1980 The Outfits - Something About The Boy

Until 1980 the design of Ken’s trousers hadn’t changed since 1972, with a half-elasticated waistband (at back). During the Superstar era Mattel began to experiment with new styles. A few remained the same, but some had a totally elasticated waistband, while the majority were made with a metal popper fastening at the back. The outfits again came with booklets, or not, as Mattel saw fit.

FASHION COLLECTIBLES

Again, none of these Fashion Collectibles originally came with shoes, so I have added some for the photos. There are a lot of variations, some of which are quite rare.

FASHION COLLECTIBLES #1375

1980 #1375 Fashion Collectibles — 1980 Fashion Collectibles #1375

1980 Fashion Collectibles #1375 in original packaging

1980 #1375 Fashion Collectibles variation — 1980 Fashion Collectibles #1375 (Variation 1)

1980 #1375 Fashion Collectibles variation (II) — 1980 Fashion Collectibles #1375 (Variation 2)

FASHION COLLECTIBLES #1376

1980 #1376 Fashion Collectibles — 1980 Fashion Collectibles #1376

1980 Fashion Collectibles #1376 in original packaging

FASHION COLLECTIBLES #1377

As well as the obvious variation tops, the jeans also vary slightly in fabric. The back pocket is either a sticker, or non-sticky and sewn on along the top edge.

1980 #1377 Fashion Collectibles variation (I) — 1980 Fashion Collectibles #1377

1980 Fashion Collectibles #1377 in original packaging

1980 #1377 Fashion Collectibles variation (III) — 1980 Fashion Collectibles #1377 (Variation 1)

1980 #1377 Fashion Collectibles — 1980 Fashion Collectibles #1377 (Variation 2)

1980 #1377 Fashion Collectibles variation (II) — 1980 Fashion Collectibles #1377 (Variation 3)

FASHION COLLECTIBLES #1378

The variations of this outfit aren’t all obvious. The buttons vary, as does the colour of the slacks.

1980 #1378 Fashion Collectibles — 1980 Fashion Collectibles #1378

1980 Fashion Collectibles #1378 in original packaging

1980 #1378 Fashion Collectibles variation (I) — 1980 Fashion Collectibles #1378 (Variation 1)

1980 Fashion Collectibles #1378 variation (II) — 1980 Fashion Collectibles #1378 (Variation 2)

1980 Fashion Collectibles #1378 (Variation 2) in original packaging

FASHION COLLECTIBLES #1379

1980 #1379 Fashion Collectibles — 1980 Fashion Collectibles #1379

1980 Fashion Collectibles #1379 in original packaging

1980 #1379 Fashion Collectibles variation — 1980 Fashion Collectibles #1379 variation top

1980 Fashion Collectibles #1379 (Canadian/European version) — 1980 Fashion Collectibles #1379 in Canadian/European packaging

FASHION COLLECTIBLES #1380

Note that some of these trousers have blue stitching down the fly and some not.

1980 #1380 Fashion Collectibles variation (I) — 1980 Fashion Collectibles #1380

1980 Fashion Collectibles #1380 in original packaging

1980 #1380 Fashion Collectibles (Variation 1)

1980 Fashion Collectibles #1380 in European packaging — 1980 Fashion Collectibles #1380 in Canadian/European packaging

1980 #1380 Fashion Collectibles variation (II) — 1980 Fashion Collectibles #1380 (Variation 2)

1980 #1380 Fashion Collectibles variation (III) — 1980 Fashion Collectibles #1380 (Variation 3)

FASHION FAVORITES

FASHION FAVORITES Running Start #1404

1980 #1404 Fashion Favorites accessories — 1980 Fashion Favorites #1404 accessories

1980 Fashion Favorites #1404 in original packaging

1980 Fashion Favorites #1404 (Canadian/European)

FASHION FAVORITES Tennis Everyone! #1405

1980 #1405 Fashion Favorites Tennis Everyone — 1980 Fashion Favorites #1405 Tennis Everyone!

1980 Fashion Favorites #1405 in original packaging

1980 Fashion Favorites #1405 (Canadian/French version) — 1980 Fashion Favorites #1405 in Canadian/European packaging

FASHION FAVORITES Outdoor Man #1406

1980 #1406 Fashion Favorites Outdoor Man — 1980 Fashion Favorites #1406 Outdoor Man

1980 Fashion Favorites #1406 in original packaging

1980 Fashion Favorites #1406 (Canadian/French version) — 1980 Fashion Favorites #1406 in Canadian/European packaging

FASHION FAVORITES Well Suited #1407

1980 #1407 Fashion Favorites Well Suited — 1980 Fashion Favorites #1407 Well Suited

1980 Fashion Favorites #1407 (Canadian/French version) — 1980 Fashion Favorites #1407 in Canadian/European packaging

SEARS EXCLUSIVE FASHION FAVORITES #1804

Sears sold Fashion Collectibles #2792 & #2796 from 1979 together as an exclusive set. It was available to order through the Wish Book (and presumably to purchase in the stores) as the unique Fashion Favorites #1804.

1980 #1804 Sears Fashion Favorites — 1980 Sears Fashion Favorites #1804

1980 Sears Fashion Favorites #1804 in original packaging

KMART EXCLUSIVE FASHION FAVORITES

All Fashion Favorites are dated 1978 or 1979, so without any printed reference, such as a Kmart catalogue, I’m relying on the received wisdom of other collectors that these outfits are indeed Kmart exclusives from this year.

FASHION FAVORITES #3449

1980 #3449 Kmart Fashion Favorites — 1980 Kmart Fashion Favorites #3449

1980 #3449 Kmart Fashion Favorites shoes — 1980 Kmart Fashion Favorites #3449 shoes

1980 Kmart Fashion Favorites #3449 in original packaging

FASHION FAVORITES #3450

1980 #3450 Kmart Fashion Favorites — 1980 Kmart Fashion Favorites #3450

1980 Kmart Fashion Favorites #3450 in original packaging

1980 #3450 Kmart Fashion Favorites variation — 1980 Kmart Fashion Favorites #3450 (Variation)

FASHION FAVORITES #3451

1980 #3451 Kmart Fashion Favorites — 1980 Kmart Fashion Favorites #3451

1980 Kmart Fashion Favorites #3451 in original packaging

FASHION FAVORITES #3452

1980 #3452 Kmart Fashion Favorites — 1980 Kmart Fashion Favorites #3452

1980 Kmart Fashion Favorites #3452 in original packaging

1980 Kmart Fashion Favorites #3452 with variation (factory-flaw?) shoes

DESIGNER ORIGINALS

DESIGNER ORIGINALS Golden Glamour #1413

1980 Designer Originals #1413 in original packaging

1980 Designer Originals #1413 (Canadian/French version) — 1980 Designer Originals #1413 in Canadian/European packaging

DESIGNER ORIGINALS Evening Elegance #1415

1980 #1415 Designer Originals Evening Elegance — 1980 Designer Originals #1415 Evening Elegance

1980 #1415 Designer Originals accessories — 1980 Designer Originals #1415 accessories

1980 Designer Originals #1415 in original packaging

1980 Designer Originals #1415 (Canadian/French version) — 1980 Designer Originals #1415 in Canadian/European packaging

1980 Designer Originals #1415 (Canada/Europe) original packaging — 1980 Designer Originals #1415 Canadian/European packaging

The Canadian/European version below left uses the same lace on the dickey, as shown on Ken above. A variation lace can be seen in the other packaged versions above, and in the comparison below right.

1980 Designer Originals #1415 (Canada/Europe)

1980 #1415 Designer Originals variation dickey — 1980 Designer Originals #1415 variation dickeys

REVERSE OF 1980 DESIGNER ORIGINALS PACKAGING

1980 Designer Originals #1413 reverse of packaging — Reverse of 1980 Designer Originals packaging

1980 #1415 Designer Originals (European version) — Reverse of 1980 Designer Originals Canadian/European packaging

WEDDING PARTY FASHIONS

Suited for the Groom! #1418

There are several variations of this outfit, both in the cut and the fabrics used. All came with black Hong Kong-marked shoes. In Canada and France it was also known as Habillages “Mariage”.

1980 #1418 Wedding Party Fashions — 1980 Wedding Party Fashions #1418

1980 Wedding Party Fashions #1418 in original packaging

1980 Wedding Party Fashions #1418 (in 1981 version packaging) — 1980 Wedding Party Fashions #1418 in 1981 version packaging

1980 #1418 Wedding Party Fashions variation (I) — 1980 Wedding Party Fashions #1418 (Variation 2)

The versions packaged for 1981 have a different design on the reverse, featuring Designer Originals #1956 Paint the Town Red.

Reverse of 1980 Wedding Party Fashions packaging

Reverse of 1981 Wedding Party Fashions packaging

BOOKLETS & CATALOGUES