Friday, December 14, 2012

Ebonilicious!

The ebony beauties are from L-R:  Princess of South Africa Barbie, Barbie Basics Model  No. 04, and Model of the Moment Nichelle (click to enlarge)
For some time now I have wanted to publish a post featuring natural-hair dolls.  This is that post.  The hair underneath the wig worn by the center doll, Barbie Basics (BB) Model No. 04, Collection 001, is a short cropped style.  For this occasion, however, she opted for a more dramatic look provided by the larger Afro wig borrowed from Urban Antoinette Adèle Makéda.  The other two ladies have tightly coiled natural tresses. 

Each doll has been redressed, some more recently than others.

Princess of South Africa Barbie wears a new metallic gold dress

Princess of South Africa (POSA) wears a metallic gold dress and coordinating black and gold, sequined shawl by eBay seller, barbie-couture.  As a repeat customer, I can attest that the quality clothes she sells are as she describes them:  durable, updated, and fashionable.  Use of stretch fabric, in most cases, allows her fashions to fit the rail thin ModelMuse body as well as the more curvaceous body POSA possesses.  The gold tone, bow-shaped choker worn by POSA is actually an adjustable ring.  The bow is encrusted with yellow faux diamonds.  Black and silver shoes from Barbie Basics Look No. 02, Collection 001 are the perfect complement to POSA's gold and black ensemble.

Wearing a little black dress or redressed, wigged or not, Model 04 is fully confident in the skin she's in. 

Having retired her little black dress nearly a year ago if not longer, Model 04 now wears the only solid color Barbie Fashionistas dress I have ever seen. The lavender color of the dress and her deep complexion are an appealing combination.  Her silver shoes are from Barbie Basics Look No. 02, Collection 001.5.  As mentioned previously, Model 04 borrowed the Afro wig from Adèle. 

Model of the Moment Nichelle, looks lovely in bronze and black

Model of the Moment Nichelle is the most recent of the trio to be redressed.  Her bronze lamé one-shoulder top, bangle bracelets, and shoes were borrowed from BB Model No. 08, Collection 002.5.  Initially she was going to go buck wild and wear the top alone to flaunt her shapely legs.  Actually she did this for a couple of days in the doll room, but some of the guys were getting a little "emotional" as a result of her overexposure. I thought the black leggings, made by Shasha of Atelier ni Shasha, would calm their emotions.  Girlfriend wouldn't have been able to do an about face without exposing her buttocks had she not put on those leggings.  Her bronze, star-shaped earrings were purchased on a card of five pairs from a local beauty supply store for a dollar. 

I usually buy most of my fashion dolls' earrings from that store and just as often dismantle these over sized, often dangle earrings to create multiple playscale-size earrings using paired pieces from the parts.   Model 04's bow-shaped choker was purchased there, too.  I usually use toe rings as necklaces for my playscale people, but, according to the clerk, they were sold out.  She kindly suggested an adjustable ring instead (not knowing I wanted to create a necklace for a doll).
  


Beauty can be found in people of all sizes, shapes, colors, hair textures and hair lengths.  These three inanimate, gorgeous representations of women and the people who look like them are proof that ebony skin and natural hair are included in the many combinations of beauty.  One standard of beauty is a myth.  


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18 comments:

  1. I love love LOVE this post!! I am so grateful to own dolls of all varieties! What you said is so true, "One standard of beauty is a myth." I wish our biased society could embrace this truth as a whole. Again, thank you so much for sharing your STUNNING girls with us!!! So beautiful!

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    1. Thank you Cat for your glowing comment. I plan to do another natural hair post soon. I hope you enjoy that one, too.

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  2. Thanks for sharing these dark and lovely ladies. They all exude such poise and confidence!

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  3. Great article Debbie! I love my ebony dolls!
    Bonnie

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  4. Hello from Spain: these dolls are awesome. I really like their outfits. Their hairstyles are very real. Keep in touch

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  5. Your ladies are rockin'! They all look fabulous and confident. I didn't realize how different POSA looks next to Model #4. I have SA boxed in the basement. Love that wig #4 is wearing. Thanks for the Barbie-Couture link. She has been mentioned on flickr a couple times the past couple of days, but I couldn't find her shop. Thanks for enabling, yet again.

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  6. Maria, Limbe Dolls, Bonnie, Marta and Vanessa - Thank you all for your comments on the ebony beauties.

    Vanessa - POSA and Model No. 4 do have distinctively different looks. Debox your doll. Maybe one of the Kenya bodies can be used if you're wanting articulation.

    If you or anyone else purchase more than one item from Barbie-Couture on eBay, request an invoice for combined shipping before checking out. While her auctions state she combines shipping, eBay's automatic invoice does not combine it. She has always been happy to combine the shipping at my request.

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    1. Now you know I am not paying $20 for a body. My airbrush works just fine. Barbie Couture must have fixed the ebay shipping issue because I did buy two items and the shipping was correct. Yep, didn't take me long to find things to buy.

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    2. I somehow forgot who I was suggesting the Kenya doll body too... Ms. Airbrush Pro, herself, :-)

      I'm glad the shipping matter is fixed. Congratulations on your purchases from Barbie Couture. Looking forward to seeing your lovely ladies in their new fashions.

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  7. Very Nice! I love their look. Thanks for sharing them with us!

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  8. I agree with Cat, I LOVE LOVE this post! Nichelle is one of my "favorite" dolls! It's very nice to see her redressed. You are inspiring me to redress mine. ; )

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    1. Thanks, GG. I didn't think I'd ever redress MOTM Nichelle!, but inspiration often overpowers thought.

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  9. Ebonilicious! I love that term. These dolls have got it going on.

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  10. Thanks, Muff. Ebonilicious is the word that came to mind when I gazed upon these three together, specifically when selecting the photos I wanted to use for this post. I took several, as I always do.

    Model No. 4 was the most difficult to photograph alone in the pose I wanted for her. I felt like a photographer giving a model instructions. Initially she was in the backward lean with both arms at her waist. Her left arm was constantly hidden on the images. I almost gave up, until I thought about "instructing her" to lift that arm up. Finally, I got a publish-worthy shot.

    :-)


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  11. I really wish they had the same variation in skin tone for the playline dolls. Maybe someday.

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    1. Yes, Faye, a variation in skin tone for the playline dolls would certainly be nice. The light caramel brown complexion has been overplayed.

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