Dolls who Barbie can look up to

From left to right are Dusty, Maxie, Tammy, Tressy, Misty, Jaime, Barbie, Cher, Darci, Jem and Tyler

This article is a follow-up to two separate sets of articles I did earlier.  One article is about the heights of the contemporary Fashionista Barbies; the other about her taller competitors.

I obtained a Tall Fashionista, #69 Blue Beauty from 2017, when Toys R Us was closing.  There were quite a few of this version of the doll left but no others.  I'm assuming nobody liked her!  After I deboxed Barbie, I really began to like her, even though I'm not one for funky hair colors such as her light blue hair.  Her face reminds me of a cartoon character's but I cannot place her exactly.

Here are her measurements:
Height 12 inches
Breasts 5 inches
Waist 4 inches
Hips 5 inches
I had a bunch of handmade clothes designed for taller dolls, plus some manufactured items I cannot identify, that I've purchased at garage sales over the years that she can wear.  They all seem to be from the 1970s or 1980s.  Blue Beauty cannot wear regular Barbie outfits.

I also wanted to see how she compared to other bigger fashion dolls, so I got out almost every taller doll I owned and lined them up, naked of course, so that you can see the body differences.  The dolls are:
Kenner Dusty 11 inches
Hasbro Maxie 11 1/2 inches
Ideal Tammy 12 inches
American Character Tressy 12 inches
Ideal Miss Clairol Misty (a friend of Tammy's but not the same size) 12 inches
Kenner Jaime Sommers 12 1/4 inches
Mattel Tall Barbie 12 inches
Mego Cher 12 1/4 inches
Kenner Darcy 12 1/2 inches
Hasbro Jem 12 12 1/2 inches

Blue Beauty redressed in a 1970s outfit

Robert Tonner Tyler 16 1/2 inches

Blue Beauty outside her box

Blue Beauty in her box

Here are the links to the previous articles.

How tall the Fashionistas are:
http://skippercollector.blogspot.com/2017/04/fashionista-comments-part-1.html

Barbie's taller competitors
http://skippercollector.blogspot.com/2017/04/larger-fashion-dolls-1960s.html
http://skippercollector.blogspot.com/2017/04/larger-fashion-dolls-1970s.html

I wish I knew the story behind these outfits

I purchased a used Whitman Barbie's Sweet 16 paper doll set, dated 1974, at an antique show, based upon the Sweet 16 Barbie of that year, plus a few of her outfits.

Some of the pieces you will recognize, and some of them have had their colors altered.  Four of the outfits that I am showing you, you will recognize:
1.  Sweet 16's original pink polka dot gown
2.  Best Buy 7746 Palazzo Pants Outfit, with extra ruffles on the top

There were two paper dolls included
with the Sweet 16 set, plus numerous outfits
that were either copies of Best Buys or completely original.

Extra outfits were drawn for each Sweet 16 Barbie paper doll.

3.  Best Buy 7755 Dirndl Style, with a fuchsia bodice and yellow blouse instead of the blue bodice and white blouse
4.  Best Buy 7757, Festive Evening Clothes, in green rather than scarlet (I always thought this was a robe!)

But there was a surprise inside.

Extra outfits were included, all hand-drawn and hand-colored.  They were all time period correct and detailed, with nothing being alike.  They were colored with colored pencils and Magic Markers, and detailed to show seams and buttons, plus the tabs to put over the paper dolls.  Since they were all so elaborate, I have to assume that whoever drew them must have seen the outfits in catalogs and adapted them for the paper dolls.

Who drew these outfits, and why?  An 8-year-old girl is unlikely to have created them, unless she had artistic skills w

The two outfits that were sold with Sweet 16 Barbie,
the pink polka dot and the tank top and denim shorts,
were included with the paper dolls.

I assume the artist looked at catalogue photos
and then redrew the outfits to fit the paper dolls.

ay beyond her years.  Perhaps an older relative with drawing talent drew them?  I also wondered if perhaps the outfits were part of an art project, done either by the owner when she was in high school or college, or by the older relative for such an assignment.

I was blown away by the designs and creativity.

I wish I knew the story behind these outfits.

A half slip makes a whole outfit

Floral Petticoat adds some fullness
to the full circle skirts that Barbie has,
but the skinny slip from Fashion Undergarments
cannot be worn under her tight skirts.

We've all seen Barbie and Skipper redressed in their outfits, and we've seen photos of the different types of underwear they've had over the years.  What I've never seen, however, is what the slips look like when worn underneath the dresses.  I am going to show you seven examples of Barbie and Skipper flashing their half-slips.
Barbie first got underwear in 1960:  #919 Fashion Undergarments, with a straight half slip with two rows of ruffles; and 921 Floral Petticoat, a wide half-slip.  I own both of these.
I also own Barbie's half slips from 1969 and 1970.  Skipper had three that I know of between 1964 and 1988.
The slips also came with other items such as panties, girdles, bras, stockings and even shoes.  I don't own all of these and I am focusing just on the slips, so the accessories aren't being included in the photos.  Some of the dolls are wearing the underpants as well, even though you can't see them.
There have been plenty of other Barbie lingerie sets made over the years, particularly in the 1990s, but I don't own most of them and so am not listing them.
My dolls and what they are wearing are:

Barbie

1960 blonde #4 Ponytail Barbie in #978 Let's Dance and #921 Floral Petticoat
1960 black-haired #4 Ponytail Barbie in #981 Busy Gal, holding the slip to #919 Fashion Undergarments
1969 Hair Fair Barbie head on a Twist N Turn body in #1868 Happy Go Pink and #1864 Close Ups
1970 Twist N Turn PJ in #1456 Dreamy Blues and pack Perfect Beginnings

Skipper

1964 brunette straight leg tan skin Skipper in #1904 Flower Girl and #1900 Underpretties
1979 SuperTeen Skipper in Fashion Collectible #2807 fuchsia blouse and skirt and Fashion Collectible #2808 slip and camisole

Skipper in Flower Girl and Underpretties, all from 1964;
Homecoming Queen Skipper in her original gown
and a Lookin' Lively set, both from 1988;
and SuperTeen Skipper in two Fashion Collectible sets, all from 1979

The ruffles to Perfect Beginnings and
Close Ups match the outer garments,
Dreamy Blues and Happy Go Pink, almost perfectly.

1988 Homecoming Queen Skipper in her original gown and Lookin' Lively #2593

Not wanting their minidresses to expose too much
if there is a gust of wind,
Barbie and PJ will also put on half slips underneath.

The crinoline that came with Lookin' Lively
is the stiffest petticoat Mattel has ever made.
Skipper also wears the pantyhose and underpants that were part of the set.