A Collector's Guide to Finding Vintage Barbie Doll Clothes

There are doll collectors and there are Barbie doll collectors. The difference in the two is that the Barbie doll collector collects more than just the dolls. The Barbie doll collector also collects Barbie clothes. There are many locations both online and regular retailers that sell vintage Barbie doll clothes. However, the one thing to remember is that in looking for vintage clothes that are in good condition, a buyer should expect to pay the price.

eBay has Everything

Of all the places on the web to purchase vintage Barbie doll clothes, the most prominent is eBay. The simple thing to do is visit the website and in your search string, place the words "vintage Barbie doll clothes". This will bring up many of the items that are available for purchase. If you prefer clothes of a particular decade, just add "1960", etc. to the search string, and there will be listing of Barbie close from the 1960s.

There are clothes that are in different conditions. You will find items that are New in Box (NIB) or Mint in Box (MIB), which means they are presently in the original package. However, there is a chance that the item was removed from the box at one time and place back into the same container. You will also see items that are Never Removed from Box (NRFB), which means the item is in the original box and is never been opened.

You will also see "Lots" of clothing, which is normally several different outfits and one auction price. One thing that a person must watch for when purchasing these clothes, is to make sure that the items are actual clothing from Mattel. This is because many people used to so clothing or make them from patterns that sold for doll clothes back in my teen 60s. As far as pricing goes, I have seen as high as $650 for a lot of 30 dolls and over 250 clothing items, down to $.99 for a coat that was in decent condition but out-of-the-box.

Vintage Barbie Clothes.com

Another good spot for purchasing vintage Barbie doll clothes is www.vintagebarbieclothes.com. This site offers clothes that are from 1959 to 1964. Under normal circumstances these clothes are going to be out-of-the-box, cleaned, and had any tears or loose seams mended. The site does a great job of describing in detail any problems that exist with the items for sale. Prices for some items range from $10 for the 941-Tennis Anyone to $85 for the 958-Open Road ensemble. Be aware that stock changes frequently.

Local Shops

As for local retailers, these will vary by city. Many stores that specialize in the sales of Barbie dolls will also sell vintage Barbie doll clothes. Another great place to look would be antique shops. There are many instances when people kept the toys of their children, place them into the added and eventually sold them.

Tips

Keep in mind that because these are older items they are not prevalent. This means that stock changes frequently and if you see something you like, it is best to move fast. It very well may not be available the next time you visit.

Sources:

Vintage Barbie Clothes and Accessories
http://www.monicasdolls.com/vintage_barbie_clothes_and_acces.html