Barbie: All Dolled Up: Celebrating 50 Years of Barbie [Hardcover]

D'Amato Jennie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 8, 2009

Barbie™ All Dolled Up is a dazzling celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of Barbie™ doll. Fully illustrated and featuring three-dimensional replicas of rare memorabilia, this unprecedented book truly brings Barbie to life in full-color, and fabulous style. With the full support of Mattel, the publication of All Dolled Up is a highlight among nationwide Barbie events and marketing initiatives being staged for the anniversary.

In five decades, the influence of Barbie on girls and the world of fashion has never faded. Now devoted collectors, baby boomers reminiscing about the doll’s classic beauty, moms still dreaming of the pink Corvette of the ’80s, and children just discovering her will relive the magic of Barbie through key eras in her development—her debut in 1959, the Mod Era of the late ’60s, the big, bold ’80s, the Totally Hair ’90s, and up to today. Original doll packaging, Barbie comic books, designer’s sketches, and an official fan club membership card and welcome letter are among the rare Barbie ephemera that have been reproduced. The narrative combines historical detail with contributions from moms, daughters, and fashion celebrities including Diane Von Furstenburg, Christian Dior, Versace, Armani, Bob Mackie, and Vera Wang. It’s Barbie doll’s birthday and no one wants to be left out of the party!

Editorial Reviews

Review

October, 2009, Kings Feature Syndicate
“Perfect for Barbie fans and collectors, this friendly and beautifully designed compendium charts the evolution of the world's favorite doll and legendary star…”

About the Author

Jennie D’Amato is a writer and editor whose byline has appeared in publications in England and the U.S., including Sunday Telegraph and Photography in New York. In 2003 she co-authored the book Fashion Icon: The Power and Influence of Graphic Design. D’Amato grew up in England and currently resides in New York City.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Running Press (September 8, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0762436867
• ISBN-13: 978-0762436866
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 11 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #104,856 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #9 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Antiques & Collectibles > Dolls
  • #14 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Antiques & Collectibles > Toys

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brief, Colorful History for Barbie's 50th Anniversary!, August 27, 2009

By 

Tante Maren "Maren" (Ohio, United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Barbie: All Dolled Up: Celebrating 50 Years of Barbie (Hardcover)

As a Barbie Collector since her debut in 1959, I have almost all of the Barbie books ever made. It would take a really different and outstanding book to impress me, and I have to admit, this is one of those books. The book is only 127 pages long and is a collage of very colorful and creatively pieced together photo's, Barbie art from her booklets, boxes, tv commercials, dolls, clothing outfits, cases, books, magazine and newspaper articles, licensed Barbie products, paperdoll sets, fan club magazines, games and great photos of Barbie's creator- Ruth Handler. A couple of the Ruth Handler photo's I have never seen before, and that is saying something, as I have loads of books and information on Ruth Handler.

The book also has a few surprises, just like the gorgeous TREASURE BOOKS that include copies of documents or items of interest. Unlike the TREASURE BOOKS, which have great items on every other page, this book has just a few items, but they make the book more desireable, since this is a first in a Barbie book and a great touch for her 50th Anniversary. The extra treasure items include a partial copy of the first booklet, first fan club welcome letter and i.d. card, patent for the first twist doll, Robert Best sketches for his gorgeous Silkstone dolls and a couple more.

This book is pure eye-candy and does not contain any significant information on the Barbie doll or her value. It is 127 pages of a brief, colorful history of Barbie from 1959 to 2009, and is a nice piece of memorabilia to always remember Barbie's 50th Birthday with it's great collage pages and extra little treasures!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully Done!, December 3, 2009

By 

LuckyCharm (USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Barbie: All Dolled Up: Celebrating 50 Years of Barbie (Hardcover)

I bought this book for my 9 year old Barbie fan. It is done in the style of a scrapbook and some pages have mini books and other extras to pull out. There's even an "official" Original Barbie Fan Club welcome letter. The colors and quality of the paper (the pages are very thick and kind of glossy)are phenomenal. This will be a book my daughter will pour over time and time again. I especially love seeing all the old barbies I had as a girl - and it's up to date with many of the barbies my girls have now. You won't be disappointed!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun book, January 24, 2011

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new iphone user - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Barbie: All Dolled Up: Celebrating 50 Years of Barbie (Hardcover)

This is a fun book to add to your Barbie doll reference collection. It's more of a pop culture perspective than a reference book, but it has a fun perspective and would be a nice gift for Barbie fans of all ages.