Tiny obsessions: Vintage Barbie Lingerie

1968 Talking Barbie, dressed in a piece of #1821 Underliners from 1968

I tend to be a little obsessive in my doll collecting habits. My current obsession for my vintage collection has been lingerie and sleepwear. I have several interesting collector books--probably my favorite author is Hillary Shilkitus James--which helpfully encourage my rather obsessive behavior.

Variations are particularly interesting to me at the moment--I'd love to add a few 1970s Perfect Beginnings Pak variations to my collection. These adorable Paks include a bra in a varity of prints (Color Magic, Dreamy Pink, The Combination, Style Setters, Twiggy Turnouts, Border Line, Floating Gardens, and pale pink), matching panty, nylon ruffled petticoat, and talc powder with puff. My first one is on the way--Floating Gardens. 

You can see samples on eBay, but also check out the yellow version on Doll Reference, and a lovely NRFP sample in Style Setters from Big Red Angel.

1968 Talking Barbie in #1864 Close-Ups Fashion, standing to Julia's right.

Wonderful details to look for in many complete other negligee and under-fashions: hairbrushes and combs, mirrors, curlers, and other "vanity" accessories, scales (they read 110 lb!), huge variety of slippers, shoes with pom poms, books, pillows, lace, tulle, satin, bows, and girly stuff.

Often, lingerie is hard to find in decent condition because of wear in elastic. Additionally, delicate synthetic fabric tends to wear easily, so you may find snags, uneven wear in ribbon straps, missing bows, and so forth. I also notice that synthetics tend to pick up (and hold) odors, such as smoke or musty smells, much more easily than natural fabrics. Keep these points in mind (especially odors, when shopping online) when doing your own shopping.

Tonner Doll Company, I'm done with Alice, I tell you!

Blue Alice, a photo by alington on Flickr.

Please, dear loving designers at Tonner Doll Company, I'm really trying to be good. I'm trying to get over my obsession with Alice-themed dolls, and you aren't helping me. How am I supposed to get better and get my budgeting issues under control when your dolls keep getting cuter and cuter?

I hate to be so forward and ask you to stop creating Alice-themed dolls, simply for my sake. Surely there are plenty of other collectors out there who are able to order just one doll. That collector isn't me.

Dear readers, I'm due to post you my "holiday themed" display cabinet pretty soon. I tend to display the dolls I'm most thankful for during the holiday season (we celebrate Christmas, but start holiday decorating at Thanksgiving, as you may be able to tell from my photos). Those dolls happened to be dressed as Alice this year.

On to this doll: This limited edition of 200 dolls is called Blue Alice, and is from the 2011 Halloween convention. She is the Shauna/Queen of Hearts/Sweetheart sculpt on a cameo Antoinette body. She has blonde straight rooted hair and painted blue eyes, which I have enhanced with a little Liquitex gloss--just to add a little shine.

Her dress is two pieces: a lovely couture chiffon tunic with black ribbon trim, and a blue organza skirt with attached black petticoat. She includes blue striped tights and matching fingerless gloves, antiques silver necklace, black ribbon headband, and black and white shoes.

Blue Alice is still for sale at TonnerDirect. I just adore this doll. Don't you?

The search for Vanessa.

True Royalty Vanessa, a photo by alington on Flickr.

So... I want to know if this is just me, or if it's typical of other doll collectors. I go through these phases in which I become suddenly obsessed with a particular doll or two (or three). The current dolls-of-the-moment:

• Mattel's Steffie sculpt (which you already know)
• Poppy Parker
• Vanessa Perrin

I know my followers have been suffering through my Steffie obsession for some time. Maybe you weren't aware of my slowly growing Poppy Parker collection. I'm not sure I have to have them all (fortunately--my friends and fellow Bloggers Valerie and Kathie have completed their collections to date at IFDC, and I'll be nagging them about a series of posts).

But Vanessa... well, I know a lot of collectors out there have a love/hate obsession with her. I'm not in love with all of them. There are a few I'll definitely need to add. Yes, I ordered the W Club exclusive. No, my True Royalty is not complete. Yes, I most definitely need more Vanessas. My most recent addition is Temptation Vanessa (photos soon!), otherwise known as Bump It Vanessa. I adore her.

What about you? Do you have a sculpt obsession? Who are they? Do they come and go, wax and wane?

What about this: If you have more than one, do the sculpts have anything in common? I happen to: the lips. I like great big pouty lips.

My next question... which Vanessa do you think I need the most? Besides Metal Maven?