Change Your Bookmarks!
9/2023 UPDATE: I’m now blogging at a brand new site! Please find more posts there!
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I’ve been using a free WordPress site for many years now and have finally outgrown it! Because I need more space to host my images, I have found a new home here on the world wide web! As of this post, this site is retired. All new posts will be on my brand new site. Right now, I admit, it looks a bit clunky, but it’s still a work in progress and, for me, the most important thing is getting new content up! You’ll now find me at: http://www.dollyconfessions.com.
One important thing to note is that if you are an e-mail subscriber, you will need to subscribe to posts via the new site. You’ll see that option on the sidebar of our new homepage. Also, if you link to my blog on your website, please update the link.
Blogging on my free site was fun while it lasted, but I’m excited about this new blogging journey– which is basically the old blogging journey with a facelift and the chance to make a few pennies a day! I hope you follow me over to my new home!
A Look Back at Barbie in 1990
Most of my favorite Barbie dolls were released in the 1990’s. I miss the ‘pink box’ days, when Barbies had cuter faces, more variety in releases and higher quality outfits. That’s why I wanted to share the videos below with you. They feature behind the scenes footage from the amazingly large Barbie Showroom at 1990’s New York Toy Fair. Why didn’t Barbie get this much spotlight when I went to Toy Fair a few years ago? It would have been a treat to see!
In the footage, you’ll see Generation Girls, Beyond Pink and other fun Barbie releases. Another fun thing to look at in the video are the fashions worn by the models/PR team. They are inspired by Barbie’s looks! Also, listen for some very 90’s lingo. So many things in this video are described as ‘hot’- so 90’s! It’s pretty hilarious to see how dated this video is.
What do you think of the offerings in the Barbie Showroom during Toy Fair so many years ago? Did you enjoy this blast from the past? Let us know in the comment area!
Curvy Girls Dolls on Patreon
Recently, a Kickstarter hit the web for a new doll line called Curvy Girls Dolls. The concept for Curvy Girls Dolls came about when mother Bridget (now CFO of the brand) was looking for dolls that emulated her interracial family. During her search to find a doll that looked like her, she realized that no company was mass producing plus size fashion dolls. Graphic designer and artist Joleen was brought in (eventually becoming CEO of the brand) and Curvy Girls Dolls was born– sort of. Technically, right now Curvy Girls Dolls is still just a concept, waiting to be produced with the help of doll lovers like you and me.
When the Kickstarter looked like it wasn’t going to work out, only reaching $40,640 of the $250,000 goal, the two doll designers decided to pull the campaign and move it to Patreon saying, “These dolls deserve to exist. These dolls NEED to exist. Despite the negativity we received this past few weeks, the overwhelming positivity that you have shown us has stuck with us and is keeping us going. This is not the end – We’re just moving on to our backup plans.”
What are Curvy Girls Dolls? From the Kickstarter, “Curvy Girls Dolls (CGD) help children learn and develop through play. Children use doll play as an outlet for emotions, to explore scenarios that they may encounter, and have control over situations. CGD aims to create dolls children play with that are as diverse as the people in their lives. With their dolls, CGD aspires to celebrate people of all sizes and promote body positivity, but it’s not just about that. While CGD acknowledges that body positivity is important to introduce at a young age since children absorb so much of their surroundings including negative self-images that can last a lifetime, they are diverse in more ways: personalities, identities, neurotype, careers, and style/accessories.”
These 1/6 scale 11″ plus size (U.S. Size 18/20 proportions) fashion dolls have a plastic body, vinyl head, rooted Saran hair and fully removable and interchangeable clothing & accessories. They are fully articulated with joints at the shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, and ankles that allow her to wear heels or flats. They, of course, have full head movement. There are four dolls set for the first series, assuming they get funded, Quinn, Aliah (pronounced Uh-lie-uh), Keiko (pronounced Key-ko), and Alex. These dolls are diverse in skintone and look. To get the line off the ground, the dolls will be offered on the same stock body. The plan is, however, to offer different plus sized body types down the line.
Now, the look of these dolls, specifically their body type, is polarizing. Some say plus sized dolls are just as harmful to children as unrealistically skinny one. Others say that this heavier set body type is a blessing to the doll world. It’s a tough thing to gauge, because in the end, everyone should be the weight that is healthy for their own unique body, whether it’s a size 0 or 20. But when it comes to dolls people get really angsty over body proportions. I’ve personally never seen a doll and thought, ‘oh, I want to look like her when I grow up’. Barbie’s unrealistic proportions never bothered me and those who do put a lot of worry into that sort of thing most definitely have more going on fueling their thoughts on body image. When I look for dolls, I just go for the ones I think are pretty, which usually depends on the face mold/paint– who cares about proportions? It’s a doll, plaything, toy.
Curvy Girls Dolls got some flack online for their plus size body type, but also got a lot of love. If I’m being truly honestly, I, personally, don’t love the body type, but I appreciate it. I’m sure some kids and collectors will love it for being different or out of the ordinary. I like the attention to detail they put into articulation and naked, the torso doesn’t look too bad (though I might add nipples to the breasts, if we’re going for realism).
I think the Curvy Girls Dolls creators would benefit from showing these dolls with different outfits. I don’t think the red dress does much to show off the body. Something that hugged Curvy Girls Dolls curves might have been a better choice on their prototype. But that’s just me and my taste.
If you’d like to support Curvy Girl Dolls, visit them on Patreon, or follow them on Facebook and Instagram. I’ll be keeping up with their progress and if they do hit the market, you’ll for sure see them here on the blog/YouTube Channel. What are your thoughts on Curvy Girls Dolls? Let us know in the comment area.
Dolly Review: LOL Surprise OMG Fashion Doll Lady Diva
MGA has thrown a curve ball our way with their new LOL Surprise OMG Fashion doll line! Series 1 includes 4 dolls: Neonlicious, Swag, Royal Bee and Lady Diva. I’m not a LOL Surprise collector; I’ve just never seen the appeal. However, I’m pleasantly surprised with MGA’s newest LOL Surprise spinoff OMG. Unlike LOL Surprise’s seen in the past, you know what doll you’re buying when you pick up your OMG fashion doll. At nearly $30.00 a pop, OMG’s aren’t cheap. That being said, you get a lot of bang for your buck with a quality fashion doll with articulation, box that turns into a closet playset, complete outfit and accessories (about 20 different pieces total).
Right of the bat, you’ll probably notice that Lady Diva has a curvy body. At 10″ or so, she’s bigger than her other LOL counterparts, but smaller than Barbie or Monster High. Her vinyl legs feel like old school Barbie legs, complete with click knees. It’s a refreshing change from the cheap, hollow legs on other doll lines. Lady Diva has hips and she isn’t afraid to show them! This isn’t a doll that is stick thin. She has curves and, you know what, I love them! I think this body type works really well with the LOL aesthetic. Lady Diva has articulated arms with joints at her wrists, elbows and shoulders. The only articulation she’s missing is a twist and turn waist. Maybe the second series? Her hands are a little weird looking. They’re made of a very pliable vinyl. The odd thing is their very pointy nails (as seen in a photo below). I like that she has polish, but her nails are a bit claw like for my taste!
The OMG’s faces are basically the same as on the original mini surprise dolls. They have large eyes and colorful makeup. From the side, the face is flat. That may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I don’t mind it. I think this face works really well with the small, but curvy body of the new OMG fashion dolls.
Lady Diva wears a pretty basic outfit consisting of a crop top, skirt and funky hot pink boots. Her accessories include two necklaces, a belt and earrings. Lady Diva also comes with a purse and headset/mic. A stand is included, too, that allows her to stand or sit without falling.
Honestly, MGA has surprised me with this new line. I really do like it! The body, with her unique height and proportions, has impressed me. I love that the doll has weight to her thanks to the solid vinyl legs. Also, the LOL face is pretty charming on this scale of doll. What do YOU think of the LOL Surprise OMG dolls? Let us know in the comment area.
Japanese Exclusive JAL Barbie (1997)
You never know what you’ll find at a doll show! At the Chicago Toy Show recently, I picked up a pretty awesome Barbie doll. Now, I’m not a collector of all things Barbie, as you know, but I do have a love for Japanese exclusive Barbie’s. Using ‘my’ Barbie face mold (the pink box 90’s Barbie), these dolls have their own unique look to them. Most noticeably, in many cases, Barbie’s traditionally blue eyes are brown in the releases made solely for Japan.
This post is about the exclusive Japan Airlines Barbie, JAL Barbie, from 1997. What makes this Barbie stand out is that she’s dressed in an authentic JAL uniform complete with apron and handbag, a serving cart complete with tiny coffee cups and cutlery, and a tiny book of in-flight announcements. This pint-sized flight attendant has brown eyes and ash brown hair done up in a ponytail.
According to an article in Aviation Weekly, the airline expected to sell “30,000 dolls on 23 domestic routes during December”. Meaning, she was only sold aboard domestic JAL flights and not in stores or international flights. Some sellers are listing this as a December exclusive, which makes sense considering the Aviation weekly post, but I can’t say for certain if that’s true. It came in this cute pink bag, which I found bundled with this doll while researching.
Her box doubles as a simple playset, so if you buy one, be careful when you’re opening this Barbie.
I actually got this doll for a wonderful deal, judging by what I’m seeing online! The seller shared that her friend’s son was living in Japan and had picked on of these up for both her and his mom, since he knew they collected. I’ve never seen a JAL Barbie at the show before, so I’m happy to have spotted this! (Actually, my mom spotted this, so thank you, Mom!)
Here are some other interesting Japanese exclusive Barbie’s I found while poking around eBay! Notice their brown eyes.
Friends Forever Barbie (1999). Also worth looking into is Friends Forever Reina, a Japanese friend of Barbie’s who I’ll write about soon!
Barbie’s Bakery Shop (2006)- This blog has photos of this set.
Happy Birthday Barbie (2007)
Baking Barbie (1998)- Since I don’t read Japanese, I guessed on the names for this Barbie and the ones below it.
Bunny Barbie (2000)
Flower Barbie (I’d guess she’s from the 1990’s)
Do you own any dolls exclusive to Japan? Would you add them to your collection if you could? What do you think of JAL Barbie? Let us know in the comments!
Confessions of a Doll Collectors Daughter 