anyone still buy barbie dolls?

I get it. Barbie can break your heart - although as far as representation goes, she is getting MUCH better.

Barbie Looks line 4
I am in love with tiny braids and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

The second image was for a doll that is sold in Walmarts in Mexico; however, given the allegations of theft, it has been deleted.

 

I wouldn't post about those dolls in the second image, they have stolen parts from various dolls including the Mizi Doll head sculpt, and other IP body parts. We are not supposed to post illegally copied toys of any sort, anywhere on DoA, even when posting on this side of the forum. (:

 

I have over 100 Barbie dolls. Most are just on display on the top shelf in my room. The shelf was made to put them there. They don't all fit on the shelf, so they are in other places around my room cluttered. Those are the newer ones laying around. Like the ones from the Barbie Movie.

A lot of them came from my grandmother when she passed away. I got them becuase no one else wanted my grandmothers Barbie's but having them is a win for me. They remind me of her, and how she shared my love for dolls. A lot of them are vintage from the 1960's and 1970's.

I don't buy them often anymore, but every once in awhile one will catch my interest and just have to get the doll.

 

I my journey to minimize I understood that even the few modern Barbies and retro barbies I had was an excess and not used or liked as much by me , sold most in the last months and only few collector ones and less than five fashionista are left in the reseller to sell. The best thing with Barbies is that if you price them properly and not too high they sell fast even used even damaged ones cause many use them for every type of art projects or repaints.

 

I posted entirely by accident! I was just reading and enjoying the thread and clicked the wrong button. I am trying to think of something substantial to say since this post is here.

Well, I am thinking of getting a 2023 lilac-haired Odile face mold mermaid I saw on eBay. The Barbies I tend to find the prettiest are from the late 90s-early aughts and I have a couple of those bookmarked on eBay. The new Barbie thing (2020s onward) that has really caught my fancy has been the mermaids...

LOL.

 

Even though I don't really buy barbie dolls anymore (and have greatly reduced my collection in the last few years), the doll I consider as my favourite ever in my collection is a barbie, the goddess of spring

She just means the world to me and has accompanied me in my collection ever since I found out about her 4 years ago
There is something about these dolls that may be less "high-ended" than a bjd but that have a special place in our hearts

 

I bought some barbies again lately because there is a certain set of life conditions (which I am in again) that draw me back to bargain fashion dolls. I work at an antiques / vintage/ crafts etc marketplace so periodically there is a doll in box who catches my eye or a poor nude thing in a bag for cheap who I want to rescue. In the last year I got two repros in box: wedding and enchanted evening, and rescued a charming (totally hair?) Teresa (Teresa is always my favorite face for nostalgia) and a Malibu PJ. Teresa has a new outfit I made her -- something colorful and tropical with batik and a few beads for summer. P.J. still needs something to wear, but at least I magic erased the grey grime off her limbs and she's looking pretty nice!

 

Would love to see photos of your bargain Barbie finds. Sometimes, nostalgia draws me back to Barbie, too. After all, she was my first childhood doll.

And, Teresa is my favorite sculpt, too!

 

I did a restore reroot on a Malibu PJ. Interesting that she got a "Steffie face" mold for that run when her previous one had more character. She was like Midge's sister/cousin who knows all the tea.

Taking in TLC lots, especially if you reroot, is an interesting way to find treasures. My one trip to an estate sale had me bringing home lovely vintage mod things under the nose of someone "who can spot Barbie a mile away" and a few gals who just needed a spa day to remove stored in the garage funk.

 

That is so cool that you did a reroot on a Malibu PJ. The Steffie face mold seems to be very popular with collectors. I’m too un-artistic and uncoordinated to attempt a reroot on anything! So, I admire your creativity.

I admit, over the years, I have had a complicated relationship with Barbie. It ebbs and flows, but I do love the diversity and representation Mattel is now offering.

 

I am also an old-timer Barbie collector; I have posted on here in the past (page one) about my hoarder adventures and collecting Barbie. Until just a few years ago, I was hoarding Fashionista, then I wanted to hoard Extra, but since the latter has been discontinued, I've now have slowed down (shipping costs from Japan, for my monthly Japanese hauls have been steadily increasing, so I have to prioritize! Lol!). I have more recently gotten two of the Dream Besties I liked more and the two hyper-popular mermaids that released last year (or late 2023). I don't unbox my Barbie dolls unless I want to customize them, or truly love them, so there's no point in me taking photos of them other than so that my dodgy memory doesn't forget I already own certain dolls. I don't purchase unboxed toys, as I am a germaphobe and it has gotten worse overtime.

I got two of each of the mermaids with the Odile head sculpt, to place on articulated bodies and one to keep in box (because I hoard!). I tried my HRR06 one on my World Box AT203 pale body, to see if I would like it last year, and I am still hoping to be able to find one for her, as this one she's on here, belongs to my Very Cool Miss Spetsnaz head sculpt. I have no clue if the HRR05 one will match WB tanned version of the body, but I am also hoping to find one to try it out, as this body is a beauty IRL, despite my huge dislike of full PVC bodies (I prefer ABS, but oh well!).


The two Dream Besties I've gotten so far, I hope to get at least one of each and one more of this Malibu to customize:




My HRR05 mermaid:


When I got this one, I thought I had won something. They were a pain in the gut hole to get, but now seem like you can find them under a rock...

 

For the Odile mermaid most people use the made to move tennis player for a body swap. Kristie Yamaguchi petite, the BMR 1959 tall doll with the pink jacket, and the curvy yoga Barbie with the grey and orange top have the same pale skin tone. I think the curvy Extra with half pink and half lavender hair is also pale like them.

The farm veterinarian Barbie has the same pale skin tone but her body is less articulated. I just used her for a head swap.

 

I did purchase the tennis player to rebody my purple mermaid on the body, but I am not a fan of Barbie's proportions, so I am hoping I can still find a World Box body for mine. I prefer realistic yet idealized proportions, which Barbie has none off. She's too cartoony for me to want to keep that way. That's why I rarely unbox them, unless I want to customize them. (:

 

I'm looking foward to get a SugarPlum Princess Barbie in the future.
She has been my dream Barbie since forever.

 

If it helps Nutcracker Barbie uses the Generation Girl/CEO face mold which was used roughly from 1998 to 2006, and occasionally after, so you might be able to find a head you like and put her on a ballerina body.

 

I buy the older Barbie (fashionista/hairtastic) dolls I like, and redress them.



Sleeping Beauty....

Barbie as Sleeping Beauty, Collector Edition 1997 Mattel # 18586 by Stellar Phenomena, on Flickr


1999 Valentine XXXOOO Barbie Doll

Happy Caturday by Stellar Phenomena, on Flickr

 

I do and I don't. I still have a few semi mint in box ones from my youth but I haven't gotten one in years. I kind of want to get a few of the entry level ones for my nieces of different Barbies showing diversity (different ethnicities, body shapes, wheelchair, prosthetics, etc) as well as a few of their exclusive limited editions to add to my personal collection, but I have other hobbies/collections I rather focus on now and budget for than Barbies. If my nieces are into them, I'll buy. But since they are not and I have financial limitations, I won't for now.

 

If you do buy for your nieces maybe have them pick out which doll they want? Or if they gravitate towards one of your BJDs get a Barbie that looks like it.

I grew up when all Barbies looked alike. When my first non blue eyed blonde was given to me I didn't like her, but when given a choice I did get literally the exact same face-skin tone-hair type but just with different clothes that I liked better. She was played with until she fell apart.