Silken Flame

Vintage Barbie illustrations, built environment, clones and more

  • Welcome!

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

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

    Vintage Barbie Illustrations

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

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

    Barbie’s Built Environment

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

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

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

    Miscellaneous Musings and Deep Dives

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

    Four vintage or reproduction dolls in front of 1950s-1960s photographs of Disneyland. Counterclockwise from top left, vintage Walking Jamie in Studio Tour crosses in front of Tomorrowland, with the Clock of the World, Monsanto Hall of Chemistry, and Douglas rocket visible. Next, reproduction My Favorite 1981 Black Barbie in vintage Red Flare in front of Fantasyland, with the Matterhorn, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, and the Sky Buckets visible. Third, vintage bubble cut Barbie in Crisp 'n' Cool stands in front of the Monorail and Autopia sign in Tomorrowland. Finally, reproduction blonde Stacey from the Nite Lightning set, wearing the Matinee Fashion dress from the reproduction 1965 My Favorite American Girl set, along with short white gloves and gold dimpled clutch.
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  • 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 Barbieillustrations. Our most popular post in the category is on Mattel fashion booklets. The most recent post in the category is on the World of Fashion board game. Other popular posts on this site include the Many Abodes of Barbie series (currently covering 1962-1970) and our Chronicle of Barbie shoes, 1959-67. Or just head up to the Table of Contents to see more options.

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  • The Many Abodes of Barbie, Part 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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  • Penthouse Apartments, 1964-1976
    L: Chipboard structure featuring a stone fireplace, bookshelves, table and two chairs, orange screen, pink settee and blue chair with ottoman (especially similar to those in Barbie' first Dreamhouse) arranged around an interior block that is topped by a patio with sunshaded table and plants. The block and furniture sit on a board with tile look covered by large colored ovals representing rugs. The catalog's caption begins, "Here's Tressy's modern Penthouse Apartment." Further details are cropped off. Center: Blonde Jamie in her original pink, orange and yellow minidress, boots and headscarf stands before a plate glass window showing an illustration of skyscrapers. To one side is a fireplace covered in "fieldstone" in rainbow colors and an illustrated crackling fire. Before is an armchair made from blue plastic with vertical stripes painted on, and a drop-lead table and chair in gold plastic go to the edge of the frame on the other side. R: A blonde 1970's doll sits on a white stool next to a fireplace made from a firepit with detached overhanging hood. Behind them is a window showing a skyline with dark buildings and lighted windows before a brighter, clouded sky (the view seems to be a photograph). In the foreground can be seen red molded plastic chairs, and a photograph of deep pile carpet forms the base of the scene.
    L-R: Tressy’s Penthouse Apartment from the 1964 Sears Christmas Catalog (source: wishbookweb.com); Jamie’s Party Penthouse (source: Apple Tree Auctions); Tuesday Taylor’s Penthouse Apartment (source: Savacool and Sons)

    Skyline views, rooftop patios, luxe furnishings, maybe an elevator that doubles as your front door… A penthouse apartment is practically shorthand for glamorous living. As we’ve noted, Barbie was more bucolic. But throughout the vintage and mod years, her friends and rivals opted for lavish city living on a trio of occasions.

    Tressy’s Penthouse (1964)

    Colorful catalog photos show the four sides of Tressy's penthouse. Prominent colors in the shots are mint green, tangerine, teal, and rose pink. One side of the penthouse represents a living room with an orange and green stone fireplace (with illustrated fire), wall art, coffee table, shelves, settee and chair, lamp; another side shows a kitchenette with table and two chairs; another side is the bedroom with vanity and little pink stool (also similar to Barbie's), and the fourth side includes a closet and long "mirror." In an inset we see a boxed "working" vacuum cleaner in Tressy's scale. The vacuum cleaner is drop shaped unit with long hose attachments.
    Four views of Tressy’s Penthouse Apartment, plus a powered toy vacuum cleaner that was sold as an accessory. Source: Theriault’s.

    Tressy, by American Character (and later sold by Ideal Toy Corp.), was a Barbie competitor whose defining feature was her hair, which “grew” at the press of a button and receded with the turn of a key. Her sherbet-hued apartment had “everything a girl needs for gracious living,” including a kitchenette, Murphy-style bed, rooftop terrace and more. Like Barbie’s environs of this year, Tressy’s place was made of chipboard. We’re ever so fortunate that in 2008, Flickr user LaneyCummings assembled and photographed a mint-condition example; it’s so rare to find 1960s chipboard in this condition.

    Close-ups on parts of Tressy's penthouse: abstract art hangs next to the fireplace; the shelves to the other side include a TV with what looks like Tressy on the screen, and a little unit that may be a radio; a low wall running around the edge of the rooftop patio has a wrought iron pattern; colorful spice jars and bottles illustrated behind the range and sink in the kitchenette.
    Tiny details of Tressy’s Penthouse. Source: LaneyCummings on Flickr.

    In the same vein as Barbie’s Deluxe Dream House of the same year, Tressy’s apartment had a floor plan “in the round”: a central block featured shelves, fireplace, foldaway bed and kitchenette; the rooftop terrace sat atop the central block, but the apartment had no entrances, exits or windows visible; all that was left to the user’s imagination.

    Jamie’s Party Penthouse (1970)

    Christmas catalog excerpts. Left side is the Jamie doll ("Cut $1, now $3.97"); to the right is the Penthouse itself, which folds into a 6-sided carrying case. The furniture shown includes the drop-leaf table with two chairs, an armchair and sofa in white plastic with vertical pink and orange striped, and a little table with a chess or checkerboard pattern atop. The catalog text reads, 'Jamie's Penthouse. With furniture, molded "fireplace"... even a "view." Opens to over 2 ft. long. $9.99. Jamie's luxury apartment opens up for fun. There's a comfortable den with couch, table and chair, and a bright dinette with table and chairs. Vinyl case opens to 6x13x26 in. long. Plastic furniture; handle for toting. Holds 4 dolls and accessories (not included).
    Jamie and her penthouse as they appeared in the 1971 Sears Christmas Catalog. Source: wishbookweb.

    Barbie’s friend Jamie was next to migrate to the metropolis. Around this time Barbie herself got a taste of city living through her case rooms, though we think she never fully committed. Jamie’s place had plastic furniture–although it was not ultra-chic, resembling the unapologetically suburban Go-Together furniture sets from years earlier–and, though it lacked a rooftop terrace, boasted fantastic views through tall windows alongside a fetching, multi-hued fieldstone fireplace.

    Closeup on the interior walls of Jamie's penthouse, showing city views on 3 of the 6 sides with shelving beneath, the fieldstone fireplace with stones in all the colors of the rainbow on one wall, and a dining room backdrop on one wall with green and yellow vertically striped wallpaper, an ornate hanging light fixture (illustrated, not lighted), and buffet. This covers 5 of the 6 facets of the hexagon-shaped case viewed from within.
    Skyline views and a colorful fieldstone fireplace. Source: Barbie List Holland.

    Outside Jamie’s windows it was always dusk or dawn: the party was in an eternal state of winding up or winding down. Further rooms glimpsed through doorways and windows added splendor to what may otherwise have seemed a cramped space.

    At right is a closeup of the sixth and final interior "wall" which looks into a grandiose room as described in the text; top left, through a window, illustrated, we see an elevator door, a chair with side table before the window, and a mirror, lamp and hall table next to the elevator. Illustrated next to the window are porous spherical planters with greenery hanging out; lower left, another window--though this one looks more like a sliding door--into a room with an unlit fireplace, colorful abstract art hanging overhead, a yellow couch, green chair, coffee table, side table with lamp, and partial room divider of vertical wooden bars. None of the furniture in these views looks modern; generally the scenes look formal and not lived-in, compared to the inhabitable area inside the case.
    Clockwise from top left: Seen on the case exterior, an elevator lets out either into a common area in the building, or into Jamie’s own rather impersonal antechamber; outside, hanging planters reminiscent of Architectural Pottery. Next, an interior panel depicts a doorway into a massive, formal drawing room and dining room, complete with curved staircase, mezzanine, and blazing chandelier. Finally, another exterior view peers in at a less-formal sitting room with a second fireplace. Sources: skeeterx8th on eBay, beanieblazer on eBay.

    Tuesday Taylor’s Penthouse Apartment (1976)

    The same height as Barbie, Tuesday was another Ideal fashion doll, this time with a 70s, disco aesthetic. Like Tressy before her, she had hair that changed–in her case, from blonde to brunette (and her Black doppelganger Taylor Jones changed her hair from black to deep red). At Tuesday’s apartment we find elevator access directly to the sitting room, as well as BOTH a rooftop patio and a wall of windows looking out at the skyline. This set came with two window options, so you could swap daytime views for night. The rooftop relaxation area, accessed via spiral staircase apparently on the building’s exterior, had a shaded seating area and a glass skylight that doubled as a table (the sun shade partially shaded the skylight).

    View looking down at a tiled rooftop patio with paper hedges running around the perimeter, two chairs with stools or ottomans under a red, black and white striped sunshade, and an easel displaying a bright white rectangle (other images of this set show a photograph of the city skyline sitting on the easel, probably intended to represent a drawing or painting, but it's either washed out in this image or replaced). Next to the chairs a long table appears to have printed-on food laid out, and in the opposite corner is a plastic molder grill. Before the chairs is a clear cylindrical table/skylight, as described in the main text, inverted to extend down into the floor. At right on the exterior of the piece a plastic spiral staircase leads down to the penthouse interior. The floor below can be seen to be a photograph of shag carpeting. The interior is not clearly shown here, but in frame are molded red plastic seating elements divided into two seating areas, one beneath the patio and one extending out. Some electronics can be vaguely discerned between them: possibly a turntable, 8-track, radio, etc. These are photographs applied to the surface between seating areas.
    View facing in to the penthouse interior. The inverted skylight can be seen hanging down into the room; beyond, the fireplace hood sits midway across three panels of floor-to-ceiling windows showing a photographed view of the city by day; to the right is a piece of abstract art in typical seventies colorbars/curves. To the left an elevator is represented by a photograph on one exterior wall of a dressing room which is barely visible beyond and includes a "real" oval mirror and nested vanity and tool in white plastic with curved corners. A continuous piece of molded red plastic forms the interior, with two armchairs in the foreground molded facing away from the tall windows. Wood paneling of the electronics console can be seen beyond them, blocking the view of the couch which faces the fireplace and windows (again, all molded in place). In the very foreground is a little stool or table in the same wood paneling, and a potted plant with white plastic base sits to one side (not molded in place, and could also enhance the scene on the rooftop).
    Upstairs (top) and interior of Tuesday Taylor’s place. The elevator entry is at left downstairs, with a Hollywood Regency style vanity behind; the spiral stair can be seen to the right in both shots. The photographed skylight was installed upside down. Source: Worthpoint.

    Unlike its forebears, Tuesday’s apartment layout was mostly molded in place, with fewer loose bits of furniture to rearrange. Some unfortunate choices were made in this process: the fireplace, though standing free from the wall as two disjoint pieces (a fire pit on the floor and a hood descending from the ceiling–though there’s no evidence of it venting to the rooftop patio directly above), was molded to stand squarely in front of those tall windows, partially blocking the skyline view from almost every other point in the room, rather than ensconced amidst a large conversation pit as may have been preferred.

    Line illustrations of Tuesday's penthouse with daytime views and nighttime. The familiar molded armchairs are in the foreground with white stools/tables to either side (these were up on the patio in the photographed set above); the fireplace and vanity are illustrated beyond, and a potted plant sits next to the window. The only difference between the two frames of this illustration is the scene outside, going from blue skies and light-colored buildings to a brown sky with black buildings and lighted windows. Text reads, "Change the view from day to night... From her super penthouse apartment, Tuesday has a fantastic view of the city. Turn the background photo one way... it's a beautiful sunny day. Turn it the other way... it's a night view of sparkling city lights."
    Swappable skies and unalterable, view-wrecking fireplace as advertised on the Tuesday Taylor doll packaging. Source: kabai_881970 on eBay.

    Still, Tuesday’s stylish pad, with its plentiful seating and other amenities, was perfect for entertaining or just sitting back and watching, as (paraphrasing Leslie Charteris) “the day fades, and the city dons her electric jewels and comes to life.”

    Same as the shot of Tuesday Taylor in her apartment used at the top of the post, but Tuesday's blonde hair has been flipped around to brunette. This shot has a wider frame including more of the seating in the foreground with potted plant, several small tables, and at the very edge the spiral staircase going up the exterior of the structure.
    Brunette Tuesday in her nighttime penthouse, from the product packaging. Source: Savacool and Sons.

    Where to next? This post is about Barbie’s early built environment. The most recent post in this category is Barbie’s Seventies Travelogue, Part 2, and the most popular are one on Mattel Modern and Susy Goose furniture and this one. The overall most popular post on this site is about shoes. Or just head up to the Table of Contents to see more options.

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  • Gift sets Galore (1960-1970)
    Two wide-ish rectangular gift set box tops. Left, the Barbie & Ken Tennis set shows Barbie and Ken holding tennis rackets, standing beneath a tree. Ken is dressed for sports in what looks like a cardigan and shorts, while Barbie, with a brunette ponytail, has a full-skirted look with a large side pocket and a silhouette similar to Movie Date. The drawing is in black and white on a bright pink background. At right, a scene of enthusiastic dancing, with Barbie in a midi-length, tiered yellow skirt and Ken in a ruffled shirt and suit. Abstracted floral patterns fill the background.
    Barbie and Ken star in a 1962 Tennis Gift Set (left) and a 1969 Fabulous Formal Gift Set. See these images and others at full resolution over at Pink Fashion Doll.

    Could there be any controversy? Gift set packaging is the vintage Barbie art category most likely to make a good calendar.
    Consider:

    • Many lush, color images
    • Already an appropriate scale (12″ or so tall; many are roughly square)
    • It would be fun to map gift set illustrations to seasons and holidays
    The "Party Set" box is again a wide rectangle, this one covered in vertical pale blue and white stripes. Most of the rest of the adornment is text: Barbie and Mattel logos and the words "Teen-age Fashion Model with Costumes and Accessories," and "Party Set." At the upper right is a silhouette of Barbie wearing what may be Plantation Belle.
    1960 Party Gift Set packaging. Source: Theriault’s.

    The earliest sets had “discreet” packaging, for sure; apart from a single silhouette they weren’t really even illustrated. Still, the early “Party Set” box above is our pick to kick things off in January.

    Left, Midge doll mix and match set: a square box top consisting of a large pink and purple heart, surrounded with confetti-like flower shapes, upon which Midge is sketched wearing what look like Garden Party and Sorority Meeting. However, the text on the box explains that the included outfit elements are: "blouse, sweater, skirt and accessories." Box also reads, "Midge is Barbie's best friend... they can wear each other's clothes." Right, Midge's Ensemble Gift Set: On a while background, a colorful illustration shows Midges with 3 hair colors, seated in 3 positions, wearing knit pak elements. Each outfit includes at least one of the rainbow-striped knit pieces. One of the Midges may be wearing her yellow swimsuit top along with the rainbow shorts; the Midge in the foreground sits in some sort of wrought or wicker chair wearing a roll-top blue shirt with long rainbow skirt and rainbow sash/scarf worn as a belt. At the back, facing away from the group but turning to look back over her shoulder, appears to be Barbie going a little incognito in a wide-brimmed hat with rainbow fabric trim. She wears a tight, all blue ensemble and holds up a rainbow-striped purse as if to conceal her face. If she had her sunglasses on I'd swear she was spying on the Midges, but no sunglasses appear in the illustration.
    Two Midge gift sets from 1963. Sources: brendassouthpacificplace on eBay, Theriault’s.

    Next up is a Midge double-header. For February, the Midge Mix and Match Set demonstrates what we call the “sketch-collage” style; another example is the Tennis Set at the top of the post. The illustrations have a technique and sophistication similar to the early carrying cases, supplemented by some simple decorative flourishes.

    Following on the heels of the “sketch-collage” style in the package design timeline is the “superior fashion booklet” style, as we see on Midge’s Ensemble Gift Set, above right. These illustrations are close relatives of the contemporaneous fashion booklet ones, but with a little more scenery and more complex layouts; the Little Theatre Gift Set provides another example.

    April brings our personal favorite instance of “superior fashion booklet” style on a vintage Barbie gift set, this brightly-hued ‘Round the Clock set:

    Barbie's 'Round the Clock Gift Set. Small text reads, "Barbie doll included ...with ensembles to wear from morning to midnight! ...Fashions fit Midge Barbie's Best Friend too!" Most of the space is filled with three rectangles in yellow, red, and blue, before which blonde bubble cut Barbies stand wearing Fancy Free, Career Gal, and Senior Prom. Over their heads are three stylized suns with faces in white and gold (for the two day looks) and indigo and hot pink, for night. The night sun is probably a moon, but it has rays, so it's something of an enigma.
    1964 Barbie’s ‘Round the Clock Gift Set. Source: Theriault’s.

    We’ve heard time and time again that canonically, Barbie and Ken never married. However, Mattel’s products didn’t match that messaging in the early ’60s, when they repeatedly released trousseau sets and eventually this 1964 Wedding Party set for the lovebirds:

    Barbie's Wedding Party Gift Set features a hand-drawn illustration on a mostly white background, with orange marker shading the area behind the characters. As the box text describes: 4 Dressed Dolls Included. Barbie in "Bride's Dream." Ken in Tuxedo. Midge in "Orange Blossom." Skipper in Flower Girl." The bride sports a brunette bubble cut hairstyle.
    Definitely not married. Source: Pink Fashion Doll.

    Trousseaux and wedding gowns were common among the creepy, baby-proportioned fashion dolls that preceded Barbie, which may explain this trend–Barbie’s very first trousseau may even predate Ken. Anyway, this packaging, our pick for a May non-wedding, is still in the “superior fashion booklet” style, but also alludes to a loose, marker-y style similar to the Sew-Free Fashion Fun Kits; that look, which we’re calling “courtroom portrait” today, is fully embodied in one of the trousseau sets.

    Through 1965, the gift sets consisted of garments and accessories also available in other sets, either paks or ensembles, perhaps with a few add-ons (some dishware in the Hostess Set; a tiny ring on a pillow in Wedding Party). In the second half of the decade that all changed, along with the advent of a package illustration style we simply call “sumptuous.”

    Left: Francie and her Swingin' Separates, a square box showing Francie frolicking in blue bell bottoms and a yellow corp top with blue trim; a red skirt with colorful floral top; and her bathing suit with a white, pink, and green checked top with green bottom. A markery mess of what I believe may be grass fills the background. Right: Casey Goes Casual box lid consists of a space filled by differently-colored boxes, some containing text and two containing illustrations. In the larger illustration, Casey ventures forth in a colorblock dress of hot pink, chartreuse, and orange, with a coordinating jacket overtop; a tree-lined background is roughed out in oil pastel or similar. In a smaller inset, two Caeys who appear to have no bones through their midriffs and waists wriggle about in a beach scene; one wears a jumpsuit or matchcng top and pants in a bright pink pattern, while the other wears a gold and white bathing suit. They appear ot be standing on sand with a frothing ocean behind them.
    1966 Francie and her Swingin’ Separates; 1967 Casey Goes Casual. Sources: Pinterest, Worthpoint.

    The grassy imagery in Francie’s 1966 Swingin’ Separates set is perfect for June, and 1967’s Casey Goes Casual, with its scene of Francie’s jelly-torsoed friend dancing at the beach, is a worthy follow-up for July. These are early-sumptuous illustrations, filling the space with scenery and detail but not quite as ambitious as the high-sumptuous illustrations still to come:

    Two squarish gift set lids. Left: Barbie's Travel in Style Set shows a mod Barbie in a dark-colored top and matching blue and green patterned miniskirt and jacket, carrying a round piece of luggage in coordinating white, green and blue bands with stickers reading "London," "Paris" and "Rome." A blue hairbow complements the look. In the background palm trees blow in the wind and a jet airplane stands;; the ground and sky around her are all flaming orange, gold and brown in rough brush or marker strokes. At right, the New Talking Barbie Silver 'm Satin Set. In the background, a theater or other ostentatious building in a modern style, with a dramatic sloping roof supported by aerodynamic-looking flying buttresses in the style of Saarinen or similar, and soaring windows, several stories high, partially covered by long, dark, reddish drapes. A streetlight consisting of a cluster of bright white globes is represented to one side, with a group of three indistinct human figures standing beneath. In the foreground, Barbie is running toward the observer, wearing a silver and pink minidress covered by a silver-belted pink jacket, pink tights, and a pink hairbow, and carrying a silver clutch. Although she looks happy, she is unquestionably fleeing the scene.
    1968 Travel in Style and Silver ‘n Satin gift sets. Sources: Barbie Doll Fashion, Vol. II by Sarah Sink Eames; brendassouthpacificplace on eBay.

    We had to opt for the 1968 Travel in Style set, with its sweltering airport runway, for August, while September goes to the Talking Barbie Silver ‘n Satin Set of the same year. We’ve entered the Hellenistic era of the “sumptuous” style, and Silver ‘n Satin is its Winged Victory of Samothrace: The movement! The drama! (What is she running from?) So many stunning gift sets were released over a period of about two years, we can’t showcase them all; other notable works include Beautiful Blues, Pink Premiere and Dinner Dazzle.

    On the Stacey Nite Lightning Set, the red-haired Stacey is shown wearing a minidress with pink top, glittering striped skirt, and blue belt with flower accent, along with a blue swing coat with voluminous sleeves and a second flower accent, this one of the silver brooch type. She stands before a body of water in which a yellow moon and distant trees and buildings are reflected. The art nouveau style can be noted in the use of flat areas of color for most of the piece (the skirt and swing coat having some shading to impart texture), as well as the intricate locks and curls of her fair, and sparsely-drawn facial features, all reminiscent of a Japanese wood block print. The gift set name along the top is written in a bold art deco font with curly, organic-looking flourishes to either side.
    Mattel’s 2006 reproduction of the 1969 Stacey Nite Lightning gift set. The illustration is faithful to the original. From the author’s collection.

    For October’s featured image we have the 1969 Stacey Nite Lightning Set. This illustration is still vivid, and yet more stylized, a nod to the late 1960s Art Nouveau revival. The Fabulous Formal set shown at the top of the post, from the same year, also fits this scheme.

    November is another ’69 pick–Talking Julia’s Simply Wow Set–at which point we see the “sumptuous” period is subsiding. The Julia fashions are nicely illustrated, but they are not placed within a scene; instead, a kaleidoscope of photo images of the head of actress Diahann Carroll, who played Julia, fill the remaining space.

    Talking Julia Simply Wow gift set. One illustration shows Julia in her gold and silver jumpsuit, while a second, towering over the first, shows her in the "Simply Wow" ensemble of a matched blue skirt and gold-trimmed jacket and white top; most of the rest of the space is filled, as the main article text notes, with many identical photographs of Diahann Carroll's head, arranged in a kaleidoscope pattern. The photographs are monochromatic, black on an aubergine shade.
    1969 Talking Julia Simply Wow Set. Source: Barbie Doll Fashion, Vol. II by Sarah Sink Eames.

    The high period of gift set art declined and fell: starting in the 70s, packaging consisted of photographs of the sets’ contents, useful to the shopper but not particularly expressive.

    Before the inevitable end, in 1970 a series of charming graphics combining product photos and illustrations graced the exteriors of sets for Barbie, Jamie, Skipper, P.J. and Ken. Each illustration featured the character in question, in some detailed setting, gazing into a shop window within which the photographic element accurately depicted the sets’ contents. The compositions are all clever and appealing, and although Living Barbie’s Action Accents, with its ski chalet scenery, is more than worthy of a winter holiday, our ultimate choice for December had to be the festive P.J. Swingin’ in Silver set:

    The P.J. Swingin' in Silver gift set exterior. About half the space is a lush illustration of a European street at night, with stone walls and rain-drenched cobblestones reflecting red lights from the cinema visible at the back; this may have been intended to evoke Carnaby Street or some other fashionable London locale. In the foreground, the illustrated P.J. stands gazing into a shop window, inside which photographs of of a silver jacket with white fur sleeves, a minidress with a pink top and silver skirt, and white-fur-trimmed, knee-length silver boots are arrayed on a solid blue background next to a photograph of the P.J. doll herself, wearing a bright pink micro-minidress, two ponytails, and her signature big round glasses. Labels hover above the photographed elements with descriptions like 'SMASHING SILVER "FUR" TRIMMED COAT!' "NEW 'N GROOVY P.J. DOLL/TINY PINK DRESS!" The illustrated P.J. is shown wearing the silver outfit, but she also appears tempted as she gazes at the garments in the window.

    1970 P.J. Swingin’ in Silver gift set. Source: Barbie Doll Fashion, Vol. II by Sarah Sink Eames.

    Because a period of high artistic output was in its dying throes, we call the series of graphics from 1969-70 combining drawings and photos the “decadent” style.

    Now you’ve seen all the significant epochs in Barbie gift set illustration styles from 1960-1970: discreet, sketch-collage, superior fashion booklet, courtroom portrait, early-sumptuous, high-sumptuous or Hellenistic-sumptuous, and decadent. Which one is your favorite? What swaps and substitutions would you make, to craft the ultimate 12-month calendar? There were so many lovely gift set illustrations we didn’t have space for, including a couple Skipper sets–maybe next time we’ll aim for 18 months!

    Collage of nine more gift box illustrations. At top left, the Barbie Hostess set has Midge and Barbie in "courtroom portrait" style, surrounded by cakes and tea things; next is Walking Jamie, illustrated in a bright red jacket and boots, walking a poodle on a treelined street and looking into a shop window at a photo version of herself in her yellow, pink and orange minidress, also with poodle; at right, Skipper on Wheels shows Barbie's sister in the "superior fashion booklet" style, riding a skateboard, scooter and roller skates. Along the middle row are two mix 'n match sets: one in the "discreet" style and one in the "sketch-collage" style, with simple drawings of barbie in black, white and gold; at center is a Pep Rally Gift set showing Barbie, Ken and Midge dressed as drum majors and a cheerleader (that's Midge). Along the bottom row, the Beautiful Blues Set shows Barbie in a sparkling blue dress, jacket, shows, and purse, before a roughly-sketched city skyline; the Pink Premiere set shows her in a ruffled white and pink dress and pink jacket with floodlights fanning out behind her; and Dinner Dazzle shows her in a pink outfit, including jacket with wide, fur-trimmed collar, standing in a fine-dining restaurant.

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

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  • Vintage Sewing Patterns
    Sevem loose, simple sketches of ponytail Barbies in 1960s fashions similar to those Mattel sold. Barbie wears sheaths, full-skirted sundresses, a cape, a dress with double-breasted jacket, a sleeveless shirt with culottes, and a long, full-skirted gown.
    Collage of illustrations from Advance Barbie sewing patterns

    In 1961 Barbie’s fashion horizons expanded in the form of Advance sewing patterns, whose illustrations fit the style of the era’s fashion booklets. Unlike the carrying case illustrations, they don’t seem to be traced; but the art styles are, to say the least, in harmony. Here are examples of early fashion booklet sketches that resonate with the pattern illustrations at the top:

    Sketches from Mattel fashion booklets of ponytail and bubble cut Barbies wearing Sheath Sensation, Red Flare, Dinner at Eight, Sweater Girl (which is all black or dark grey for some reason), Career Girl, and Movie Date; plus Midge wearing Senior Prom. All the dolls portrayed have a white pallor, in contrast to the natural skin tone of the pattern illustrations.
    Vintage Barbie fashion sketches that appeared in 1962 Mattel booklets. Composed of scans by TheVintageToyAdvertiser.

    But fashion booklets are a story for another day. Here’s how those pattern illustrations looked on the products:

    The seven illustrations at the top of the post are peppered through twelve illustrations across two pattern envelopes. Each sketch appears on a different-colored rectangle background. The envelopes read "a printed pattern by ADVANCE; Barbie (R) Mattel Teen Age Fashion Doll Patterns." The envelopes are numbered 9938 and 9939, and each says it cost 75 cents.
    Two envelopes from Barbie Advance sewing patterns. Source: star7272 on eBay.

    For the curious, you can find samples of some of these patterns online, for example, at sewingandpattern.com. Scroll down on that page and you’ll also see examples of the 1962 Advance Barbie patterns, which had photographed images of dressed dolls instead of fashion sketches. We won’t engage with those here, but in 1963 McCall’s picked up the pattern-sketching slack with a tighter illustration style:

    Pattern sleeve with hand-drawn illustrations of ten dressed dolls, wearing several country looks, sportswear, sheaths for day, a reception line-type lace dress, a floor-length evening gown and one voluminous coat. The background for all ten looks is plain white. The pattern number is 7137.
    Front and back of a 1963 McCall’s official Barbie Doll’s Instant Wardrobe pattern envelope. Source: thriftydollhunter on eBay.

    I’m not sure if it’s the illustrations, the colorless backdrop or the fashions themselves, but somehow the McCall’s pattern sleeves just had a little less pizzazz.

    Alongside the sewing patterns, the fashion booklets were evolving a more realistic style in this year, as well.

    Similar to the earlier lineup of fashion sketches, but from 1963. Sheath Sensation and Dinner at Eight have been redrawn. Red Flare, Career Girl and Senior Prom are recolored and edited. Crisp n Cool and Country Fair replace the discontinued looks Sweater Girl and Movie Date. This year's illustrations have realistic skin tone and more detail in the hair and fabric texture.
    Fashion sketches in 1963 Mattel fashion booklets. Composited from scans by TheVintageToyAdvertiser and from the author’s collection.

    But we’re not here to talk about that! Ken, Skipper and Francie all had their own illustrated patterns in the 1960s.

    McCall pattern sleeves #8351, "Francie Doll's Instant Wardrobe," and #7841, "Barbie's Little Sister Skipper Doll's Instant Fabric Wardrobe and Instructions for Knitting." Each sleeve showcases 8 looks that can be made from the pattern sets.
    McCall’s pattern envelopes for Francie (left) and Skipper. These examples have both been digitally cleaned up by their owners, who sell reproductions. Sources: old-school-house on eBay, once-upon-a-time-patterns on eBay.

    Like Barbie’s, the McCall’s Skipper and Francie pattern illustrations were also similar in style to the characters as they appeared in contemporaneous fashion booklets, on carrying cases, and as paper dolls.

    There were more generic fashion doll patterns than licensed ones in the ’60s; many of these had their own charming illustrations.

    Sleeves for Simplicity 4422 and McCall's 9605 and 9099. The Simplicity set says it is for "Doll; one size" and shows characters that look similar to Barbie (or Lilli!) and Ken. A dress similar to Orange Blossom dominates the space, while smaller insets show a Barbie type in a ruffled dress, a swing coat, and a shirt with capris, accompanied by a fellow. The McCall's fashions are from a later time period; the most eye-catching look is a pink mini, while others include a trench, a smock with pants, a wrap dress, a jacket and flared pants, a long skirt with vest, and a blouse with wrap mini skirt. The packaging read "Teen Fashion Dolls' Instant Wardrobe - one size - 11 1/2" doll; FITS--Barbie / Francie / Casey / Midge / Barbara Joe / Babs / Gina / Annette / Batgirl / Mera / Wonder Woman / Supergirl / Tammy and others." Whew!
    Generic doll patterns of the 1960s. Source: patternperfect on eBay, gremmy1234 on eBay.

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

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