Mix 'Em Up Fashions Barbie

     I have a little secret and you may have already guessed it. I LOVE dolls with extra fashions and if they can mix and match, I'm in heaven! The first doll I can think of which had this feature (for me at least) was Pink and Pretty Barbie. She came with a top, skirt, pants, overskirt, fur stole, and hat/short skirt. I loved how you could change her looks with all of these different fashion pieces. 
     Then came fashion packs sold with multiple pieces which could be mixed and matched. I have a few of them and am looking to get more. Also, there were fashions which were sold separately which looked like they could mixed and matched because they were made with the same fabrics (more on this later). 
      Finally, there were dolls made specifically for mixing and matching. One of these dolls was the 2003 Mattel Toy Store Exclusive, Mix 'Em Up Fashions Barbie. I purchased this doll online and have been pleased with her ever since! The doll itself is beautiful. Her make up is soft and she has a dreamy look to her face. She comes with a strapless gold top, long gold skirt, fur stole, black top with half sleeves, reversible skirt with one side black and the other shades of gold, a white reversible sleeveless shell with gold dots, dark gold "leather" pants, denim capri pants and a black jacket with a fur collar. She also comes with a pair of black heels with a strap, gold heels with a strap and a pair of black ankle boots as well as a red crossbody bag, gold drawstring bag, black sunglasses and pearl medallion necklace. With all of these pieces, the mixing and matching possibilities are practically endless!
       This first picture is of the boxed doll. Since I've taken mine out of the package, I've used two images from the internet to show how she was packaged. The box itself was interesting as it was "latched" and opened like a book. I can't think of another doll I've seen this on. 

In the box

Everything still attached to the liner. 

The back of the box 

Her dreamy look

The gold skirt, top, stole, purse and necklace. 

The dark gold pants, reversible shirt, gold shoes and red bag

The white shell reversed, reversible skirt and gold shoes

The black shirt, reversible skirt, sunglasses, black booties, bag and necklace

The gold top, denim capris, black jacket, black heels and black sunglasses

     I am really pleased by the versatility of this doll set and am glad I bought her! The doll is lovely and the outfits are some of my favorites! More mix and match things to come in future posts!

Tonner City Girls Unreleased Dolls and Outfits

     In my previous post, I showed you the released Tonner City Girls dolls and outfits. Now I'm going to show you what could have been if the line continued. I've found all of these images online, so none of them are mine. 
     It looks like the City Girls line was either going to be bigger than it actually was upon first release or there was another line which was planned for release. I'm very disappointed these dolls and outfits were never made as they would have really expanded on the line. 
     As you can see in the picture below, Color Block Astor, Cape Town fashion, Basic Brook-Lynn, Taxi! Billy, Golden Swirl Astor and Gray Haze fashions are with a cute blue dress, a lovely pink dress and different packaging!

I love the blue outfit on Astor!

     In this picture, which is split, I love the two dresses on Brook-Lynn! The outfit in the package is cute too. The sandals on Brook-Lynn look different than what was produced. 

I really love that pale pink dress with the gloves!

   In this one, you can see the two dresses on Brook-lynn from a different angle and the shoes on Color Block Astor look like they are two colors rather than the one color they were actually made. 

Another view of the two unproduced outfits

     This picture shows that lovely blue dress a little better though I'd love a head on shot of it.

This blue dress is the bomb!

     Here is one more outfit, which I'm very sad was never produced. I love the purple jacket and jeans on this one.

This is a beautiful look!

     This one shows more outfits which were never produced. I love the orange sweater outfit! I'm also not sure which doll this is supposed to be since it doesn't look like Astor's hair color. The doll in the green and blue outfit is Astor, or so I believe. Also the blonde doll behind the orange outfit looks different than Brook-Lynn. 

I love the teddy bear!

     Another view of the above outfits, with a clearer view of the long pink dress and the trench coat outfit. 

I really like the purple dress too!

     
        I'm not sure if the three dolls are supposed to be additions to the line or just different looks for Billy, Astor and Brook-Lynn. Here's a closer look.

I love the hair on the doll in the pink dress!

         Here is a closer look at the two dolls in the back. I am totally in love with the long pink and gold dress! 

Beautiful dolls

     Here is a closer look at three of the outfits. I really like the purple dress and the trench coat outfits. 

Looks like polka dot PJs!

     Here's another closeup of some of the outfits and you can see some of the names as well.

That shoe box is to die for!

This one shows the gorgeous pink and gold gown. 

I can't quite read the name of the outfit. "Met at the (something)"

     And finally, I don't know if these were additional dolls or the way they were going to initially be boxed, but I came across this picture as well.

I like the coordinating outfits.

     All in all, I liked the City Girl line and have contacted Tonner to see if they were going to release any more. The answer was essentially, "Maybe." I can only hope!

Tonner City Girls

     I came across these dolls completely by accident and fell in love with them! I do remember downloading the catalog introducing the dolls, but never looked into purchasing them until I ran across them by accident online. I have managed to obtain almost the full set of them minus one of the outfits, which I'm still looking for, and am sad there are no more to buy. However, it looked like there may have been more in the works which were never produced. The line consists of five 15.75" dressed dolls and three outfits. Each doll has articulation in the arms, legs, hands and waist. Also the hands are removable. 
     The dolls are Color Block Astor, Golden Swirl Astor, Taxi! Billy, Basic Brook-Lynn and Basic Houston. Astor was the only doll released as a deluxe version and Brook-Lynn was an FAO Shwartz exclusive. 
      Each girl does have a backstory, but they were only found online or in the catalog, so if you didn't have the catalog, you wouldn't know their stories. 
      The first one I bought was Color Block Astor. Astor is 23 and is a fitness model. She is a strong and determined survivor. While in the hospital, she made up her mind to beat her medical condition and start doing triathalons. She succeeded and is now a competitive triathlete and fitness model with major contracts. She devotes a lot of time to training and friends, but just as much to charity runs to help find a cure. 

Color Block Astor

        The life of a Fitness Model isn't always photoshoots and sporting events. Astor is ready for tonight's Charity Ball, wearing the Golden Swirl Gown. She's ready to dazzle and dance. 

Golden Swirl Astor - if you notice, her hand has come off, but it is in the box still

          Billy is the next doll I bought. She is 24 and is a bakery owner. Billy's Buttercream Bakery is one of the hottest bakeries in the City. There are always lines around the corner waiting for her scrumptious desserts. She's sweet, soft spoken and puts love into everything she bakes. A large portion of the proceeds from sales of her cookbook go to charities around the City.

Taxi! Billy

     Basic Houston and Basic Brook-Lynn are dressed in the same outfit, which is a robe, camisol, boy shorts and high heels. I bought Houston first. She is 22 and is a personal shopper. Few people have the style and eye for fashion that Houston does. She started her Personal Shopping business in college and since graduating, her client base has grown exponentially. She's a smart and graceful business woman who is also incredibly socially minded. 

Basic Houston

     I lucked out when I bought Brook-Lynn as she was in a bundle with an outfit I'd been looking for. Brook-Lynn is 23 and is an event planner. When you need an event planned, the "it" gal to call is Brook-Lynn. She's incredibly organized, detail oriented and has exquisite taste. She also uses her amazing creativity for pro-bono charity events that raise awareness of causes close to her heart. 

Basic Brook-Lynn

      The outfit I bought with Brook-Lynn was Networking. The City Girls (tm) know that it takes more than working hard to make it in your chosen field. Who says that you can't have fun while Networking? 
       The picture in the catalog shows Astor wearing it, while another picture of the group together shows it on Houston. 

Networking fashion

      The second fashion I bought  is Cape Town. Autumn in the City is a magical time. Warm days and chilly nights. Strolling the avenues and enjoying the evenings outside before winter pushes everyone indoors. The picture shows Billy wearing the outfit, while another shows it on Brook-Lynn. 

Cape Town fashion

    The third and final fashion is my favorite and the one I can't find. I'm hoping to be able to find it so I can complete my collection. It's called Gray Haze. The City Girls (tm) know that winters in the City are COLD! The streets become wind tunnels and are a maze of ice and slush. Luckily, they know how to dress accordingly. 

Gray Haze fashion on Brook-Lynn

Join the Squad! The Mystery Squad!

     As a young girl, I LOVED reading Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden books. I had almost the whole series of both. My friends and I would trade books and we even set up a "detective school" for ourselves. Alas, none of us became world famous detectives, but it was still fun. 
    Fast forward to 2002. Mattel releases a four doll set called Mystery Squad. It was phenomenal! The dolls were adorable and the accessories were to die for! There was also a headquarters playset, a cafe which transforms into their base. Unfortunately, no extra fashions were made for these lovely dolls.
     Each doll came with an outfit, a backpack, two items from the prom caper mystery, a paper board box of some sort to hide supplies in, ID card and other spy accessories. Also included were a pair of spy glasses for a child, which had mirrors on the lenses to see behind you. The cafe had all sorts of spy gear for the girls to use as well. 
      Each girl was a specialist in her field, so the team had various resources to call upon when the time arose. 
      The team consisted of Barbie, the Night Mission specialist, Kenzie, the Surveillance Specialist, Shawnee, the Data Information Specialist and Drew, the Communications Specialist. They each came with a booklet which was "confidential" telling about the dolls and their skills. 
       Barbie came with a backpack with night vision goggles, pop-out roller skate shoes, Yes/No electronic information analyzer, town map and detective glasses. She also came with glow-in-the dark stickers, which were clues to the mysteries. Her prom queen accessories were a pair of pink gloves and a white tiara. The night vision goggles were activated by a button on her backpack. 

Barbie

Barbie's spy gear

     Kenzie had the Teen Skipper body and came with a detective dog. Her backpack came with a grappling hook and retractable rope. She also had a digital camera, blue prints and detective glasses. Her prom queen accessories were a rose and a scepter. Her dog's collar also lit up to act as a camera. 

Kenzie and her dog

Kenzie's accessories

     Shawnee came with a hidden leg computer, which she could strap around her thigh. She also had a laptop with three interchangeable screens, a data scanner, detective glasses, fingerprint duster and dust bottle. Her backpack's data scanner was activated by a button on her backpack. Her prom queen items were a pair of pearly white shoes and a pink clutch purse. 

Shawnee

Shawnee's accessories

        Drew came with a wrist computer, which was concealed by the sleeve of her coat. She also had a hidden light up signaler, a satellite radio and detective glasses. The signaler is activated by her backpack. She also came with a Morse code chart for secret messages. Her prom queen items were a white necklace and the prom queen sash. 

Drew

Drew's accessories

     The Mystery Squad Headquarters looked like a normal cafe, but it had so many secret items for the girls to analyze their clues. The soda fountain transforms into a microscope. There is a secret panel hidden in the soda fountain. The cash register opens to reveal a satellite dish. The sign turns to reveal the headquarters. The countertop flips up to reveal disguises and a mirror. The food display hides a secret computer. The chip bags are really secret cell phones. The menu turns over to reveal a hidden radar screen. Flip the tabletop and it shows a map to track suspects. 

Mystery Squad Headquarters - I've not opened it yet.

The back of the box, showing all of the secrets in the cafe. 

     This line was just full of items for loads of imaginative secret agent play! I know my friends and I would have played with these dolls until they fell apart or we lost everything. There have been other secret agent Barbie dolls since this line was released, but in my opinion, this one is the best. 

Real Friends, Real Fun

     Now normally, I don't like cheap Barbie knockoffs. They're just that: cheap. The dolls are cheap, the clothes are cheap and they just don't look right. There was one exception to my rule though. In 1999, Toys R Us released a line of dolls that, while cheap, were so much fun! 
     Real Friends, a Toys R Us exclusive, consisted of a line of four dolls, Brandi, Tanisha, Maya and Jessie. They were released in a regular set for $6.99 and a deluxe set for $8.99. The beauty of these dolls, even though they were cheap, was the "magically changing outfit". Each doll had outfits, which could be changed somehow to become something else. So while the doll was dressed one way, a piece could be added or it could be turned inside out to become something else. Genius, really. 
      The deluxe dolls included pieces so you could make at least three outfits out of it, while the regular dolls could make at least two different outfits. I really love this feature and this is what makes these some of my favorite dolls. The deluxe dolls also included a headband for a little girl, since all of the dolls came with them. 
       I was able to get seven of the dolls while they were in the stores, but one has eluded me ever since. I'm not even sure the doll was made, but I really hope so and I hope to be able to get her one day.
       I'll start with my least favorite doll. Her name is Brandi and the blurb on the back of the box reads: "I'm Brandi...I love sports. I'm really good at skating, swimming and skiing. I was just elected Prom Queen!" The regular doll could be changed from a lifeguard to a skier, while the deluxe doll could be changed from a skater to a princess to a ballerina. 
      While I was taking these pictures, I noticed the hair on both of the dolls was shedding something fierce! She was the only one to do this and it was both dolls. I'm not sure why. 

 

Skier Brandi - the boots snap into the skis

Lifeguard Brandi - the skier jacket reverses into the lifeguard jacket

Lifeguard Brandi 

Brandi's clothes and accessories - I've turned half the jacket inside out so you can see the difference. 

The picture on Brandi's insert. The prototype is definitely a higher quality doll and it shows a whistle around her neck, not a triangle necklace. 

Deluxe Brandi - the base of all of her outfits

Ballerina Brandi - I didn't fasten the shoes as I didn't want them to break

Skater Brandi - just the ballerina outfit minus the tutu

Princess Brandi (or Prom Queen according to her blurb)

Brandi's clothing and accessories - Not a lot of things to mix up, but still kinda cute

Ballerina Brandi on the insert - Love her hair! Bet it wouldn't shed!

Skater Brandi - you can tell the arms and legs are more Basic Barbie like than the actual doll. Such a shame, but I'm sure more cost effective.

      My next least favorite doll (or would that be third favorite?) is Tanisha. It's not that I don't like her, but she didn't have as much flexibility clothes-wise as the other two. Tanisha was actually quite lovely. According to her blurb, she says, "I'm Tanisha...I love playing tennis and dancing. When I start my career, I'm going to hold all my meetings on the tennis court." The regular doll could be changed from tennis star to party time while the deluxe doll could be changed from a busy executive to dance star to glamour girl. 

Tanisha - tennis player. She also came with two rackets and a tennis ball.

Tanisha in her tennis dress. The illustrations on the side of the package show her wearing this dress both with the gold insert and without, but I've never been able to figure that one out. 

Tanisha in her party dress. Her tennis bag turns inside out to become her gold mesh party bag. 

Tanisha's clothing and accessories - I love they were able to use the Barbie mold for the sneakers as they can fit over socks. 

Tennis Tanisha on the insert - I love the curl coming out of the visor and she has such a sweet face. 

Glamour Girl Tanisha - the feathers on the boa were EVERYWHERE!

Business executive Tanisha - as you can see, the jacket is a little too snug

Business executive Tanisha without the jacket so you can see the detail of the skirt.
 

      

Ballerina Tanisha - I didn't fasten the shoes as I didn't want to break them. 

Tanisha's dress can be long...

 

or short! 

  

Tanisha's clothing and accessories - the boa was in the bag due to the flying feathers.

Business executive Tanisha on the insert

 

Ballerina Tanisha on the insert - once again, loving that curl!

     My next favorite doll is Maya. Her blurb reads, "I'm Maya...Hola! I love being outside, tossing a disc or playing soccer. After practice, let's try out some new dance moves." The regular doll can be changed from bell bottoms to today's hip leopard while the deluxe doll can be changed from soccer star to dance queen to school time! The deluxe doll features one of the best accessories in this set.

     

Maya in capris - Keep an eye on those as well as the purse...

Maya's capris are now bell bottoms! And don't the bottoms look familiar...

 

The bell bottoms are also reversible.

One more time for the bell bottoms! Not only are they a purse, which does open at the top, and the bell bottoms, but also her skirt! The shirt is also reversible!

Maya's clothing and accessories - so many possibilities!

Maya in her leopard skirt

Maya in her dance dress

Maya in her school outfit - the shirt is reversible to the lace side. 

Maya in her soccer outfit. The best accessory? The sign, which turns inside out to become her wrap for the dance!

Maya's clothing and accessories

     

School time Maya - she looks so sweet with the bow in her hair

Soccer Maya

     Finally, we come to my favorite doll of the bunch. I think she is my favorite because I love her colors and her school outfit. Unfortunately, I've never been able to find the regular version of her, so I only have the deluxe version. From what I've gathered, the regular doll should feature hiking and shopping as her blurb reads, "I'm Jessie...the "girl-next-door". I love hiking, dancing and shipping. Let's catch a movie then hit the mall to try on the latest makeup." 

Photo of regular Jessie from the back of the box - You can see a bag, binoculars and a hair attachment with two different colored braids.

Dance Jessie - I love the silver outfit with the pink highlights

Volley ball Jessie - the ball is the same as Maya's soccer ball

School time Jessie - the sleeves of her shirt are the gloves of her dance outfit reversed. The skirt is also the dance outfit skirt reversed and worn backward. 

Jessie's clothing and accessories 

Volley ball Jessie from the insert - her face reminds me of Barbie's cousin Jazzie

School time Jessie 

     I think for me, this is the only line of cheap Barbie knockoffs which are worth something. They have reversible clothing and can be imagined in many ways. I just wish I could find the regular version of Jessie. If anyone has one or knows where to find one, let me know!