Time for a little Barbie nostalgia: How many of these did you have/want/remember? What am I missing from this almost perfect list of the best Barbie Stuff Ever?
Growing up I was a total Barbie Girl – I played with Barbie and her friends way longer than I should’ve. Over the years I’ve come across one or two of my old (but still totally awesome) Barbies and passed them down to my Barbie girl, Ry (though she usually makes me be them in our games, as they’re a bit rattier than her newer shinier models).
But I don’t care because I know how cool they are, even if they have a couple hair plugs showing from visits to the “salon” gone awry, or if Ry doesn’t know who some of the obscure celebrity Barbies are – I’m lookin’ at you Jimmy Osmond. And I know that you know how awesome they are too, which is why I’m giving you a list of my favorite Barbies and Barbie “stuff” growing up. Here Goes:.
VOTE – which did you have/want/remember? (You can vote on my Pinterest “Barbie Nostalgia” Board, or Facebook “Best Of GenX Barbie” album or send me your fave on Instagram!)
If you want to be really awesome – add a picture of your fave (ebay is a good source) – at any of the places above with tags #BarbieProject #BarbieList and tag me too! — and I will add your choices.
Before we know it, this will be the definitive list of the Best Barbie Stuff ever and I SHALL RULE THE WORLD!
NOW GO FIND ME PICS OR SIMPLY MAKE SOMEONE SMILE AND SHARE THIS LIST WITH ALL YOUR GEN X FRIENDS (THEY’LL LIKE IT)
This month I’m talking about playing with Barbies through the generations and nostalgia – two of my favorite things! Click here to join the conversation.
I’m just a little too old (born in 62) to remember most of these, but I was a HUGE Barbie fan growing up. My favorite thing ever was my Barbie Dream House! Barbie rocks.
I had a friend who had every single Barbie crap imagined. The house, the car, the pool, the Ken, the everything.
And she had every cousin and every grandmother and every high heel Barbie ever had.
So, no. I didn’t get any. I had to go to her house to play with them.
And now? I totally get why mom did that. Yes. Yes, I do.
I LONGED for the Barbie Town House, never got it. I did have Magic Curl Barbie and the RV thing (why the RV thing and not the Town House, MOTHER?). Oh, AND the blow up furniture! I had Marie Osmond’s dress, but not Marie herself (dress acquired in a shrewd trade for the dad from the Sunshine Family–we had Ken, what did Barbie need with that dorky dude in a maroon turtleneck and khakis?). I also had an African-American Barbie with lopped off hair who had once been a nurse (again, I traded someone for it), and at one point I had Ballerina Barbie or something like that. But I can still remember the song: “Dance ballerina, dance ballerina dancing ballet/you can make her spin/when violins begin to play/back kicks and front kicks/twirling on her toes/twirling away to a dance you compose.” This is why I never know where the hell my phone is.
I had totally forgotten about Kissing Barbie – and I had her! I also had the town house, because I was really lucky. But it had the inflatable furniture in it, so maybe not that lucky? I also had birthday Barbie but not Golden Dream. How did I not have Golden Dream? Solid Gold was my favorite TV show.
What a trip down memory lane!
I had a bunch of these- the townhouse, the camper (a JOY to assemble), the blow up furniture ( OMG I forgot about the blow up furniture!). I too was all about the small stuff accessories. THE BEST. One of my faves to add was Barbie’s Afghan Hound. A dog…with brush able hair, enough said.
Dolls, I had Kissing Barbie (meh), Secret Styles Barbie, and Birthday Barbie (my fave of the bunch). I also had Pretty Changes Barbie in her yellow pantsuit, oh yeah! And Roller Skating Barbie and Ken in their purple and pink awesomeness!
Do you remember the Sunshine Family? I totally kidnapped their kids for Barbie to raise.
Of the non Barbie crew, I totally had the Charlie’s Angels. Dorothy Hamill doll, the whole Wizard of Oz set (one of the few I hung onto), I think Donnie (maybe Marie) (were purple socks involved?), and a Bionic Woman doll-who was freakishly large (as were the Sunshine Family freakishly small) in Barbie’s world.
Wow, was I spoiled. Wish I would have hung onto some of the more obscure ones.
I loved my Barbies when I was young. I’m not at all ashamed to say I had the best collection of barbie clothes either. Every year my mom would get carefully co-ordinated fabric remnants and sew Barbie a new set of stylish clothes. If you’ve ever tried to sew those tiny garments with their microscopic seams then you know this was a labor of love.
There was Ballerina Barbie, not to be confused with Dancerella (of the famed song mentioned by qwertygirl below), Jody (Jodi?) with the floor length hair, and of course Growing Up Skipper-you twisted her arm & she got boobs! Amazing.
You’re better than I am–I didn’t remember there was a difference between Dancerella and Ballerina Barbie. I think I had Ballerina Barbie, but the song for Dancerella is the one in my head. And thanks to Google (along with Wikipedia, the source of all knowledge), I see and recall Dancerella (who was not actually a Barbie, but was a baby doll type doll). It was Ballerina Barbie I had. And was I the only one who always managed to break the little loops on the ankle strap style shoes (which had a sort of button-and-loop closure) in like two seconds??
I love you right now because in your infinite 80s naiveté you have reminded me of freakin’ Dancerella, who I am totally picturing and will try to remember the tune to for the rest of the night until I look it up at like 3 am. Thank you for both making (and ruining) my night at the same time!
Someone just sent a pic of growing up Skipper and I was both impressed and at the same time amazed that they made her and can’t for the life of me figure out how I didn’t have her. How many times did I spin my arm… squeeze my wrists and pray for boobs??? Too many.
I had a Barbie that wore a fabulous silver and pink glittery gown. She had a necklace that you could change the colors of the jewels. But the best part? You could remove the lower poufy gown part, and Barbie could wear the top half out clubbing. And don’t worry! The poufy gown part turned into a cinch sack you could carry as a purse!! I wish I could remember what this Barbie was called. It’s perfect for this article!
You have to find it on Ebay and post it on my fb page. I must know. Any Barbie that parties like that was my kind of Barbie. PS how come none of my clothes convert into handbags?
What a trip down memory lane! My sister totally had the van and the corvette. Being the middle child, I never got any new Barbie toys but the van was the SHIT!!
It really was wasn’t it? I was pretty sure I’d one day travel the country in a van… bwahahahahahah what was I thinking? I wouldn’t last 2 states.
O that is sooo cool! I HAD that! I am sure it is the exact same Barbie house that I had. I remember that elevator.
I’m trying to think of other Barbie that I had …..but I am sure I had everything at one point or another. I do remember a dog though. I haven’t seen that in ages. I’ll have to go look it up.
After writing this I found an old box with some of the Barbies in it. All naked and scared and not looking as hot as they once did. We will be trying to dress them and magic erase some of the wear and tear next week. They too seem to have aged…
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