Toy with...Disney

An interview of princesses, ducks and the whole Disney outlook

“You won’t miss me, I’ll be in the baby pink cardigan,” read the text.

“I’m wearing pink too,” I replied.

Priyanca Kumari, a second year Journalism student at Sheffield Hallam University, studies in the same faculty as me - yet we’d never met. We arranged to come together after a lecturer saw a connection in our interests. She’d spotted a theme running through our work. Apparently we both used Disney films and parks as the subjects of our feature writing.

When meeting the fellow Disney fan to share our love of the magic it seemed I’d found another similarity - but this time in the style stakes.

Perhaps her character fashion inspiration is Aurora from Sleeping Beauty, I thought before the meeting. Of course, the pink ball gown granted by Flora (one of the three good fairies), rather than the blue one granted by Merryweather (another good fairy). Perhaps even Ariel from The Little Mermaid when she visits Eric’s palace for dinner in pink or maybe Cinderella when the mice sew together a pink dress for the ball.

“Actually I haven’t got a particular style that I am bound to everyday, because it depends on what I’m doing or feeling,” said Priyanca when asked about the pink preference.

Although she isn’t certain about a particular Disney style, she is certain that Belle from Beauty and the Beast is her favourite Disney princess. In fact, Belle is her most loved character of all. 

“I did have a Belle nightgown,” she remembers. “Saying that I can’t believe I never had a princess costume. I’m going to take that up with my mother.”

Priyanca remembers the first time she met Belle in Epcot theme park, Orlando. She was there on a Christmas break in 2004. Walking along a cobbled alleyway in The France Pavilion, two little book shops sat at the end of the path.

She said: “I had no idea two princesses were going to be there. They were signing autographs.”

First, she met Aurora. Then Priyanca’s sister came from the shop next door to say that Belle was in there, so she recalled abandoning Aurora to go in search of her heroine. When she finally escaped she found Belle signing books in front of a display of even more books.

“It was quite quiet, so I could have a conversation with her. I told her I was her biggest fan, her biggest admirer.” Then Belle put Priyanca’s name in a special guest book off the shelf.

“I must have asked for about ten or fifteen different pictures, so I could make sure I had the perfect one,” she said. 

Talking about looking picture-perfect, Priyanca thinks Belle has the most perfect dress. “It’s the most flamboyant and elegant in a golden yellow colour. It’s beautiful,” she said. “It’s funny though, because I don’t really have many yellow clothes or anything gold myself.”

If Disney princesses are not her fashion inspiration, perhaps she follows the wardrobe of a different kind of character altogether…

“I have an older sister, so my mum used to dress us the same. We looked like Donald Duck when we were in matching sailor outfits,” she said. “They were navy blue with white collars and gold buttons.”

Possibly the tint of pink came from her love of Disney classic characters: Mickey and friends. There’s Donald, Pluto, Goofy, and the girls, Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck – those girlfriends both have a draw full of bows with a pop of pink in every shade possible.

Yet, when Priyanca reflected on her younger wardrobe, she said: “I wore a lot of pink, which is weird today because I don’t like pink.” She looked at her cardigan and we laughed.

Perhaps I got this wrong then. Perhaps it is just me that dips into Disney style as part of a quirky approach to fashion. Just stick me in a green leotard and call me Peter Pan: I will never grow up. Priyanca seems to have grown out of the style though.

“I think I liked Disney character’s style more when I was younger,” she said.   

“I’ve been brought up with a lot of Disney films. That’s where my passion has come from. Now I like to adapt my whole mentality with the morals Disney films present instead, because each has a unique and distinct storyline. It can be quite important and educational, and inspiring and magical at the same time. It’s just beautiful and relaxing. It’s escapism.”

It seems that whether through fashion or morals, Disney is a little spark of inspiration in everybody’s life.

- Sophie AJ Brooks

Toy with...Bratz

Passion for fashion in the wild: a new set of old favourites

A strange style icon they may be with their giant fish lips, spider leg lashes and round hedgehog heads, but as soon as a doll claims they have a ‘passion for fashion’ they are my friend. The Bratz beauty look is a little frightening, but their fashion look is a whole lot finer. Take the Scary Spice copycats here as an example - trotting around in animal print ready for a safari.

To begin with a bit of background, the Bratz originals were Cloe, Yasmin, Jade and Sasha, introduced to my toy box in 2002. These guys featured in most collections from Formal Funk to Winter Wonderland. They had such a different and distinguished look to any other dolls when they first appeared. In fact, it was thought that ‘My Scene’ Barbie dolls stole the doe-eyed look of Bratz and this charge was even taken to court. The feature that actually drew me to the dolls was their wardrobe – dare I say it, but they seemed more fashionable than Barbie, throwing daring outfits together in themed collections. For instance, Nevra and Meygan, tagged Queen B and Funky Fashion Monkey, are my recent eBay purchases. These guys were initially released as part of the Wild Life Safari Collection of 2004 (but by this time secondary school called and dolls were swapped for all things beauty). Before this though, an obsession with the dolls had begun. It grew and it grew, until two unfortunate incidents occurred.

One was due to continuous play and uncontrollable love: Beach Party Cloe’s leg plopped off. I’d tightly squeezed the limbs of my friend so hard, day after day; I’d forgotten she was made of plastic, month after month. The sweaty palms of my chubby hands had slowly rubbed away at her manufactured skin - year after year, to the core, until she had a peg leg (even shorter than the one they come with). And so, I said, she is one-and-half-a-peg-legged-Cloe.

The other ‘accident’ was due to a total lack of care, not on my part but that of my mum. Slumber Party Yasmin lay on the bedroom floor waiting for her friend to come home from school. Then a siren rang loud and fierce. The door was pushed open in a seesaw motion. Yasmin’s brushed-on peepers flickered when she caught sight of the dust buster. Carelessly, it was thrust backwards and forwards around the room. She could only play like a doll; play dead. The cleaner sucked on Yasmin’s soft hair so hard. All she was left with was a tight helmet of frizz. And so, I said, she is vacuum – permed Yasmin.

From then on my battered and bruised Bratz were stored under the bed and gathered dust. This happened like a real life sketch of Toy Story 2 with Jessie’s sad song, ‘When She Loved Me’. Emily, Jessie’s previous owner, is pushing her cowgirl on a swinging tyre one day and the next day Jessie falls to the floor, having been replaced by makeup and nail varnish. I hate to admit it (because that heart-breaking scene is perhaps the only film that can squeeze tears out of me), but this is the story of my Bratz. Like I said, the teen years had arrived with no room for plastic dolls.

Eventually the dust was shaken off and they were given away for other kids to play with: no more Bratz. Until recently though, when I started thinking through the iconic toys from my childhood for this blog. You see, Barbie has always been present in my life, and My Little Pony and Furby were bought as gifts for birthday and Christmas last year, but the Bratz were bought especially for this occasion. After all, a doll that claims they have a ‘passion for fashion’ has to be included in a blog that mixes toys with fashion. Perhaps I should even start a Bratz collection. For now though, the two Bratz are displayed like soldiers as the guards of the bedroom looking ready for action. Let’s see how their passion for fashion has influenced my own style of print this season…


Spots and stripes aplenty: the girls are armed with leopard and tiger print gear

Which animal are you riding this season?

Cheetah
Africa seems to be a constant inspiration on the catwalk, and this season is no exception with a parade of cheetah chic. Don’t be fooled by confusing cheetah for leopard print though (the cheetah is a black-spotted cat, not black-circled like the leopard). Cheer team wild cat and add a splash of denim.  Dress, £32; Jacket, £45, both Topshop.

Zebra
There is a zebra crossing every fashion runway, and charging into every fashion store. Stay ahead of the stampede with stripes of black and white, or add a streak of leather to this cotton dress to really lead the pack. If anything stood out in Pride Rock it was those stylish monochrome mammals. Dress, £12.99, H & M; Jacket, £60, Topshop.

 

 

Or fancy changing into the keeper of the animals?
Where there is animal print in store, safari pieces will also be somewhere in sight. Khaki and camo are looking on guard for the unpredictable British weather. Explore the shelves for khaki trenches, parkas or army-style jackets, and hunt the rack for camo shirts, tunics or crop tops. Jungle Jane to the rescue! Shirt, £29.99; Jacket £39.99, both Zara. 

*Sneak Peak*
Tomorrow I chat to a Disney fan about her love of the Disney magic.

 - Sophie AJ Brooks

Toy with...My Little Pony and Furby

The 80s versus 90s fashion TOYSPIRATION battle

Spring and summer trends are celebrated collectively on the catwalk (S/S), but once you step outside those season spells spark a different mood. Don’t blame it on the weatherman. It’s like colour psychology or something. Soft pastels sigh with relief after the snowy winter and vivid brights whoop with energy before the autumn falls - so pick a shade, any shade. What are you feeling for those outdoor days? You’ve seen with the last post that I take fashion inspiration from the toy box. My Little Pony was one of my favourite toys – my big sister was born in the 80s and collected lots of the horsey figures. Furby was another favourite – I remember how the classics were practically sold out when first released in the 90s. Anyway, both of these iconic toys have been re-released in past years, just like certain styles that come back in fashion. I just don’t know whether to seek the 80s or 90s chest for pastel or bright hideaways…

 

PROFILE

Toy release: My Little Pony 1983 VS Furby 1998

Model's names: Strawberry Swirl 2002 (Symths Toys, £7.99) VS Hot Pink 2012 (Toys ‘R’ Us, £59.99)

 

TOYSPIRATION POINTS

1 = Get the boot   2 = Cramp one’s style   3 = Take my hat off

 

THE DECADE
A new decade brings a new style. The 60s brought monochrome and tie-dye, and the 70s brought browns of amber, beige and chocolate. Leg warmers of the 80s sure bring back vivid nightmares for some, but to me the finest 80s fashion was preppy cool. The conservative look was worn by girls, who certainly had real life versions of My Little Pony - while the 90s brought the web storm and other techno creations like Furby.

TOYSPIRATION POINTS
My Little Pony 3 
Furby 2

THE NOVELTY
Brush the glitter mane of My Little Pony with her white-coloured comb. Those locks are her thing, so prim, preen and prep that head of hair. Or shine the sweet ‘cutie mark’ on the flank - those symbols start collections. Yet Furby has the gift of the gobbledygook gab. The beak flaps a mile a minute with the furbish language, but she can sing and dance, too. Her flashy fur is as showy as her Jacko high notes, and her moves to booming tunes. 

TOYSPIRATION POINTS
My Little Pony 2 
Furby 3

THE SHADE
With the decade and the novelty pinned down it’s the final fight between pastels and brights. Let’s raid my wardrobe for a colour compare. Here are two Topshop dresses inspired by the iconic toys of the 80s and 90s…

Pastel pink embroidered organza dress, Topshop, £60
Although this pastel baby came from last year’s spring season collection, the fit & flare style would be all sweetness and light for upcoming prom parties or garden weddings. Perhaps it is a tad pricey for a high street purchase, but the soft flower stitching resembles My Little Pony’s swirly patterns found on her flank - this was enough to sway me to splash the cash!

Bright pink pique cutout dress, Topshop, £36
The temperature is rising and this sundress seems a bright idea to keep cool. Splurge a little on a frock that is fresh for the season and ideal for BBQs and picnics in the park. A beach or pool party might even pop up during my summer in Florida – and Furby was the one who made sure my future looked bright with this neon number to stand out from the crowd.

TOYSPIRATION POINTS
My Little Pony 2 
Furby 3


The results are in.
The most fashionable toyspiration is…

*drumroll please*

Furby beats the pants off My Little Pony!


*Sneak Peak*
Tomorrow I take inspiration from the girls with a passion for fashion - Bratz.

 - Sophie AJ Brooks

Toy with...Barbie

 

Reviewing the collection  from adulthood and beyond

 

Watching home video after home video you can see the attachment forming. It’s Christmas time with trees, tinsel and trimmings, and then there’s beach time with sea, sand and shells - but nothing can detach Barbie from my tight, toddler grip. I’ll enjoy the magic with her firmly in my hand, thank you very much. Sure, most kids become devoted to their favourite toy, but my devotion has never passed.

Barbie has been a beauty icon since 1959 and my fashion icon since the 1990s. As soon as Barbie’s Dream House was set up, my big sister and I crammed Barbie’s wardrobe with clothes and stuffed her chest of draws with shoes. My ‘childhood dolls’ included Gymnast Barbie 1994, Baywatch Barbie 1995 and Workin’ Out Barbie 1996. The pile is still growing, slowly but surely into a collection. There’s Statue of Liberty Barbie, ‘She Said Yes’ Barbie and Ken, I Can Be TV News Anchor Barbie, and a few others.  

When I chose to start seriously collecting I was baffled and bewildered. There is a mass of dolls to pick from. So where to begin? Thinking through budget, space, preference and condition made a good start.

My collection is rather small at the moment. Budget is the first excuse for this - Barbie is not the thing to spend your student loan on. Space is the second excuse - Barbie would be a distraction from work if I let her take over my bedroom.

It seems budget and space are problems waiting to be solved after I’m free from student pressure, but I do have full control over my personal doll taste. Barbie dolls from the 90s are my number one choice. Most of my childhood dolls from this time were given away, so my fond memories are motivating the hunt for those lost treasures. Career Barbie dolls are also a favourite. I’m ridiculously indecisive about what I want to be when I grow up, so just like Barbie, perhaps I can be a journalist, a writer and a teacher, too.

Now doll preference has been called, condition is the next thought. Barbie dolls bought in the last few years have all been kept in their box for protection. My mind has been focused on value-saving, but buying dolls that have been played with before means they’ve been on many adventures already. That is their purpose, after all. Perhaps I should take my dolls out of the box and keep the packaging. Of course they would still be kept in mint condition - I swore no more dodgy haircuts over the bathroom sink.

Essentially, we amateurs need to jam-pack our heads with information about our collection choices.  This means research, research and more research. I’m hoping that my collection can take off soon, so I’m reviewing Barbie Bazaar, an out of print collector magazine that can still be bought from eBay. It is stuffed with useful doll material. There are tips and tricks on pricing, identification and the like, so let’s stay clued up on what we are eyeing up. 

As a novice trying to decide my collector route I bought five copies:

• April 2000
• February 2001
• April 2003
• February 2004
• April 2004

In case you haven't come across these, here's a review of some of my favourite pages. Some regular features printed in the majority of issues are letter-type pages: the most useful for beginners, because they are addressing exactly what readers want. 

There’s the ‘Bazaar Letters’ page with columns from the magazine publishers, Karen Caviale (editor) and Marlene Mura (advertising director). This double page spread offers some thoughts and background on the contents of the copy, which gives a taster of what the magazine is all about.

One interesting letters feature is ‘Talkin’ Barbie Talk’. This involves collectors asking for release years, valuations and any information at all A. Glen Mandeville can provide from the photo posted. Mattel furniture, Skipper clothing and Ken’s wardrobe are just a few topics causing curiosity. At first I couldn’t see the relevance at looking at this page, because it is out of date so we can’t write in ourselves. But if we have any of these items, or are looking to bid on eBay for something similar, we can look through the pictures for a match and then follow the advice.

Also, ‘Barbie Restoration’ is another valuable letters page where collectors call on Teri Starner for guidance on sprucing up well-loved dollies. Again, if we are having similar problems to the people who posted questions at the time of publication, our dilemmas can probably be solved with just a flick. No matter whether faded blusher issues or tangled hair trouble is causing a doll to look like she’s seen better days.
 
Other regular and handy Barbie Bazaar articles worth a look-see include:

• BOOK PREVIEW – Insight into Barbie texts, ‘Barbie loves L.A.: America’s favourite Doll sees the sites’ and ‘Collector’s Encyclopaedia of Barbie Doll Exclusives and More’
• FASHIONATION – Themed Barbie fashion pages from Harajuku style to perms, mullets and crimped hair
• GLOBAL BARBIE –  News on Barbie love from around the world as she travels to Japan, Italy and Malaysia
• SMALL TALK – Info on teeny decorations like miniature tables and chairs with snacks and bottles to complete a doll scene
• THE B FILES – Reports on one-of-a-kind finds, including platinum dolls and unique Barbie inspired bags

As I’ve said already, sure most kids become devoted to their favourite toy - and, yes, my devotion has never passed - but how can it with these encouraging collector magazines snapping, styling and writing about all things Barbie, Barbie, Barbie.  

4 FASHION FOOTWEAR for Barbie leggings

Miniature shoes for miniature doll feet. I have to shop in the children’s section for my size 2 stumps, but all styles can be found in ladies footwear, too.

So what to wear with these Barbie leggings (Miss Selfridge, £28)?

Rockin’ Punk - Cream chunky boots, River Island Kids, £22
In true Dr. Martens style these boots scream underground cool to punk up Barbie, but cream pleather tones down the loud lyrics and lycra.

 

Gym Gear - White flatform plimsolls, River Island Kids, £10
Sports luxe is running the streets. They’ll be no sick notes for Barbie this season as she takes to the track looking fresh, sharp and ready. 

 

Cinderella & Dorothy - Blue studded slippers, River Island Kids, £15
No glass or ruby slippers for Barbie. Pumpkins and rainbows aren’t needed to work ladylike velvet, metal studs and clashy turquoise.

 

Plastic Fantastic - Pink jelly sandals, River Island Kids, £8
You can brush Barbie’s hair, dress her everywhere and feel the glamour in pink on the beach. Imagination, a burst of colour is your creation.

*Sneak Peak*
Tomorrow I take fashion inspiration from the 80s and 90s toy box.

- Sophie AJ Brooks