Current Mood : Funked
Current image notes : A coloring page for you. Just 'cause.
Sorry, guys - I'm in a funk of a mood. Working some stuff out. I guess I'm spoiled, because I finally have the funds to order the Mad doll stands I've wanted, but it'll be Wednesday before I can order them, and it'll be a week past that before I get ‘em. For me, that's very delayed gratification, and I don't think I'm handling it well.
What's making it worse is the Anniversary dolls. I don't really care for the Robert Best designed ‘glamour Barbie' commemorative - to me, it's just another Big Dress Blonde. Sure, it's a nice dress, but when have I ever paid $60. for a tulle-spangled gown ? And the doll is yet another Model Muse, head and body, and now that I have one (a nude "Go Red" was part of the Box o' Wonder from Joanne), I'm colored even less impressed with the body style, something I'll have to get deeper into on another entry.
No, I'm talking about the repros - there's six of ‘em, each representing an ‘era' of Barbie. Ponytail, Bubblecut, Twist ‘n Turn (TNT), Malibu, Superstar, and Rocker. Right now, Ponytail, Bubblecut, Malibu and SuperStar are on shelves, with TNT and Rocker due out in February. When I first heard of these, I thought it was neat, if the reproductions were done well - it was nice to see something beyond Vintage being done. But I figured I'd be immune from the dread Want, since I already have a Bubblecut, a TNT, and multiple Malibus and Superstars. And I didn't much want a blonde Ponytail, or a wild-eye-makeup Rocker, although I loved the 80s vibe of her clothes. In short, a nice idea of Mattel's, but nothing I'd want. Just like most years...
Soon, though, I finally got to see what the doll boards were erupting over. (sigh) For perhaps the first time ever, the dolls actually look better in the harsh light of retail. What ranks is that part of me wants all of ‘em. There's just something so... clean about them. Mine are scratched and worn - heck, most of ‘em only cost a buck from a flea market - and are clearly played with, and let's not get into flaws, or we'll be here all day.
But these repros are bright and pretty and new, and come with booklets I want to look at and clothes that call to me. I want dolls I already have, and part of that ticks me off, ‘cause these dolls ain't exactly cheap ! They're not Silkstone pricey, either, and you get a lot, but $40. each for two or three dolls is a bit rich for us, especially now... yet I know that if I wait, they'll sell out and I'll be haunting eBay... or in three months, I'll have forgotten all about them. Could easily go either way.
So, as you can guess, I don't exactly enjoy this challenge to my frugal nature. I hate wanting what I already have, just because the New Improved version is shiny. But I still want to look at them again, and I say it's because I want to find the flaws, talk myself down, even though I know if I do see them, I'll just Want all the more. I was actually mad that the high-side Mal-Wart didn't have them Tuesday, I was almost in withdrawal. This sort of behavior is very odd for me.
What makes it worse in many ways is that the two I'd mostly likely buy, if I can't throw this weird obsession, are the two that are easiest and cheapest to find - the Malibu and the Superstar. If they'd done the Sweet 16 instead of the TNT, you'd be adding her to the top of my list. Yup, I don't want the hard-to-find-even-as-a-repro dolls, I like the most produced dolls Mattel ever made. Sphew.
And that's where I am now. I think now that I've hashed it out in public, it'll be easier to throw this over. Heck, I'm half-tempted to take one of my Malibus to Mal-Wart and compare my original to their repro. Goss knows my new purse is big enough to contain a few out-of-box dolls. If it's that much of an improvement, then fine, we start savin' our pennies. If not, then the spell should be broken.
That said, I still wanna look at the repro catalog booklets...
