Sindy – the Late Sixties Kids

Last year I finally bought a doll I’ve been after for years, a gorgeous, 1968 Sindy side part by Pedigree. She’s not perfect, but I love dolls that have been loved and played with, and I really enjoy restoring them. Her hair is still a wee bit frizzy on the ends, so at some point I may try the hair straighteners on her.

The Sindy doll was revamped in 1968, with a new hairstyle – a long side parted flip style in blonde, brunette or red, her body now had a twist waist and she was given rooted eyelashes. She still had the flexible, bendy arms and legs that the previous issues had.  She was sold in several different outfits, but unfortunately mine came nakey. As far as I know, these 1968 dolls were not sold in Australia. I’m aware of a few being found here, in tip shops of all places, so perhaps they travelled with their immigrant owners or were sent by British relatives. I think they are among the prettiest of all the early Sindy dolls, they have such serene expressions and really suit the Mod fashions of the times. They are a little harder to find than the earlier dolls and later 70’s dolls and can be more expensive too, but I think they’re worth it.

Sindy had quite a few new friends in 1967/1968 and some are the hardest dolls to find in the Sindy line (especially here in Australia where they don’t seem to have been sold). I was very lucky a few years ago to find Vicky, one of the new editions to the line and described as ‘Sindy’s new English girl-friend.’ She has an interesting, open smiling face with blonde curly hair and the same body as Sindy. She originally wore a sundress with pink bodice and purple skirt and white shoes, but unfortunately mine came minus this fashion. Still, I never thought I’d find one I could afford, so she’s happy to borrow from Sindy’s wardrobe.

The other new dolls from 1968 are on my wish list and I don’t hold much hope of ever owning them, but you never know! Mitzi was touted as ‘Sindy’s new Continental girl-friend’ and has a fairly serious expression (she’s quite a strange looking doll) with long straight centre parted hair in either blonde or bright red. She originally wore a blue jumper and beret, green skirt and green shoes. Poppet is a Patch sized doll with a closed mouth smile and brunette hair.  She was sold wearing a red jumper, tartan skirt, white socks and black shoes. Betsy – probably the strangest doll in the Sindy line, as she’s a bit out of scale to the others – is a 6 inch tall smiling brunette or blonde haired doll with a red dress and hair band and white shoes and socks. She has a wire armature body, similar to Barbie’s little siblings, Tutti and Todd.

Sindy’s boyfriend Paul got a makeover in 1967 with rooted hair, variously described in catalogues and advertising, as ‘Right up to the fashion’ and ‘super Italian cut,’ but in reality it’s a bit of a basin cut and has the tendency to go very frizzy.  His body is sometimes a little different to the earlier Paul’s too, he’s often a bit smaller and often has very bandy legs. His facial paint is frequently a bit askew, mine has one eye a little smaller than the other, but I think it adds to their appeal. Unfortunately he was discontinued the same year, but in my collection he likes to hang out with Sindy and Vicky.

Vicky wears ‘Trouser Suit’; Paul wears ‘London Look’; Sindy wears the second issue ‘Leather Looker’ and the jumper from ‘Winter Holiday.’

More about these dolls can be found at Our Sindy Museum – http://www.oursindymuseum.com/

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