Hair Fair changes for 1969

Hair Fair got a new number in 1969, #4043.  The long braid was omitted and substituted with a fake ponytail with two bouncy Buffy/Cindy/Nellie curls, and a long straight ponytail.

In 1971 the packaging was changed and the set was given a third number, #4044.  The contents were almost the same, only this time the head had centered blue eyes.  As before, blonde items are easier to find than brunette.

The doll photo that you see shows three of the items we received as part of a Hair Fair Christmas gift in 1970.  As an adult collector, it's my theory that what we got was at the end of the production line.  The blonde head has very sparse hair.  The blonde wiglet has no attached elastic strap to fit over the head.  The brunette wig has a huge bald spot.  We also got the twirly ponytail and the straight ponytail.  I don't ever remember seeing instructions on ways to wear the pieces, nor do I remember any pins or attachments, and I wonder if they were there in the package at all?  I wonder if perhaps my mother bought the item on clearance?

The original long ponytail we had disappeared decades ago.  I never knew what to do with the curly piece, as the only girls I knew who wore their hair like that were Buffy Davis, Cindy Brady and Nellie Olsen, and one set of curls on the side looks pretty dumb.  Again, it wasn't until I was an adult collector that I learned that these pieces were supposed to come with little attachments, and the piece with the blue barrette was meant to be worn on the back of the head.  Note that the brunette double curls I acquired as an adult is also missing its barrette, which was probably another end-of-run item.

The 1969 and 1970 Hair Fair items vary in quality.

This photo is from the 1969 booklet,
Barbie's World, Bright, Swinging Now.

The same photo as the 1969 booklet was reprinted
in the 1970 Living Barbie booklets.

1971 had a new package and stock number for Hair Fair but the same contents.