Friday, June 30, 2017

Doll-A-Day 2017 #181: Twist N Turn Barbie

  Today's doll is one I've been 'taking care of' for Emma.(Yes Emma,If you're reading this,I have your doll and have for years. Hey,you knew about it.)


She's a Twist N Turn Barbie.



Twist N Turn Barbie was introduced in 1967.


The dolls were promoted with a trade-in deal. Kids sent in their old Barbie and paid $1.50 and received the new Twist N Turn Barbie.

 

I have to wonder what happened to all of the older dolls that were traded in.


TNT Barbie has rooted eyelashes...


...a twist waist, and very bendable knees.


She had some serious hair issues when I took charge of her.


 It's a bit thin on the one side especially,but I think I kind of disguised it.



I haven't put the elastic in though, because when it's pulled back the way it's supposed to be,her baldishness shows.


Oddly enough, her scalp is painted dark brown instead of orange. That's usually what you find with dolls whose hair has turned red due to oxidation. But her colour seems to be original.


She's wearing a 1970 Barbie dress called Flower Wower.



The commercial for Twist N Turn Barbie featured Maureen McCormick,otherwise known as Marcia Brady. You can see the commercial Here.


Come back tomorrow for Shrunken Saturday.

Thursday, June 29, 2017

Doll-A-Day 2017 #180:La Dee Da Sweets Party Sloane

  Today is just a quick post with whatever I had photographed,because our internet has been out all day and you never know when it's going to go out again! So,today's doll is this La Dee Da doll.


I found her recently. I hadn't seen a La Dee Da with freckles before.


I had a hard time finding her online.


She's almost this La Dee Da:Sweets Party Sloane as Lollipop Swirl.


Her dress is made of the same fabric(without the trim though), and she has the same face and her hair is almost the same colour,but is missing the bangs.


I finally found her. She's Sloane from the Sweets Party redo.


Finding this also explained my curious Dee,which I featured on a previous day.(You can see her HERE.) She was almost the Sweets Party Dee with the multicoloured hair.She's from the redo too. As it happens, I recently found the original Sweets Party Dee. I'll be updating redo Dee's post with pictures of the comparison.


I hope I can post a doll tomorrow.Let's hope my internet is working. I haven't missed a day so far this year!

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Doll-A-Day 2017 #179:Starr

  Today's doll is Starr.



Starr was made by Mattel in 1979/80.


She was meant to fill the 'high school era' void Barbie left when she decided to become every profession in the world.



Starr had two friends, Tracy (an African American),and Kelley,(a redhead), and a boyfriend named Shaun.



Kelley was a cute side glancing doll whose head sculpt was also used for the Heart Family Mom, and Barbie's cousin Jazzie.

Kelley
Heart Family Mom.
Jazzie.
 Tracy's  head sculpt was also used for Jazzie's friend Chelsie, and didn't look good on either of them.

Tracey...
And Chelsie. See what I mean?!
Starr and her friends attended Springfield High School. (I'm guessing Bart and Lisa were still at the elementary...)


 I was actually born in a town called Springfield, and I have noticed that the name is used for an inordinate number of towns in TV shows and movies,and even books. It's sort of an 'everytown'. At least, it seems to be to writers, but every time I hear 'Springfield', I think of where I'm from.

Her eyes have red highlight dots!
I don't have Starr's original clothes,so she's wearing Tracy's outfit.

 

 

 

The jackets were the same for both of them.



 I thought the 'S' on Starr's jacket was for Starr,but it must be for 'Springfield High School',because it's on Tracy's jacket too. 
 

Starr has super curly hair. I'm afraid to comb it much to tidy it up, because I'm afraid I'll destroy it!


But she's one of the few Mattel fashion dolls to not have blue eyes.

Even if they do have blue highlights.


Starr's boyfriend Sean had the jointed 'Young Sweethearts'  Michael body. Starr has an original body that,as far as I can find, was only used on the Starr line of dolls.


She has  a twist waist that also allows her to tilt.



 Her jointed elbows are covered with rubber 'skin',but her wrist joints show.


Her elbows can bend quite a bit,and do hold a pose really well .


Her wrists are poseable, but the hand doesn't rotate at all.


 Her shoulders have swivel shoulder joints that look a little unusual.


In fact, her whole body looks a little strange. Her clothes help camouflage it.Her neck is extra long.

 

 And clothes don't even seem to camouflage that.


Her head can tilt. Her neck joint tends to get loose over time,and not hold a pose.
 


There were separate fashions made for Starr and friends,and also a car.


For some reason, even though they sold well, the Starr line wasn't very long lived.




 

 Today if you are buying a Starr doll, check for yellowed limbs and loose joints, especially the neck.

Her legs are very yellowed above the knees,and not much better below the knees.


Come back tomorrow for another doll.