Finding Six of the Seven Mattel BTS Idol Dolls

Mattel BTS Suga, RM, and J-Hope from left to right

Mattel BTS Jimin, Jung Kook, and V from left to right

Since this post is only a doll locator one, I'm entering it separately from my mini series "Discovering BTS Via Mattel's BTS Idol Dolls" posts. Below are the specific stores where I found the BTS Idol dolls.

J-Hope, RM, and Suga $5.00 each, Five Below

1529 Chestnut Street

Philadelphia, PA 19102

 

Jimin and Jung Kook $5.00 each, Five Below
2200 Wheatsheaf Lane

Suite E6

Philadelphia, PA 19137

V $13.98 (sale price) Target
2701 Castor Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19134-5505 

I am looking to get Jin next. He would complete my BTS Idol collection. Also, there is a Prestige collection, where the members wear their fashions from the S version concept photos for the Love Yourself: Answer album. Prestige Jin has silver loafers while Prestige J-Hope has silver-studded black slip-ons. Sigh. I'd LOVE some of the fashions and footwear from that line, but I don't know if I'm willing to pay $49.99 each. Shrug. We'll see. Maybe Mattel will produce a third line of these dolls and then reduce the costs? Then again the Prestige line looks especially glamorous ....

Discovering BTS Via Mattel's BTS Idol Dolls, Part 1

Mattel BTS dolls greeted by some East Philly A.R.M.Y.

When I first saw the BTS dolls, I thought, "Not for me." I'm on the shady side of fifty. I don't know much about rap or hip hop except that I like Tupac Shakur's "California Love."  I don't collect Pullip dolls although I do have - or had - one Sharp doll by Sonokong. Most significantly, I know zilch about the Korean language. So I'm not a likely buyer for dolls based on a renown K-pop group. Or am I?

Fast forward a few months. I read on one of my doll-related Facebook  groups that Five Below is carrying the BTS dolls for $5.00 each. New Asian male faces in play scale plus budget price? I check a My Froggy Stuff video. Hmmm ... interesting. I check two re-dressing videos - one re-dressing BTS dolls V and Jungkook and another re-dressing ALL of the BTS members. Wonder what they sound like? So I listen to and watch the videos "On" and "Idol." Hey, they're GOOD. I mean, I love the choreography and the strong beats. Next thing, I'm "just glancing" at the guys in various interviews. It doesn't hit me until I'm watching their 7 year anniversary party, but I'm smitten. BTS is adorable. 

So am I hauling dolls, action figures, cat, two turtles and self to South Korea?

Pause to consider. Nooooo ... I mean my family is here. I'm only getting on an airplane when the ground around me is ensconced in flames. I don't speak or understand the Korean language. I love my creature comforts. "Smitten" over 50 is not the same as "smitten" at say 16 or 20. Senior smitten means I'm gonna maybe buy some DVDs and/or create a YouTube playlist. I'm not attending any concerts - pause in horror at the idea of doing so even BEFORE the present Coronavirus nightmare - or vying with younger fans or about to become an - ahem - A.R.M.Y. member. I will feel happy to have learned about them, long-distance fond of them, and so going to get the other BTS dolls. C’est tout.

For Part 2 of this blog topic, I'll debox the BTS dolls I have and compare them with other dolls and action figures I have. Usually, I find dolls of real people and that's that. I like the new faces. This has to be the first time getting a doll series sparked interest in a musical group for me. Anyone else become a BTS fan - or fan of other artists - after a doll purchase?




 

Liberating 2005 Barbie Fashion Fever Wave U Christie

Hello 2020. I am continuing the doll liberation project initiated last October. The next doll to be freed from her box is Fashion Fever Christie from Wave U. Her outfit - at least the top - I don't like almost as much as I disliked the Benetton Christie's. The candy pink color with tepid purple ruched trim sleeves as well as the child-themed princess rendered this top totally unsuitable to a doll with her sophisticated dark lip color and streaked hair. Here she is in her original tube and re-dressed.

Mattel Fashion Fever Wave U Christie in original tube - full length

Mattel Fashion Fever Wave U Christie in original tube - side view

Mattel Fashion Fever Wave U Christie in original tube - back view

I am glad that I didn't sell this Christie.

Mattel Fashion Fever Wave U Christie tube removed - head and torso

Mattel Fashion Fever Wave U Christie front below waist

Tag attached to Mattel Fashion Fever Wave U Christie's tube 

Other side of tags attached to Mattel Fashion Fever Wave U Christie's tube

Mattel Fashion Fever Wave U Christie side view

Mattel Fashion Fever Wave U Christie rear view of jeans

Mattel Fashion Fever Wave U Christie fashion, front view

Mattel Fashion Fever Wave U Christie fashion, rear view

Mattel Fashion Fever Wave U Christie cringe-worthy top, front

Mattel Fashion Fever Wave U Christie top, front showing separation

Mattel Fashion Fever Wave U Christie top, turned inside out

Mattel Fashion Fever Wave U Christie redressed in Integrity Toys Janay's blouse

Mattel Fashion Fever Wave U Christie redressed in Integrity Toys Janay's blouse, back view

Mattel Fashion Fever Wave U Christie redressed in Mattel Fashion Fever closet tribal-themed dress

Mattel Fashion Fever Wave U Christie redressed in Fashion Fever closet tribal-themed dress, back view

Two Mattel Fashion Fever Christies, together

I'm happy with both of these Christies. They are both "keepers." Any suggestions for future re-dressing ideas? Should I have put the tribal dress on the Benetton Christie?

World Doll Day 2020

June 13, 2020 as the second Saturday in June is World Doll Day.

To celebrate this day, I thought I'd share photos of the newest dolls I've purchased and/or brought out to de-box. Additional photos and discussions will follow.

Mattel Fashionistas 97 wearing Mattel My Scene Barbie denim romper

Mattel Fashion Fever Christies

Budget medical staff

Mattel Fashionistas left to right 49, 62, 123, and 126

Mattel Ibtihaj Muhammad, WWE Asuka, and WWE Bayley

Mattel WWE Lana

Hasbro Mulan

Mattel BMR1959 Neon Motocross Dress

Mattel BMR1959 Biker shorts

Mattel Fashion Fever Drew 

Liberating 2005 Barbie Fashion Fever United Colors of Benetton New York

A doll blogger known as "Lady Bast" produced a series of doll posts she called "Doll Liberations." In these doll posts, she opens up NRFB dolls, displays the dolls and the doll accessories, and rates both. This post follows that format to show United Colors Of Benetton Fashion Fever New York (Christie).

.

Here is Fashion Fever Benetton New York Christie mint in her original clear tube with the special square Benetton booklet to the side of her tube.

.

.

Fashion Fever Benetton New York Christie

Fashion Fever Benetton New York Christie back

Fashion Fever Benetton New York Christie face

Fashion Fever Benetton New York Christie side

Fashion Fever Benetton New York Christie torso

Fashion Fever Benetton New York Christie legs

The next two photos show Fashion Fever Benetton New York Christie's hideous fashion. Who would make a doll with her warm coloring wear such a mismatched fashion? Sigh. 

Fashion Fever Benetton New York Christie fashion back

Fashion Fever Benetton New York Christie fashion front

Fashion Fever Benetton New York Christie untubed.

Fashion Fever Benetton New York Christie deboxed

Fashion Fever Benetton New York Christie deboxed 2

Fashion Fever Benetton New York Christie undressed. She has the Belly Button body.

Fashion Fever Benetton New York Christie nude

Fashion Fever Benetton New York Christie nude back

Fashion Fever Benetton New York Christie redressed.

Fashion Fever Benetton New York Christie redressed

Fashion Fever Benetton New York Christie redressed back

So, will she go or will she stay? STAY!

Some of My Fashion Fever Barbie Favorites

I'm sharing three photos of my favorite Mattel Barbie Fashion Fever dolls that I still have. (Alas, I lost some of the others that I loved, but these are still with me.) I will be deboxing these dolls and deciding which ones I want to keep after I see them "out of box."

Mattel Fashion Fever Makeup Chic Teresa

Mattel Fashion Fever Tokyo Pop Barbie; Fashion Fever United Colors of Benetton Asian Drew and Christie

Mattel Fashion Fever Shannen, Gillian, and Christie

World Doll Day - Saturday, June 8, 2019

This World Doll Day post was inspired by a blog post written by doll enthusiast Taswegian1957 

World Doll Day 2019 found me sorting through my dolls and accessories. You may remember that after I "got sick," some of my doll items went to my sister's house and others went to a storage unit. What happened next? I retrieved all items that went to my sister's house except my digital camera and some of the items from the storage unit. Eventually, I had to drop the storage unit: I couldn't keep up with the fees and I couldn't ask my family to do so. 

Books and Research
I know I lost most of my books - however, I do have a few doll magazines, doll box art, and other research like catalogs and old newsletters. 

Dolls and Action Figures
I lost my childhood Malibu Sun Set Christie and her steady beau Hasbro The Defender (aka "Don America"). I know I lost Girls' Mission Mai and all three of my Lady's Mission dolls. Pause for mental scream of anguish. I doubt I would be able to get them again. Bye bye gynecologist, nun, and sunburnt athlete. But I've got the gynecologist's lab coat, maroon knit dress, silver pleather sandals, and I think her medical instruments. Pause to check ... alas, her silver plastic medical devices are not in her box. I have the box though and her dress, shoes, and lab coat. And a translucent lab test tube. Sigh.

Also among the missing - YNU Group Rosa - both Rosas. Awwww ... but I probably can still get another Rosa. I have curly-haired Opal (yay, she was my preferred Opal!), Sunshine Houda, and Sunshine Emerald. Vampire-faced Barnabas Collins and his body and shirt and pants are gone. I do have his aged head and his "human" head as well as his cape both in his original box. So I can re-create him on other doll bodies - two other doll bodies, come to think of it. Exciting idea. My Mattel Diana Ross is gone. But I still have the melted butt Mego Diana Ross from my youth. While the Mattel Diana was prettier, I preferred the Mego Diana. She seems to loom over everyone, ha ha. I like her stare, too. My Jakks Pacific G.I.R.L. Force dolls seem to be missing. Sigh. But I might be able to replace Josie and Valleri; not sure about 

I have my Momokos, most if not all of my Power Team guys, Mattel Elizabeth Taylor, 3 of my Get Set dolls (Vanessa, Isabella, and Fiona, yes! Alas, Gia is gone.) and enough of my favorites left that I won't let myself dwell on the lost ones. I'm alive, and I have many dolls. So, I'm satisfied. Life is good.

Here is a link to some of my loose dolls.