Thursday, February 13, 2014

The Swimsuit Illustrated




The Swimsuit Issue. Why should there be an issue about a swimsuit? Miss Barbie Millicent Roberts turns fifty-five years old and poses in a revamped version of her iconic 1959 look and the world goes bananas.



Dolldom reminds that the Barbie® doll has had a love affair with swimsuits ever since her inception. Meant to be a basic doll to be redressed, the teen-age fashion model was offered in a chic zebra striped black and white one piece so that children could ask for mini couture for her to wear. Of course, many of us believe that in her swimwear, Babs is nothing short of perfection.

To prove the point and to celebrate Miss Roberts' long due inclusion in the much-hyped Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, Dolldom presents an exclusive portfolio of her very best beach and pool wear.

Splash!


And then there was Barbie! The original 1959 model goes sunbathing in her très faux zebra skin strapless number with some of her Hong Kong clone friends.


A Number Three Barbie doll is ready for a swim in her Dreamhouse's pool.


An advantage of being a model is having garments fitted to your exact measurements.


Dolldom commends the Japanese seamstresses who made each one of the zebra stripes meet at the center seam. Bravissime!



In 1964, a Swirl Ponytail Barbie modeled a red Helenca swimsuit. Very athletic!


In 1963, Fashion Queen Barbie demolished all glamour standards in her Egyptian gold wonder and a year later, Miss Barbie came along in a coquettish cotton candy and gold sparkle number.


And in 1965, The Barbie Look was defined by a gayly striped blouson model.

Barbie is to swimsuits what gin is to tonic. Here's to Barbie Style.

4 comments:

  1. Lovely pictures! When seeing the bathing suits of Fashion Queen and Miss Barbie, I think Mattel was always ahead on fashion for it's time, compared to other toy companies.

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    1. Thank you, Nymphaea. I agree with you. Those two designs go unmatched.

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  2. Your photos are BRILLIANT, Ernesto!!!! Thank you for the visual feast!

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  3. Another of your beautifully conceived and photographed blogs, Ernesto.

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