Fantasy Friend Friday
I received more of my childhood memorabilia from my parents. This Tropical Barbie was one of the toys in the box. Mainly, I’m posting this to show off one of my passions when I was a child. I loved making clothes for my dolls. This particular dress was definitely the highlight of my clothes making. I designed it myself – notice how there are puffed sleeves which were oh so fashionable then (80′s). I fashioned it after the dress that Jennifer Connelly’s character wore in the movie Labyrinth. Of course hers was pink and I made mine out of blue, but the general idea is there. Since the movie came out in ’86 and I probably saw it on cable a year later in 87′, I’d say I made this sometime in my 7th or 8th grade years.
Unfortunately, parts of it ended up kind of twisted around, which prevented me from ever entering it in any contests. But looking back on it, I’m still surprised that I went to such trouble on some of the details. I’d forgotten that I’d made those puffed sleeves, and even more, that the sleeves were half white and half blue with a silver stripe between them.
I guess that is all, other than to say that I always loved the soundtrack to Labyrinth, because it had original songs by David Bowie and I was a David Bowie fan. It was probably one of the first CDs that I bought. I still get a kick out of hearing the music from the other album that we had by him at the house – I think it was called Let’s Dance. Or at least, that was one of the key songs on the album (and I’m too tired to look it up). Amazing how a snow day can sap the energy from you. 
No really, I think it is because I slept in yesterday and I’ve got my sleep schedule kind of messed up now. I’m sure I’ll feel back to normal shortly.
Happy Friday, everyone!
Amber says:
Now singing:
Golden years…Golden years…Golden years *clap clap*
And wow! That dress is beautiful. It looks like something you would buy for your doll at a fancy store. I like the blue and silver and white, it is so pretty. Almost like a snow or ice princess.
That Barbie obviously goes to tanning beds, because with being an ice princess and all, you just don’t have time to go to the south and bake in the sun for hours.
Texas Seestor says:
I always loved this dress that you made for your Barbie and was impressed by the detail. I always thought of it as a ‘Princess Bride’ dress as I had forgotten about Labrynth.
For a long time, she sat on a swing which hung from the ceiling in Danielle’s room. Definitely a place of honor! : )
Danielle says:
Amber, I don’t get the song reference. What is that from?
Texas Seestor, I’d forgotten to mention the swing. I’m glad you remembered.
jenski says:
Wow! I’m impressed that you made that. My grandmother always made us Barbie clothes from older things she was taking apart – this meant that our Barbies had a dress from the same material as one of my mother’s old dresses that was in our dressup clothes. Labrynth kinda freaked me out but the dress is still gorgeous!
Squirl says:
That dress is really cool. I’m impressed with your sewing/designing skills. I loved myh Barbie dolls but didn’t make anhy clothes for them.
Amber says:
Golden Years is on one of his albums..I mean, on David Bowies albums. It is the song he sang that sticks most in my head and I imagine him singing that while dressed up as the Goblin King.
Danielle Blog » Blog Archive » Countdown to Chrismas says:
[...] Suffice to say it was fun to dust off my sewing machine. It was a little tricky, because I didn’t have the recommended needle size for the material. And I did this during the snowstorm, so I couldn’t go out for a replacement. But, you know, my niece won’t care. Thus, I’m perfectly pleased with how it turned out. Sewing this weekend kind of makes me want to find more sewing projects. This one took me back to my younger childhood years where I would design and make clothes for my dolls and tropical barbie. This would be the one I’ve shown here before. [...]