LIBERATION 34: TOTALLY YO-YO COURTNEY

Yo-yoing is one of those wonderful kid’s games that is ‘hot’ at least one time in every child’s life. This has been one of the ‘hot’ years for yo-yoing, and Mattel jumped right on the bandwagon with a line of Skipper dolls with yo-yoing action. The principle behind the action is simple- a lever in the doll’s back retracts the yo-yo string. When one of the interchangeable dangles is in position, the weight of the dangle pulls the string back out. By repeatedly toggling the lever, it appears the doll is actually yo-yoing. The only drawback is that the lever and string are permanent parts of the doll.

Courtney was one of the first dolls to use the new bright copper hair color, and it looks gorgeous on her! Her hair is styled in two low pigtails, and features a fully rooted part from the front to the back of her head. Her eyes are olive green with blue and brown accents, giving a true hazel look. Her shadow and blush are done in pale neutrals. Her lips are a pale pastel pink. Her skin tone is an equally impressive light olive tone.

Courtney sports a modified Teen Skipper body. In addition to the lever and string, the right arm is in a more normal position for someone who is yo-yoing. This arm also features a large, molded on bracelet. Other than these changes for the sake of her special action feature, the body is quite typical.

Doll Scorecard
Face: A
Body: B+
Hair:A+
Overall: A

The Outfits

Two complete outfits are provided with these dolls. The hot pink sparkly mini-dress comes with pastel pink clogs that really do not match the outfit. The other outfit features a long, stretchy pink skirt and a pale mint t-shirt. Both pieces are accented with ribbon trim, and the (cotton!) t-shirt has an applique of an anime-style bunny yo-yoing. Matching mint platform sneakers provide the finishing touch. Interesting note: in order to provide access to the action lever, Mattel designed the t-shirt with a large hole in the back!

Outfits Scorecard
Fabric: B
Style: B+
Execution: A-
Overall: B+

The Accessories

Mattel has provided some really adorable accessories with this doll. There are three interchangeable dangles: a bunny, a frog, and a pink and mint yo-yo. A great oversized bag with another anime-style image has ‘chains’ to store the two unused dangles. Also provided are a doll sized mirror and brush that she can actually ‘hold’ as well as the normal hairbrush.

Accessories Scorecard
Concept: A
Style: A
Playability: A+
Overall: A

The Result

I actually loved the eyes and hair on this doll so much that I got two! The doll on the left in the photo is demonstrating how the right outfit can make that bracelet and yo-yo string virtually unnoticeable. The doll on the right is a recent visitor to the Ladybast house of restyling, where she received dark purple lips and thicker brows that match her hair color.