JULIA in VELVET-TEENS!

When my current Vintage era obsession took hold, I got some final few Mod dolls and outfits that I pretty much neglected to shoot ... one of them was the original TNT Julia doll from 1969. Even though I bought the repro early on in my collecting, I'm SO glad I got this one. One can see the difference in quality  straight away... This vintage gal's face and hand sculpts are a little sharper, her makeup much stronger (This WAS the late 60's, remember!) and her body is much sturdier than the repro;- her joints are much smoother and tighter and her knees click much harder! Her hair isn't as 'choppy' as I expected, either, (which was one of the reasons I got the repro in the first place, as I wanted to give her a 'Vidal Sassoon' bob.)  I always wanted to put this gal in one of my most prized Mod era outfits, the Sear's exclusive 'Velvet-teens'. It goes with her deep red hair so perfectly!!!

A FORTY YEAR WAIT

There was a particular doll in the 1976 Barbie catalogue (see bottom-left photo)  I noticed as a kid way back when, who looked like none of the Free Movers, Malibus and Quick Curls that dominated that particular issue....I wanted her so badly from the minute I saw her and searched for this brunette beauty high and low- in every department store and toy store I could find back then, to no avail. Decades passed, and when I started collecting seriously a few years ago, I discovered that she was  a 'hybrid' most probably created in the photo studio, using a Mexico armed body with an old side-glancing Living Barbie head (which was Kinda odd that they would use such an obsolete head on a new fashion in the 1976 catalogue, but there ya go!) A few years ago, I attempted to create my own version of this doll, but didn't have a spare body with the correct hands and the right outfit. I recently got a very decent 'Quick Curl' Barbie for a song (and another brunette Living head, courtesy of my friend Dean Reen- Thanks Deany! :D ) and just last week FINALLY scored this 1976 Best Buy outfit she wore in the catalog, in amazing condition, as you can see (It usually is pretty tattered if you find it nowadays, especially the mesh on the legs and the ruffled jacket.) The outfit is a bit too 'Tizzy Trophy Wife' for my tastes, but just  had to complete the whole childhood wish fulfilment thing! So now I finally have the doll I really wanted, just as she looked in the catalogue - FORTY years later!

RAINY DAYS AND FRIDAYS

I know it's supposed to be 'Rainy Days And Mondays', but it's Friday here and it HAS been raining on and off, so it was a perfect excuse to get my JUST arrived Chris (Tutti's best friend!) in her very cute rain gear:- 'PUDDLE JUMPERS' from 1966/67! Skipper is showing her around in her very groovy 'FLOWER SHOWER', also from 1967. The raincoats are among my favourite outfits for all the Barbie family, so maybe Barbie, Francie and some of their friends will don theirs soon...

And below is how they are displayed in my Barbie/Stacey 'Sleep 'N Keep' case from 1969, with my Titian Living Barbie (In a PAK fashion 'sharp shift') and Live Action Ken in 'Big Business', along with talking Stacey in 'Fancy Dancy'.

Who wore it best?

Finally got an outfit I have wanted for years! - The 1967 Sear's exclusive 'Velvet-teens' ... (Nothing as groovy as a velvet pantsuit and a ruffled blouse! Reminds me of Marianne Faithfull, and - on a cheesier note!- even Susan Dey from the Partridge Family... Even a bit of Austin Powers!) but couldn't decide on who should wear it. The outfit was photographed in the Sear's wishbook on a similar blonde TNT to my one on the right, (See the actual 1967 wishbook page below!) but I think TNT Stacey looks just as 'smashing' in it.  What do you think?

Autumn Leaves

One of the funkiest, (furriest!) and most far-out looks from Barbie's Mod era would have to be 'Fur Sighted' from 1970. For something so 'funky',  it's so well constructed and fabricated, and exquisitely detailed... This was always on my wishlist right from the beginning, and I never thought I would have both the orange and red versions, (I've read that the red version is harder to find than the orange one.) Note that the tufts of fur on the red outfit are a little darker than on the orange one. I also love that textured crepe they used for these outfits, as it looks so sophisticated, but LOVE that metallic 'zig-zag' patterned top the most (that's identical to both outfit variations.) Speaking of being identical-  I recently got a gorgeous Titian nape curls Talker, and was amazed to see that she was actually the 'twin' to the brunette version I got years ago (Their heads are virtually identical; - exactly the same shape, size, skin tone and make-up on both! Even though they both look a little different in these shots.)                                                        
I was pruning the trees in my yard as they had gone crazy due to all the rain and was about to throw away all these beautiful golden leaves, but then thought I just had to use them in a shot. Then I remembered that I hadn't really photographed these outfits yet, so here they are, glowing in the early winter sunshine. (Autumn came late here!)

Rainy Days And Fridays ...

I know it's supposed to be 'Rainy Days And Mondays', but it's Friday here and it HAS been raining on and off, so it was a perfect excuse to get my JUST arrived Chris (Tutti's best friend!) in her very cute rain gear:- 'PUDDLE JUMPERS' from 1966/67! Skipper is showing her around in her very groovy 'FLOWER SHOWER', also from 1967. The raincoats are among my favourite outfits for all the Barbie family, so maybe Barbie, Francie and some of their friends will don theirs soon...

Bedtime stories

"Would you like a bedtime story, Tutti?" Marlo (looking dreamy in 'Night Clouds' from 1968) asks her baby sister, who is busy brushing her hair.

Yes, my Barbie 'Family' is now complete, with Barbie, cousin Francie, little sis Skipper and now, baby sister Tutti, released in 1966 and available in the US throughout the Mod era... (available in Europe and Canada for years afterward, up until 1980.) This one is in near-mint condition and was bought from a dear friend, (Thanks for selling her to me, Deany! :) ) She was part of the fab playset, 'Night-Night, Sleep Tight!' and is in her original sleepwear, complete with still sewn-on slippers. Her friend 'Chris' will soon be joining her! My new platinum haired 'standard' Barbie looks on (the head was another purchase from Dean!) while she wears Julia's 'Pink Fantasy'. Sweet dreams, Tutti! ...