What kind of Barbie gear did you have?

[madison2000]

I had blond Barbie, Ken, Skipper, the Barbie Dream House and the Barbie Theatre, which was the best toy ever. My sister had Midge and a Barbie so when I wrote plays we augmented this cast of 5 with our trolls!

[FuzzySlippers]

1. I had Barbie, Ken, Midge, and Skipper.

Did you have that Dream House that was made of corrugated cardboard so the furniture kept collapsing? That's the one I had. I also had this cool kitchen that wasn't by Mattel but was Barbie sized and had appliances and a table and chairs and tiny dishes and silverware.

[madison2000]

4. yes, thats the one

It was cardboard crap, but I liked it - well, more than Ken.
I bought a lot of clothes for her but also sewed a lot. I stuck pins in Barbies breasts to give her the appearance of nipples and painted nail polish on her lips.

The theatre was way better than the Dream House, though. I loved writing plays for the dolls to act out!

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

2. I had two old Barbies that were my mom's when she was little

(50's). I had a Barbie and the Rockers Ken doll (he didn't have painted on hair like most Kens), and another Barbie and the Rockers doll that had reddish-brown hair (some friend of Barbie's). I had a newer 80's version of Barbie and a Skipper doll too. I had a car for Barbie, a Barbie townhouse, and a Barbie supermarket. I also had a few dolls that were cheaper versions of of the Mattel dolls.

[Kali]

3. oooh ooh

When I was about 8 my Aunt gave me a Skipper with an entire wardrobe that she made by hand. Later I had Casey. My grandmother had a Francie with a whole bunch of hand made clothes as well - I still have her. When I turned 30 my husband gave me my first REAL Barbie (we are the same age) - a western Barbie and her horse too (blanking on the name right now) Still have thm as well.

Now I notice they sell the entire doll and costumes - I liked having different clothes for the same doll - more imaginitive, in my opinion. Love the old fashion and accesory catalogs that used to come with them - still have a few of those too.

Also had Jane and Comanche from the Johnny West series when I was 10 or 11.

[madison2000]

5. Geez, I can't believe I forgot I had a Francie! (till you mentioned her)

She had good hair and eyelashes. Much better looking than Barbie. My Barbie had two portable closets full of clothes.

[TahitiNut]

6. None. That stuff is for girls.

[madison2000]

7. You know its funny you say that

I have a younger brother who got all sorts of cool toys like remote control cars on a race track- and my sister and I were really jealous. He liked it too but later on thought the doll theatre stuff was cool because of the creative side of it- I hated baby dolls, but the barbie stuff was older and I think I used it in non-traditional ways.

Barbie and Ken played Romeo and Juliet!

[Kali]

8. Barbie and GI Joe

Ken was a bit effeminate. (still I always wanted the real hair one)

Now ask about matchbox cars and hotwheels.

[madison2000]

9. Oh. those were really cool too

I must have bought my little brother a few zillion of them- terrific detail.

[flamingyouth]

10. I had Barbie, Francie and Christy, her African-American friend

And the Country Camper!

Oh, and Ken, but I always found him void of personality.

[FuzzySlippers]

12. Ummm...by personality do you mean

he was a little deficient in the manhood department?

[flamingyouth]

13. ROFL - no, but I hated his plastic helmet hair

I had hippie Ken. He had a "suede" fringe vest, psychedelic paisley shirt and gold bell bottoms.

[madison2000]

15. the things they did to male dolls were weird

[The Zanti Regent]

11. what is so depressing...

...My sister has her original Chatty Cathy doll that she has kept as an heirloom for years and we look at the price it can fetch on eBay!

[madison2000]

14. wow, I never had one of those

And I ruined my original Barbie by sticking pins in her boobs so she isn't saleable!

[DemBones DemBones]

16. I have an original Barbie, from when she didn't have any gear.

I also have (or had, not sure I still have it) a BOB doll that pre-dated Ken but was the right size for Barbie. He was cuter than Ken, too.

[bettyellen]

17. My brother used to borrow my Barbie for dates with GI Joe.....

and I'm afraid vice versa too. LOL. I had a hand me down Ken that was way too corny looking, so she went for Joe. He had this great phone in a shoulder bag she'd borrow a lot too.
I was always a little freaked out when Michael would return the Barbie. Gosh, if dolls could talk, huh?

[zann725]

18. I had one of the original Barbies (in early 60's)...

This was back when one bought the original doll, and then bought outfit, by outfit to dress Barb. NOT, as today, when young girls buy a NEW Barbie EACH TIME they want a new "look" or "outfitted" doll.

This is SO absurd, and wasteful. I visited with a friend last year, whose two daughters had (between them) no less than 30 Barbie dolls!!
What is that about?!