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