketches of Barbie's head and hair demonstrating the color changes: text from top to bottom reads "Gold changes to lilac, and back again"; "Redhead and brownie, and back again"; "Topaz to brunette, and back again"; "Flame to carrot-top, and back again." The sketches show various hairstyles with colors matching the text, except the top frame, where "Gold changes to lilac" is depicted with, for unknown reasons, two orange-ish shades. Next image shows 18 hairstyle illustrations from the wig styling set; hairstyle names include "Double Glamour," "Flirt Curls," "Holiday Hairdo," "Ponytail Princess," and "Teen Queen."
    Sources (clockwise from top left): The author’s collection; vintagedollstoys on eBay; WishBookWeb; SwellMerchandise on eBay.
    Clockwise from top left: cover of Barbie's Color 'n Curl instructions. Two Barbies are illustrated from the next up with American Girl and flip hairdos in reddish tones; at center in another Barbie with curls and her hair inside a stand dryer. Text reads, "color - curl - dry - style - change color over and over again!" Next, detail from a vintage boxed doll showing packaging illustrations of Barbie with two hair colors and two suit colorations. Text reads, "Color change her costume!" "Color change her hair!" "Color change over & over again!" Next, four hairstyles illustrated in a flat colorized style. On the top row, the text "FLAME changes to CARROT-TOP" is illustrated with two reddish-colored 'dos. The figures overlap, and in the overlap the hair is colored magenta. On the bottom, "TOPAZ changes to BRUNETTE" is illustrated with brownish shades. In the overlap, a lighter, blond shade appears. Finally, a subset of 10 illustrated, named hairstyles as in the previous image. In the previous image and most of this one, the many depicted hair colors look natural, the exception being "Modern Flip," which appears to be lilac!
    Sources (clockwise from top left): itsgreat on eBay; Theriault’s; C&B EMPORIUM on eBay; cdflp on eBay.
    Front of a "Color Magic Doll & Costume Set." Three figures are drawn: those at left and right wear "color-changeable skirt, blouse, slacks" while the center wears the original swimsuit. The center figure appears barefoot while the left and right figures appear to wear petal pink flats. Each outfit is colored half-and-half in the two possible color schemes; left figure is blonde, right is red-haired and center figure has half blonde and half red hair. All wear their hair long and straight without bangs: the center with headband and the other two with a turquoise barrette.
    Source: Joe’s List.
    More illustrated hairstyles ("Playtime Ponytails," "Flirt Curls," "Modern Flip") in a simplified color scheme of black line on a solid background, with only the hair and text left white. The original background was "Barbie Pink"--an early example of such!--but one has been hue-shifted to purple and one to red.
    Source: itsgreat on eBay (recolored by the author).
    One additional hairdo sketch, as above: "Double Date." At right, illustration form an order form for additional Color Magic wigs shows four wigs of long, straight hair displayed on wig stands in a simple line drawing of pink on white.
    Sources (eBay): C&B EMPORIUM, itsgreat
    More packaging showing the Fashion Designer fashions; apparently the same sketches and poses as above, but in a tighter line style with flat color fills instead of the inked look of the first such image.
    Source: Theriault’s.

    Further reading: the website My Vintage Barbies has a fashion booklet sketch showing an unproduced floral swimsuit, as well as more details about the dolls and other products.

    Where to next? This post is an illustration “sidebar,” meaning short and sweet. Our most popular sidebar is on Barbie and friends illustrations on mod house exteriors, while the most recent investigates Window Shopping. The top post on the entire site concerns shoes; or just head up to the Table of Contents to see more options.

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  • Whitman Coloring Books (1962-1965)
    4 coloring book covers from the 60s. Left: Barbie and Ken floating heads on a yellow background; next, Barbie, Ken and Midge sitting at a soda shop counter, eating ice cream or shakes. Barbie has a couple books in front of her, and Ken has a large "U" on his sweater. Next, Barbie, Ken, and Midge floating heads on a blue background. Midge here has yellow blond hair. Right: Barbie and her little sister Skipper book; Barbie and Skipper are illustrated in matching cheerleading outfits on an orange-ish background.
    Whitman coloring book covers from 1962 to 1965. Sources (all eBay): peppermint-bargains; PicknThrift; jjwlet211; space_eighteen.

    Whitman’s coloring books are the Midge to their own paper dolls’ Barbie: a little less popular, a little less pretty, but still they hold a special place in our hearts. You can recognize the cover art, above, from paper dolls, fashion booklets and other media; the interior pages, however, are almost totally unique.

    One thing we love about the vintage books is how they’ve been customized by their owners; for example, the three bubble cut beauties below, from 1962-1964 (L-R), say they were colored by Cynthia, Heidi B., and Lilliauna, respectively:

    Left: Barbie sits at a vanity styling her bubble cut hairdo in a large mirror. She is wearing Silken Flame or Party Date. A framed portrait of Ken sits in front of her, along with a vase and possible perfume bottle. A second picture of Ken is taped to the mirror. Text at the bottom read, "Last-Minute Touches." The frame and background of Ken's portrait have been colored blue, the flowers in the vase are orange or red with green stems, the seat beneath Barbie and Barbie's comb are brown, Barbie's hair is black and her hair is colored peach. Middle: Bubble cut barbie bends over to give something to a Capuchin monkey dressed in a little uniform and holding out a cup. Her blouse and full skirt have been colored red, while her hair is colored black. Text at the bottom reads, "Isn't He Darling?" Right: Barbie reads a book. She wears a sweater and stylish scarf, colored purple and blue, respectively. The book is brown and red, Barbie's skin is peach or tan, and her hair is brown or reddish. Text at the bottom reads, "An Interesting Passage."
    Coloring book pages with some color. Sources (all eBay): alhamiltonsfamousfactorythrowouts, pudgeman, McIntoshMishMash.

    We’ll note that while the illustrations are all vintage, the colorizations may or may not be: Lilliauna’s work, at right, appears to be dated 2018.

    As can be seen in the depiction of Barbie befriending a monkey above, some of the coloring book pages contain interesting context about Barbie’s life and times; I’m too polite to show you how badly Midge struggled with feelings of inadequacy in the same story.

    Like Barbie illustrators in general, many (most?) of the amateur colorists transforming these mass-produced pages into one-of-a-kind treasures have remained nameless; our favorite piece from a casual eBay browse is unattributed:

    Bubblecut Barbie stands with her hand on a telephone. Text reads, "I'll bet it's Ken." She wears a tight sweater and equally bodycon pencil skirt. Her hair has been colored bright orange red and she wears blue eyeshadow up to her eyebrows. It looks like her eyelashes have been enhanced with black crayon. Her lips are red, as is her sweater, with some bolder lines suggesting checks. The skirt is similarly checked yellow. Her telephone is brown, and curtains framing a window behind her are green.
    Coloring page with color by an anonymous artist. Source: flatwatertrader on eBay.

    Of course, the young folks of yore did spare a few choice pages for us to color in ourselves:

    Uncolored two-page coloring book spread. On the left sheet, Ponytail Barbie in Commuter set walks toward a bus parked at a sign reading, "BUS STOP." Text at the bottom says, "Catching the Bus." At right, ponytail Barbie still wears Commuter Set, and stands facing a plate glass window behind which bubblecut Barbie in Solo in the Spotlight poses. Text reads, "Window Shopping."
    1962 Whitman Barbie coloring book pages waiting to be completed. Source: peppermint-bargains on eBay.

    Are we having a “That Girl” moment on the righthand side of this spread?

    Some of the books, including the 1965 Barbie and Skipper one shown at the top of the post, even provide fashions you can color yourself to dress included paper dolls; these are VERY familiar from the proper paper doll sets.

    We spent most of our time today on books from 1965 and earlier, but coloring books returned in the mod era and have continued up to the present. Here’s just a couple shots from a 1967 Francie book, with colors attributed to Julie T. and Sara Marie L., to awaken your thirst:

    Two colored pages from a Francie coloring book. Left panel has no characters but shows a chair, window with curtains, and tall chest of drawers with two bottles displayed on top before a framed rectangle. The curtains are reddish, the chair and one bottle yellow, the chest brown, and the rectangle and remaining bottle are pink. Right, Francie sits crosslegged in a fringed outfit and pours something from a thermos into a thermos lid. Text reads, "Want Some Lemonade?" Francie has a knowing look in her eye. Colors are reds and browns.
    Pages from a Whitman Francie coloring book with colors by Julie and Sara. Source: Momma’s Hobby Vintage on eBay.

    Love to see that little splash of home decor, too.

    Gentle reader, the choice is yours: are you keen to color, or do you prefer your Barbie illustrations pre-inked? Want Some Lemonade?

    Before we say “bye,” here’s one more tasteful shading attributed to Heidi B. Note Barbie’s ensemble, familiar except for that little box purse and, given the year, her closed-toe shoes.

    A two page spread. At left a photographer stands with a floodlight and a camera on a tripod. At right, Barbie and Ken post before a backdrop of balloons and confetti. Only the righthand side is colored. Barbie has been given a yellow ponytail, and her ensemble, which looks like Golden Elegance with closed-toed shoes, is all in green, except the hat, fur cuffs, short gloves, and coat lining are black. She has a little box handbag. Ken's hair is also yellow and he wears a blue suit with brown shoes. Left side text says, "The Photographer," while right side text says, "A Party Outfit.:
    1963 Whitman Barbie coloring book personalized by Heidi B. Source: pudgeman on eBay.

    Where to next? This post is about vintage Barbie illustrations. 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 III: 1965
    In a color catalog image, red plastic case lies open; one side stands up and forms a wall of the space, including a closet (filled with garments from Holiday Dance, One the Avenue, and Student Teacher), an illustrated window over illustrated bookshelves, and a kitchen of a refrigerator alongside two burners, with ovens above and below illustrated with food cooking inside. The other half of the case lies down and forms the rest of the "house" as roughly three rooms. In the first is just room for a twin bed and vanity; the second, a built-in couch and chair with two table lamps on square tables; and finally, a narrow space with a sink and a corner table with a single unit of two side-by-side seats facing it. Skipper sits at the vanity and barbie stands in the kitchen; they are wearing their matching looks Ship Ahoy and Aboard Ship. Text reads, "All set for instant fun. Barbie and Skipper's Deluxe Dream House. Nothing to assemble. $9.99. Made only for Sears. Durable plastic interior with built-in furniture opens in seconds to make a luxurious home for Barbie and her friends. Bedroom, living room, kitchen. All scaled for teenage dolls. TV set, bedroom vanity and closet, bed, table, lamps, chair, kitchen sink, screened stove, bookcase, built-in breakfast nook, outdoor patio scene. Folds into sturdy vinyl carry case about 27x7x18 in. high. Perfect storage place for doll, accessories. No dolls, clothing. 79 N 9342L - Wt. 11 lbs $9.99."
    Barbie & Skipper Deluxe House in the 1965 Sears Christmas Catalog. source: christmas.musetechnical.com

    Barbie & Skipper Deluxe House

    Another year, another dream house… and this one’s deluxe! But was it? Unlike earlier houses, Sears’ exclusive 1965 Deluxe House for Barbie and Skipper was mostly plastic, which probably was deluxe in 1965, its furniture molded in place. However, compared to last year’s New Dream House, Barbie’s square footage had gone way down–plus, now she’s sharing with Skipper! Looking at the kitchenette with its two burners, the sink in the next room, and the dining area with very tight seating for two, we could almost convince ourselves Barbie had finally made the move to the big city–but there’s really no arguing with that plate glass window looking out on the backyard and swimming pool.

    Left: from inside the house, an illustrated window looks "out" at a kidney-shaped pool, patio furniture, and a possible poolhouse partially obscured by foliage; below the "window" are illustrated bookshelves and a low television as described in the text. Right, on the exterior looking "in" we see an illustration of Barbie leaning over to comb skipper's hair; next to this is a porch light, illustrated blue front door, and sign reading "Barbie & Skipper Deluxe House."
    Interior and exterior views through Barbie and Skipper’s windows. Sources: A Vintage Closet on eBay, VANESSA’S BARBIES, TOYS & MORE on eBay

    Note the change in television show between the product image at top and the vintage piece directly above, which appears to show a red-ponytailed Barbie in Sweater Girl, walking with Ken (this illustration also appears in, and likely originated for, a Skipper fashion booklet). Peering in from outside at this set’s second Barbie illustration, she’s changed her hair but is wearing Sweater Girl again!

    Anyway, Barbie and Skipper weren’t suffering too badly in these cramped quarters, thanks to a pair of chipboard rooms also released this year–some of the last chipboard accommodations Barbie and family would ever know.

    Skipper Dream Room

    It may not have been deluxe, but Skipper’s 1965 room was a dilly!

    Illustration of Skipper sitting in her room. Heart wallpaper covers the walls, along with illustrated shelves, a dimensional vanity, yellow closet doors, and various little portraits of Barbie and Skipper's friends. Furniture includes a stool of the vanity, a day bed (on which Skipper sits), a table with illustrated boardgame atop and single armchair, a small table topped by a "birdcage" and flanked by two chairs with heart-shaped backs; and a small desk with lamp. Sew free bedskirt, vanity skirt, vanity stool skirt, blue area rug, and white curtains are shown.
    Packaging from Skipper’s Dream Room, illustrating the same. Source: Atomic Age Vintage Doll World on eBay.

    As depicted above, Skipper’s room had an open floor plan along the lines of the earlier New Dream House, with tastefully applied “Sew-Free” ruffles and curtain, a day bed, a precious window nook with table and heart-shaped chairs, chipboard birdcage, both chipboard and sew-free throw pillows, among other luxuries.

    A photograph of a chipboard "birdcage," flat and two-dimensional with a stylish illustration of two blue birds overlaid with white cage bars.

    Not shown here, the room’s exterior had illustrated patio furniture, bird bath, and table tennis table, plus a physical two-seater bench in a cozy nook. Back inside, on a shelf printed onto the wall we see some of the same possessions from Skipper’s Go-Together room which premiered a year ago, including the Red Sensation hat, a Barbie guitar, and Bugs Bunny, and on other walls we see some Barbie and family illustrations, representing merely a handful of the rich ephemera included with this set:

    Left image shows an illustration on skippers wall of a bulletin board with shelves. On the board hang a picture of Barbie, a child-like drawing of Barbie and Skipper in red dresses with a smiling sun behind them; a flyer for the circus; a graduated pearl necklace; a snapshot of Ken (?); and more. On the adjacent wall is a second portrait of Barbie. Right: chipboard accessories laid out and photographed include real album covers by the likes of the Beatles; fake "Barbie Magazine" covers with the illustrations from Barbie in Holland, Barbie in Japan, and Barbie in China; portraits of Skipper and her pals in a sort of "Family Circus" style; a chipboard record player; chipboard portable TV showing a smiling blonde woman's head and shoulders surrounded by music notes; an actual photograph of a bubble cut titian Barbie; and more little bits of decor.
    Some of Skipper’s stuff. This image and the one previous, source: Shermer Vintage on eBay.

    At left, above, we find a couple Barbie illustrations in a familiar style among the decor that’s permanently inscribed Skipper’s wall; at right we see “Barbie Magazines” with travel poster illustrations for covers; a little black-and-white version of the real Barbie Easy-as-Pie cookbook; an unidentified blonde dancing and/or singing on TV; Skipper, Skooter, and Ricky’s portraits in a novel style; and more. But the very best treasure in Skipper’s trove was none of these; instead, it was…

    At a glance the two side-by-side photographs from an eBay listing are indistinguishable from the real New Dream House, matching its illustrations and overall shape; however, there is no furniture and the tiny doors and cabinets do not appear functional. The scale can be determined by a bit of Skipper's bedroom wall showing beyond the "New Dream House."
    A tiny New Dream House was included with the Skipper Dream room. Source: bigrackdaddy on eBay.

    Astonishing! To accompany the mini-Barbies included with Skipper outfits such as “Me and My Doll” and “Day at the Fair,” the Skipper Dream Room boasted an itsy bitsy New Dream House–sans furniture, but featuring the midcentury cat wall art we admired in our post on this Dream House.

    If you think about it, this year’s plastic Deluxe House falls somewhere between the real New Dream House and this miniature version in size. But Skipper wasn’t the only member of the house with a capacious getaway: Barbie had a sanctum of her own, of sorts.

    Barbie’s Dream Kitchen/Dinette

    Two full-color product panels from 1960s packaging. Left panel has the works "easy to assemble and shows a human child leaning over the assembled set, consisting of half walls including "windows" with sew-free curtains; table with sew-free table cloth and two chairs; two stools along the pass-through window between seating and food prep areas; and a step stool in the kitchen for reaching high shelves. Blonde American Girl Barbie in the dress and neckerchief from Poodle Parade sits at the table, and some turquoise dishes are laid out. Right panel says "Easy to carry" and shows a child carrying the folded-up set. An illustrated tree, window with flower box, and outdoor fireplace are barely discernible on the exterior.
    Barbie’s Dream Kitchen/Dinette product packaging. Source: Theriault’s.

    Lucky lady! While Skipper retires to her chambers, Barbie can go enjoy her… kitchen? To its credit, it’s at least bigger than the “deluxe” house, and with sufficient seating. Like Skipper’s room, the Dream Kitchen/Dinette has Sew-Free embellishments, as well as, in the style of last year’s house, lots of opening cabinets and other storage, plus a stylish mid-century pass-through window of tile mosaic and exposed brick. There’s also some abstracted food art, a little dimension to the wood-burning fireplace, and a set of plastic dishes and cookware.

    At left: Though built into and partially illustrated on the wall,the medium blue fireplace resembles a freestanding fireplace that adorned many affluent midcentury homes; the "abstracted food art" consists of fruits and veggies done in a simple, childish style. Top right: brick columns form a pass-through in an L-shaped counter decorated with blue and green mosaic "tiles," Lower right: a coffee percolator and three lidded casserole dishes in white decorated with blue star or flower patterns a la Corningware.
    Left and top right: mid-century fireplace, food art, and pass-through; source: Vintage Up North Pickers on eBay; coffee pot and casserole dishes; source: Barbie’s In The Wild on eBay.

    From Dream House to Deluxe House, where will Barbie land next? How many roommates will she have? You’ve heard her chipboard era is winding down; is plastic the way of the future? Style-wise, whose boots do I hear crunching up the gravel drive? Stay tuned to find out!

    Note: some of the sets featured in this entry bear a copyright of 1964. As always in this series, we go by the year things first appeared in the Christmas catalog. If it wasn’t available in time for Christmas in 1964, was it really released in 1964?

    Chipboard playsets in the 1965 Sears Christmas Catalog. source: christmas.musetechnical.com
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  • Three Nostalgic Black Barbies We Need (and a few existing alternatives)
    Illustrations from booklets of ponytail Barbie in red swimsuit, Midge in 2-piece swimsuit, and Midge and bubble cut Barbie standing together in rose and pale pink pak satin separates. Compared to the authentic booklet version of these sketches, the skin tone is darkened along with the hair on some of the figures.

    We’ve got a lot to cover today, but first let’s clarify what’s meant here by a nostalgic doll. Since you’re on this page, chances are you’re already aware of Mattel’s reproductions, re-releases of Barbie and family doll+outfit designs that were originally produced decades ago. These are examples of nostalgic dolls, but they are not the only nostalgic dolls. Nostalgic dolls, for this discussion, are those which are styled to evoke a past era, but also styled to evoke the way that Barbie was designed and produced during that same era. For example, the dolls in the Mod Friends gift set are circa-1968 reproductions; they are nostalgic dolls for the mod era. On the other hand, this year’s 55th anniversary Christie references the mod era in a very 2023 way and thus is not a (Barbie-)nostalgic doll. Looking strictly at the vintage Barbie era preceding the mod era, one example of a nostalgic doll that is not a reproduction is the 2008 convention-exclusive Joie de Vivre: though the gown, chignon hairstyle and makeup are all new-to-Barbie designs (also referencing the “Take the picture!” scene from the 1957 film Funny Face, starring Audrey Hepburn), it has the vintage head+body and a face paint style that riffs on the vintage era .

    Three Black dolls. Joie De Vivre is in vintage style, with side-parted hair gathered at the nape of the neck. She wears a red sateen strapless dress, elaborate jewelry, and very long white gloves, and holds a sheer wrap over her head; the Katherine Johnson doll has curly hair in a version of a flip, cat-eye glasses lacking with no bottom frame, and a pink dress with pleated skirt and thin black belt. Toujours Couture has lighter brown hair in a side-part with thick ponytail and a white jacket with elbow-length gloves, tons of black lace trim and numerous black ribbon bows. The jacket's construction, with less trim, could suggest Chanel.
    Nostalgic or no? L-R: Joie de Vivre, Katherine Johnson, Toujours Couture. Sources: morgaswindel0, windycitydolls, crazy4barbie, all on eBay.

    The 2023 12 Days of Christmas doll is another example along these lines.

    We’ll stay in the pre-mod, vintage era for the remainder of this post. The Inspiring Women series entry for Katherine Johnson is another 1960s-inspired doll, but its head mold, body, and facial screening are all modern. The body is too slender and long-limbed to model most vintage ensembles flatteringly, and the face detailing stands out amidst a gaggle of vintage dolls, so for today’s discussion this doll is historical, but in terms of Barbie, is not nostalgic. Finally, the Barbie Fashion Model Collection (BFMC) or Silkstone dolls walk the perimeter of nostalgia: their faces are similar to vintage dolls’, but their shapes, too, tend to be unsuited to vintage attire. Toujours Couture (2008), shown above right, somewhat resembles a Swirl Ponytail doll from the 1960s, while her garments come from no era at all but straight out of the BFMC alternate universe where no quantity of bows and trim is too much. Ultimately, because of the bad fit of vintage clothes and because some vintage collectors dislike the Silkstone material (we don’t notice it that much), we’ve ruled BFMC/ Silkstone dolls as not Barbie-nostalgic. Now, let’s dive in to our “needs”:

    Dolls we need: 1. Ponytail Barbie

    The original conception of Barbie is THE icon. Barbie in her black-and-white striped swimsuit, cat eye sunglasses, ponytail swinging, is the image we associate most with vintage Barbie. Based on what I’ve seen on fan forums, this is also the doll others most want to see revisited with darker complexion.

    As you see below, this doll already exists in “swirl ponytail” form and is called 60th Sparkles (2019), a platinum label, convention-exclusive doll released in an edition of no more than 1,500. That’s right: Mattel has produced this doll once and sold her through exclusive channels, treating their own imposed scarcity as a selling point. That’s not serving the majority of fans and collectors, and honestly, as their lone* offering of a non-White, early-1960s nostalgic fashion doll sized to the vintage fashions, treating this release not as an acknowledgment of Barbie’s broad fan base or as a long overdue correction, but rather as an insiders-only variant that a precious few collectors deserve to own… it’s a little embarrassing for Mattel. So we’ll specify that the doll we need is a widely available ponytail/zebra swimsuit nostalgic Black Barbie doll.

    Doll stands before a teal background on a clear saddle stand. The glittered-up swimsuit has stripes of black and silver glitter in the pattern of the original Fashion Queen swimsuit; the red-swimsuited doll has red open-toed heels and white cat-eye sunglasses with blue lenses (which are reflecting sun and hard to distinguish); the pak playsuit is white with thick orange belt and white OT shoes; and the 12 Days dress, based on the Belle pattern, is a gold fabric with glitter swirls printed on. It is worn with gold closed-toe shoes that are nor original to this look, which came with gold OT shoes that I've mislaid.
    60th Sparkles as a “swirl ponytail” nostalgic doll, wearing (L-R): her own glittered-up interpretation of the zebra swimsuit (though the pattern is more similar to Fashion Queen’s); reproduction red swimsuit and accessories authentic to the swirl ponytail; vintage pak playsuit and accessories; and another nostalgic, glittery reinterpretation: the reimagined Belle dress from 2022’s 12 Days of Christmas set.

    *In fact, 60th Sparkles has not been the lone offering of a doll meeting the criteria listed above: another convention-exclusive Black ponytail doll was released for the 75th anniversary, this one with a Silkstone body in vintage proportions, and with curly bangs like the first Barbie dolls. It is unspeakably rare today.

    Dolls we need: 2. Bubble Cut Barbie

    As noted above, everyone’s clamoring for ponytail dolls. But Barbie had other early-’60s iconic looks that, in my opinion, were better suited to her glamorous fashions, and also open up new possibilities in diverse hair representation.

    Except for their curly bangs, the ponytail dolls’ hair was smooth, flat, and fine. Certainly, the same can be said of individuals’ hair from any race or ethnicity, and in the ’60s it was the fashion in the Black community to chemically straighten one’s hair: Ta-Nehisi Coates tells how his mother, at age 12 in 1962, started going to the salon to achieve “the locks of Lena Horne.” Earlier, Malcolm X and others in his social circle were doing the same chemical-straightening thing at home, and in the early 1960s he observed that the practice was still in vogue within the Black community, including among celebrities and members of the fashionable classes. (He further noted contemporary women “wearing these green and pink and purple and red and platinum-blonde wigs.”) So yes, it is accurate for an early-’60s Black fashion doll to have smooth hair, as 60th Sparkles does and as other nostalgic Black ponytail dolls likely would.

    On the other hand, Coates’ mother realized in college, and Malcom X realized in jail, that frying your hair and scalp to meet a standard of beauty that was not designed for you–that just maybe was designed to exclude you–is a form of self-loathing. Though historically accurate, should these trends be celebrated uncritically today? Yes, some Black women’s hair is naturally smooth, and others may choose to straighten their hair with no dearth of self-esteem, and collectors love and desire the ponytail dolls. But let’s not overlook the bubble cut style and the opportunity it provides to depict fashionable, early-’60s Black women with texture and volume in their hair. I am aware of no Mattel offerings along these lines to date.

    On a bright blue background, two Black Barbies in red sheaths with white gloves and white open-toed heels stand in the "photo finish" pose, with one bent arm to the hip and one to the hair. Between them, a blonde bubble cut with pink lips wears a dark, sheath with multicolored "apple" designs all over and dark open-toed heels. Dramatic uplighting prevents their bubbles from shading their eyes but adds a sense of foreboding to the scene.
    Best we could do: vintage bubble cut Barbie in Apple Print Sheath is surrounded by (R): 1980’s first Black Barbie and (L) the 2009 repro, both wearing Sheath Sensation sans chapeaux.

    Dolls we need: 3. Midge

    How have we still never been introduced to Barbie’s best friend from the early 1960s, Midge, who is Black? To me this seems like a slam dunk. The original Midge mold can be used, or maybe the variant that was created for Julia and Christie–but Midge’s wide-eyed gaze, girlish pink lip shade, carefully coiffured curls and smattering of freckles are musts.

    As described, Julia in a dark brown flip wig with curled bangs wears a rainbow striped swimsuit with turquoise open toed heels; mustard-colored satin roll-top shirt and full skirt with thick gold belt, purse, and charm bracelet (AKA Golden Evening); a rainbow-striped roll-top shirt, rainbow striped scarf as belt, and blue knee-length skirt; and a full-skirted white dress with all-over fruit print, white gloves, and open toed white shoes. In the first three images Julia stands before a red curtain on a gold-and-white zigzag floor; in the fourth image she stands in front of the reproduction wall of Barbie's Campus that came with the Campus Sweetheart reproduction.
    Julia goes Midge-mode in a wig from the Hair Fair reproduction and: Midge’s original bend-leg swimsuit; various knit pak items; and Lunch Date.

    A few existing alternatives

    • Restyle a Julia or Christie: As you saw above, Julia or Christie may stand in for Midge. A face-up and rerooting would help a lot, especially for the vintage dolls whose hair has oxidized to bright red over time. However, both the dolls and their reproductions are rare; it absolutely requires resources to acquire one of these dolls and then pay a pro to restyle it. Price: $50-$100 for vintage Julia in fair condition before any OOAK; more for Christie.
    • The first Black Barbie, or the reproduction, as a bubble cut: The hair is not quite right, the face is not ’60s vintage (though along the lines of the discussion on hair texture above, there are some upsides to using the Steffie face in place of Barbie’s original mold), and the body is just a bit curvier, making some of the clothes a squeeze–the Sheath Sensations pictured above are literally bursting at the seams! For purists, the bent arms are bound to be another sticking point. Otherwise, these dolls are available to serve as bubbles in a pinch. Price: $70 (deboxed repro)-$140
    • Along the same lines as the first Black Barbie, Deluxe Quick Curl Cara (1976) has a great no-bangs Midge hair style and the Steffie face. She’s rare, especially with her hair in good condition. I don’t know how high on Mattel’s to-do list we’d find reproduction Quick Curl dolls, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed for 2026–they’re probably higher on the list than a true nostalgic Black Midge, anyway. Price: $275-$500 in display-ready condition.
    Three boxed, vintage dolls are shown from the bust up: Christie with oxidized red hair, Midge with black hair, and Delux Quick Curl Cara, whose flip hair looks close to Midge's, without Midge's bangs.
    L-R: Christie’s sultry looks; Midge’s wide-eyed sweetness; Quick Curl Cara captures some of Midge’s wholesomeness. Source: Joe’s List.
    • Barbie Fashion Model Collection “Silkstone” dolls: Besides those already discussed, various other Black Silkstone dolls exist. Debut is a no-bangs riff on the original chevron-suited Barbie and another rare, expensive con exclusive. The nostalgic face mold has also been used for several Black dolls in the BFMC line that don’t reference specific vintage Barbie styles, including Toujours Couture, the more moderately priced #5 Lingerie doll with chin-length hair, and more. Besides the price, drawbacks include that their rail-thin figures often don’t fill out the vintage clothes, their face details are more stylized, their limbs are sometimes posed peculiarly, and, as noted above, the Silkstone material.
    Four images of the Black version of BFMC Debut doll. At left she wears the strapless, zebra-striped suit she came with. The black stripes are glitter-covered and the material suggests paper. It doesn't look like it should get wet. She holds aloft a pair of white cat-eye sunglasses with black lenses that are actually from the 60th sparkles set but contrast better with her hair than her own all-black shades. On her other wrist is her gold charm bracelet with a ponytail Barbie head charm hanging down, and she wears black open-toed heels. Next, she wears the white-and-gold brocade dress from Golden Girl, carries the turquoise purse in a white-gloved hand, wears graduated pearls and brown open-toed heels, with a white satin evening coat overtop. Next, rose satin separates from fashion paks: bolero, top, and knee-length skirt. Pearls are still worn. Rose pink open-toed heels complete the look. Finally, the white satin Party Date dress with its gold-glittered skirt, thick gold belt, and gold clutch (this ensemble is very similar to the more-famous Silken Flame). Pearls are still worn and clear glitter closed-toed shoes round out the fashion. Each doll (or, same doll 4 times) is posed on a backdrop of gold-and-cream zigzag pattern intended to suggest Fashion Queen. The doll has a thick ponytail with no bangs, quantities of bluish-silver eyeshadow, and dark red lips. Both arms are bent; one just slightly, and one at about 90 degrees; I believe with the intent to appear to be lifting her shades over her eyes as in the first shot in this sequence. Her legs are also molded into a pose such that the right foot is slightly forward.

    BFMC Debut models a Silkstone swimsuit and some 1960s fashions. L-R: Debut’s own papery, glittered-up version of the zebra-stripe swimsuit; Golden Girl’s stiff brocade maintains its shape on her slender physique, while loose-fitting garments like the pak satin coat are always safe choices (note, her inflexible, splayed right hand wouldn’t fit into the second glove); other pak satin items sit loosely on her frame; the strapless Party Date dress stays up long enough to take the photo with the help of a stiff belt and a slight lean. Substitute shoes used in all vintage ensembles because stiff Silkstone feet will cause splits in vintage shoes.

    • Sixties clones, including the Uneeda/Hong Kong Lilli varieties and the Twistee/Totsy dolls, introduced glamorous Black Barbie counterparts before Mattel did. These are again rare, not cheap, and quite uncommon to find “minty.” Furthermore, there will be fit issues, especially with shoes, when using them to model vintage Mattel fashions. In addition to the sampling of dolls below, take a gander at the examples included in The Bold Doll’s article on clones, particularly the gorgeous Peggy Ann about halfway down (note: the “Evening Splendour copy” she wears is by Premier Doll Togs!). Price: $250-$500 in fair condition.
    Four Black, non-Barbie 1960's dolls with demure side-eye. One resembles a bubble, one has a Midge-like flip, and the other two have ponytails: one with sideswept bangs and the other with either no bangs, or bangs that have been brushed back into its hair. All dolls look mussed and played with, but not beyond rescue.
    1960s Twistee doll (top center) surrounded by Uneeda/Hong Kong Lilli dolls. Sources (clockwise from top center): dblobby on eBay; bookofsmiles on eBay; random_depot on eBay; area.59 on eBay.
    • If you’re crafty, you can dye common dolls. The blogger at this link got nice results from the more-affordable 35th ponytail repro… just make sure the dye doesn’t bleed onto your vintage fashions! This is also a buyer-beware moment for those shopping for ’60s clones and other rarities: dyed dolls are out there, some masquerading as originals. If you get a doll whose look you love, there should be no issue; just don’t wildly overpay, and beware of bleeding dye, if you’re not sure of a doll’s provenance.

    Why so few recent dolls? Starting when Barbie went disco in the Superstar era, face detailing became a little more cartoonish. Although it has evolved many times since, it has not returned to the classic style except for deliberate purposes like the repros. (2026 update: we can no longer trust Mattel’s “repros” to sport “classic” face styling.) Dolls like Pop Life Christie and Nichelle Nichols as Uhura, while referencing the (mod) Sixties, are omitted from these considerations because they don’t sit comfortably alongside vintage and faithfully-rendered, Barbie-nostalgic dolls.

    What about some WHITE nostalgic dolls? They are plentiful… multitudinous.

    Beyond Black and White

    In the early Sixties, about 1 in 10 Americans was Black, while no more than about 1 in 100 was from any other given non-White ethnicity. For this reason, and because of the apparent popularity of the idea in the Barbie fan community, we’ve prioritized Black representation for Barbie as a vintage-era American young lady. Expansion of the nostalgic line to other ethnicities should happen, too.

    Besides overlooking the demand for non-White nostalgic Barbie dolls, another and related glaring error that Mattel continues to make is dressing every Asian collector fashion doll in embroidered silk, as if she’s stepping not from the 1960s or later, but from an earlier century; as if she is not American. A customer worded the issue rather well, way back in 2003 when the Chinoiserie Silkstone was released. Mattel’s response on that page was dismissive, and we can see from their output over the next two decades that they did not learn from this very valid criticism: outside the playline, Asian Barbie dolls rarely reflect modern fashions as their White and Black counterparts are free to do. The customer’s mention of Anna May Wong is particularly rich, since this year an Anna May Wong Inspiring Women doll was released. Wong was California-born and -raised, and in her personal life was entirely modern and fashionable; but she was typecast by Hollywood, only allowed to play “dragon lady” characters, foreigners. Was Mattel sensitive to Wong’s struggles in designing the new doll? Yes but no. They put her in a red satin dress with a great big metallic dragon plastered across the front as an acknowledgment of the stereotypes that stifled her a century ago.

    As described; the dolls are positioned in a line against a wall with the camera closest to Midge and looking down the line; the image cuts off at the bottom between the dolls' waists and knees. Midge, at far left, looks directly at the camera, while the rest of the dolls look this way and that, mostly toward one another.
    Nostalgic Midge reproduction and vintage Julia in vintage Fun n Games; vintage bubble cut and vintage first Black Barbie in vintage silk sheaths; nostalgic 60th Sparkles and nostalgic Busy Gal repro in vintage Sheath Sensation sheaths; 2023 Guo Pei Lunar New Year in 12 Days of Christmas Belle and nostalgic Cool Collecting in vintage Belle.

    As we wrap up I’ll note that not every Asian American woman looks Chinese or is of Chinese extraction, and today the most populous ethnic minority group in America is neither Black nor Asian; in other words, there’s plenty of identity to explore in collector and nostalgic dolls representing fashionable, American women.

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  • Sidebar: Busy Gal Fashion Sketches (1960)
    Black-and-white ink pen sketches of six garments, three apiece on two sheets. On the first sheet are shown a sheath dress with a short-sleeved evening jacket that may open in the back; a sleeveless dress with full skirt; and a belted strapless dress with back fullness and some sort of all-over speckling, resembling Party Date. In the second image is a full-skirted look with a darker bodice, like Silken Flame with straps and possible front bows; a dress that looks like Let's Dance without its bow rendered; and a wide-necked, belted, speckled sheet with short sleeves. The sketches look like they were probably created at the size in which they're produced, having few details and a minimalist style.

    One of Barbie’s earliest careers–besides being a Teen-Age Fashion Model–was as a fashion designer, as reflected in the 1960-61 Busy Gal ensemble and its portfolio. (A few years later she was a JUNIOR fashion designer.) Shown above are the miniature fashion sketches (measuring about 3.5″ on the diagonal) found inside the portfolio. The designs don’t reference specific Barbie fashions, though one can find similarities between these looks and Let’s Dance, Silk Sheath, Party Date… Regardless, they clearly evoke the postwar French fashions that inspired Barbie’s early styles. The sketches above are from the 1995 reproduction, but Joe’s List shows the genuine articles along with most of the rest of the vintage set; the repros appear faithful:

    Two sheets of sketches as described above sit to either side of a black portfolio on which is written "Barbie (R) fashion designer". Above these items are a red jacket with pinstriped lining, a pin-striped blouse with bow, a blue visor, cat-eye classes, a navy belt lined with red, and a pair of open-toed heels.
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