Happy Birthday Barbie

March 9th marks the 53rd Anniversary since the debut of the Barbie doll. Barbie was originally launched as a teenage fashion model doll for children. I cannot describe to you how much I loved my Barbie's as a child. It really began my love of fashion and the first clothing I created was for my doll.
I have many Barbie's these days however they are all adult collector versions, though they all remain in the box. These versions are so intricately designed and made, I love enjoy looking over my collection as well as searching for new ones. They have so many different themes, it's really hard to pick which one to get. For example last Christmas my husband bought me a Mad Men Barbie, I got the 'Joan' and it is just devine, so detailed right down to her stocking.

I love that the new Collector Barbie's take such a heavy influence from my favourite fashion periods (the 50's, 60's & 70's), particularly Robert Best sketches and designs, I get alot of inspiration from them. Here is a sample of some of his sketches below, I wish I could draw like this.

I honestly can't imagine a time when I wouldn't have Barbie's around, I think I will continue to collect, love and be inspired by the world of Barbie. But please do not sing that song.
Happy Birthday Barbie!!

A Hollywood legend

I have been fascinated for a while with the story of a particular lady in Hollywood, a lady who has won eight Academy Awards and been nominated 35 times, but she is not an actress. The person I have been curious to know more about is Edith Head. She was the Head Costume Designer for Paramount Pictures and worked there from 1924 through to 1967 when she moved to Universal Pictures.

She created some of the most legendary outfits in films over those years including working on many Hitchcock movies. They say she got her first job at Paramount by including the drawings from students that she was Teaching at a local school in her portfolio as she couldn't draw. But never less she worked her way up from Assistant Designer to Head Designer.

One of her first big movie star fittings was with Mae West who apparently asked her to design dresses that were "tight enough so I look like a woman, loose enough so I look like a lady". Which would have to be one of my favourite quotes of all time.
Perhaps I am a bit of a fashion nerd for wanting to research Edith Head and her designs but she had created some of the most iconic outfits in the last century.