Recently I’ve done a lot of doll body swapping. I’ve had a small stash of dolls, mostly with head moulds not already in my collection, waiting for articulated bodies. There were also a couple that I had re-bodied, but their new body wasn’t a great match. So when the articulated Tokyo Olympics/ Wellness/Extra and Made to Move dolls appeared here, I took the opportunity to finally articulate these dolls. I don’t normally like buying new dolls for body swapping, I much prefer finding second hand dolls at op shops and doll sales, but the dolls I had were either black or very pale and the odds of finding suitable bodies for them second hand were Buckley’s and none, so I splurged and bought dolls new.
Four dolls were swapped onto the new articulated body used on the Tokyo Olympic, Barbie Extra and Wellness dolls. These were Fashionistas #57 Zig and Zag and #110 Sporty Shine, Princess Adventure Nikki and an older Fashionista with the Desiree head mould. Zig and Zag and Nikki got Extra bodies, Desiree got a curvy Olympic body and Sporty Shine got a Wellness body.
These bodies while articulated aren’t as poseable as the Made to Move bodies. To me they’re an update of the older articulated Fashionista dolls available around 2010-11. In fact, the hands on the standard dolls look almost the same as these older dolls. The curvy doll hands look similar to the collector curvy doll hands. They have bendable elbows, wrists and knees and come with either high heeled or flat feet. The flat feet on the standard dolls aren’t really a problem, there are lots of shoes for the flat footed Fashionistas that fit them, but the curvy flat feet – like most of the curvy dolls – are really hard to find shoes for. Rating these bodies using my previous criteria – how well they can touch they’re head/face, kneel and sit on the floor – I’d give this body a 6/10. They can touch their heads but not their faces, can kneel, but not well, and sitting on the floor may require a cushion or two. Still, it’s better than having a stiff static body.
The Extra body is an almost exact colour match for Nikki, but Zig and Zag is not quite perfect. Her vinyl is a more red hue and a slightly darker shade, but its close enough that it’s not really noticeable. She was originally on a curvy body, but I prefer the leaner Extra body. Desiree’s Olympic body is also almost a perfect colour match and while I liked her original tall slim body, I think this curvy build suits her more. I originally swapped Sporty Shine onto a Liv body (and I forgot to photograph her NRFB), but I was never happy with it. The colour was slightly off, but also the build just didn’t look right for her. She was originally on a tall body and she needed a longer leaner look. While the Wellness body is not tall, it’s the standard Barbie height, it’s a much better build for her.
Desiree’s original dress doesn’t fit her new body and Sporty Shine’s shoes are not a good fit for her new flat feet.
Next were Fashionista #80 Cheerful Check and a standard $5 Barbie doll. I had swapped Cheerful Check onto an older articulated Fashionista body, but the colour was a shade or two too light. I had bought the standard doll loose at a doll club meeting and at first I thought she was a re-bodied Polka Dot Fun Fashionista. I had swapped her to a Liv body, but her vinyl is a very yellow hued, pale colour and it wasn’t a good match. I also wasn’t really happy with the build. She has the face mould usually used on curvy dolls and I think the curvy build is a better match. One of the new Made to Move dolls is a perfect colour match and curvy to boot, so I had to grab it. I thought the black M2M would be perfect for Cheerful Check and while it’s very close, it’s a slightly redder hue. It’s so close, I think it will have to do. She was originally on a petite body, and I’d have loved a petite M2M body for her, but they’ve only been used for the BMR1959 range so far. Fashionista #167 Wheelchair Ken is available here again, so I couldn’t resist buying another and body swapping with Fashionista #138. It’s a match made in heaven and I love #138’s face and the fact he has rooted hair.
Finally, two problem children – Barbie Crayola Colour Stamp Fashions AA and Fashionista #147. I won the Crayola doll at a doll club meeting and although she has a face mould not yet in my collection, she sat on my sales table for a while as I couldn’t find a body colour match for her (I also forgot to photograph her NRFB). Then a friend was selling a nude The Barbie Look Night Time Glamour doll, so I bought it hoping it would be the right colour. It’s not. Crayola is a slightly more orange hue and a shade too light, but it will do for now. I like her as a curvy doll too. I haven’t found a perfect match for #147 either. I’ve tried her on an old articulated Fashionista and currently have her on a (aqua top) Made to Move body that I found for $1, but the colour isn’t right, she’s a more orange hue. The curvy M2M seems to be too orange and I don’t really think she’ll look right on a curvy body. I think one of the BMR1959 bodies may be a good match but they weren’t released here and are expensive to buy from overseas. The Barbie Extra #4 may also match, but again it’s curvy. The Olympic Karate doll may also match and despite the flat feet, may be an option if I come across one second hand. For now, she’ll have to do until a better match comes along. So, it’s been a little expensive, but it’s so nice to have dolls that can move and pose.
See the following update for more body swapping!
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