1974 The Outfits

All outfits from this year were produced in Korea. The Get-Ups ‘N Go and Best Buy Fashions from 1974-1978 were not printed on the reverse. Again, none of these Best Buy Fashions came with shoes, hence no close-ups of them.


BEST BUY FASHIONS

BEST BUY FASHIONS #7758

1974 #7758 Best Buy Fashions
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7758
1974 #7758 Best Buy Fashions
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7758
1974 #7758 Best Buy Fashions
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7758
1974 #7758 Best Buy Fashions
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7758 socks

As well as the variation colour sweater, this outfit also came with trousers in various shades of brown.

1974 Best Buy Fashions #7758 in original packaging
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7758 in original packaging
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7758 in original packaging
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7758 in original packaging
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7758 in original packaging
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7758 in original packaging
1974 #7758 Best Buy Fashions
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7758 (Variation)
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7758 in original packaging
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7758 (variation) in original packaging

BEST BUY FASHIONS #7759

1974 #7759 Best Buy Fashions
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7759
1974 #7759 Best Buy Fashions
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7759
1974 #7759 Best Buy Fashions
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7759 belt
1974 #7759 Best Buy Fashions
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7759 in original packaging
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7759
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7759 (darker slacks)
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7759 in original packaging
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7759 (darker slacks) in original packaging

The version of this shirt with a sewn-on red tie confused me for many years, as it simply didn’t fit with this outfit. The puzzle was solved when I discovered this ultra-rare KEN CASUAL ALL STARS set, which was sold exclusively by Sears c.1974. More photos of this set can be seen here.

1974 #7759 Best Buy Fashions shirt with sewn-on tie.
1974 #7759 Best Buy Fashions shirt with sewn-on tie.
1974 #31058X Ken Casual All Stars Set for Sears
1974 #31058X Ken Casual All Stars Set for Sears

BEST BUY FASHIONS #7760

1974 #7760 Best Buy Fashions
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7760
1974 #7760 Best Buy Fashions
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7760
1974 #7760 Best Buy Fashions
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7760 visor
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7760 in original packaging
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7760 in original packaging

BEST BUY FASHIONS #7761

1974 #7761 Best Buy Fashions
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7761
1974 #7761 Best Buy Fashions
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7761
1974 #7761 Best Buy Fashions
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7761 accessories
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7761 in original packaging
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7761 in original packaging

BEST BUY FASHIONS #7762

1974 #7762 Best Buy Fashions
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7762
1974 #7762 Best Buy Fashions
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7762
1974 #7762 Best Buy Fashions
‘Factory flaw’ shirt which fastens the other way around.
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7762 in original packaging
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7762 in original packaging

BEST BUY FASHIONS #7763

1974 #7763 Best Buy Fashions
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7763
1974 #7763 Best Buy Fashions
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7763
1974 #7763 Best Buy Fashions
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7763 dickey
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7763 in original packaging
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7763 in original packaging
1974 #7763 Best Buy Fashions variation
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7763 (Variation)
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7763 in original packaging
1974 Best Buy Fashions #7763 (variation) in original packaging

SEARS EXCLUSIVE BEST BUY FASHIONS

The four outfits below are Sears exclusives. The first three belong to a series sold through the Wish Book as Wardrobe Builders clothing for Barbie and friends. You could also buy them individually, as Best Buy Fashions, in Sears stores. The page below right, from the 1974 Sears store arrangement guide, shows the fourth outfit available. I have never seen it MOC, so can only guess that the code number could be #7872 (referenced on page).

From 1974 Sears Wish Book
From 1974 Sears Wish Book
From 1974 Sears Merchandise Arrangement Guide
From 1974 Sears Merchandise Arrangement Guide
1974 #7914 Sears 'Wardrobe Builders' set packaging
1974 #7914 Sears set packaging
1974 #7914 Sears set in original packaging
1974 #7914 Sears set in original packaging

BEST BUY FASHIONS #7869

This is one of the few outfits I’m still yet to find MOC. If you have a version of this outfit still in its original packaging, I would be very grateful for a photo: contact@somethingabouttheboy.com.

1974 #7869 Sears Best Buy Fashions
1974 Sears Best Buy Fashions #7869
1974 #7869 Sears Best Buy Fashions
1974 Sears Best Buy Fashions #7869

BEST BUY FASHIONS #7870

1974 #7870 Sears Best Buy Fashions
1974 Sears Best Buy Fashions #7870
1974 #7870 Sears Best Buy Fashions
1974 Sears Best Buy Fashions #7870
1974 #7870 Sears Best Buy Fashions
1974 Sears Best Buy Fashions #7870
1974 Sears Best Buy Fashions #7870 in original packaging
1974 Sears Best Buy Fashions #7870 in original packaging

BEST BUY FASHIONS #7871

1974 #7871 Sears Best Buy Fashions
1974 Sears Best Buy Fashions #7871
1974 #7871 Sears Best Buy Fashions
1974 Sears Best Buy Fashions #7871
1974 #7871 Sears Best Buy Fashions
1974 Sears Best Buy Fashions #7871
1974 Sears Best Buy Fashions #7871 in original packaging
1974 Sears Best Buy Fashions #7871 in original packaging
1974 #7871 Sears Best Buy Fashions
1974 Sears Best Buy Fashions #7871 (Variation slacks)
1974 Sears Best Buy Fashions #7871 in original packaging
1974 Sears Best Buy Fashions #7871 in original packaging

BEST BUY FASHIONS (#7872?)

As with the red check trousers from #7871, these trousers are fully elasticated with no fly-stitching detail. This is an exceptionally rare Ken fashion. I’m selling the exact outfit shown on the blonde Mod Ken below for $45 plus shipping from Europe. If you are interested (payment by Paypal, or EU-EU bank transfer), please write: contact@somethingabouttheboy.com.

1974 Sears Best Buy Fashions (#7872?)
1974 Sears Best Buy Fashions (#7872?)
1974 Sears Best Buy Fashions (#7872?)
1974 Sears Best Buy Fashions (#7872?)
1974 Sears Best Buy Fashions (#7872?)
1974 Sears Best Buy Fashions (#7872?)
1974 Sears Best Buy Fashions (trouser detail)
1974 Sears Best Buy Fashions #7872 trousers

GET-UPS ‘N GO / FASHION ORIGINALS

GET-UPS ‘N GO Suited for a handsome groom! / FASHION ORIGINALS #7836

1974 Get-Ups 'N Go #7836
1974 Get-Ups ‘N Go #7836 Suited for a handsome groom!
1974 Get-Ups 'N Go #7836
1974 Get-Ups ‘N Go #7836
1974 Get-Ups 'N Go #7836
1974 Get-Ups ‘N Go #7836
1974 #7836 Get Ups 'N Go
1974 Get-Ups ‘N Go #7836 accessories
1974 Get-Ups 'N Go #7836 in original packaging
1974 Get-Ups ‘N Go #7836 in original packaging
1974 #7836 Fashion Originals
Fashion Originals #7836 (European 1974-75 version)
Fashion Originals #7836 (1976 European version)
Fashion Originals #7836 (European 1975-76 version)
1974 #7836 Fashion Originals
Fashion Originals #7836 (European 1976 version)

This champagne colour jacket is possibly a variation. The colour is totally even, on front, reverse and inside, even in the sleeves. If it were a blue one which had faded or been sun-bleached, the inside would probably still be blue.

1974 Get-Ups 'N Go #7836 (Variation)
1974 Get-Ups ‘N Go #7836 (Variation)
1974 Get-Ups 'N Go #7836 (Variation)
1974 Get-Ups ‘N Go #7836 (Variation)

Pepsi apparently went out of favour shortly after Best Buy Fashions #7761 was produced, so Mattel dyed their stock-pile of Pepsi-print fabric black, and used it for the #7836 tuxedo slacks. It wasn’t used for every pair, but many of them. If you turn the slacks inside-out and have a look under a good light, you can still see the Pepsi-Cola print.

1974 #7836 Get Ups 'N Go
1974 Get Ups ‘N Go #7836 slacks showing ‘Pepsi-Cola’ print.

GET-UPS ‘N GO Tennis gear set to score! / FASHION ORIGINALS #7837

Between 1974 and 1978 the Get-Ups ‘N Go tennis outfit was also sold together with the matching Barbie outfit as an exclusive Montgomery Ward mail order set #7949. They came in a plain brown stamped cardboard box.

1974 #7837 Get Ups 'N Go
1974 Get-Ups ‘N Go #7837 Tennis gear set to score!
1974 #7837 Get Ups 'N Go
1974 Get-Ups ‘N Go #7837
1974 #7837 Get Ups 'N Go
1974 Get-Ups ‘N Go #7837 accessories
1974 Get-Ups 'N Go #7837 in original packaging
1974 Get-Ups ‘N Go #7837 in original packaging

GET-UPS ‘N GO Smoothly styled for business days! / FASHION ORIGINALS #7838

1974 #7838 Get Ups 'N Go
1974 Get-Ups ‘N Go #7838 Smoothly styled for business days!
1974 #7838 Get Ups 'N Go
1974 Get-Ups ‘N Go #7838
1974 #7838 Get Ups 'N Go
1974 Get-Ups ‘N Go #7838 accessories
1974 Get-Ups 'N Go #7838 in original packaging
1974 Get-Ups ‘N Go #7838 in original packaging

MONTGOMERY WARD EXCLUSIVE MOD HAIR KEN #7234

There was also a Mod Hair Ken gift set, available exclusively through the Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue from 1974-6. He had his regular stick-on facial-hair sheet, but instead of his usual outfit, he came with the #7836 tuxedo. He was packaged in a plain brown cardboard box. Although not mentioned in the Montgomery Ward catalogue, he appears to have also come with a pair of red shorts, like Sun Set Malibu Ken. Originally-boxed versions which appear for sale online do usually include the shorts.

From 1974 Montgomery Ward Mod Hair Ken set #7234
From 1974 Montgomery Ward Mod Hair Ken set #7234
From 1974 Montgomery Ward Mod Hair Ken set #7234
From 1974 Montgomery Ward Mod Hair Ken set #7234
1974 #7234 Montgomery Ward Mod Hair Ken
Red shorts possibly included in Ward set #7234
1974 #7234 Montgomery Ward Mod Hair Ken
1974 Montgomery Ward Mod Hair Ken #7234 accessories
1974 Montgomery Ward Mod Hair Ken #7234 with original packaging
1974 Montgomery Ward Mod Hair Ken #7234 with original shipping box
1974 Montgomery Ward Mod Hair Ken #7234 original shipping box
1974 Montgomery Ward Mod Hair Ken #7234 original shipping box

BOOKLETS & CATALOGUES

I haven’t yet found any US Barbie booklets showing the range for 1974.

1974 Mattel Toys catalogue
1974 Mattel Toys catalogue
1974 Mattel Toys catalogue
1974 Mattel Toys catalogue
1974 Mattel Toys catalogue
1974 Mattel Toys catalogue

Montgomery Ward has the unique Mod Hair Ken set mentioned above, but also three his-n-hers matching outfit sets, which they continued to sell up to 1978: the Get-Ups ‘N Go tennis and airline outfits, and the skiing outfits from the Sun Valley dolls.

From 1974 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue
From 1974 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue
From 1974 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue
From 1974 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue
From 1974 Sears Wish Book
From 1974 Sears Wish Book
From 1974 Sears Wish Book
From 1974 Sears Wish Book
From 1974 Sears Wish Book
From 1974 Sears Wish Book

The Best Buy Fashions were still given names in Europe, and the Get-Up ‘N Go outfits would have been packaged as Fashion Originals. The Fashion Originals from 1972 were still being sold, now with variation fabrics (see also section 1972 The Outfits).

From 1974 Swedish Barbie booklet
From 1974 Swedish Barbie booklet
From 1974 Swedish Barbie booklet
From 1974 Swedish Barbie booklet
From 1974 German Barbie booklet
From 1974 German Barbie booklet
From 1974 German Barbie booklet
From 1974 German Barbie booklet
From German Mattel Spielzeug '74 catalogue
From German Mattel Spielzeug ’74 catalogue
From 1974 German Spiel+Freizeit catalogue
From 1974 German Spiel+Freizeit catalogue
From 1974 Swedish Leksakslandet catalogue
From 1974 Swedish Leksakslandet catalogue
From 1974 French Barbie booklet
From 1974 French Barbie booklet
From 1974 Italian Barbie booklet
From 1974 Italian Barbie booklet