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Once in a while I like to try and put a name to the doll clothes I pick up at goodwill. Sometimes this turns out to be surprisingly difficult. Here's two dresses I'm having trouble identifying. One I'm not sure about, but the other one is definitely Barbie - which makes it all the more frustrating that I can't find out what it is.
Mystery frilly flocked heart dress |
Mystery dress + matching bow |
The elusive wedding dress with its tag |
The design is simple: the skirt is a single layer of shiny, ribbed nylon fabric. Many Barbie wedding gowns have a layer of tulle on top, but this one hasn't, and there's no sign of any having been cut off either. The top is made of lace with long puff sleeves and a fairly high neckline, over a bodice of the same shiny nylon as the skirt. The waistline is V-shaped.
Inside the bodice |
I've googled, ebay-ed, flickr-ed, and gone through this entire list of Mattel wedding dresses and not found anything like it. Well, I've found several that looks a bit like it, but there's always some part that doesn't match: Wedding of the Year (1982), Private Collection outfit (1987), Wedding Party (1994), or Bridal Collection outfit (1995). Although the last one has a pretty similar style and uses what looks like the same shiny fabric, so maybe I'm getting warmer?
Close-up of bodice with V-shaped waistline (ignore the hat) |
So there you have it: a tagged Barbie dress that seems to have mysteriously disappeared from Mattel's online annals of fashion. Any leads are greatly appreciated!
You may have a Wedding Party (1994) dress that just came from a different lot or factory, so it's slightly different.
ReplyDeleteThe reason I suggest this is that my youngest sister has what we know for sure is a specific Korean Barbie from the 1980s or 1990s. However, the doll's face-up is slightly but noticeably different from the ones seen on eBay (less obtrusive make-up). The doll was never altered, isn't a fake, and isn't some other model -- she was just from a lot that happened to be a little odd. So it happens.
Good point; I know sometimes the European version of a doll is a bit different. Not sure if that could be the case here, since there are so many differences: https://www.flickr.com/photos/halbarad_midnight/10626300066/ Unless they changed the design almost completely at some point, of course?
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