1983 The Outfits

In 1983 Mattel ended the Fashion Collectibles and Fashion Favorites lines, and replaced them with Fashion Classics. These outfits all came with shoes. They are also better-made, and there are some great classic outfits among them. The Designer Originals were also replaced, by the Designer Collection (also known in Canada and France as (La) collection haute-couture). The outfits were made in Taiwan (Fashion Classics) or the Philippines (Wedding of the Year/Designer Collection), with some shoes – usually loafers – still produced in Hong Kong.

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THE FASHION CLASSICS

Fun at McDonald’s was not available in Europe and I have never found a Kmart variation of it, but there is a Canadian version, with Fashion Classics translated as La collection classique. All other Canadian/French Fashion Classics from 1983 are called De vêtements classiques.

FASHION CLASSICS Fun at McDonald’s #4276

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FASHION CLASSICS Go-Anywhere Gear! #5819

Kmart produced their own versions of all the 1983 Fashion Classics. They are packaged uniquely, with a picture of Dream Date Ken on the front. The reverse of the packaging is dated 1983, so they were either sold in late 1983, or 1984. It is difficult to be precise, because I have yet to find any Kmart catalogues from this period. Many variation fabrics and/or shoes were used.

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FASHION CLASSICS Country Flair! #5820

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FASHION CLASSICS Keeping In Shape! #5821

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FASHION CLASSICS Cool ‘N Casual! #5822

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FASHION CLASSICS Cool Captain! #5823

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FASHION CLASSICS Date with Barbie Doll! #5824

Like the Canadian variation above right, the Kmart Fashion Classics shown below has a shirt with dots which are wider apart and darker jeans. It also comes with variation dark blue sneakers.

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THE KMART EXCLUSIVE FASHION CLASSICS

Kmart also sold their own exclusive range of Fashion Classics. They are dated 1982, with the same design on the reverse as the regular Fashion Classics, so were presumably sold in 1983, but I have so far discovered no contemporary printed reference (ie. a Kmart catalogue) to verify. They all have a picture of Fashion Jeans Ken on the packaging.

FASHION CLASSICS #4295

The variation below is unusual, as the trousers are made of corduroy.

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FASHION CLASSICS #4296

As well as the jacket, the version below uses a variation fabric for the trunks and jogging pants.

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FASHION CLASSICS #4297

Throughout the 1980s Mattel experimented with new fabrics, especially fake leather. This has to be the worst fabric ever designed, and now flakes off at the lightest touch. Ironically, the flakes then stick like super-glue to anything they land on. To make matters worse, instead of sewing the outfit to the card, Mattel used eternally-gooey sticky tape. My mint-in-packaging pants were completely wrecked just by removing them and putting them on the Ken. I have retouched the photos below to disguise the worst of the damage.

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FASHION CLASSICS #4298

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REVERSE OF PACKAGING

All Kmart exclusive and regular Fashion Classics from 1983 came with a Barbie Fan Club application on reverse.

The Kmart versions of the regular 1983 Fashion Classics had a much simpler design on reverse. They are dated 1983, so were presumably released in late 1983 or 1984.

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DESIGNER COLLECTION

DESIGNER COLLECTION Date Night! #5651

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DESIGNER COLLECTION Country Gentleman #5833

These white ‘leather’ pants are made of the same fabric as Fashion Classics #4297 shown above, and are equally as disastrous. Once more, a mint-in-box set was completely wrecked simply by putting it on the doll. The fabric crumbles at the lightest touch. I’ve had to retouch the photos again, to show how it could have looked originally.

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WEDDING OF THE YEAR

Suited for the groom! #5744

The variations of the white wedding tuxedo below are quite subtle. There are differences to the fabrics used, and the ruffles of the shirt-front, but the most obvious difference is the cut. The first version is baggier, the trousers cut more like jogging-pants. The later version jacket and trousers have a slimmer fit. Note the different packaging of this outfit, how the later one has the simple bold Ken logo, and the first version has the new Barbie logo from the Designer Collection outfits.  Some of these first versions have the extra title Bridesmaid’s Dream! This is a factory-flaw (which must have raised a few eyebrows!), taken from the Barbie Wedding of the Year outfit #5745.

The version below was presumably sold in 1984, as it also features the Designer Collection outfit #7084 Simply Dashing on reverse of the packaging.

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FINISHING TOUCHES

Shoes & Extras #2459

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BOOKLETS & CATALOGUES

The 1983 booklet came in three versions. The first two are proper booklets and were printed in 1982 in the Philippines. In the first version Fun at McDonald’s is missing. The third booklet is actually a fold-out, and was printed in Taiwan. Wedding of the Year fashion is erroneously called Wedding Party in the first and the third booklets.