Betty Teen-Type Fashion Doll

Betty Teen (type)

The eBay seller identified this doll as an unbranded Betty. A Google search led me to several photos of white Betty Teen dolls by Tong and/or M&C (circa 1980s-1990s). These dolls are said to have been popular in Russia as a Barbie alternative during the 1980s. Their popularity rose in the US during the 1990s. Black versions are more difficult to find. 

I saw a similar doll on Pinterest several years ago and pinned the photo to my Vintage Black Barbie Clones and Competitors Pinterest board in hopes of identifying her and owning one like it. Well, this one looks very similar to the one I pinned, but she's not the same doll. So, the hunt is still on for the pinned doll. 

Full view of Betty Teen-type as she was upon arrival

This 11-1/2 inch fashion doll has the usual five points of articulation with an articulated waist and click-bend knees. The eyes are painted brown with painted upper and lower eyelashes—not rooted. The mouth has dark red lip coloring and the lips are closed. (The pinned doll's lips are slightly fuller.)

My doll arrived wearing white panties. Her severely tangled hair was appropriately described by the seller, but I knew I could make it manageable. 

Betty Teen-type with hair washed, conditioned, and detangled.

After she arrived, I washed the hair with a shampoo conditioner three times. I don't know if the brown water that resulted was from dirt or the dye in the doll's hair. Afterward, I applied a leave-in conditioner, finger-combed it to separate as many of the tangles as possible, and then used a fine-tooth comb to detangle small sections from the ends upward. 

Next, I trimmed about one-fourth inch of rough edges and gave her a temporarily banded ponytail.

Finally, a light gel was added to the bangs and an elasticized ponytail holder was wrapped around the head to hold the flyaway bangs down while the hair dried. 

So in Style Grace was willing to part with this ensemble to allow Betty to wear it.

I already knew what I planned to dress the doll in before she arrived—a purple floral-print handmade dress, a straw hat, and purple high-heel shoes. The dress was a gift from a doll friend who attended a Barbie convention years ago. So in Style Grace, shown above, was the first and only doll until now to wear it.

Grace wears her new light blue, pink, and white sleeveless dress and jacket with gray high-heel shoes.

Grace's original purple stud earrings were exchanged for pink stud earrings.

Betty Models

Betty models the clothes and shoes that Grace wore previously.

The purple pumps are too long for Betty's smaller feet.

She looks quite elegant in her new clothes.

Overall, I am quite pleased with the doll therapy involved in rehabbing Betty which only cost me about $13 (6.99 for the doll and the rest was for tax and shipping). 

Betty wears a better fitting pair of lavender high-heels in this photo taken with Grace.

Other dolls by different names such as Gloria, Tanya, and Steffi use the "Betty" head sculpt. Because my doll is unbranded and the original maker is unknown, I'll continue to refer to her as Betty. 

Read more here about Betty Teen dolls in an interesting article by Ekaterina Ziborova published on February 6, 2013.

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