Barbie of the Month: Dressed Skipper

Have you ever wondered why there isn’t much written about the dressed, boxed, 9 ¼ inch Skipper dolls?  I did, so I researched it!  These rare dressed Skipper dolls were very limited, and were released in 1964.





Barbie’s little sister Skipper entered the marketplace in 1964.  She was dressed in a one-piece red and white cotton swim-suit.  She wore a Skipper red and silver foil wrist tag and a brass head band.  If the band was left on her head it would often turn areas on her hair and near her ears green.  Inside her cardboard box there was a wire stand, white brush and comb, red flat shoes, and a booklet. 

1964 Skipper



The dressed Skipper dolls were available through the Mattel catalog  when purchased in the #1083 Skipper Master Assortment.   She did not come with a swim-suit, and was only available in the following 1964 fashions:

            #1901 Red Sensation

            #1902 Silk N Fancy

            #1903 Masquerade Party

            #1904 Flower Girl

            #1907 School Days

            #1908 Skating Fun

#1901 Red Sensation, #1904 Flower Girl, #1903 Masquerade Party
#1908 Skating Fun, #1902 Sink N Fancy

 #1907 School Days

 

Also included in the Master assortment, besides the six dressed dolls, were twelve standard Skipper dolls dressed in a red and white swimsuit and twenty-four packs of Skipper ensembles (which were also sold separately as item #1300).  The twenty-four packs of clothing consisted of two each of all ten ensembles that were released for Skipper in 1964.  There was also a counter display tray for the six dressed dolls.   Unfortunately, there was only a description and not a picture of the Master assortment in the Mattel catalog. 

The box of the swim-suit Skipper and dressed Skipper look very similar, with just two big differences.  The sides of the dressed box have three horizontal stripes on it, and the end flap of the box is white with a marking “dressed doll”.

Side of Dressed and Regular Box

 

 

 



End Flap of Dressed and Regular Box

 

I believe the dressed Skipper dolls did come with a wrist tag, and did not have a cardboard liner in the box like the regular dolls had.  Of course there are exceptions to every rule in Barbieland.  If you happen to see a Japanese Market Skipper dressed doll, they do have liners in their boxes!  And they were available later than 1964.  

 

Now you have it; 1964 was the only year these hard to find U.S. Version dressed Skipper dolls were available.  And that is why they are ever so scarce!

 

Happy Hunting!

 

More Skipper doll information at: www.MyVintageBarbies.com