Francie! Skipper! Come back!

Wild Bunch. Fun Time. Daisy Crazy. Maybe it's just the names. Maybe it's nostalgia. Even deja vu'. I've been obsessing over the vintage Skipper and Francie fashions of my childhood. I prefer Skipper and Francie size, because of course that fits Blythe, and then I can enjoy looking at my vintage treasures.

After many (and I mean many many) hours on Ebay, I scored the great bargains pictured above. I know I looked at over 125 pages of 50 items each on-line into the wee hours last night. But it was FUN! I had so many of these outfits, dolls, cases, accessories, doll houses growing up, and then repeated Barbie in the early 1980s with my daughter.

It is just incredible that there are still outfit sets in the unopened, original packaging from 1964. And even the packaging was cool. Was there ever a better era than the Mod Era? It is also amazing what the price tags are for some of these vintage items in mint, complete condition. I saw Barbie outfits selling for more than $1,000 for a tiny little dress and shoes. And collectors are paying it. Obviously, those collectors have money to burn.

My goal was to find the items I wanted at affordable prices, and it can still be done, especially if you are not looking for complete sets in mint condition. I don't mind finding the outfit only, since I'm going to put them on Blythes, and I don't mind a little unnoticeable damage, especially if I can make a repair, or alter them in some way.

The blue set (next to last photo) is Skipper Fun Time, a croquet set. I had this as a child, and it was always one of my favorites. I just love the detailed, embroidered top. Can't wait to try it with my blue-haired Zena.

The clam diggers raincoat (bottom) will look great with some orange jelly boots I found on Etsy, as will the hairy Wild Bunch coat at top. I believe this coat is one of the older ones from the 1960s-1970s, although the entire outfit was reproduced with a Francie doll in 1996.

Also from Francie are the yellow shoes above (have no idea how they will fit Blythe), the red and navy striped vest and the yellow shirt dress with pink, white and yellow tweed skirt. That came with a pink knit vest- had all that as a kid, too.

The Daisy Crazy dress, also pink and yellow, was for Skipper, and came with a belt. But I think it will be just fine without. It and the yellow Skipper Tea Time dress will both look great with white go-go boots or chunky mary jane shoes, don't you think? Stay tuned for a great photo shoot!