Since the other day, when I posted those Barbie dresses I’d sewn, I’ve been wondering what pattern I used. The first seasons I did Runway Monday on this blog, I didn’t have patterns. Then I realized I wasn’t competing with anyone and no one cared, and I started buying patterns to make things easier on myself.
I thought you might like seeing how pattern makers tried to refresh Barbie’s look through the years. Judge them, mock them, or admire them, however the mood strikes you. Note the original cost of the patterns.
#5673, Simplicity, 1964, original cost 50 cents
I believe I used this pattern for Look 3 and just the dress on Look 1.
#9099, McCall’s, 1967, original cost 50 cents
I’ve used at least parts of five of these looks. I royally screwed up Look F recently.
#3429, McCall’s, 1972, original cost $1
I’ve used four of these looks. I particularly like the bodysuit B and the dress G. The year I took a bunch of Model Muses to Saints and Sinners and forced everyone to pose with them, I created many looks using these patterns.
#8333, Simplicity, 1987, original cost $4.50
I made my own pattern for my first cape, so it was great to get this one. I’ve made the cape and dress 4 for sure.
#7362, Simplicity, 1990, original cost $6.95
Nothing seems familiar unless it’s some piece of Ken’s formalwear. These dresses seem very TV “Dynasty” to me.
#7601, Simplicity, 1991. original cost $6.95
I created my own swing coat, but it sure was nice to get a pattern for one, and I definitely used this coat. Again, the dresses seem very 1980s. Of all the decades of fashion I’m familiar with, the Eighties would be my least favorite.
#5738, McCall’s, 1992, original cost $7.25
Pieces from seven of these looks were used.
#6317, McCall’s, 1993, original cost $8.50
I’ve used several of these. I think I may have bought this pattern when it came out, because I have a pair of overalls for a male doll. They are so well made that I’m wondering if Lynne sewed them for me back then. I can’t coerce her into making doll clothes now. That woman can sew, but nobody wants to deal with tiny seams, etc. It’s crazy that I do it. Sewing is definitely a case where I don’t enjoy the process. I enjoy the finished results. =)
#9838, Simplicity, 1996, original cost $8.95
Used I, H, and F, and I think F may be what I used for the dresses shown in Thursday’s post.
#9894, Vogue, 1998, original cost $11.95
Probably used E for Ken’s jacket and pants but had to modify them for the larger male dolls.
#5785, Simplicity, 2002, from the 1960s Simplicity pattern archives, cost of repro $13.95
Definitely have used four of these as favorites.
#4754, Simplicity, 2004, original cost $14.95
NEVER AGAIN those lab coats. NEVER.
#4702, Simplicity, 2004, original cost $14.95
Lots of fun stuff here. I know I’ve done dress D, and all the pants are great, so I’ve probably done some of them.
#1955, Simplicity, 2011, original cost $16.95
I’ve never used this pattern. I believe the fashions can be made to fit the much smaller, slimmer Monster High dolls, which is probably why I bought it. Those dolls are TINY.
I never knew that patterns for doll clothes was even a thing. But then, I’m a boy – and boys don’t play with dolls. Oh no. Action Man, yes, but not dolls.
Action Man had better come with a lot of accessories!
More seriously, there’s an account I follow on Instagram by a guy who does amazing photos with dolls. He has dolls who represent all his siblings, and often when his family does something (takes a trip, for example), he’ll dress and pose his dolls to represent them. He also does a lot of vintage shots with his dolls dressed in WWII attire and in period dioramas. He recreates scenes from scary movies with Dracula or Frankenstein. He finds cars to scale and repaints them GORGEOUSLY for his dolls to pose with/in. I love all the little worlds he creates, and he hasn’t done many lately, and I miss them.