Barbie's Closet

 

Purchased outfits (I love the teeny-tiny labels inside!). Barbie was apparently very into pleather.

Handmade outfits.

And hangers especially for each doll (who chewed on the top of Barbie's hanger?). 

Barbie's Stuff

 

Barbie accessories...including the infamous scale with 110 pounds on it (it's fuzzy!). Not sure who the one earring belongs to (they don't have pierced ears). And the little record comes off of the record player. 

I love the little purse below: it is a "winky" (lenticular image)--the dancers' legs "move" up and down (impossible to photograph!).

A variety of boot styles, including the gold lame one that fits over a high-heeled shoe...

Shoes--I have TONS more--including a toe shoe...

...which fits perfectly on Barbie's much-discussed foot shape. 

Barbie and Friends

 

Barbie and her pals, clockwise from upper left: two Barbies (the one on the left has interchangeable heads!); two Francies; two Skippers; Fluff (kind of a rare doll, actually). 

I love this filter...it looks as if they were in a photo booth.

Barbie Fun

 

I decided to get my Barbies out in honor of the new Barbie movie opening tomorrow...

First up: a wedding tableau in honor of my nephew and his fiancee getting married today. Congrats, Ted and Steph! 

My mom sewed Barbie's ensemble (though she doesn't remember making it), complete with a lacy garter ("something blue"). Poor Ken, ever the afterthought...no formal clothes for him, so he is wearing a Swingin' Sixties outfit.  

I Feel You, Barbie

The eighties were an, um, "interesting" time for fashion on the whole, as many photographs of me from that time will bear witness. Here, proof that not even Barbie was immune. As for Ken...well, you know!

How YOU Doin'?

Old-school Ken has just heard about his cousin Man Bun Ken...hmmm....

Playing with Dolls

 One of my Etsy shops, Sew Betty and Dot (check it out over there on the right), is full of vintage sewing patterns and other sewing paraphernalia. Etsy encourages you to join teams, and I'm on the Pattern Patter team--obviously, we are all sellers of vintage patterns.

We have a team blog, and I wrote a blog post this week about Barbie clothes (made by my very own sweet mom!). In order to write said blog post, I played with my Barbies (fitting for a fifty-year-old, yes?). In the above shop, classic red-headed Skipper is giving the side-eye to Cindy Brady Skipper and Scooter, that minx, on the left.

 Stylin' Barbie!

 Creepy Ken (those eyebrows!).

 This Twist-n-Turn Barbie has stolen Malibu Francie's cool shades.

 All of the girls hanging out in the dressing room/closet (more hand-made clothes on the Barbies on the right).

And accessories! Skateboard (that's Scooter's), tennis racket and ball, fuzzy scale set to 110 pounds, powder box and puff...and stockings and shoes galore (there are more shoes and boots than those seen here). I was a rather meticulous child, and so no accessory or shoe ever went awry.

But you know what? Those teeny clothes with their tiny armholes and weensy snaps are best suited for tiny hands! I struggled with them (not helped by the fact that my era of Barbies had bendable--rubber--legs, so things do not slide up and down them very easily--that somehow sounds somewhat naughty, doesn't it?).

It was a definitely a fun few hours...

Barbie Had a Lot of Friends

Check it out: Barbie, Midge (that minx!), Annette, Babette (!), Tina, Liza (with a Z!), Polly (probably the teacher's pet), Gina, Babs (she and Babette probably had a bitter rivalry), Andy (Hi, Andy!), Don (Hi, Don!), and last and perhaps least, poor Ken. I think that might be Ken sporting the unfortunate shorts/kneesocks combo...



These were sewing patterns I sold on Etsy...when I think about all of the teeny-tiny stitches required to make these, and the miniscule buttons and microscopic hooks and eyes on these garments, just...wow, the patience of Job. I actually have some lovely hand-made Barbie clothes, myself, made with love (and patience and a magnifying glass, I think!) by Miss Vivi (thanks, Mommy!).