Gabby Douglas Barbie Photo Review

Scan from back of Gabby Douglas Barbie box illustrates Douglas in one of her signature gymnastics poses.

Text from back of Gabby Douglas Barbie box reads:

"I love a challenge.  I love to push limits and I love that my very own Barbie doll celebrates me for being a role model to girls." —Gabby Douglas

Additional text from the back of the box:

When Gabby Douglas was just four years-old, her older sister showed her how to do a cartwheel.  The little girl tumbling around her house would later become the first woman of color to win the individual all-around competition for gymnastics.  Her confidence, work ethic and belief in herself make her an extraordinary role model to girls.  The Gabby Douglas Barbie doll celebrates the extraordinary accomplishments of this inspiring athlete who breaks boundaries and expands possibilities for women everywhere.  Whether she is training at the gym or dazzling the crowd during competition, Gabby has earned her spot as a true Barbie "Shero"!

Other than the text on the back of the box, the box is quite nondescript.

Initially created as a one-of-a-kind (OOAK) doll in 2016, part of Mattel's Sheroes campaign, the production doll has a box date of 2016 as well.  It was released to the market in May 2017.  Whether or not Mattel already had plans to release the doll, or if the Internet petition for the doll that was created in July 2016 influenced their decision to produce it, remains unknown.  As a collector, I am excited to now own two.

The production doll on the right, poses beside a screen-captured image of the OOAK Gabby Douglas Barbie.

The doll's head sculpt is a very good likeness of Douglas (Mattel always produces the best portrait dolls).  With the exception of the eyes appearing somewhat lighter brown and the lip color being slightly different, the production doll actually looks quite like the OOAK doll.

The doll capture's Douglas' adorable face and bright smile.

Unlike the OOAK doll, the production doll does not include a gymnastics beam or other gymnastics paraphernalia.  A faux cardboard beam is what is seen in the box.  

Gabby Douglas Barbie has black rooted hair styled in a ponytail with crimped ends.  She has light brown painted eyes.  Dressed in a white gymnastics leotard with red, white, blue, and stars design on front, the back of the leotard is white with a Velcro closure.  Her two-piece warm-up suit has a pink jacket with black sleeves and faux zippered front.  The black pants have a pink stripe on the sides.  The Nike swoosh is on the front of the jacket and top-left pant leg.  She wears white high-top sneakers.

A doll stand and certificate of authenticity are included with the doll.

I deboxed one of my two dolls to display.  The freed doll readily posed as illustrated below:

The doll stand can be useful, but when positioned on a flat surface, wearing her original shoes, Gabby can stand on her own.

 With the Made to Move Barbie body, the doll has multiple points of articulation:

• The usual five places (head, arm and leg sockets) are articulated.  Additionally articulation extends to:
• Upper arms below the biceps area, which is rotational
• Elbows, which are double jointed
• Wrists,which are rotational
• Upper legs, which are rotational
• Knees, which are double jointed
• Ankles, which are rotational and can move up and down, allowing her to wear flat shoes or high heels, are articulated.

In her leotard, her multiple points of articulation can be seen.

Gabby can easily sit in the cross-legged position.

These Sparkle Girlz fashions were purchased last weekend.

We both wanted to see her in non-gymnastics clothing and selected two of the above three newly-acquired Sparkle Girlz fashions for her to try on.  Gabby also tried on one additional Sparkle Girlz fashion that was purchased at a different time.

Gabby looks quite fashionable in this one-piece dress with multicolored, geometrical print bodice.  The skirt is made of a denim-type material with yellow fringe at the hemline.  Barbie's black Roman sandals, yellow bracelet, and round sunglasses, from different accessory packs, complete this look.

Keeping the yellow theme going, Gabby tried on this one-piece short set.  The yellow bracelet and black Roman sandals work well with this as well.

Finally, this lacy-front, too-short aqua dress with floral appliqués at neckline was tried on.  With this she wears white high-heels from a Barbie accessory pack. 

We had many more Sparkle Girlz fashions to try, but we decided to stop with these three and return Gabby to her original clothes.  After doing so, Gabby found a temporary place of display in the collection.  (I imagine she will be doing aerial walkovers, somersaults, and cartwheels from location to location until she finds the perfect place.)

Another blog post on the Gabby Douglas Barbie by Roxanne's Dolls includes a video review that better illustrates the doll's articulation and other features.

To purchase (while quantities last), here is link to the BarbieCollection . com buy page.

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Crowdfunding has Begun for Bex and Elinor

Crowdfunding on Indiegogo has launched for the 16-inch A Girl for All Time dolls, Bex (Your Modern Girl) and Elinor (Your Elizabethan Girl).  Bex is the featured doll in the image. Navigate here to preorder at 25% off the retail price.  Bex and Elinor are scheduled to arrive in March 2018.   The Indiegogo pledge price does not include shipping.

Once again, here is the link.


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Coquette Cissy's Scaly Skin Rash

I scribbled this on a piece of paper and placed it on my desk as a descriptive-term reminder.  (Eczema had been my first thought.)  My daughter saw the note and asked, "Who has a scaly skin rash?"*

Romance and Roses Coquette Cissy (Cissy), like many other Madame Alexander dolls I own, arrived with a skin condition that I used to refer to as the Madame Alexander Doll Disease.  I no longer refer to it as a disease because it is not contagious (not that all human diseases are, but doll diseases are and will spread from doll to doll, e.g. the Hard Plastic Doll Disease).

In these two photos (above and below), Cissy's skin condition is now only visible on her lower body and legs.  Before these photos were taken, the dry, scaly appearance also covered her torso as well as her arms.  By the time I decided to document the "cure," I had already treated her torso and arms.

The generalized "dryness" that remained on her lower body and legs can be better seen in this photo.  

 

In this photo taken in 2010 of Cissy, the condition can be seen on the visible portions of her décolleté.

Several Madame Alexander dolls that are made from the company's version of the original 1950s hard plastic materials will often turn a grayish color on their legs that mimics the appearance of dry skin. This condition, as in the case of Cissy, can also occur on their arms and torsos.  Usually, the dolls' faces are spared because they are made from different materials.  I have been so disgusted by this and have not purchased older (1990s) Madame Alexander dolls in quite some time, as I have found that usually dolls made before the year 2000 are more susceptible to developing this condition.  There are exceptions to the age-of-the-doll rule, with Cissy, manufactured in 2005, being one of those exceptions.

After recently rearranging the shelf on which Cissy is displayed, I removed her dress to see if another doll could wear it (one of my Curvy Barbies).  She could not.  Before redressing Cissy, I examined her "condition" and decided to attempt a remedy.

The Remedy
I applied a small amount of coconut-scented Karelen Dry Oil to the affected areas and rubbed it in thoroughly.  The dryness vanished instantly as illustrated in the next series of photos.

Karelen Dry Oil has been applied to one-half of Cissy's pelvic area and to one leg.

View from the back of the one-half lower body treatment

Frontal view of the entire treated body, arms, and legs

Post-treatment view from the back shows the dryness is cured.

To be certain the treated areas were not oily and that the dryness had not returned, I waited 48 hours before redressing Cissy.

After 48 hours, her "skin" continues to have an even color.  Whether or not the cure is permanent or only temporary is uncertain, but the unsightly dryness is gone.

Redressing

Her pink shimmery stockings and white high-heel shoes are back on.

Elbow-length pink gloves are back on, too.

Finally, she is thrilled to have even skin tone and to be wearing her well-made pink gown once again.

Romance and Roses Coquette Cissy's male companion is a hybrid Integrity Toys Tariq, whose new name is Juan.  His head is now on an action-figure body.

Above, Cissy rejoins her mate, who (according to my husband) is not a good fit for her. "That doll couple doesn't match.  The man has a character face; the doll has a doll face." (He was right in 2010 when he said this and he is still right now, but they choose to remain a couple.  It is interesting how he referred to Juan as "the man," and Cissy as "the doll.")

*I could tell from my daughter's facial expression and silence as I answered her question, "Who has a scaly skin rash?" that she just does not understand the passion of a doll enthusiast.  My answer was brief, but because the condition involved a doll (and not one of her children, whom she was here to pick up), I do not think she really cared.  I guess some people will never understand my passion for dolls, and I am completely okay with that as long as they stay in their lanes by enjoying whatever it is they are passionate about and allow me to do the same.


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