The Sun Set Malibu line established a beach line as a standard for Barbie, and Mattel continues to release beach dolls to this day. The original doll with a blue swimsuit was produced through 1974, and later versions with different suit styles were produced after that. Using the Stacey head mold for the first time with wide blue eyes and tanned skin, Malibu Barbie was an immediate hit. Introduced in 1971, Malibu Barbie marks the start of Barbie’s image as a blonde, tanned California girl. (Photo: From L to R: Live Action Barbie, PJ, and Christie. Unsold Live Action dolls were later sold as baggie dolls at discount prices. These dolls are much more difficult to find than their standard counterparts. Barbie, Ken, and PJ also were sold in Live Action On Stage sets, which came with a motorized “stage” with attached microphone, as well as a two-sided 45 rpm record. Capitalizing on the music craze, Live Action Barbie, Ken, PJ, and Christie “danced” with the help of a special stand. She could dance and twist, and she had an amazing outfit - this was Live Action Barbie from 1971. Fashion Photo Christie and PJ dolls were also available. Barbie used the new Superstar head mold and came with mix and match pieces to create a variety of outfits. Barbie was sold with a stand that allowed her to pose with the click of a remote control camera. Returning to her roots as a fashion model, 1978’s Fashion Photo Barbie gave kids a taste of the glamour of a model shoot. The doll was also supposed to make a kissing sound when the button was pressed, and it reportedly took many hours of work to get it to not sound like a cricket. Aldo Favelli, a Mattel sculptor who worked on the project, called it a “little nightmare” to work on. Perhaps the most romantic of the gimmick Barbie dolls, Kissing Barbie from 1979 would pucker up her lips and make a kissing noise when the button on her back was pressed. This Skipper only came in blonde (strawberry or pale blonde) and was sold in boxes containing a red headband and a booklet. Her original outfit is pictured on the left. By rotating her left arm, she could grow and develop small breasts. The ‘70s were a decade of big changes for Barbie, with new faces, hair play features, and, of course, new fashions! I’ve created a list of the most iconic Barbie dolls from the ‘70s you might have heard of - maybe you even own a few! Growing Up Skipper 7259 was sold from 1975 - 1977.
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