Quick Post: Star Wars Princess Leia and International Women’s Day

This week brought a new arrival, the Star Wars Princess Leia Doll by Kenner from 1979. I’ve been wanting this doll for a while, and noticed her for sale on a friend’s sale site, so snapped her up. She was missing her fashion and accessories, but I bought her with the intention of having a Carrie doll rather than Leia, so it was perfect.

I didnt see Star Wars until a few years after it was released, but my sister (who was quite a bit older than me and working) bought me several of the small Star Wars action figures (which I still have and love, I think I’ve posted a Christmas photo using some of them) when I was a kid.

Some of my Star Wars figures in a Christmas diorama.

I would have loved all the twelve inch versions as well, but I remember them being quite expensive, and it wouldn’t make sense to have only one or two. I was always curious about Leia, and how her hair buns were achieved, I spent hours trying to get Barbie’s hair into them. I remember then seeing a friend’s doll, and discovering there were ‘donuts’ under the hair. There was a hair styling guide on the back of Leia’s box, on how to replicate other styles, but once the donuts were removed, it seems they were really hard to get back in. Most loose dolls that I’ve seen for sale, either have their hair loose or in pigtails, and that’s how mine came to me.

Leia as she was when she arrived.

I expected Leia to have the same body as Jenny/Dusty dolls, and while it’s almost identical, there are a couple of big differences. Firstly, Leia’s arms are soft and rubbery but more importantly, there’s no sign of melt where the soft and hard plastic meets (meaning these dolls would make perfect body donors for very melted Jenny dolls). Its marked slightly differently too, © 1978 G.M.F.G.I KENNER PROD./CINCINNATI, OHIO 45202/MADE IN HONG KONG on the back, rather than 1974 as Jenny is marked. The head is marked © G.M.F.G.I 1978, which surprised me. As it’s a celebrity sculpt, I thought it would be copyrighted to Lucasfilm or the distribution studio. 

Leia restyled as Carrie.

I thought it might be difficult to restyle Leia’s hair into Carrie’s 70s style, the part for the buns is rooted down the back of the head, but the hair is a lovely fibre and held the new look after just a wash and a quick dip in some hot water. The head sculpt really is an excellent likeness, even more so with her hair around her face. I’ve dressed her in a Bionic Woman fashion, also by Kenner. I’m yet to find shoes for her, these dolls have huge hooves, and I’ll also look out for a little bulldog to play Carrie’s real life dog, Gary Fisher.

Leia/Carrie in a Bionic Woman fashion, also by Kenner.

It’s also appropriate that Leia/Carrie arrived just before International Women’s Day, both Carrie and Leia are perfect role models. Both are intelligent, witty, strong, feisty and courageous. I love Carrie’s books and the fact that she never shied away from her problems including openly discussing her bipolar disorder and addictions.  So, this IWD and always, fight like a princess.

Stars wars plate from Typo.

(C) Jennifer B, not to be reproduced or republished without permission.