Friday, October 31, 2014

Dressed to Thrill

These days some of the most interesting character and fashion design work for dolls is showing up in the Goth realm.  Mattel's Monster High and Everafter High, Lovely Patsy's Midnight Magic, Playhut's Mystixx, and MGA's Bratz and Bratzillas lines offer dolls in a variety of sizes and shapes so there is a wide range of fashions Goth dolls can share.  This video fashion show demonstrates which dolls fit which lines of clothes so that even if you only have one or two Goth ladies, they can always dress to thrill.  Happy Halloween!




A bientôt

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Women of Color Re-bodied

 "Any idea why Xenobia asked us to meet her here in the grotto?"


"Not a clue..."

 
"but here come Carmila and Mircala.  Maybe Xenobia was more forthcoming with them."


"Wow!  Fearsome frocks!  I didn't know this was supposed to be like, an ocasion or anything."


"Why thank you.  Those pink Timberlands are clawsome!"


"Did Xenobia say anything about where she's been lately?"


"Actually we haven't seen her in ages.  We were starting to wonder what she was up to."


"At least we can get in a little moon-bathing while we wait."


"Hey ghoul friends!"


"Well look what the black cat brought in.  Hey Ulalume, did Xenobia give you any details about her plans?"


"Not a whisper.  I guess we're all in the dark."


"Here she is now!"


"Is that really you, Xenobia?" 


"Thank you all for coming.  I know I've been out of pocket and I figured I owed my BFFs an explanation."


"One night I met this guy in the club.  I pegged him for a deep sea diver -- you know the kind that can touch the bottom even in the wildest storm so we went back to my place.  He suggests I draw a bath so I start filling it up and splash in my special scented oils... Next thing you know he's dragging me under like he wants to drown me.  Only it turns out he's a merman.  He took me through the bath water to his undersea realm in the Bermuda Triangle so I could meet his mother, the queen of the mermaids.  The whole family treated me so kindly, and Queen Sirena gave me gills and this tail so I can live with Triton under the sea.  It's the first time I've ever felt like I belong somewhere.  We're getting married next month in Nassau and you're all invited!


***
This post features the Kid Connection Scary Dolls I bought last year, 


and the fashions from this Kid Connection poseable fashion doll.  

Both sets came from Walmart.
I had a lot of fun with the Scary Dolls in my "Freaky Friday" post but I didn't think I would ever find upgrade bodies for blue, green, pink, and orange women of color.  Then trolling eBay gave me some ideas. Vertrice upgraded to a Wizard of Oz Wicked Witch of the West body.


While it's not an exact match for her complexion, the articulated arms are a plus.


Tituba is preserving her modesty with the scarf from the Halloween Star fashion she was wearing.


Uptown Chic Barbie's poser body was a perfect match for her caramel complexion.


Mircala upgraded to a pearlescent pink Barbie Fairytopia Sparkle Fairy body.


Unfortunately her glittery bodice is painted on.


Carmila got a lavender Sparkle Fairy body.  At least her painted-on bodice does not have shoulder straps.  I always felt that the Scary Fashion doll pack should have had one purple doll instead of two pink ones.


Maybe I can figure out a way to stain Carmila's face lavender to match.


Fortunately there was a blue Sparkle Fairy as well so Ulalume also got an upgrade.


Although her face is a little more gray than her new body, I think it suits her.


To my knowledge Mattel has not made any orange Barbies.  I always though Xenobia looked like she had spent too much time in the tanning bed so I would have consigned her to the spare parts bin if I hadn't run across some cheap mermaids in Dollar Tree.  The orange mermaid tail was a perfect match for Xenobia's torso.  I put the pink and blue Sparkle Fairies heads on the pink and blue Scary Fashion Doll torsos and then attached the Dollar Tree mermaid tails in place of legs.


They can serve as ladies in waiting when Xenobia marries her mer king and becomes queen of the sea.


A bientôt!

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

If any interesting clone faces came out last year, I missed them while I was in Senegal.  This year, however, I have been pleased to find several new clone face molds.  This lady is a Lovely Patsy Fashion Stylist:


Family Dollar was well-supplied with African American Fashion Stylist dolls but I already had dolls with that face so I opted for the smoldering Latina:


The doll came with several animal print outfits plus there were some $5 fashion packs with several more. 


My tiger lady is a Kid Connection doll from Walmart.


She came in a pack of six princesses.  There were no black princesses in the bunch but you seldom see a brown-eyed brunette doll and the princess in the harem pants on the left has an ethnic look.
 
 

In 2012 Kid Connection did release a six pack of ethnic princesses.  I reviewed them in "Proletarian Princesses."  Unfortunately those dolls were still suffering from the effects of the Recession.  Their bodies looked emaciated and they were made of cheap, hollow plastic. 

 (the 2012 princess is on the left, the 2014 princess is on the right)

This newer batch of Kid Connection princesses has vinyl legs with click knees and a sturdy body equivalent to a Mattel bellybutton Barbie.

 (bellybutton Barbie is on the left, the Kid Connection princess is on the right)

Walmart is also selling Kid Connection dolls that come with a wardrobe.  I thought this Goth rocker was the most interesting:


I plan to review her outfits later so she donned a Lovely Patsy frock for this post:


Her dark hair and strong features give her a very distinctive look.


"Oh my!" I thought when I first saw this leopard print coat in the Lovely Patsy Fashion Stylist packs.  While it is lined, I was disappointed to find that the construction quality is poor and the fabric feels more like a bathrobe than a luxurious fur.

 

Still the ethnic princess from the Kid Connection princess pack is working it!


 A bientôt!