1977 The Outfits - Something About The Boy

1977-78 were hit-and-miss years for Ken clothing, a kind of in-between fashion period, which doesn’t quite achieve its own clear identity. Still, there are a few gems here, including one of my all-time favorites, Get-Ups ‘N Go #9744. All outfits were produced in Korea. Again, I’ve just added shoes to the Best Buy Fashions for the photos.

BEST BUY FASHIONS

BEST BUY FASHIONS #9700

1977 #9700 Best Buy Fashions variation — 1977 Best Buy Fashions #9700 scarf

1977 Best Buy Fashions #9700 in original packaging

BEST BUY FASHIONS #9701

1977 #9701 Best Buy Fashions — 1977 Best Buy Fashions #9701

1977 Best Buy Fashions #9701 in original packaging

1977 #9701 Best Buy Fashions variation (I) — 1977 Best Buy Fashions #9701 (Variation 1)

1977 #9701 Best Buy Fashions variation (II) — 1977 Best Buy Fashions #9701 (Variation 2)

BEST BUY FASHIONS #9702

1977 #9702 Best Buy Fashions — 1977 Best Buy Fashions #9702

1977 Best Buy Fashions #9702 in original packaging

BEST BUY FASHIONS #9703

1977 #9703 Best Buy Fashions — 1977 Best Buy Fashions #9703

1977 Best Buy Fashions #9703 in original packaging

BEST BUY FASHIONS #9704

1977 #9704 Best Buy Fashions — 1977 Best Buy Fashions #9704

BEST BUY FASHIONS #9705

1977 #9705 Best Buy Fashions — 1977 Best Buy Fashions #9705

1977 Best Buy Fashions #9705 in original packaging

1977 #9705 Best Buy Fashions variation (I) — 1977 Best Buy Fashions #9705 (Variation 1)

1977 Best Buy Fashions #9705 variation (I) in original packaging — 1977 Best Buy Fashions #9705 (Variation 1) in original packaging

1977 #9705 Best Buy Fashions variation (II) — 1977 Best Buy Fashions #9705 (Variation 2)

1977 Best Buy Fashions #9705 (Variation II) in original packaging — 1977 Best Buy Fashions #9705 (Variation 2) in original packaging

SEARS STORE EXCLUSIVE BEST BUY FASHIONS

Like all Best Buy Fashions sold between 1976-1978, these are dated 1975 on the packaging, so, without any printed reference such as a Sears store guide, I’m relying on the received wisdom of other collectors that they are indeed Sears exclusives from this year.

BEST BUY FASHIONS #2057

1977 Sears Best Buy Fashions #2057 scarf

1977 Sears Best Buy Fashions #2057 in original packaging

BEST BUY FASHIONS #2058

1977 Sears Best Buy Fashions #2058 in original packaging

BEST BUY FASHIONS #2059

1977 Sears Best Buy Fashions #2059 bow tie

Note how the Italian Mattel Toys catalogue for 1981 (below right) features this outfit, as well as several other Ken outfits from 1976-1978.

1977 Sears Best Buy Fashions #2059 in original packaging

From Italian Mattel Giocattoli 1981 catalogue

BEST BUY FASHIONS #2060

1977 Sears Best Buy Fashions #2060 scarf

1977 Sears Best Buy Fashions #2060 in original packaging

SEARS EXCLUSIVE FASHIONS #2064

Sears also sold Best Buy Fashions 9701 and 9702 together as a set, through the Wish Book and possibly in their stores packaged as FASHIONS.

1977 Sears Fashions #2064 in original packaging — 1977 Fashions #2064 in original packaging (from Dwane Adle Collection)

GET-UPS ‘N GO / FASHION ORIGINALS

The Get-Ups ‘N Go outfits for 1977 and 1978 were available in two kinds of packaging: the regular squarish format pack, and a new slimmer design pack with cut-out ‘hook’. This new pack must be later (i.e. from 1978 onward) as it features SuperStar Ken. It became the standard packaging design for Superstar era outfits. In Europe the GUAG outfits were also packaged as Fashion Originals.

GET-UPS ‘N GO Bright team for the travel scene / FASHION ORIGINALS #9744

1977 #9744 Fashion Originals — 1977 Get-Ups ‘N Go / Fashion Originals #9744

1977 #9744 Get-Ups 'N Go variation — 1977 #9744 Get-Ups ‘N Go in original packaging

1977 #9744 Get-Ups 'N Go in original packaging — 1977 #9744 Get-Ups ‘N Go with red belt buckle

1977 Fashion Originals #9744 in original packaging — 1977 Fashion Originals #9744 (European) in original packaging

1977 Fashion Originals #9744 (European) — 1977 Fashion Originals #9744 with black shoes

1977 #9744 Get Ups 'N Go — 1977 Get-Ups ‘N Go #9744 (Variation jacket)

Bright team for the travel scene — 1977 Get-Ups ‘N Go #9744

1977 #9744 Get Ups 'N Go accessories — 1977 Get-Ups ‘N Go #9744 accessories

1977 Get-Ups 'N Go #9744 in original packaging — 1977 Get-Ups ‘N Go #9744 in original packaging (with brown shoes)

1977 Get-Ups 'N Go #9744 variation packaging — Get-Ups ‘N Go #9744 variation (1978) packaging

GET UPS ‘N GO A very deluxe tux / FASHION ORIGINALS #9745

1977 #9745 Get Ups 'N Go — 1977 Get-Ups ‘N Go #9745 A very deluxe tux

1977 Get-Ups 'N Go #9745 in original packaging — 1977 Get-Ups ‘N Go #9745 in original packaging

1977 Get-Ups 'N Go #9745 variation packaging — Get-Ups ‘N Go #9745 variation (1978) packaging

1977 #9745 Fashion Originals — 1977 Fashion Originals #9745 (European) in original packaging

Despite the updated box design, the Fashion Originals are still dated 1971 – the original design date of this series.

1977 Fashion Originals #9745 (European) original packaging (Detail)

FASHION ORIGINALS #9929

This Fashion Originals outfit and the one below were European releases, and are now quite difficult to find.

1977 #9929 Fashion Originals — 1977 Fashion Originals #9929

1977 Fashion Originals #9929 in original packaging

FASHION ORIGINALS #9930

1977 #9930 Fashion Originals — 1977 Fashion Originals #9930

1977 Fashion Originals #9930 in original packaging

REVERSE OF PACKAGING

The Get-Ups ‘N Go outfits from 1973-1978 and the Best Buy Fashions from 1974-1978 are all blank on reverse. The Fashion Originals from 1977 were packaged in a yellow box, with the same illustration from the previous year on reverse.

Reverse of Fashion Originals packaging 1977 (yellow box) — Reverse of Fashion Originals packaging 1977

BOOKLETS & CATALOGUES

In 1977 Best Buy Fashions and Get-Ups ‘N Go outfits slowly began to include booklets for the first time. The booklet for 1977 shows prototypes of Best Buy Fashions #9701 and 9705, with full-knit sleeves. As you can see above, versions were produced like this, but are very rare, possibly because the threads inside the sleeves get caught on his hands when dressing, making the sweaters very easy to damage.