35 Iconic Barbie Outfits from Carol Spencer: A 35-Year Journey

In this video I go over 35 years of fashion from one of Mattel’s most adored designers, Carol Spencer. Look up close at 35 vintage outfits from 1963-1998 from my collection. From chic early 60s ensembles to Mod to iconic 90s dolls, see why she’s so admired and discover pieces you might want to add to your own collection.
1604 Crisp N Cool 1964
1627 Country Club Dance 1965
1651 Beau Time 1966
1777 Pretty Wild 1967
1779 Mix N Matchers 1967
1478 Shift Into Knit 1969
1823 Jump Into Lace 1968
1465 Lemon Kick 1970
1799 Maxi N Mini 1970
1798 Rainbow Wraps 1970
1452 Now Knit 1970
1796 Fur Sighted 1970
3426 Turtle N Tights 1970
Live Action Christie 1971
Live action PJ 1971
1439 The Suede Scene 1971
1435 O Boy Corduroy 1972
Busy Steffie 1972
Talking Busy Steffie 1972
Talking Busy Barbie 1972
7700 Talking Barbie 1973
Sweet Sixteen Barbie 1973
Superstar Ken 1977
Great Shape Barbie 1983
Astronaut Barbie 1985
Totally Hair Barbie 1992
Benefit Ball Barbie 1992
Flapper Barbie 1993
Gold Jubilee Barbie 1994
Cafe Society Barbie 1998
#barbie #barbiecollection #toycollection #toycommunity #toycollector #vintagetoys #barbiedolls #dolls #vintagebarbie #fashiondesigner #barbiefashion

[@keithhaggard323]

Carol was the Barbie Designer as far as I am concerned . I really appreciated this episode. You never disappoint with your knowledge.

[@Thedollswitness]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!❤️

[@VictoriaLeeCreates]

Hello from Bloomingdale Illinois. 🏳️‍⚧️

[@matthewsky819]

Your content just gets better & better WOW ! I watched this one 3 times in a row … I don’t have the Jubilee Barbie & have always thought about getting her … Now I totally want one ! … I met Carol Spencer for lunch when Barbie turned 50 & she gifted me a Silk Screened Color Magic outfit that she sewed and made the print by hand. It was a version of Stripes away . She signed it to me , I’ll dig it up to show you . What an incredible designer & lovely lady ! Thank you for being the best part of KZbin ! Cheers Matt Sky

[@Thedollswitness]

Aw thank you so much!! Gold Jubilee is just so extravagant and over the top. It’s great. And wow! What an amazing lunch that must’ve been! And a hand sewn gift? Damn! I’m sure it’s something you treasure! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@jfrancis6191]

I love the beauty and specificity of your collection. It’s really exceptional. Also, as a guy into fashion and dolls, your vids make me feel seen, as the kids say ✌️

[@Thedollswitness]

Thank you so much! Happy to hear that!❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@AdventuresInBarbieLand]

Great episode! This is the kind of Barbie content I love. 👏

[@Thedollswitness]

Thanks so much! Glad u enjoyed it!❤️

[@Bernhard2024]

Hey! Another great Barbie video. I know you celebrate Mod-Barbie-Era, but I`m more into the Superstar era 1977-92- My favorite is Great Shape Barbie. She is stunning. Oh. and I love Tropical Barbie from 1986. Do you know her?

[@Thedollswitness]

Thanks! Yeah I especially like the deluxe version of tropical Barbie with the cute hat! She’s a beauty!❤️

[@Bernhard2024]

@@Thedollswitness Do you know Fabulous Fur Barbie from 1983? Today I could find her outfit on ebay. I`m so happy. A friend gave me a naked Faulous Fur Barbie and I promised him to dress the doll like she used to be.

[@Thedollswitness]

Nice! She’s a really fun one with that coat! Congrats! I bet she looks amazing ❤️

[@chrisleonard6684]

Such an amazing and informative video. Carol Spencer, is truly a Barbie legend and this video is a video from another Barbie legend ❤

[@Thedollswitness]

Aw thank you so much! Happy you enjoyed it❤️

[@krystajustice1608]

Hi

[@mpmorg3]

Thank you for showcasing some wonderful fashions and another history lesson 🩷

[@Thedollswitness]

My pleasure!❤️

[@DiscoMatty79]

I’m obsessed with 70s peasant dresses.

[@Thedollswitness]

Me too!❤️❤️

[@Restless318]

thank you for as young boy I want be a fashion designer so love fashion love your style and shirt you are my fashion icon!!!!

[@Thedollswitness]

Aw thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it!❤️

[@adbeelkarin]

I wish Carol Spencer design space fashion for Ken too nyo!

[@GreenEyedBarbieGirl]

Hi, Love your channel, I have learned a lot by watching. What a great collection of dolls and clothing. Just amazing! I learn something new every time I watch. So thank you. I appreciate your channel.❤❤🥰🥰

[@Thedollswitness]

Thank you so much! Happy to hear that ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@Animefruba]

I have 1920s flapper Barbie I paid 25 dollars last month with shipping 😊 excellent beadwork❤

[@Thedollswitness]

Nice! Yeah that’s a great piece! ❤️

[@Nocturne22]

I like how with every video, your "Why, hello" gets more and more commanding. It's like you are angrily wondering how it is that the word "hello" became an introductory greeting: "WHY, HELLO?!"

[@Thedollswitness]

haha you say something enough times and it becomes a foreign language for sure. ❤️❤️

[@glynnisi]

The Astro Fashions deserve the Queen "Flash Gordon" soundtrack and also remind me of Buck Rogers (Princess Ardala could rock any of them). I'm struggling with the same issue of loving them in the box & coveting them outside the box. I've just been collecting for almost a year now (a fun year). I have 3 of them in box, so far. I almost got a 4th at a recent doll show, but was budgeting and had a chance to get a NICE Talking Brad, so put that fashion back (with regret) since he seemed more htf. Carol Spencer was just a genius. Love the vid, as usual!

[@Thedollswitness]

Thanks so much! And congrats on the talking Brad! A fantastic piece for any collection! Love the Astro fashions, I’m sure you’ll find them all. They tend to pop up on eBay quite often ❤️❤️

[@kathybea2532]

My Barbie days ended before the Carol Spencer years, and I must admit I've always been very biased in favor of the pre-'64 outfits I had, compared to the later ones. But the Carol Spencer outfits you showed really do look wonderful. When I got into collecting designer and "grocery store special" Barbies for awhile in the '90's, one of the Barbies I got was Flapper Barbie. TIL Carol Spencer designed that beautiful outfit! Thanks again for a very enjoyable and informative video.

[@Thedollswitness]

Thanks so much! Happy you enjoyed it! I do love the pre 64 outfits too! So many classics. And that flapper girl is so well done 🙌🏻❤️❤️

[@andthentheresmod]

Carol is amazing. Designed for Barbie for 30+ years! Everybody needs to buy her book: Fantastic pictures and you can learn about her career with Mattel as well as some of the inner workings of the company at that time. I love your T-shirt! I'll bet you're a hair-hopper, ain't ya? Eating your meatball sandwich right out in class. Yeah, I see you.

[@Thedollswitness]

Thanks! Yep, my ratted hair is preventing yet another student’s geometry education. lol agreed, every barbie fan should get carol’s book. Such a fun read❤️❤️

[@rogerlloyd1897]

I love Carol!!! I'm surprised you didn't show off Barbie Hollywood Premier outfit. That one is my personal favorite 😍

[@Thedollswitness]

Damn thank you so much!! Really appreciate the support!! You’re right, that’s a great one. Ugh just so many to pick from! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@Elphaboy]

I find one of the most beautiful Bernie’s from the late 80s early 90s is American beauty queen Barbie her makeup her hair she’s just sooooo perfect and looks great in anything from like 85 through 95 just 😍😍😍😍⚰️

[@Thedollswitness]

She’s definitely pageant-ready! Super pretty one!🫅❤️❤️

[@loelpolo5510]

Great video!! Love the head wrap ! Do you think, that you should keep your dolls in the box or out of the box?? Do a video and let me know ??

[@Thedollswitness]

Thank you! I do think that keeping a mix of in-box and out can make for really nice displays, especially with older pieces and packaging you don’t see often. And if you’re paying a super premium price for a doll in the box, it can be a shame to lose the value by opening it up. I do talk quite a bit about that in my ‘most valuable dolls in my Barbie collection’ vid! Should check it out if you haven’t yet!❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@iamsoverybored878]

My favorite is Robert Best. Mainly for his work on the Silkstones. Love the Fashion Queen Barbie as is with just her turban and bathing suits. My favorite of hers is the Flapper. Highly recommended her since she's not a lot of money.

[@Thedollswitness]

He did some amazing work! And yeah, a fashion queen looks great out of the box ❤️

[@danielroberto2209]

I love all of these fashions! Lemon Drop is a fave.... and I cannot believe I missed out on the outer space fashions! I remember the doll quite well. I would soooooo break them open, but I warn against it. The plastics around then on the fashions tend to crack and degrade. Some are decomposing fast. Some of my Barbie & The Rockers fashions are crumbling. Eeekk!

[@Thedollswitness]

Yeah it seems like a lot of people missed the Astro fashions! Was such a great line of looks. I do wish they’d just sewed in the clothing to the cardboard like the earlier ones. ❤️❤️

[@baubers3323]

What would you say your average price you pay for your dolls are and highest you paid?

[@Thedollswitness]

Well they’re all such different prices. If I can find a good mod doll for under 75 I usually go for it. The most I’ve paid was for AA Francie, and it was an embarrassing amount. lol well over a grand, but she’s worth it. ❤️

[@baubers3323]

@@Thedollswitnessthank you so much. Was curious as I recently started getting in older Barbie’s myself. I saw your Marcia Brady and had to find that outfit and doll so I could have one too :)

[@Thedollswitness]

Nice! Congrats! It’s a great look❤️

[@MrKDHay]

Wow, what a very diverse collection from one designer. What an amazing career she must have had. Of the astro fashions, the Dazzling Dancer was my favourite, simply stunning. Great content as usual from you and I look forward to your next video

[@Thedollswitness]

She did incredible work, right? Thanks so much! Glad you liked it❤️

[@epowell4211]

We had Lemon Kick, and I remember thinking it was weird, so we always just used it as a dress. That Ken suede look was one of our favorites - sis and I always fought over it lol. Is anything cuter than those old lace up boots for the girls? The old tulle/lace/net doll clothes are beautiful, but I mainly remember how difficult it was to dress the dolls in them without tearing them up. My older sister was my mom's favorite so most of the stuff I played with was 4 years old - it was bought for her, and she quickly lost interest in dolls after she had to play with me lol. I love watching this style video - overviews of an era, designer, doll type, etc. - especially yours. You are really enjoyable to watch while I'm having my morning coffee lol.

[@Thedollswitness]

Thank you so much! Glad you’re enjoying the vids! Sounds like you were at a great age to be a Barbie fan! So many great dolls and outfits from that time. 😍❤️❤️

[@dramdarmody7239]

Thanks for another great video! Just went and snagged myself a flapper barbie on Ebay 😁

[@Thedollswitness]

Congrats! Love having superstar sculpts with rooted lashes. 🙌🏻 💗💗

[@Strawberry78940]

I love 1960s-1980s so much I want them but there so hard to find 😢

[@Thedollswitness]

They definitely can be. But I’m sure you’ll find some great ones eventually! Good luck!❤️

[@ZacherlJem]

And now we have Carlyle Nuera (crickets chirping).

[@Thedollswitness]

lol yeah. Just…yeah.

[@siwarvidsson9705]

Maxi n mini is my childhoods dress have still in good condition ❤Busy Steffie is also my childhood doll have her still she have always be a favorite 😊

[@Thedollswitness]

Oh nice! amazing pieces!🔥🔥❤️❤️

[@Spidrick]

When you think of how cutting edge and on trend she was for 40 years, amazing!

[@Thedollswitness]

Right? She did amazing things!❤️

[@lauriemccullam6327]

Very enjoyable and informative video - thank you!

[@Thedollswitness]

Happy you enjoyed it!❤️

[@markotey2896]

Great vid! You have any Japanese exclusives?

[@Thedollswitness]

Thank you! Not that I can think of, but I always have my eye on the early 60s ones. lol

[@dianathorpe2280]

Thanks so much for this episode. I have that book and I love it. I refer to it a lot. Do you know when they stopped putting the Barbie tags in the clothes?? The oldest fashions are so easy to spot with the original tags but when I'm thrifting I come across some Barbie clothes that might be Mattel but they are unmarked. I'm always unsure what to buy. I have several books and I refer to them so that hopefully I can recognize a real Barbie outfit. But sometimes it's tricky. Do you ever buy thrifted unmarked Barbie and Ken clothes??

[@Thedollswitness]

Thanks so much! I want to say that they stopped tagging after 1973 or so. Dollreference.com covers all the outfits to 1976 if you’re uncertain about certain items. I have a few handmade/clone outfits but usually I stick to pieces from Mattel. ❤️❤️

[@dianathorpe2280]

@@Thedollswitness thank you!!!

[@Vanessa-nh5es]

🤗♥️💚🧜🏻‍♀️🧜🏻‍♀️🧜🏻‍♀️🎈🔥

[@beforobama]

I loved the book Dressing Barbie!

[@Thedollswitness]

A great little read!🔥❤️❤️

[@nellocipolla4698]

❤ ❤ ❤

[@adbeelkarin]

Great video as always nyo!😽👍🏼💖

[@Thedollswitness]

Thanks so much!!❤️

[@Vicky-yx9ud]

I love your collection and the way you Explain! 🎉❤

[@Thedollswitness]

Thank you so much!❤️❤️

[@seanm6215]

Just ordered her book Hopefully it's as good as your video.

[@Thedollswitness]

Sweet! Who did you order? 😍

[@seanm6215]

@@Thedollswitness lol I meant Carol's book.

[@Thedollswitness]

haha nice 👍🏻

[@valleyofthedawlz]

Them astro fashions are fire!

[@Thedollswitness]

Right? Love em 🙌🏻❤️❤️

[@FerylMusic]

Thank you xx

[@Thedollswitness]

My pleasure!❤️

[@mpmorg3]

Thanks!

[@Thedollswitness]

Thanks again! Really appreciate it!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@perfumedelight66]

Thanks!

[@Thedollswitness]

Omg thank you so much!! Really appreciate the continued support!!❤️❤️

[@perfumedelight66]

OMG space racer! I haven’t seen this one until now. How iconic. ❤

[@Thedollswitness]

Right? Such a crazy good look!❤️❤️🙌🏻

[@Greysheather]

Maxi n Mini is my all time fav Barbie outfit! I love the bright blue colors!

[@Thedollswitness]

It’s truly a stunner!🙌🏻🔥❤️

[@brittneycofey8753]

They certainly don't make dolls like this anymore!! Barbie has always served us LOOKS! Totally Hair, Flapper Girl, and the 1994 Gold Jubilee Barbie are ICONIC!

[@Thedollswitness]

Agreed! Barbie history would be so much different without Carol. It’s amazing ❤️❤️