1:6 Scale Wedding Dresses for Barbie, Part 1

Spring is definitely in full swing here in New Jersey, which means a lot of flowers...and a lot of kittens.  I've been having a fun time with both recently: my husband and I spent the last two weekends re-planting large areas of our garden that didn't survive the winter, while taking breaks to watch our foster cat raise her new litter of five kittens.  It's all been pretty magical.

Springtime also means that Lena's wedding is right around the corner!  That's magical, too, but she hasn't picked a dress yet, which is stressing me out.  So, during the month of May, I'll try to help her make a decision by showcasing a variety of dresses in several different styles and ranging in price from $6.89 to $242.

My plan right now is to do three wedding dress posts.  The first two will feature gowns made by Mattel specifically for Barbie dolls.  The third post will focus on off-brand or handmade dresses that I found on eBay, Amazon, and Etsy.  This won't even come close to being a comprehensive look at all currently available Barbie wedding attire, but that doesn't mean we won't be looking at a lot of dresses over the next few weeks.  In the end, I think Lena will have nearly thirty gowns to choose from.  That ought to be enough, don't you think?

We'll see, Emily.

Because white clothing doesn't always look great against my grey backdrop, and because I wanted to create a special experience for Lena, I purchased a new backdrop and a marble "stage" for this occasion:

This is so great!

And I asked Lena's sister Sela and friend Petra to join in and express their opinions about each dress:

You guys will be honest with me, right?

Sela even brought an iPad so that they could share any really good dresses with Ian's cousin, Molly, who lives in Scotland:

Molly's standing by.

So I think we're ready to dive right in start trying dresses!

Wait, should I put my hair up or something first?

Since we haven't decided on a wedding hairstyle yet, I gave Lena a hair clip to use if we run into a dress or veil that requires it:

Okay, this should work.

Now I think we're ready.

Emily, why don't you talk a bit about each dress as I change into it.  Will that work?

Works for me.

I can't wait to see what she tries on first!

I decided to start out by looking at stores like Target, Walmart, and Amazon to see what Barbie brand wedding dresses are readily available.  I was surprised to find that there aren't many options.  I couldn't find a single Barbie doll made in the last few years that actually comes in a wedding dress.

Okay, that's not completely true.  I found this, for $50, but it's from way back in 2014:

There's no way I was going to spend $50 on that doll, especially because the dress isn't even removable.  

However, I was able to find two affordable wedding dresses that come without a doll, and are more recent.  The first one is from 2022 and, at $6.89, is the least expensive dress that I purchased for this series:

Barbie Bridal Fashion Pack from 2022 ($6.89).

The dress came packaged in a vinyl zip-top bag with pink accents.

There's a little advertisement on the side declaring that the dress is made out of recycled plastic, which is very cool:

The back of the package is covered in text, with no decoration:

Other than the date of manufacture, the most interesting thing here is the claim that this dress will fit most Barbie dolls:

That's a relief.  Fit was a big source of stress for me with this series, actually.  With all of the different Barbie body types in the world today, there were no guarantees that any of the dresses I bought would actually fit Lena and the Made to Move Barbie body.

The dress and accessories all came attached to a colorful cardboard insert that pulled out of the vinyl bag:

The dress looks really short.

the smaller accessories are an all-pink molded plastic bouquet, a gold necklace, and a gold bracelet:

There's also a pair of pink wedge-heeled sandals:

Is that a little frog molded onto the heel?

And a veil that's sewn onto a pink plastic headband:

The dress itself has a simple shape, with a sweetheart neckline, ribbon straps, and a short tulle overskirt:

The waistline is accented with a pink ribbon that's tied into a neat bow.

The dress closes in back with velcro, and has a severe crease where one edge of the skirt was folded under the cardboard insert:

So, this is dress #1, all ready for Lena to try:

Dress #1: Barbie bridal fashion pack (2022).

It's irritating to me that the shades of pink in the shoes, bouquet, dress, and veil don't all match, and I'm not crazy about the short length, but maybe Lena will like it?

Ooh!  Here she comes now:

It fits pretty well, but...

Really, Emily?  This is what you thought I'd like?

Um...

Oh, girl.  You look bridal and all, but no.  Just...no.

It's a little too short and girly for me, Emily.  Next?

Okay.  Sorry Lena.  Go try the next one and see if it's better.

The second dress is also short, but it has less pink and fewer frills, so it might work:

This dress is packaged in the exact same way as the first one, but it's from 2020 and cost a bit more ($13).

The back has a wall of text (with no proclamations about fit):

This set comes with a veil, shoes, a molded bouquet and a silver necklace.  I think there was also a grey bracelet, but I lost it almost immediately.  

I prefer this bouquet to the first one because the flowers are a different color from the stems.  And I like the metallic silver of the necklace:

The shoes are pink translucent jelly heels with bows on top.  They don't really match the dress or bouquet, but they look cute:

The veil is sewn to a grey tiara, which I think Lena will like better than the pink flowery headband on the first dress:

More sophisticated.

I wonder, though, why the tiara doesn't have the same metallic shine as the necklace?

The dress itself is made out of a very stiff and cheap-feeling white fabric, but there's a lace overlay that makes it look more fancy and refined:

The dress closes in back with velcro and has a black velvet ribbon around the waist.

Here's dress #2 with its accessories:

Dress #2: Barbie bridal fashion pack (2020).

The pink accessories feel out of place to me, but I think this dress is better than the first one.  I hope Lena agrees!

I like the black and white on her...

It's still really short, though, Emily.

But it's better than the first one, right?

Yes, I guess, and I like the lace.  And the tiara.

But look at the back.  The veil doesn't even cover my hair!

Sela, what do you think?

I agree with Lena. I don't like the back.  And the whole thing isn't very cohesive.

It might look better with Petra's black boots.

We can try that!

Nope.  I feel like a gothic Little Bo Peep.

Okay, okay.  Sorry.

I wasn't having much luck with the modern Barbie dresses, so I decided to try out the vintage market for dress #3.

I found this Deluxe Fashion Avenue bridal set on eBay for $19.99:

Barbie Deluxe Fashion Avenue wedding dress, 1996.

I love it when older items like this still have price tags on them.  This was purchased from Kmart for $9.99, so it hasn't actually gone up much in value over the years:

The back of the box has a photograph of dolls wearing other Fashion Avenue outfits:

Blasts from the past.

On the bottom, it says that there's a fashion booklet inside (yay!) and that the clothing will fit most Barbie dolls (also yay!).  However, that claim was made back in 1996, when there were only a few Barbie bodies available.

The dress and accessories were attached to an tasteful white cardboard backdrop that pulled out of the main box:

I couldn't wait to get my hands on that fashion booklet, so I opened it up first.

It's actually less of a booklet and more of a folded poster.  But the poster is pretty great.  It has a large photo with even more dolls wearing Fashion Avenue outfits:

Front and center are the bride and groom dolls.  Ken's suit looks especially dashing, and Barbie's dress is floor-length, which Lena will appreciate:

She looks like a cupcake, though.

The back of the poster is more like a booklet in that it's divided into twelve smaller panels, each with photographs of other products:

The wedding-related panels are the most relevant to this review, and they're...well, they're very 1996:

Actually, I remember 1996 being more fashionable than this.  The dress on the Black Barbie looks okay, and I wish I had it in the mix, but the others are a little ridiculous.

This set came with a pair of simple white pumps:

And a bouquet with a single peach rose surrounded by tulle and opalescent leaves:

There's also a veil with a big bow on top, which I'm not sure Lena will like.  I didn't photograph the veil separately, but here's the whole set together:

Dress #3: Barbie Fashion Avenue bridal set (1996).

The satiny fabric on this dress is thick and stiff, but the tulle and lace overlay softens that feel a little.  And Lena just said she likes lace.

It looks like Lena used that little clip to fasten the veil, since there's no way to attach it on its own.  She definitely looks like a bride now!

I could never sneak up on anybody wearing this dress.

That's some stiff fabric.  What do you think, though?

I mean, it's long...

But I hate the bows, and the lace ruffles don't even go all of the way around the skirt.

Yeah,  That's not great.  And there's no train or anything.

I don't feel like you understand me, Emily.  These dresses aren't right.

Yeah, do better, Emily.  You're making her upset.

Ack!  Sorry again!

Determined to find something more refined for Lena, I re-examined the vintage market with a bit more scrutiny.

I found this Barbie Glamour wedding gown at Karen's Vintage Doll and Toy Shop:

Barbie Glamour fashion pack (2003).

This dress is from 2003 and tends to sell on the secondary market for around $30.  I was fortunate to find it mint-on-card for $15.

The back of the package is decorated with several photographs of other outfits from the same collection:

There's another bride doll advertised, and her gown looks really nice:

Apparently 2003 was a better year for bridal fashion than 1996.

The outfit came in a blister pack, so I pulled off the plastic window to get a better look at everything:

I really love the shape of the dress and its off-white color, and the delicate rhinestone accents on the bodice and veil are lovely--if a bit tarnished:

The veil has an elastic band on the back, which is great.  Lena won't need a clip to secure it.

The fabric on this dress is thick and stiff, and the entire inside is lined with tulle, which gives the skirt extra volume without the need for a petticoat:

I wish the satiny fabric was a bit more delicate and thin, with some drape.  But it's a playline outfit.

The bouquet is a cluster of three realistic (but smooshed) pink tulip-like flowers:

The shoes are off-white pumps:

And there are even matching gloves!

Bridal mittens.

Something tells me that Lena is not a mitten kind of girl, but I think she'll like this dress.  I'm excited to see her in it!

Here's the full set for dress #4:

Dress #4: Barbie Glamour wedding gown (2003).

And here comes Lena wearing it!

I feel tall and elegant.

I really like this one, Emily.

It looks beautiful on you!

Thanks, but the top doesn't fit right.  It bulges out and the straps are funny.

*Gulp*  You look stunning, Lena.  I can't believe you're getting married!

The fit might not be perfect, but you did a good job with this one, Emily.

Let's get a nice portrait of Lena in this dress, to remember the moment when I did something right:

Sigh.  It's so pretty, but you can see how the straps fit her shoulders in an awkward way.  The bodice is just a bit too wide.  But the rhinestones look great with her ring!

Maybe now we're on the right track?

Yes.  I really like that color on her.  It's better than pure white.

Definitely.  I hope Emily keeps the momentum going!

Eager to keep the momentum going, I tried another popular-looking older dress.  This one came with a doll and is called Princess Bride:

Princess Bride Barbie (2000).

This doll is from 2000 and originally cost $22.  I found her on eBay for $15.

I might have been thinking less about Lena with this dress and more about the movie, The Princess Bride, and also the fact that there's blue in the dress, and Cinderella has a blue dress.

The blue bodice is actually part of this doll's gimmick.  She's meant to be a princess when she wears the blue piece, but she can take it off to have an all-white dress that makes her a bride:

These days a doll like this would probably have a color-change feature that turned her dress blue in the sun or something like that.

The back of the box has a photo of the Princess Bride and her prince, Ken:

Ken's outfit is very interesting.  Bizarrely awesome, I might say.  He's wearing a shirt with puffy sleeves and a stand-up collar over silver satin pantaloons and high boots.  But his tunic is the best part.  It's an ombre rainbow of colors with a metallic silver mesh on top:

#Pride

Ken is definitely outshining the Princess Bride.

But the princess has a few more features up her sleeve.  Not only can she remove her blue bodice to make a wedding dress, but she has a magic mirror that rings like a phone (??), and part of her skirt transforms into a veil:

The Princess Bride and her accessories are secured onto a cardboard backdrop that pulls out of the main box:

The backdrop is mostly pink, but there's a colorful window design to the right of Barbie's head:

My, what blue eyes you have.

And there's a scroll with text on it to the left of Barbie's head:

It says:

Barbie asks her magic mirror,

"Who will my true love be?"

Prince Ken, of course!

Magical chime!

Brrrinnng!

Okay, we're gonna have to take a closer look at this magic mirror phone before we do anything else.

The mirror is made out of metallic silver plastic and has a (peeling) sticker with Ken's face on it:

Here's a better look at the image:

It's one of those ridged images that changes when you look at it from different angles, though.  So if I tip the mirror backwards, I see Barbie's face instead:

And from some angles, I can see a disturbing mix of both Barbie and Ken:

Kenbie.

The mirror itself doesn't make any noise.  To get the magic ringing sound, Barbie's arm has to be lifted upwards, which I'll try in a little bit.

First, let's take a closer look at the other accessories, like this white bouquet with three ribbon roses:

And Barbie's plain white pumps:

There's an instruction pamphlet that describes how Barbie's transforming outfit features work:

The bodice concept is very simple.  She comes wearing a blue bodice:

This closes in back with velcro:

And when that bodice is removed, the dress is all white...and slightly less bulky on top:

The underlying white bodice is quite pretty, with little pleats along the neckline, cap sleeves, and an intricate lace overlay with tons of glitter:

Both of the bodices are stiff--probably from all of that glitter.  Also, this dress has a piece of lace that flips up in front, and I can't straighten it out.

The other feature is that the bustle at the back of the dress can be detached.  It's connected to the skirt with two elastic loops that hook around tiny white buttons:

The elastic loops are supposed to fit over the rounded back of the tiara, to make a veil.  However, I couldn't get them to stay in place:

The loops fall right off the tiara.

Maybe the elastic has loosened over time?  It was a little frustrating.

The doll included with this dress has an older style Twist 'n Turn body with tiny hips and a broad chest.  She also has a little speaker on her torso:

In the back, there's a battery compartment and a button to activate the sound feature:

This body has a 1966 copyright, which is the first year the Twist 'n Turn body was made:

The body has eight points of articulation (neck, shoulders, waist, hips, click knees).

And, of course this particular body has a magic right arm that, when lifted, makes some noise.  My doll's batteries had died after sitting in the box for 25 years, but fortunately I had some extra button cell batteries on hand.

Here's what happens when her arm is lifted (or the button on her back is pushed):

That's it.  I mean, it's a nice fairy dust kind of magical noise, and nothing like a cell phone, which is a relief.  But the designers put an awful lot of work into the doll for her to only make that one short sound.

Anyway, here's dress #5 as it was presented to Lena:

Dress #5: Princess Bride Barbie gown (2000).

I like the overall shape of this dress, and the shimmering tulle overskirt is pretty.  But the fabric is stiff and cheap, like the other playline dresses.  So I'm not super optimistic about what Lena will think, but you never know.  

Oh--and by the way, these are the first (and only) shoes that didn't fit, which is why they're on the stage instead of on Lena's feet.

It's hard to move in this dress!

I feel like a Disney Princess.

Is that a bad thing?

Hm. I don't hate it, actually, but something's not right.

It's probably that the chest is three times too big for me.

Lena's not wrong.  This dress gapes open spectacularly at the chest:

So it's a no?

It's pretty, Emily, but not really my style.  You should've known that.

Still, while I'm wearing it, could I test out that magic mirror please?

Sure, why not.

Oh!  Ian!

I guess I'd better put that mirror away somewhere safe, so Ian doesn't accidentally see Lena in her dress before the wedding!

I bought this next doll because the $14.40 price seemed very reasonable for the elegance of the dress.  It's called Blushing Bride and is from 1999:

The doll comes in an all-cardboard box with velcro flaps that open in front.

The back of the box has a blue rectangle with a lot of text:

Here's a better look at the text:

It's still hard to read.

It says:

Wedding dreams take on a new dimension with Blushing Bride Barbie.  Her gown marries today's style and traditional beauty.  Sophisticated with subtle silvery accents.  Refined with perfect white roses at the waist and in the bouquet.  Stunning with the whisper of a tulle veil framing her lovely face.  Indeed, she will be the most gorgeous bride on her wedding day, her cheeks kissed by the softest blush of pink.

I guess I don't have to describe the dress now.

The side of the box has the 1999 copyright, and says that the doll's body is copyrighted in 1966, and also 1992 or 1994:

Confusing.

The 1966 date makes me think I got another Twist 'n Turn doll, which isn't good news for Lena.  The bust measurements on Twist 'n Turn clothes are not compatible with the slender Made to Move body.

If Lena really loves a Twist 'n Turn dress, I suppose I could try to alter it so that it fits.

The front flaps of the box opened to reveal the doll behind a plastic window:

Blushing Bride Barbie (1999).

She's attached to a plain backdrop that pulls out of the main box:

This doll comes with a cheap plastic saddle stand:

It's got a cheesy blue sticker with "Blushing Bride Barbie" written in a scrolling font.

The stand is very helpful, though, since rubbery-legged Barbies don't balance well on their own:

That's a pretty doll.

This doll looked great right out of the box, with the stiff veil perfectly framing her face:

The dress has sheer sleeves and a satiny bodice with a gently curved neckline.  There's a glittering tulle overskirt which covers most of the bottom, with a small opening in front that's accented on either side with curled ribbons and small flowers:

The dress closes in back with velcro and has no train:

I love the ribbon trim on the bottom of the overskirt.  This reminds me of my own wedding veil!

Barbie has a permanent pearl ring on her right hand and a matching pearl necklace and earrings:

The veil has a satin headband with elastic at the bottom.  It's very stiff and can stand on its own!

The shoes are off-white pumps:

And the bouquet is a trio of ribbon roses surrounded by tulle:

There's a loop of elastic on the back of the bouquet that makes it easy to carry:

And, sure enough, under the dress, Barbie appears to have a Twist 'n Turn body:

(Her necklace isn't removable)

She has white molded underpants with a very strange cut:

And the same 1966 copyright that we saw before:

So, dress #6 probably won't fit Lena very well, at least in the chest, but it looks really pretty to me--especially for the price:

Dress #6: Blushing Bride Barbie gown (1999).

Ooh!  I like how the tulle overskirt acts like a short train when Lena walks:

Get ready to party like it's 1999, girls!

That's so beautiful, Lena!

Right?  Parts of it are really good.

What do you like about it, Lena?

I like the veil.  It fits really well and looks nice with my hair.

You know, we can always mix and match dresses and veils, so keep that in mind.

The bodice is still way too big, though.  Look how much I can push it in.

Maybe pay more attention to the fit, Emily.  This is wasting our time.

Okay, okay!  I'll try to pay more attention to body types.  But it's really hard to tell when the dolls are still in their boxes.  Also, some of the dresses are so lovely, I felt like I had to buy them.

For instance, how could I not at least try this next dress, even though it's from 2000 and the doll probably has a Twist 'n Turn body:

Millennium Wedding Barbie doll (2000), from The Bridal Collection.

It's so beautiful, and I think Lena will like the simple bodice and the ribbon detail in the skirt.

I'm not sure what the original retail price was for this doll, but I found mine as a set with another Bridal Collection doll on eBay for $70.  So each doll cost about $35, which is reasonable.

Unlike Princess Bride and Blushing Bride Barbie, which are both playline dolls, this girl is from the Collector Edition.  So I expect her dress to be nicer:

This Barbie is the first in The Bridal Collection series, which I believe had three different dolls, only two of which I bought.

The back of the box has a blue rose pattern with some text in the middle that's meant to look like a wedding invitation:

Here's a closer look at the text:

It says:

Wedding 2000.  A day of hopes and dreams.  A time to look forward to endless possibilities, and to cherish the best from the past.  It's time to celebrate love in just the right setting - anywhere the new millennium takes you, in a dress you've always dreamed of.  A vision now and forever, Millennium Wedding Barbie, a very special doll for your very special day.  A day to remember for a thousand years.

Okay, how does "a day to remember for a thousand years" make me tear up while also making no sense?  Nobody lives long enough to remember something for a thousand years.  Unless they mean collective memory, I guess.  

The packaging on The Bridal Collection dolls is odd in that everything is attached to an hourglass-shaped piece of cardboard that sits in front of the main backdrop:

This is nice, though, because once that piece of cardboard is removed, all of the wires and plastic ties are readily accessible.

This doll comes with a nice-looking saddle stand:

The base of the stand is solid, with little non-slip discs:

That's fancier than the current hollow-bottomed Barbie stands.

The shoes are white high heels with a strap in front:

And the bouquet is a large pink-tipped rose surrounded by smaller blue and white flowers:

The dress is really beautiful, although a bit wrinkled at the bottom:

It comes with a full veil and long, sheer gloves.

The veil is sewn into the doll's hair, so it will be hard for Lena to wear.  I like the general shape of the veil, with short sections of tulle framing the face, and a longer section of tulle hanging down the back.  However, the bow on top is a little silly:

That's not Lena's style.

This doll has the Teresa face mold, which is a nice change.

The pearl necklace is not removable, which is a shame because it's really pretty.  And it goes nicely with the delicate lace trim of the strapless bodice:

I don't think that bow is necessary, though.

Here's a closer look at the necklace:

I like the mix of beads and the long pendant in front.

My favorite part of this dress, though, is the skirt.  The body of the skirt is a soft satiny fabric, but it has a fine mesh overskirt with three broad ribbon bands going all of the way around:

And the dress is slightly longer in back, making it very dramatic:

The fabrics in the skirt are softer than the playline dresses, too.

I snipped the veil out of the hair:

This is the only veil so far where Lena could conceivably have the shorter section over her face as she walks down the aisle:

If that's a thing she wants to do.

Next, I unfastened the three metal snaps at the back of the dress:

No velcro in sight!

It looks like there were originally some clear vinyl shoulder straps to hold the bodice in place, but these have yellowed and disintegrated over the years.  I cut away the remnants with scissors and removed the dress.

Underneath, there's a separate stiff tulle petticoat:

And underneath that...another Twist 'n Turn body:

Darn it.

With fabric underpants:

This body has a 1991 copyright, though, not 1966:

Interesting.

But it looks basically the same as the other two Twist 'n Turn bodies we've seen today--just with no molded underwear:

Here's the body from the back:

The intention of this review is not to deep-dive into the minutia of Barbie body types over the years, but I like to try and figure some of this stuff out.  

Based on the copyright, I'm wondering if Teresa has a Shani body?  It has the same basic shape and waistline as the Twist 'n Turn: 

Doll with 1966 copyright (left) and 1991 copyright (right).

The only differences I notice are that the Twist 'n Turn body can only turn a few degrees to either side at the waist.  The newer body has a waist joint that can spin all of the way around.  Also, the arms are closer to the body and the chest/ribcage area looks smaller on the newer body.

Maybe this body is different enough that the dress will fit Lena?

Let's hope so, because this dress is gorgeous:

Dress #7: Millennium Wedding Barbie gown (2000).

Oh, wow:

*stunned silence*

Lena, omg.  You look amazing!

That's incredible!  Maybe a little wrinkled, but so dramatic.

I love how it's longer in back.

And the bodice fits really well, but can we get rid of this bow?

I can probably snip that off.  Don't worry about it.

Also, how does the bodice fit so well?  It makes no sense, but I'm really happy!

At this point, I took a minute to try and iron the bottom of the skirt.  The underskirt irons really well, but it was harder to get the ribbons to lay flat.  I'll make more of an effort if Lena chooses this dress.

Meanwhile...

I think we need to show this one to Molly.  Give me a sec...

Molly was joined by Kenna, who can't resist anything wedding-related:

Hello girls!  How's it going?

Strike a pose, Lena:

Ta-da!

Wow! Wow!  That's so pretty!  Pick that one!

All right!  We have an actual contender on our hands!  Thank goodness.  If I subtract a few bows from this one, and find a way to fasten the veil, it might be a winner:

After that success, I was eager to look at the other Bridal Collection doll that came with Millennium Wedding.  This one is called Romantic Wedding and is from 2001:

The Bridal Collection Romantic Wedding Barbie (2001).

It's the second doll in the series:

I'm not sure Lena will like all of the flowers on this dress, but it's worth a shot.

It could be nice for a garden wedding.

For anyone who's curious, the third doll in The Bridal Collection series is called Sophisticated Wedding and looks like this:

I love the dramatic train and veil on this one, but Lena wouldn't like the pink accents or puffy sleeves, so I didn't buy it.

The back of the Romantic Wedding box has a green rose pattern, and another block of text that looks like a wedding invitation:

Here's a closer look:

This one says:

The pleasure of your company is requested to share the dream of a lifetime.  To cherish an event filled with happiness and love.  To witness the sweet joy of today and the loving promise of tomorrow.  To admire the perfect dress for the perfect day.  The pleasure of your company is requested to share this romantic moment in time.

That's nice.  What wasn't nice was the fact that this doll's legs were extremely sticky for some reason.  The moment I touched them, my hands were covered with a gluey substance that I had to run and wash off with soap and water.  I've never experienced anything like that with a Barbie before.  So gross.

Moving forward, I had to cover the doll's legs with tissue in order to handle her:

Like Millennium Wedding, this doll has her own stand.  She also came with a bouquet of little pink rose buds:

And the same strap heels that we saw with the last doll:

Leaving the tissue in place to protect the dress, I was able to get this girl on her stand:

I don't feel like this gown has the same "wow" factor as the last one.  However, I love the embroidered detail on the bodice, and the veil has similar volume and shape as the Millennium version.

Here's a closer look at the embroidered bodice--and the double-stranded pearl choker (which is not removable):

So pretty.

As much as I love the floral bodice, I don't really like how the flower pattern is continued on the sheer overskirt.  The colors look a bit sickly:

Maybe they've faded with time?

Pink flowers might have been cheerier than those yellow ones.  Or maybe a mix of the two?

The dress has an open back with ribbon halter straps, and not much of a train:

I love the line of pearls that covers the snap closure, but the whole back area looks messy:

This doll has the same maybe-Shani body as the Millennium version:

And I really like her face mold!  I think it's the Mackie face, with beautiful bright blue eyes:

I suspect this ensemble might be a let-down after the last dress but we can give it a go:

Dress #9: Romantic Wedding Barbie gown (2001).

That long veil looks like a train when Lena's walking, which is cool:

I'm going to trip on this skirt...

Well..?

I don't know.  It's very flowery.

I don't really like the yellow accents, and the skirt is a lot.

The bodice is pretty, but it does't fit me at all!

It gapes open way too much.

Yikes.  It sure does.

And the veil has too many flowers.

Okay...

Does the back look as messy as it feels?

Yes, it does.  
Emily, do you have something good for us to finish up with today?

Wow. That was a hard pass.  I was hoping there would be something about that dress that Lena liked!  I guess not.

Sela's right that I should probably wrap things up, so let's see if this last dress will end the day on a high note.

This doll is from the David's Bridal collection, and is called Eternal:

David's Bridal Eternal Barbie (2004).

She's a Silver Label doll, so should be even nicer than Millennium Wedding and Romantic Wedding.

The back of the box has a small greyscale picture of the bride at the bottom, but is otherwise decorated with text:

Here's a closer look at the text:

It says:

A radiant bride dressed in a stunning gown - she glows with romance and excitement.  This is the beginning of a new life, a celebration of love everlasting, expressed at this beautiful wedding and shared with family and friends.  An unforgettable event that will be remembered for years to come! (But not for a thousand years).  Eternal Barbie doll, available exclusively at David's Bridal, is a wonderful keepsake of your very special day.  This romantic doll is sure to be treasured forever, as special to you as the cake topper or wedding photograph album (that's a bit presumptuous).  The ideal gift for the bride, bridesmaids, and flower girl to always remember the perfect wedding - yours!

I wonder who writes these blurbs?  It must be hard to come up with something to say that will fill the entire back of the box.  This one is my least favorite.  At the end it's basically telling the bride to buy lots and lots of these dolls for her entire wedding party to rub it in their faces that her wedding is perfect. Sheesh.

The very bottom of the box has some information that I find useful:

This outlines the four categories of Barbie collector dolls and what type of limited release you can expect from each:

Pink Label: keepsake dolls at quality retailers.

Silver Label: available at select retailers, with no more than 50,000 pieces created worldwide.

Gold Label: featured at fine retailers, with no more than 25,000 pieces worldwide.

Platinum Label: editions of less than 1,000 worldwide.

So, as a Silver Label doll, Eternal is in a limited edition of 50,000.  That sounds like a lot.  And I don't even know if that accounts for the other versions of this doll (there are two other skin tone variants).

Anyway, the other interesting information on this box is a suggested price ($45):

I don't see that very often--maybe never before with Barbies.

The Eternal dolls tend to sell for between $40 and $300 on eBay.  I paid $57 for mine.  Of the three skin tone variants, the darkest fetches the highest prices.  I can see why:

I like how her hair is down.  Lena would appreciate that.

The lid of the box lifts off and the doll is on display against a colorful backdrop:

The vinyl in this doll's head has lightened over the years, so it doesn't match the plastic body very well anymore:

Freaky.

I removed the doll from the backdrop, which is actually quite beautiful!  It's a scene from the corridor of a stone building, with dramatic arched doorways and some stained glass (or maybe flowers?) in the windows at the back:

Eternal comes with a stand and a collector card:

The back of the card has more text, some of which is repeated form the back of the box:

The new part is a description of the dress.  It says: the doll wears a stunning gown featuring a glitter print top and white satin dress.  Faux pearl earrings and necklace repeat the faux pearl details in the veil.  A red rose bouquet with white ribbons lends a final air of pure romance.

Here's how all of that looks:

The doll is odd, with that ultra-pale head, and I don't like how her tendrils of overly-gelled hair are sewn to the front of the dress, but the dress itself is pretty:

I like the two different lengths of tulle in the veil, and the satin stole--which isn't mentioned in any of the descriptions.

The skirt of the dress is asymmetric, made to look like it's a wraparound.  On the left, there's some ruching at the top, and the free end of the implied wrap:

The right side is more conventional, with ruching at the waist and a smooth a-line skirt:

The back is wrinkled, but it has a small train, which I love:

The veil is still bunched up in that last photo.  It actually hangs down a bit lower.

As described, the bouquet has a collection of red fabric roses, surrounded by some green leaves and white ribbons:

The shoes are slip-on strap sandals:

And the stole is a folded rectangle of white satin, with some half-circle creases where it was attached to the backdrop:

The creases were fairly easy to iron out, but left behind faint marks.

The bodice of the dress is simple, with a straight band of glittery fabric at the top, and some discolored vinyl straps:

It closes in back with plastic snaps:

There's no petticoat underneath this dress, but there's a bunched section of tulle at the back that adds some volume to the train:

The veil has two sections, both connected to a pearl headband:

But the veil came sewn into Eternal's hair, so there's no way to easily attach it to another head:

As I was removing the dress, one of the vinyl straps ripped:

So I cut both of those out with scissors. They didn't look very good anyway.

Underneath the dress, Eternal has a Belly Button Body.  I was so happy to see a different body type!

This body has proportions that are similar to the Made to Move body; both have a smaller chest and wider waist and hips than the Twist 'n Turn body.

The body has seven points of articulation (head, shoulders, hips, click knees), and a 1999 copyright on the back:

I'm feeling optimistic that this dress will fit Lena!

Dress #10: David's Bridal Barbie Eternal gown (2004).

Right away, I love how the train looks, and I see that Lena attached the veil low down on the back of her head, which is interesting:

Oh, goodness!

This fits perfectly!

The veil is a little short, even though it's set low on Lena's head:

Yeah, a longer veil would be nice.

You look amazing, Lena.  I think we need to show Molly and Kenna this one, too.

Give us a pose, Lena!

Like this?

Yes!  It's so lovely!  Can we see it without the veil, too?

Give us one sec...

It's very different without the veil!

I feel more natural like this.

I'm not crying, you're crying.

Fabulous!  We love it!  Pick that one!

Silly me, though, I'd forgotten to give Lena the stole.  So I asked her to put the veil back on for a minute so that she could model the entire ensemble for a sec:

I feel like royalty.

The veil might be a tad short, but I think Lena looks like a goddess:

Aw, thank you Emily.

And we made it through the first ten dresses!

Woot!  Woot!  Go Lena!

Bottom line?  Lena's favorites in this group were the off-white Glamour gown with the rhinestones on the bodice, the big Millennium Wedding gown with the ribbon detail on the skirt, and the David's Bridal Eternal dress with the red bouquet.  I agree with Lena's choices (she has good taste!), but I'll add a few additional comments for those of you who might be shopping for wedding dresses or wedding dolls for different reasons.

If you're looking for an affordable dress for play or display, the Blushing Bride is a solid option.  That doll only cost me $14.  It's an excellent price, especially considering that the cheap, short, black and white lace dress that we saw at the very beginning cost only a dollar less...and doesn't even come with a doll.  The Blushing Bride dress might not fit Made to Move dolls perfectly through the chest, but it doesn't gape open like some of the other gowns, so it looks like it fits.  I also like how the veil is easy to use, with that elastic headband.  And the doll is pretty, too, if you want to leave her as she is.

Another solid option, especially if you're shopping for kids, is the Princess Bride.  The blue bodice gimmick is reasonably effective, and the underlying wedding dress is pretty and romantic...and much better than any of the more recent playline Barbie wedding dresses that I found.  The veil transformation doesn't work very well, and the magical mirror sound feature is brief, but overall, for the price, this is a very nice Barbie bride doll...with slightly crazy eyes.

I'm already in the process of getting the second group of dresses ready for Lena to try, so I should be back before too long with Part 2.  In the meantime, feel free to let Lena know which dresses you like best in the comments!