Barbie & Ken Paper Doll Fashions from 1974

        These are the vintage "Sun Valley" fashion paper dolls by Mattel published in 1974. This collection included two paper dolls with plastic stands and 31 pieces of Sun Valley Wardrobe selections! All items were precut, no scissors needed. 

Ken and Barbie dressed for shopping downtown and grabbing a bite to eat.
Barbie wears a smart red patterned suit with ruffled blouse and mini
skirt. Ken wears fashion forward gold plaid shirt, bright red
jeans and classic brown leather belt.

Left, Ken in a sporty leisure suite and Barbie, right, in a silky sport dress with gold chain at waist
and fur collar at the neckline. 

Barbie shows her bare shoulders with sleeveless candy stripped blouse. 
Her cinched waist is further flattered with blue jean wrap around
skirt and a cute little matching blue jean bag.

See Barbie's cute print suite and hat to match closer up. Now Ken on the left wears a classic
1970s style Argyle sweater vest with a tight camel neck sweater beneath.

Barbie will look so chic on the slopes wearing this bright red jumpsuit 
and short waisted sky jacket with fur trim!

Here is Barbie in an Asian inspired cut coat and bright blue slacks.

Left, Barbie and Ken show off more casual wear in cool lime, bold sky blue and grey plaids. 
Right, Barbie  just loves this Kelly green wrap skirt and an adorable stripped turtle neck 
with a embroidered "B" for Barbie stitched just below the neck.

Barbie and Ken are ready for the tennis courts in the latest sporty
fashions with rackets. Don't know about those shoes though...

Now our Sun Vally sweethearts are dressed for a romantic prom night.
Barbie in a sheer red prairie gown and Ken in his polyester baby blue
and black leisure tuxedo. Just look at his cool black velvet bow tie!

Barbie ends this fashion exhibit with a sky blue shaw and matching
wrap mini skirt; these go so well with her eye color.

Fashions for Spring/Summer 18'' Dolls

        The following doll clothes are for Spring or Summer weather. Most of what our dolls are modeling this Summer is made from altered children's clothing. Sizing unwanted items down, is in my opinion, the most economical way to dress dolls. It eliminates the need for purchasing extra trims; recycling zippers, buttons, embroidery and elastic can save quite a bit of cash! Of course, there is also the added bonus of outfitting your dolls in some very professional looking pieces.

Left, is a lovely printed garden party dress that includes a butterfly 
embroidered to the bodice. Right a colorful hot pink, sleeveless knit top
coordinated with white, knee length shorts. The shorts have a cheerful
butterfly motif printed on them.

       Butterflies, polka-dots and stripes are all in fashion this year; you may see these woven, printed and embroidered into all kinds of juvenile garments! Classic sneakers, sandals and flip-flops are made to coordinate with every look as well.

On the left, stands our doll Christine dressed for a visit to a summer
theater performance. Standing on the right, is her friend, Candace; 
She is dressed in her favorite overalls and stripped long sleeves. She 
is on her way to watch fireworks in the park. Candace is also wearing
hand-painted sneakers made to look like the night sky.

       Dolls have all kinds of event to attend and participate in during warmer months, so they need flexibility in their wardrobe: skirts, shorts, dresses and overalls. Even a pair of colorful cut-offs may be included in our doll's summer mix. 

Christine and Kit both wear summer time knits with embroidered features. 

Christine is in a floral print skirt and Kit in the latest blue, stretch jeans.

       Christine is wearing metallic strappy sandles and Kit is in neon orange sneakers. Fun footwear is always an added bonus to dolly coordinates. No outfit is complete without just the right shoes!

Mesha shows off a lovely, ethnic blue skirt, trimmed in beads and tiny
mirrored sequins. She pairs the skirt with a simpler, grey knit top. The 
top is worn off the shoulder to repeat the horizontal design found in 
the skirt. Her white strappy heals finish the look. Now she is ready for
a fun day sight seeing in the city.

Left, Christine wears a simple Searsucker striped dress
is just the right choice to wear to church on a warm summer
 evening. Right, Kit wears a bold floral knit print along with her
bunny ear tee-shirt when playing in the park or watching a
movie at home with her parents.

Mesha's peplun top is decorated with 3D silk flowers and Candace wears
a cheerful green polka-dot dress. The tiny embroidered lady bug on her
bodice is pink, just like her flip-flops below.

       Mesha and Candace are ready to visit the market in town. They have so much to do to plan their family picnic but perhaps they will also have time to eat at the local pizza parlor and admire the flowers in the park. There is a free art show going on in the park too. Their fashions are perfect for all of their plans.

Left, Kit wears a popular polka-dot motif for summer, this one is pink 
and white knit with cut-off sleeves. Christine ties a cozy cardigan sweater
about her shoulders while it is not quite chilly enough to put it on. She 
will need it as the cool night air settles around her if she decides to
walk through the park in the evening.

Kit's top has a splash of yellow at the shoulder to make it look unique.
Mesha pairs classic overalls with trendy polka-dots.

       Summer fashions don't need to be fussy. Keep them on the light side, make them playful and charming. Above you can see Kit wears blue stretch shorts and a white and blue printed floral top. Mesha wears a polka-dot top with her buff pink overall shorts. These dolls are ready for fun and play but may still be dressed just right for a day at the zoo, shopping in a mall, attending a ballgame or visiting with girl friends at home. 

Now Kit wears horizontal stripes and a cozy hooded sweat shirt and
Christine shows off her ''Old School Gym'' tee shirt with bold black
and white color blocking. Both dolls are ready for sporting events!

Short, Simple and Sweet Jumpers for School!

Left, one of our older dolls from Pleasant Company, Josephine shows
off her new jumper. Center, a vintage nautical fabric used for a very
 "French" looking jumper. Right, the jumper trimmed with white
 beading and white lace against a solid blue.

        Our dolls are going back to school wearing the latest thing in child fashions. Simple jumpers, cut just above the knee and styled according to any taste! Every sample dress pictured is sewn using the same pattern. Find easy-to-sew, doll dress patterns below:

• Easy to Sew Tunic by The Crafts Channel - lengthen this simple tunic to make a doll's dress/jumper. (In England, jumpers are sweaters. In America a jumper is a A-line dress without sleeves.)
• How to sew A-line Dress Tutorial for Blythe Dolls by NDLYhandmade
  

 Dolls wait in line to walk on stage and show off their new school fashions. Right,
 a cute plaid version of this jumper with a gold, chain belt, looks like an Autumn
 version of the jumper.

 

 Left, velvet ribbon trim. Center, a fancy belt with star. Right, a real dress
  recycled with the jumper cut pattern.

  Left, bold blue and green floral print jumper, trimmed with a velvet ribbon.
   Right, standing together during the Back-to-School Fashion Show.

Left, elephant print. Center, print with geese on wheels. Right, print with cats.

Here the A-line Jumper is trimmed with a hot pink polka-dot ruffle and gold metallic belt.

Recycled yellow collar and sash added to the A-line dress.

More Jumper Patterns for Real Little Girls:

• A Nice Jumper Dress by Jordan Fabrics
• How to sew a simple dress for a little girl by MADE Everyday
• Create your own gorgeous no-pattern shift dress by the Crafts Channel

Mattel's Fashionista Dolls

A selection of Barbie Fashionistas, plus 124 new in the box. Dolls are dressed in street clothes. All
 Fashionistas from 2015 to today come packaged in a box with a black and white printed
background and the Barbie signature hot pink graphics.

 

      Fashionistas from 2015 to today come with a wide variety of face molds, skin colors, hair styles and four different body types: plus tall, petite, curvy and original. The wigs on the dolls are fantastic but the mobility of their bodies is very limited. None of their limbs bend at the knee or elbow. However there is a bit of mobility at the shoulder. Only some of these dolls come with names, but most have number i.d. Some dolls have glasses and others have earrings. Dolls also have flat feet or arched feet, in either case not all shoes made for Barbie are adaptable to every Fashionista. The dolls pictured here are in their original clothing.

• Our Fashionistas are modeling their original clothing on a runway we crafted ourselves. You can make one like ours too!

All Fashionistas have only five points of articulation: at the neck, at the shoulders and at the hip.

       Doll number 20 has ebony skin, a profuse amount of brunette curls and soft brown eyes. She has one of Mattel's petite bodies and wears a spring floral dress with spaghetti straps and a gathered waist. Her heals and earrings are made from baby blue plastic. And what sets her apart is that both of her arms are bent permanently to right degree angles. 

Fashionista number 70 has a very slight grin and full lips.

       Fashionista number 70 is a classic platinum blond, blue-eyes Barbie type. Her hair is long and curly and her figure petite. She wears a soft grey tee shirt and a silky floral skirt. 70's makeup is minimal and she also wears sun glasses and simple white tennis shoes.

Both of these African American fashionista dolls have remarkable hair and open mouth, smiles. 

 

       Doll 81 is also a petite, wears a yellow and black checkered dress, wears flashy jewelry and tiny hot pink heals. She has rooted, fluffy hair tied up on either side of her head. Her eyes are painted wide open!
       Doll number 105 is a curvy Fashionista who wears a wide striped, pink and orange dress. This dress design reminds me of rugby shirts but the material has a sheen and is much lighter weight, like spandex. Her hair is gorgeous and generous! She has cat shaped eyes with long painted eye-lashes. Her eye-brows turn up slightly at the ends and she also wears large hoop earrings.

I love number 73's burgundy half boots and the black background of her jumpsuit compliments
 her sun-kissed skin color. Her slightly parted puckered lips are painted dark rose and
her eyes are hazel.

       Fashionista number 73 comes with a floral pint jumpsuit, large gold hoop earrings and wisps of short bangs painted along the edge of her forehead. Her hair is styled in a small top-knot and her features and skin-tone are classically Hispanic. She has a lovely rooted wig that comes in subtle shades of brassy browns and golds. Her body type is original, I think, and her right arm is bent to a reflex angle.

Doll 135 has a very wide smile and an athletic looking figure.

       Fashionista number 135 wears a long, striped beach dress and a fanny pack about her waist. Her afro is gathered in a top knot and delicate painted wisps of hair are painted at her hair-line. Her skin is unique because it is painted as though she has Vitiligo. This is a genetic condition affecting 2% of the population although it is most noticeable in people with darker skin tones. Mattel has made several of their fashionistas with unusual body characteristics in an effort to diversify their doll lines.

Doll 124 isn't afraid to stand out in a crowd, she has her own way of expressing herself.

       Number 124 sports a green mohawk, polka-dot overalls and has a zig-zag etched into her scalp. Her fashion sense is uniquely her own! Both Fashionistas 124 and 135 have permanently bent elbows so that their right arms are positioned at right angles to their torsos.

Doll 146 has a gold prosthetic limb. Her white counterpart, 121 (not shown) has a silver prothetic limb.

       Doll number 146 is an African American doll with a prosthetic limb. She has a average body height and generous black braids. Her eyebrows are also heavy and her lips open, painted hot pink. This doll wears an off-the-shoulder print dress with a ruffle and white sneakers. Her right arm is molded to a permanent reflex angle.

Doll 79 has long pony tails. Her hair has mixed strands of: gold, blond and lt. brown mixed together.

 

       Fashionista number 79 is a plus tall size which is made even more apparent by her long, exaggerated sweatshirt dress. This dress is very uncommon, even for a Fashionista. Not many of these dolls have winter garments or sport such bold text as is seen here. (text reads: "LOVE" times 5)
       Both 79 and 75 Fashionistas have their left arms bent at permanent reflex angles.

       Number 72 has aqua blue highlights in her shoulder length, bob cut. She also wears sunglasses, a blue jean jumper, a pink and white tee along with pink heals. Her skin is tan, her lips natural and her eyes are pale brown. She is taller than most of the Fashionistas but not as tall as 79.

       Number 75 has beautiful auburn curls and wears a black and white print dress decorated with stars. There is also a black ribbon tied in a bow at the front of her dress. Her features look to me to be Hispanic and her eye color is a pale blue grey color, an unusual eye paint choice for a Fashionista.

       The majority of Fashionistas have brown eyes with highlights that make their eye color look gold. There is such a thing as amber or gold eyes in real people although it is incredibly rare. A few of the Fashionistas have very distinctly brown eyes like those of 20 and 146.

More Fashionista Doll Reviews:

• Completing 2020 Barbie Fashionistas Review for 140,142,148,149 by toohunkytoys
• Entire Wave 2 of Fashionistas by Faith Elene: skin tone comparisons
• Froggy Reviews Fashionistas from 2019
• AniLa Clyde Fashionista video of 2018 dolls and original clothes
• 2017 Barbie Fashionista Dolls at A Doll Exhibition by IdleHandsBlog
• Pop Fun To Play collects 2016 Barbie Fashionistas: Body Types: Toll, Curvy, Petite...
• Jay Squared introduces new Barbie Fashionistas from 2015
• 2020 Ken Dolls Pack Makeovers, Unboxing and Review

Press Release About Fashionista Doll Lines:

• Barbie Expands Doll Line Adding Three New Body Types - 2016
• Mattel Teams With Mission Control for 'Barbie Fashion Battle' 
• Barbie's 2021 Fashionistas launch features a diverse lineup of dolls

Storage Ideas for Fashionista Dolls:

• Decoupage A Doll's Storage Trunk
• Vintage Barbie Mod Cases
• Barbie & Francie case with accessories

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