A trip down memory lane…

It’s all about the Barbie Dolls around here. And I am not really complaining. I can brush hair and change ensembles like the best of them, in fact, I was THE Barbie player back in my day. Yesterday though it was ALL about the Barbies. My friend and favourite blogger Pink Patent Mary Janes wrote about them, and then I had to read Daisy a book she had selected from the library about, you guessed it, Barbie! It is a complete Visual Guide to the Ultimate Fashion Doll – here it is – selected from the junior non-fiction nonetheless.

It was at page 24 that I almost wet my pants with excitement as I made a much loved trip down late 70’s and 80’s Barbie memory lane. I quickly took (bad) photos on my phone so I could send them to my little sis, who no doubt squealed (hopefully somewhere inappropriate like the bus) with excitement at the memories. And I just had to share. Surely there will be someone else out there who loved these too right? Even if it is just for my sister it’s worth it.
So here goes. Some of THE best Barbies/outfits that I had/played with/loved/cut hair from during the late 70’s and early to mid 80’s. Having a little sis also meant that I could stay in touch and play with them waaaaay past when I should have been.
From 1980 I give you Western Barbie with her beautiful Palomino named Dallas. I LOVED that outfit. It was shiny and sparkly AND western. I never did get that horse but know that some friends did have it so did (at times) have the pleasure of the two together. Oh my.

Then from 1982 we have Magic Curl Barbie. I cannot recall this doll, but the dress, OH THE DRESS. I loved the lace trims, the yellow colour, all of it! It’s just as well that I didn’t have the doll as I did have a tendency to cut their hair. And I use the term ‘cut’ to mean ‘hack’.


1984 was a fine year, and Crystal Barbie personified this. It was, in fact, in celebration of 25 years and did it ever capture that eighties style!

Hello 1985 and hello Lovin’ You Barbie! Oh the sweet memories. How I wanted this to be my wedding dress when I grew up. It was a faux velvet bodice too with matching hearts on those ever so puffy sleeves. And as you can see on this box it came with stamps! Is there anything it didn’t have for a gal like me?

And what a year 1985 was, and how lucky was I (and my older sister) to get our hands on the creme of the crop Peaches and Cream! Is she not resplendent in all her peachy glory?

This very same year (so the book tells me) we also had that saucy minx Tropical Barbie hit the scene. My parents must have had a particularly good year in 85 as we scored the trifecta with this one too. As I said I have 2 sisters so it was not just me who got to enjoy them. My little sister was ever so fond of tropical…that was before (I think) I gave her a little haircut. Her hair was too long anyway….

And when I should have no longer been playing with Barbies back in 1986 Astronaut Barbie came along. I loved the hot pink ensemble and the helmet, oh the helmet! Let’s not even get me started on those hot pink boots.

And finally. Barbie and the Rockers. Again, I was probably too old but that certainly did NOT stop me from listening to this on our pink cassette player and rocking the dolls along…

And yes, yes, I have gone online and googled each and every one of these dolls that I saw in the book, sourced the best shots and pulled them all together for your viewing. No, no it was MY pleasure…

Comments

  1. OMG, Peaches & Cream Barbie was THE best toy from my childhood. I so wanted Dallas the horse and was Tropical Barbie the one that tanned when you left her in the sun? *sigh* What great memories, thank you so much!

  2. OH MY GOD – you haven’t disappointed, it is indded a fabulous post. That was in fact the best thing I have read in months. I had tears well up in my eyes when I saw Tropical barbie in all her splendid glory. And I will never forget wishing I could have my very own pink one piece suit and helmet like astronaut Barbie…That was a treat, thank you so much!!!

  3. I was about 10 years later, when Barbie was an ‘Aunt’ (no babies of her own to wreck that fantastic figure) and the much wanted accessory was a pink barbie camper van. Oh, that was the days 🙂

  4. What a treat – And most definitely a trip down memory lane!
    I was always slightly obsessed with Barbie (and my Cabbage Patch Kid come to think of it!)
    x

  5. How good are YOU! The girl down the road had the Palomino and I was soooooo jealous. Luckily she’d bring the pony to our Barbie playdates. I always wanted her to ‘forget’ him one time.

    I want to BE Peaches and Cream Barbie. Is that weird?And you would have looked FABULOUS in your puffy-sleeved, loveheart-dotted wedding frock…

    Thanks for the smiles – and the love x

  6. Saw this on Mamamia and had to come for a peek – Wow! Barbie and the Rockers were my favourite ever! I had the cassette too. I remember I took it to the park one day to show off to my friends (as you do) and some mean older boy grabbed it and pulled all the tape out of it. So my brother beat him up – HA!

    Ah, bring back the 80s….

  7. Golden Dream Barbie! That is the ONLY one that I remember… and I hacked her hair off too *LOL*

    for your viewing pleasure I found this http://www.flickr.com/photos/24111263@N02/3273816032/

    Thanks Beth, you are ace!
    x

  8. Oh thank you for this. I can’t quite recall if I owned Peaches and Cream Barbie or whether it was just my ultimate fantasy. I do however, recall owning the magic curl barbie and perming her hair. It ended up a s gigantic knot but oh I loved her. Great post. x

  9. I came over from MamaMia to check this out – how fantastic! I can’t remember the barbies themselves but at times I did own Crystal, Loving You, Peaches and Cream and Babrbie & the rocker outfits. You see when my friends and i got together we would pool our barbie clothes (we were each allowed to keep 5 pieces from the pool) and take turns picking outfits. so much fun!

    I remember a barbie song but when I tried to google it I couldn’t find it, it goes along the lines of

    “Look at you, that pretty face,
    A glowing smile….

    …Everday, In everyway
    You change from a little cutie,
    to a full grown american beauty..”

    and not sure if it is the same song or on the same cassette but there was another one that I think a guy sung

    “Looking good, feeling great,
    Run, Jump, Rollerskate”

    Thanks you for helping me relieve the 80’s in all their splendour again 🙂

  10. So many memories! I loved Birthday Barbie

  11. Hi Beth – realise this is an old post but am new to your blog (well a few months new anyway) and have been reading old posts to “get to know you better” if you know what I mean?! LOVED this post!!! Ahh the memories of playing with barbie and my BFF. Me and her combined had just about every barbie on here and more – I think Barbie and the Rockers was the last one I got when like you I may have been getting a little too old for barbies. Thankfully my BFF had a younger sister so she and I got to play with them for a little longer. Thanks for the memories!! And I am really REALLY enjoying your blog 🙂

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  13. Wow I had 4 of these Barbies (well my cousin had Magic Curl, not me, but still) and haven’t seen them for yonks – so good to see them again. My daughter is not into Barbies at all but I really, REALLY wish she was – but is it just me or are Barbies not what they used to be? They don’t stand out at the toy shops like they did when we were little. Also a big shout out to Twist & Curl and Pretty in Pink.

  14. I used to save my birthday money every year for a new barbie. I remember vividly getting the magic curl barbie and trying to straighten her hair with the special stuff.

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