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Babs Through the Ages

 

Girls of all ages...

...in all times and all places love to dress up.  One of the things I love about my doll collection is the way it feeds the female imagination.  I began collecting period costumes for my Barbie collection on E-bay a few years ago.  The Barbie "Little Theater" outfits gave us a few lovely outfits, including the beautiful medieval dress "Guinevere, but for a greater variety of time periods, I had to look to some amazing seamstresses.  I've tried to make Barbie clothes, and tuck-and-tie with scarfs and hankies was my speed.  Many of the clothes you see here are intricately detailed and beautifully crafted.  Visit News from the Nest (May 06) for pictures of friends from my writers' group outfitting the dolls at a meeting in my home.

   

Above left:  handmade Elizabethan fashion; 1965 Barbie "Guinevere" outfit; homemade 15th c "princess dress"; 18th c Marie Antoinette.  Center: American fashions including front--18th century western lady and prairie dress; back--18th c day dress complete with layered undergarments and 17th c American Pilgrim.  Right:  from left--early 20th c "Titanic" dress; beautifully detailed late 19th c outfit; 1930's gown; early 20th c. Russian influence; 1920's flapper.

   

Above left and center:  One of my #4 ponytail Barbies models the Regency period Jane Austen day dress with its empire styling and cropped jacket.  Right and below:  More views of the period costume collection.  Aren't these fun?