Saturday, December 7, 2024

Let's Swirl

Introduced in 1964, the Swirl Barbie doll presented a sleeker version of the previous ponytail style by replacing the curly bangs with a band of hair brushed to the right side of the doll's face. The shorter ponytail was curled at the ends in a single swoop and finished with a yellow ribbon, attached with a bobby pin.

The Swirl Barbie doll was an expression of elegance at a time when Mattel was also presenting Fashion Queen Barbie and Miss Barbie, dolls that introduced the concept of wig play to the Barbie doll line. By 1965, the Swirl Barbie doll became the American Girl and one wonders what factors propelled the shorter production cycle. Difficulty in creating the style? Popularity? Or the desire to keep Barbie's first sculpt reflecting the rapid pace fashion?

Dolldom appreciates Mattel's decision to celebrate the Swirl Barbie doll with a Silkstone reproduction on the 60th anniversary. Dressed in "Black Magic" ensemble (stock number 1609) and sporting platinum white hair, the reproduction doll also has a beautiful face-up palette with soft pink lips, still found today on some surviving samples, although most vintage dolls have lipstick that has aged to milky white fabulousness.

Doll restorer and styling magician Bobby Taylor, director of the ever busy Pink Bubbles Doll Spa, reflected on this unique look of the vintage platinum Swirl Barbie and decided to impart the same aura of sophistication to the reproduction of a client. Dolldom was captivated by the idea and kindly asked Mr. Taylor to execute it for this first entry of December 2024. Mr. Taylor also styled the reproduction doll's hairstyle to the standards of the vintage counterpart as the current iteration's hair was lacking precision in its realization. Dolldom thanks Mr. Taylor once again for sharing his immense talent.

For fashions, Dolldom selected utterly glamorous fashions in a palette of blue by Marirose, Tania Lawrence, Sylvia Campbell, and Julian Kalinowski to compliment the icy gorgeousness of this beautiful evocation of early Barbie doll style.

Sylvia Campbell 





















Julian Kalinowski



Tania Lawrence
Marirose


Pink Bubbles Doll Spa

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