LIBERATION 49: LOS ANGELES DODGERS BARBIE

Last fall, Mattel produced three fabulous Major League Baseball Barbies- one for the Dodgers, one for the Yankees, and one for the Cubs. Designed for the Barbie Collectibles line, as opposed to the play line, these dolls are extremely high quality with great eye appeal. Although I’ve never been a fan of any of the teams produced (go Cardinals!) I couldn’t resist dolls made with such a wonderful attention to detail.

The Doll

Unlike the rest of us, Barbie doesn’t sweat while working out, so she can wear makeup on the ball field. However, in deference to the rest of us, she has kept her makeup to the “bare bones.” Barbie’s big blue eyes are accented by green liner and bronze eye shadow. Her eyelashes are painted in dark brown instead of black, which gives the impression she’s going mascara-less. I excuse the deep red lips on the assumption that Barbie’s probably had hers tattooed that color by now to save time choosing a lipstick color in the morning. She also has the barest trace of red blusher, so light I have to wonder how they managed to apply it. Her eyebrows are painted a pale reddish brown that is an amazing match for her strawberry blonde hair. Her hair is thickly rooted, and although styled pulled back, there is a center part present. Her blunt cut ends just below the shoulders, and is very even, a welcome change from many mangled blunt cut Mattel dolls. She has no earrings (or other jewelry, for that matter).

Barbie uses the full Bend and Move body, including the flat feet. I know, I know, people don’t like the flat feet, but this is a sports doll- cut the poor girl a break. This body is also more slender than some. I would like to see Mattel do a Bend and Move body with a more athletic build, but I’m willing to settle for the excellent poseability this mold affords. Barbie can jump for a fly ball (and hold the pose on her included stand), take the traditional batting stance (although she needs rubber bands to hold her bat), or even wind up for the pitch. In short, I’ve had more fun playing with her than in most dolls I’ve deboxed in the past year or so.

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

The Outfit

Barbie Collectibles did a terrific job here- the lack of attention to detail that people have complained about for the past few years is completely absent here. Barbie’s uniform consists of the baseball t-shirt worn beneath the uniform, a one piece jumper that has the thick cotton button front jersey attached to nylon tights with attached blue stirrup socks, white cotton knit cuffed pants, a blue nylon belt, and blue and white athletic shoes. By anchoring Barbie’s jersey and socks to the tights, both pieces stay firmly in their proper place. This gives the jersey the proper tucked in look without adding another thick layer of fabric beneath the bulky pants. All pieces are well made, and the Dodgers’ logo lines up beautiful from one side to the other.

Outfit Scorecard
Fabric: A-
Style: A
Execution: A+
Overall: A

The Accessories

Mattel went all out with the accessories for this doll, and the buzzword was clearly “quality.” Barbie’s miniature nylon warm up jacket is perfect in every detail. Her cap fits perfectly, and even stays on! Her faux leather glove is a licensed Wilson product, and her tiny baseball with molded laces is a Rawlings. And then there’s the bat- the legendary Louisville Slugger, recreated in perfect 1:6 scale in all its wooden glory. The finishing touch is my favorite Mattel stand- the sturdy plastic waist grabber. This stand is a lot of fun with Bend and Move bodies, as it holds the doll firmly enough that they can hold any position imaginable. I’ve even posed dolls upside down in these stands, and they actually stay in position!

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

The Result

The Dodgers are in town for a long weekend, and today Barbie, darling of sports writers and gossip columnists alike, pitched her first no-hitter. To celebrate, the entire team goes out to enjoy the New York nightlife. One lucky paparazzi captured this lovely photo of our girl, looking stunning as usual, giving a slightly embarrassed smile over all the fuss. Barbie is modeling “NY Night,” a terrific dress of purple glitter that looks stunning with her pale red hair!