Barbie
Yesterday we were in the toy section of this store just looking around. Toys have gotten really freaky looking. There are a lot of big headed dolls and stuffed animals with tiny bodies and weird eyes and pink. The baby dolls don't seem to have changed much but Barbie has. I didn't realize they were being made with big lollipop heads and their features were not what I remembered. There was a series of vintage repro Barbies. For $40 I could buy the 1977 Superstar Barbie. It didn't look like the Superstar Barbie I got in 1977.
I looked up Superstar Barbies and the one I had came out in 1978. That cleared up a lot of confusing memories. I received my first Barbie at seven years old and that is why I remember taking a baby doll to school on the morning of my sixth birthday. My mother had told me there was no way I would have received two birthday dolls. She is very proud of this for some reason. I guess it shows I was not spoiled or something.
Superstar was my first Barbie ever. I didn't ask for her, in fact, I didn't know what a Barbie was. My mom got her for me. I was into baby dolls until then.
Superstar Barbie had a silver sequined hat and a sparkly, fitted, fuchsia evening gown and a white boa. She had a necklace and earrings and was the most glamorous, shiny thing I owned at the time. My grandparents gave me Barbie clothes, shoes, purses and wigs. The Barbie days had begun.
That Christmas my grandmother got me a Ken doll. He came wearing little white shorts and a striped red and white shirt. He also came with a single golf club and tennis racket. My Barbie collection continued to grow but Ken was sort of neglected. In fact, he's been naked since 1978. I have a box with all my old 70's Barbies and Ken. After looking at those vintage Barbies, I sort of feel I should peek in on mine. I should buy Ken an outfit, now that I can afford it. When I was a kid I would rather spend my allowance on a pretty Barbie outfit. I always promised Ken a shirt and pants. I always wanted to get the his and hers bridal set, wedding gown for Barbie and finally a nice suit for Ken.
I wish I still had Superstar Barbie's outfit. I took her to Mexico the summer after I got her. She was still pristine. I was playing with her on the sidewalk when this little girl, about my age came by on her way back from school (Mexico goes year round). She squealed when she saw my doll and asked if she could hold her. She was eating some sticky, orange, chili candy and her mouth and hands were all covered with it. I clearly remember seeing how she used her sticky hand to grab Barbie's pretty, fuchsia dress. She looked at her hair, commented on her jewelry and gave it back. The dress was ruined but the boa was still white. I took her inside right away and filled the bathroom sink with soapy water then dunked Barbie with her dress on into the water. The dress sort of started falling apart after that. I know when we left the boa and the hat never made it out of the suitcase. Gone forever.
I looked up Superstar Barbies and the one I had came out in 1978. That cleared up a lot of confusing memories. I received my first Barbie at seven years old and that is why I remember taking a baby doll to school on the morning of my sixth birthday. My mother had told me there was no way I would have received two birthday dolls. She is very proud of this for some reason. I guess it shows I was not spoiled or something.
Superstar was my first Barbie ever. I didn't ask for her, in fact, I didn't know what a Barbie was. My mom got her for me. I was into baby dolls until then.
Superstar Barbie had a silver sequined hat and a sparkly, fitted, fuchsia evening gown and a white boa. She had a necklace and earrings and was the most glamorous, shiny thing I owned at the time. My grandparents gave me Barbie clothes, shoes, purses and wigs. The Barbie days had begun.
That Christmas my grandmother got me a Ken doll. He came wearing little white shorts and a striped red and white shirt. He also came with a single golf club and tennis racket. My Barbie collection continued to grow but Ken was sort of neglected. In fact, he's been naked since 1978. I have a box with all my old 70's Barbies and Ken. After looking at those vintage Barbies, I sort of feel I should peek in on mine. I should buy Ken an outfit, now that I can afford it. When I was a kid I would rather spend my allowance on a pretty Barbie outfit. I always promised Ken a shirt and pants. I always wanted to get the his and hers bridal set, wedding gown for Barbie and finally a nice suit for Ken.
I wish I still had Superstar Barbie's outfit. I took her to Mexico the summer after I got her. She was still pristine. I was playing with her on the sidewalk when this little girl, about my age came by on her way back from school (Mexico goes year round). She squealed when she saw my doll and asked if she could hold her. She was eating some sticky, orange, chili candy and her mouth and hands were all covered with it. I clearly remember seeing how she used her sticky hand to grab Barbie's pretty, fuchsia dress. She looked at her hair, commented on her jewelry and gave it back. The dress was ruined but the boa was still white. I took her inside right away and filled the bathroom sink with soapy water then dunked Barbie with her dress on into the water. The dress sort of started falling apart after that. I know when we left the boa and the hat never made it out of the suitcase. Gone forever.
Labels: nostalgia
3 Comments:
My sister got a Barbie one Xmas.
It was the 'late 60's so I didn't get a GI Joe, even though, kinda, I wanted one. Maybe the first adult thing I ever did was to lie when my father said, "You don't want no My Lai Joe, do you boy?"
I thought to say,"No damn way Dad!", but I didn't think I'd be able to slip it past him.
My sister and her Barbie? One of my mother's nursing colleagues made all of her own clothes. You're not gonna believe it but she started making little Barbie sized models of the outfits she wanted make, and gave them to my sister. After a while, she would just stitch up little models of clothes from fashion magazines and the movies. Crazy.
I made my Barbies clothes when I was little, but it was more of a cut some arm holes in a handkerchief thing. I ruined one of my mom's antique ones once by cutting her hair super short and painting her green all over (I was into the hulk:) I feel kind of bad about it now. Moral: if you have a little tom boy, get her the cheap barbie knock offs and keep yours in the box!
I also find some of the new dolls in shops (that my 8 year old neice is attracted to) really cartoonish and far out....
I enjoyed Barbie, but I really got into it when Darcie came along. Darci dolls had big feet. I had big feet. To me she was like the original glamorous big-boned gal, with thick flowing locks and a lace wrap around skirt. Whatever happened to that lady?
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