Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Big Beautiful Dena Arrived In Need of Clothes and Shoes


Big Beautiful Dolls, Dena arrived nude as one of the last available dolls from Georgette Taylor.  "We"  immediately rummaged through available clothing to locate something suitable for her to wear.  A pair of shoes ordered after her arrival and after the first photos were taken were modeled last.  Below are the photos of the clothing and what she ultimately chose to wear. 

We knew this dress made by Shasha, designed for dolls with fewer curves, would be a stretch; but because the fabric gives, Dena agreed to try it on for "size."

A view from the rear shows how far those stripes can stretch.

Because Halle had been wearing the Shasha dress and needed something to wear in the meantime, she tried on this full-length, quite roomy, Sparkle Girlz dress that has thin ribbon straps.  Dena tried it on after returning Halle's dress to her.

We tucked away the green shoulder straps of the Sparkle Girlz dress.  It accentuates Dena's curves as well as exposes her most prominent one...

...so this dress was returned to the Sparkle Girlz clothing stash.
Next, Dena tried a Franklin Mint fashion made for their 14-inch Jackie Kennedy doll.  In this photo the hemline is folded under and there is even more posterior exposure.

While she looks great in peach, full tush coverage is a must!
Franklin Mint  Jackie Kennedy Bear Canadian Mountie red suit ensemble almost fits like it was made for Dena (and not a stuffed bear), but the pillbox hat is too large for her head.
Made for Wilde Imagination Lizette, this purple dress came with a handmade choker, crocheted clutch, and floral patterned mesh stockings.

Except for the long length (because Lizette is 4 inches taller), the hose fit Dena.
Unfortunately, the bodice of the purple dress is a snug fit.  I had a difficult time snapping it closed in back.  Doing so leaves some of the inner lining exposed.  For that reason, this dress was not selected.
I found this so-60s, flower-power-looking dress in a doll trunk while looking for the Jackie Kennedy teddy bear ensemble.  I have no idea which doll arrived wearing this, but I do recall immediately redressing the mystery doll and storing this dress.  The bodice area fits loosely on Dena.  She could pull off wearing it if she or I desired.  We decided instead to return it to the doll trunk.
When all else fails, making a sock dress is a viable option.  Dena models two different looks created with the above sock after it was cut just above the heel area.

The hemline is a little jagged because the scissors I used are dull.  Here the dress is worn with a shrug created after the toe area was cut away from the remaining piece.

In the first look, the shrug is crisscrossed in back.

In this second look, the shrug becomes a bodice.  With the back portion brought over her head, it rests around the front of her neck to create a semi-choker.

View of the bodice/semi-choker from the back
I will have to purchase more toddler-size crew socks and make more of these dresses for Dena, using sharp scissors for cutting.

Before these white vinyl pumps arrived, Dena tried on and made the above dress her final selection.   We are satisfied with the fit of the dress and shoes.  (The dress was made for Wilde Imagination Lizette, who can be seen wearing it with matching scarf and hat here.)
If you too are in need of fashions for any of the Big Beautiful Dolls (Dasia, Dena, or Dawn), check out Vanessa's Etsy Shop for items she plans to stock that were written about here

I purchased Dena's shoes on eBay. 

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27 comments:

  1. The final dress is a winner on her! I also like the Sparkle Girl fashion on her you could but a little extra fabric in the back. It looks great from the front. I am having a hard time finding shoes for my Dasia. I know you said you got these on eBay -- what doll were they for originally and what was your search criteria?

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    1. Hi Phyllis,

      I thought about buying another one of the full-length SG dresses to add material to the other one for the back closure. If one is there the next time I visit Walmart, I plan to purchase it. Or like you said, I could always add extra material in the back.

      I asked around about shoes that fit the BBDs. Someone who had purchased these shoes on eBay shared the link with me. They were listed as vintage fashion doll shoes. You can try contacting the seller to see if there are others available through the completed auction link. Good luck!

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    2. She does have more, because I did find the same pair on e-bay, and purchased them right away. Both Dena and the shoes arrived on the same day!! Now my Dena needs to find the perfect outfit. So, I've got some wonderful sewing ideas for her.

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    3. Hi Dorothea,

      Congratulations on getting Dena and the shoes, on the same day! Have fun sewing for her.

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  2. I thought she looked amazing in the purple dress, even if it was a little tight in the back. Maybe you can find something in purple that fits her better.

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    1. I liked her in the purple dress, too, April. I actually purchased it as a gift for someone but the moment I tried it on Dena, I thought, "I'll have to buy something else in place of this dress." But once I struggled with the closing back, I decided I would probably not keep it. The jury is still out on this decision now that you've mentioned it, because she does look nice in it as well as the tights. We shall see.

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  3. Although there were some fit issues with some of the outfits, she looks great in everything. The sock is the BBD friend. They look good in a sock dress. l love the shoes! I've found some interesting things for my BBD. I'll have to show them.

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    1. Thanks Ms. Leo! I look forward to seeing your additional BBD items.

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  4. I agree that most of these outfits looked great on her .... from the front. Some of those back shots had me cracking up. No pun intended. I am one step closer to listing outfits for Dasia and Dena. I had to figure out my packaging strategy. I developed what I needed, so we are moving forward. The plan is to list several items this weekend. These outfits are giving me some more ideas for new styles.

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    1. So glad you've worked out packaging for the BBD items for your Etsy shop, Vanessa. I look forward to seeing your items.

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  5. She really does look fabulous in everything, even if some didn't close all the way in the back. Loved the first one and the Sparkle Girl dress as well as the sock and crochet one. Fabulous doll!

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    1. Thanks, Farrah Lily. These are fabulous dolls. Hope they return with articulation.

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  6. Those sock dresses are great. They look like hand-knitted dresses from a distance.

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    1. Thanks, RM. As a child between the ages of 6 and 8, I used socks to make dresses for my baby dolls.

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  7. Dena looks great in these fashions! I especially like the purple dress and the dress made by Shasha. I was glad to see that you tried the long Sparkle Girlz dress on her. I'll definitely be on the lookout for that one for some of my larger ladies. And her shoes are cute!

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    1. Thanks, Roxanne! Hope you find the long SG dress. The seller relisted the remaining quantities of shoes. At the time of this comment, there are 3 pairs remaining.
      http://www.ebay.com/itm/161681754108?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_nkw%3D161681754108%26_rdc%3D1

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  8. Your Dena looks nice, The outfits also look good even though some are a lil to small, show front views no ones the wiser....

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    1. Dena will probably never wear any of the dresses that did not fit her properly unless adjustments are made by adding fabric or other modifications.

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  9. Dena looked cute in several of the outfits. Purple seems to be her color...maybe it's the lipstick. The sock dress was my favorite. I need to make something for my Dasia. My Dena is dressed as she was sold. Thanks for sharing the various dresses. Now, I will look closer at the fashions that I own that are stretchy. Great post!

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    1. You're welcome, GG. You were fortunate to purchase a dressed Dena. Hope you're able to find or make something for Dasia to wear.

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  10. Actually, the sock outfit was my favorite! It was simple and yet flattering to her figure. As a big girl myself, I have totally been there where you look good in the front, but the back is another story. That's when long jackets come in to play, lol.

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    1. Long jackets and long sweaters work well when coverage is desired or needed.

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  11. sukienka w nieregularne paseczki - to
    idealny wybΓ³r dla Deny :)))
    Halle olΕ›niewa w kaΕΌdej kreacji...

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  12. Wow, Dena is FABULOUS! I didn't know such a gorgeous doll existed. Now I have to find one!
    You sock dress is wonderful. I can imagine all the different colors and print patterns.
    I love your website!

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    1. Yes, Dena is fabulous. Her girlfriends Dasia and Dawn are too. If you cannot locate the original versions, Dasia (the African American Big Beautiful Doll) is making a return after 18 years as a limited edition. You can learn more about Dasia by following the link that is within the right sidebar on the home page of my blog, or click here. If you plan to preorder Dasia @18 enter DGDOLL at checkout to receive:
      Signed doll with stand, #'d certificate of authenticity, free copy of the book, Dasia: The story of a Big Beautiful Doll, your name in the credits of The Campus Crimes TV series, 3-month free subscription to HerTube TV to view the series.

      Thanks for stopping by.

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