Well ... two of the Galoob Spice Girls fashion dolls, Mel B and Mel C.
What I know (guess?) about the Spice Girls rock group could be written on the palm of my hand. With space left over. I can't say that I disliked them ... more that they became prominent after I stopped keeping up with singers and musicians and related groups. My post high school years.
Okay, the Spice Girls were British. There were five of them originally. Then the red-haired one left. The black singer was called "Scary Spice" and the blonde singer was "Baby Spice." Scary? Huh? I thought that British Black people were not subject to the same stereotypes as American Black people. Then again, "spook" might not have the same connotation in Britain. Shrug. And Baby? Surely she's close to legal age ... ? And no, I don't recall any of their songs - that I recognize as their songs. "Maniac Monday" was by the Bangles, right?
So why do I have any Spice Girls in my collection? La difference! Well, Scary aka Mel B, has a neat profile and corkscrew curly hair. Sporty aka Mel C, has a left nose stud and a gold tooth. How many young female dolls have a visible gold tooth? Rest my case there. Plus both dolls were on sale when I bought them.
Since I am short on Spice Girls and Spice Girls doll information, I am including two links on the group and the dolls:
Spice Girls 4 Life website by doll collector Riot4Jem.
and
Spice Girls Megastore website store and fan page by Lenin Imports
Additional photos of my Spice Girls dolls are available here,
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/574915050NODKfr
Confession: I saw the Spice Girls movie back in the day. BUT I did not own any of their music. :)
ReplyDeleteNow I feel as though I should recognize something they did. Musically. Or maybe I'll check the movie. Mmmm ... then again, a quick trip to YouTube to watch a video should suffice LOL.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by :)
I almost bought Scary Spice because of her cool hair. I do remember one of their songs I think: "So tell me what ya want, what ya really really want! I'll tell ya want I want, what I really really want!" And that's about all I know. :)
ReplyDeleteI was OBSESSED with the Spice Girls when they came out! I was 12-14 at the time LOL I knew every beat and breath off their first album... but being um... blessed with the most awful memory capacity I can't remember anything now XD
ReplyDeleteThanks, Roxanne!
ReplyDeleteI think I remember that song. I didn't know who sang it. Yay, I have an inkling of a Spice Girl's song! Checked YouTube for a link to it.
Oh and the Spice Girls were a POP group, not a ROCK group.
The hair got me - Scary Spice doll's hair, I mean. No real resemblance to the singer ... then again, neither does the Sporty Spice doll resemble her human counterpart. Shrug. Eh, but Scary has that wild hair ....
Therese, your doll database memory bank probably overran the Spice Girls segment ;-D
ReplyDeleteIf you get a trigger - like the lyrics Roxanne mentioned - then, the Spice Girls stuff will probably all come rushing back to you, hmmm?
A straight guy (classmate) actually introduced me to the Spice Girls! He was even spreading rumors that they are transgender. I was gullible then so I believed him. LOL.
ReplyDeleteAbout the scary thing, I used to find all of them except Baby Spice scary. They kinda projected angry women images.
Of the Spice Girls dolls, those two I was tempted to buy but then again I think I outgrew them.
I still like their music though. Brings back memories. Like this entry... :)
I own two or is it three versions of Scary Spice? These two or three dolls make up my complete Spice Girls doll collection, memorabilia, or anything else. I remember the SG craze and purchasing the complete set of Spice Girls dolls for a woman whose daughters were Spice Girls fanatics. She just had to get them for the girls and I was happy to sell them to her.
ReplyDeletedbg
Okay... I just checked my first black-doll reference book. There are 3 Mel B, Scary Spice Dolls-- Spice Girls (1997), Spice Girls on Tour (1998), and Spice Girls Concert Collection(1998). Their outfits: leopard top and pants; full-length zebra jacket and shorts; orange top and shorts with sheer overtop and pantyhose. I gave them a value of $35 in 2003. Can't say they are worth this much now.
ReplyDeleteNiel, seeing the photos in the YouTube video, I can see how nearly all the Spice Girls could be seen as "angry women." They had a LOT of energy - I could scarcely lift a foot in some of those stacked heel shoes and boots they wore.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I think "transgender" is used against women who are perceived as being "too aggressive." Donna Summers and the Pointer Sisters also had transgender rumors attached to them. Maybe it's a size thing? I've seen photos of transgendered females who I would never guess as being transgendered.
There are probably more Spice Girls songs that I liked from that time only I didn't consider a "Spice Girls" song. Shrug. Their music is fun as well as um forceful ;-D I get the "Pop" category now.
Hi DBG!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the additional information. That sounds right to me - from my brief introduction to the Spice Girls doll series via the links - that there were three versions of the Spice Girls. I only have the first 1997 Scary Spice and the 1998 Concert Sporty Spice.
I got both dolls on sale - fortunately, since they are not primary target dolls for me. I like having them, but I would NOT have gone broke to get them ;-D
Wow, I never knew that the Spice Girls were perceived as angry or even transgendered. It seems like the label of transgendered, as Dana says, was alluding to the fact that they were seen as aggressive or "mannish" in their forwardness. I didn't get that at all. I just thought they were poppy. :D
ReplyDeleteBecause the Spice Girls vigorously touted positive "GirlPower," that could possibly be considered a threat. The perception of threat could trigger an association of anger coming from the Spice Girls. Anger is socially more acceptable, more tolerated as a male response. So "angry" Spice Girls - minus Baby, of course - could be considered not women-born, but transgendered women.
ReplyDeleteBaby would likely miss the anger association and the transgender tag due to our sense of babies as being helpless and adorable. Her blonde hair and wide blue eyes would also tie in with a more traditional image of feminine.
In contrast, let's consider Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know" a more overtly threatening and angry song than any I know of by the Spice Girls. I doubt that Ms. Morissette invoked any charges of her being "transgendered" because her heated anger almost transports her to mad obsession. Her anger consumes [her], but it doesn't threaten to transform or empower other women.
Note: these are my unscientific musings. No offense intended.
I have 2 of these Spice Girl dolls (I think On Tour?)-Geri/Ginger in the red miniqui-pao and Victoria/Posh in the purple dress with black lace overlay. I agree with Dana's comment that the Spice Girls had a lot of energy but weren't necessarily angry-their stated goal was to try to make feminism fun for a new generation of girls. I know my Geri and Victoria dolls are very generous about loaning their clothes and shoes to my other Barbies-I can barely keep track of which one has Geri's red platform shoes! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Nikki! Thanks for commenting on this post. Nowadays, the Spice Girls seem innocent compared to some of the more recent young female singers.
ReplyDeleteIf you have any online photos of your dolls, please send a link. I would enjoy seeing them with your Barbies ;-)
I just bought a Scary Spice fashion doll at Value village. I was look for a AA fashion doll and I liked the hair. I didn't realize it was Scary Spice until I got it home and saw the tattoos and saw that she did not have a Mattel trade mark on her back. I have an African sewing pattern that I wanted to make and needed a model. Too funny!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Deb C! Do share any links to online photos you place. That's cool, your finding her at this time, years after.
ReplyDeleteLately I've seen some folks doing repaints of the Mel Brown doll into Whitney Houston circa early 1990's. That is when Whitney wore her hair similarly to the Mel B doll.
ReplyDeleteHi Charles R. Thanks for stopping by; I did not know that there are repaints of the Mel Brown doll as Whitney Houston. I'll check on Flickr, but if you have the url to any of those photos, I would love to see them.
ReplyDeleteHere is an example....
ReplyDelete[URL=http://s1183.photobucket.com/user/axer111/media/MelBWhitneyHoustonComparison_zps27b6d1bf.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x470/axer111/MelBWhitneyHoustonComparison_zps27b6d1bf.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
Dana, Here is an example of a repainted Mel B that resembles Whitney Houston in the early 90s. With a more professional paint job, the Mel B head looks like it would be a dead ringer. http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x470/axer111/MelBWhitneyHoustonComparison_zps27b6d1bf.jpg
ReplyDeleteThanks for writing back with the link, Charles R.
ReplyDeleteThat Mel B head sculpt would make a great Whitney Houston OOAK. The features are there. Just need the right paint job ....