Polly Pocket, Then and Now

I've talked about Polly Pocket dolls several times over the years.  The first time was back in 2015, when I reviewed  3.75 inch dolls from 2011 and 2012, and compared them to a Polly Pocket-themed Kinder Surprise egg that my husband generously bought for me.  More recently, I looked at the bizarrely entertaining Pop 'n Swap Pollys from 2008.  My advent calendar feature last December also included a 2024 Polly Pocket set with the smaller 1.25 inch Polly dolls.  Oh--and speaking of advent calendars, I have plans to do another advent mini series this December, but it'll be shorter and more focused than last time.

Anyway, the Polly Pocket advent calendar from last year got me thinking about the original Polly Pocket dolls--you know, the tiny little two centimeter ones that come in compact cases.  I never had any of those sets when I was a kid, and didn't purchase any as an adult collector, either, until just recently.  Today I'm going to be looking at a few sets from the late 80s and early 90s, and comparing them to similar toys from the last few years.  Because Polly Pocket is such a distinct and beloved brand, this review feels long overdue...and it's pretty long, too.  So grab a snack or a drink and settle in.

Various Polly Pocket toys, current and vintage.

Polly Pocket dolls were invented in 1983 by a man named Chris Wiggs.  Mr. Wiggs used an actual makeup compact to craft a small dollhouse for his daughter, and later sold this concept to the British company, Bluebird Toys.

By 1989, a variety of Polly Pocket sets were available for purchase.  The compacts came in a few different shapes (hearts, circles, clam shells, and squares), a variety of colors, and had primarily domestic themes.  Mattel partnered with Bluebird to distribute the toys in the United States, and I gather they were a success right from the start.

I actually remember the Polly Pocket commercials from the early 90s, with their catchy, up-beat songs.  These commercials seem really old now, in part because of the music:

Now that song's gonna be be stuck in my head all day.  It sounds a lot like Rockin' Robin by Bobby Day, which was a hit from the late 50s.  

Here's something to ponder: back when Polly Pocket was released, songs from the 50s had the same kind of hip, nostalgic appeal as songs from the mid 90s have today.  Like, Bobby Day was cool back then the way Nirvana and Britney Spears are cool now.  There's an approximate 30 year cycle with these things.

That's probably why Polly Pocket toys have had a resurgence lately...36 years from when the brand first appeared.

Another side effect of being 36 years old is that new-on-card Polly Pocket compacts can be quite expensive.  There are a few available on eBay right now, and they range in price from $175 to $600:

I think the1989 MSRP was $9.99.

Despite how much I love to see vintage packaging, I couldn't quite stomach those prices--especially because I wanted to look at several different toys today.

So, I searched eBay for some used sets that looked fun to me.  The first one I found is called Polly's Studio Flat.  It's a lavender compact with a traditional round shape:

This cost me about $50, and is complete and in good shape.

I'm not a Polly Pocket expert, so I have a question for those of you who are: did the color and shape combinations on the compacts ever repeat?  Or would a seasoned collector know instantly that my circular lavender compact can only be Polly's Studio Flat?  It'd be cool if they were all unique like that.

The bottom of the compact has a molded Bluebird mark with the 1989 copyright date:

This set comes with two figures, Polly Pocket and Tiny Tina:

Polly's Studio Flat by Bluebird Toys, 1989.

There were a few other named characters with these early sets, like Little Lulu and Wee Willie.  I think there was a Midge, too, just like in Barbie's world.  I'm sure the designers chose that name for its similarity to the word "midget," which probably felt clever at the time but is pretty offensive these days.

Polly herself is about two centimeters tall with short, curly blonde hair, a headband, and a simply-rendered smiling face:

Studio Flat Polly Pocket, 1989.

She stands on a circular base, which gives her some stability and helps her interact with the house.

Her body has a single point of articulation in the middle:

The joint is unsightly because it takes up so much of the torso, but the decision to include a joint was brilliant.  It means that this tiny little doll can sit.  That sounds so simple, but it's such a big deal in terms of playability: she can drive a car, sit down to dinner, relax on the couch, use the toilet...so many important things.  There are dolls ten times Polly's size who can't sit.

It's hard to picture how small two centimeters is, so here's Polly with my life-sized hand model:

She's very small.

The other doll in this set is Tiny Tina.  She has blonde pigtails and a different (slightly lopsided) smile:

Studio Flat Tiny Tina, 1989.

I really like Tiny Tina.  I actually like her better than Polly.  She has a lot of character in her face.

Tina has a molded number 2 on her back (as does Polly), which I think indicates what type of plastic she's made out of:

Both Polly and Tiny are wearing very basic pink painted dresses and white shoes.  Polly's dress has a white bow at the neck, and Tina's shoes have some pink detail, but otherwise the clothing is very similar.

The compact opens to reveal what is essentially two floors of an apartment....which means it isn't technically a studio flat, but that's fine.  The bottom floor has a bright yellow door that opens, to invite us into the space:

There's a milk jug at the front door!

I lived in Scotland in the 80s and distinctly remember the delivery of glass milk jugs.  Some of them were still delivered by horse and cart.  I love this set already!

Inside, there are four distinct areas within two rooms.  To the immediate left of the door, there's an entertainment system with a turntable and two huge speakers:

There are two objects on that shelf that I can't identify.  There's a white rectangle to the immediate right of the turntable, and a domed object on the far right.  I'd say that the rectangle was a phone, but cell phones weren't common in 1989...and they didn't look like that.  Maybe it's a remote?  The domed thing has me at a complete loss.  I have no idea what it's supposed to be.  It looks like a plum pudding.

On the opposite side of the room, there's a big red couch and a table with a green television and a white mug:

Tina can relax and watch telly, but she can't bring the mug with her:

I think she's watching David Attenborough.

The colorful, dotted flooring in this room adds a lot of vibrancy to the space.

The left side of the back room looks like an outdoor area with a hedge and a bucket.  It doesn't really fit with the rest of the layout:

Why is there a hedge inside?

Are those indoor plants and a cleaning bucket?  Outdoor plants and a gardening bucket?  It's the one space in this set that feels underused.

The opposite side of the room has a kitchen, complete with toaster, sink, and range.  And there are little holes in the floor that fit the circular base on Polly's feet.  These areas allow her to stand securely:

There's no fridge, though.  I wish the strange shrub half of the room had been used for some cabinets and a fridge.

Polly looks at home in her kitchen, though:

And there's even a green table in the middle, where Polly and Tina can grab a bite:

I think there's another plum pudding on that table.

It's fiddly for me with my big adult hands to maneuver the dolls into the seats at this table, but the girls certainly fit:

The upper floors of the apartment have a bathroom, bedroom, and balcony--and there are even stairs leading up from the bathroom to the bedroom:

A little work of art.

At the foot of the stairs, there's a cubby with a cute cuckoo clock, and to the right of that there's a heart-lined shower and some shelves:

There's no toilet or sink, though, so I guess Polly and Tina have to accomplish all of their bathroom goals in the shower.  And it's a pretty tight fit!

Some privacy, please!

You might notice in these pictures that I had to use putty to get Tina and Polly to stay put.  I found it difficult to get them to stand on their own, unless they were placed in one of those designated holes in the floor.  I suspect that kids with smaller hands would have an easier time.

The bedroom is really cute.  It has a purple bed, a wardrobe, and a little nightstand with a clock:

I love the colorful wallpaper and flooring choices with this set.  It's very fun to look at.

Tina fits in the bed perfectly, but looks cramped.  I'd want a bit more space between my head and the wall:

There's a white rectangle just next to Tina's head, and I'm not sure what it's supposed to be.  Maybe it's a  framed picture?  Or it could be an intercom!  We had those in my house when I was a kid and they made me feel cool.

The very top floor of this apartment has a lovely terrace, complete with trees and a cloudy, bird-filled sky:

Polly likes to take in the view, but I feel claustrophobic watching her:

This was the first Polly Pocket compact that I've ever seen in person, and it left me thoroughly charmed.  It's bright and colorful to look at, and has a lot of little details that are fun to inspect and figure out.  The spaces are full without feeling cluttered, and there's room for (small) hands to get in and manipulate the dolls.  I love how the background designs add so much depth and warmth to each little scene.  It's also nice that everything except for the dolls is attached to the walls of the compact, so there's no risk of losing pieces, and it's easy to snap the compact closed and put it away.  This is an incredibly attractive, portable, hassle-free toy, although the tiny dolls are certainly choking hazards.

I could see right away why these toys are addictive for collectors.  I couldn't wait to inspect my second compact!

This one is called Polly's Pony Club, and it's a green heart with gold lettering:

Green Pony Club.

It's so exciting to see the compact closed like this.  I looked at the auction photos of what's inside, but I don't remember everything clearly, so it feels like a mystery!  It'd be fun to buy these sets blind, without even knowing the theme.

This set is also from 1989, although it was a bit less expensive ($32) than the Studio Flat.

The compact comes with two figures--or three, depending on how you count.  There's Polly, of course, and also her student, who's riding a pony!

Polly's face and hair are very similar to the first Polly we looked at, but the outfit is different.  This girl is wearing a purple collared shirt and black riding pants:

Pony Club Polly, 1989.

Here she is from the back:

The pony figure is adorable, but the child has no face!

When I look at that blank face, I can't help but think of the strange, splashing figures in the Sweet e.Baby media:

Yo yo.

Here's the pony from the side, where you can see his little smile:

Too bad the kid isn't smiling.

It's odd that the pony has more personality than the child.  But this is an extremely small figure, so I understand.

The bottom half of the compact has an orange, yellow, and pink color scheme with a stable and a riding arena:

I appreciate the unified color scheme, but did the water in the trough have to be yellow?

The arena has a path for the pony to follow while Polly gives a jumping lesson:

Open your eyes!

The doors to the stalls really work, and there are several little indented areas where Polly and the pony can stand securely:

To the left of the stalls, there's a shelf with a molded riding hat, a crop, and some grooming tools.

Here's the pony tucked into his stall for the night:

He can never be rid of that faceless kid, though.

The upstairs area of the compact has a residence for Polly.  I guess this is her country home:

Unlike the Studio Flat, which has a large variety of colors mixed together, this area is mostly pink, blue, and yellow.  There's also no bathroom whatsoever in this space, which makes the shower in the Studio Flat seem luxurious.

There is a nice kitchen, though, with bright yellow cabinets, an oven, and a bench for sitting:

Still no fridge.  Or sink.

I struggled to get Polly to sit upright in her kitchen, but eventually managed to do it without putty:

I need a sec to talk about that kitchen clock.  Here it is up close:

It's very crude.  There aren't enough number dots, for one, and they're really crooked and messy!  I think number eleven fell down and is sitting on the bottom right hand edge next to the four...or is that the five?  

Anyway, I find this completely endearing.  It's like a child's drawing.  I suspect all of the stickers on these compacts have designs that were originally drawn or painted by hand, which is pretty special.

After her meal, Polly can go upstairs to relax in her living room:

Here she can sit on her big blue couch and watch some television:

Blue Peter this time, perhaps?

The living room background is pretty to look at.  There's a window above the couch with pink curtains, a plant to the left of the television, and a little side table on the far left.  There's also a dresser and a big circular mirror at the top of the stairs.

Polly can't climb any stairs to her bedroom, but she can apparate there for an extremely cozy (a.k.a. claustrophobic) sleeping experience:

I love this compact because I love horses.  This would have been the set that I played with most as a kid.  That poor pony would have been doing lessons all day long.  As an adult, I slightly prefer the first compact because it offers a more complete house.  Both sets are delightful, though, and could be set up side-by-side to create a little Polly compound.  That idea makes me want even more compacts, of course, but at $40-$50 each, two is enough.

There's a second style of toy that I want to explore today, which is the ring box.  These sets have a smaller outline, but are thicker than the original compacts:

Polly Pocket compact (bottom) and ring box (top).

They came out slightly later, in 1991:

The ring box I chose is bright pink and called Bathtime Fun.  It cost me $36:

Polly Pocket Bathtime Fun ring box, 1991.

The ring sets tend to have simple themes, and this one is just a bathroom:

Exactly what Polly needs!

The Polly in this set is sweet.  She has the same hair mold as the other two Pollys, but with lighter hair and a purple headband.  She's also wearing a green and white striped swim suit that I love:

Bathtime Fun Polly, 1991.

Those bare knees are adorable.

Here she is from the back:

She's wearing shoes, which is odd.  I wish she was barefoot--if only to see how cute Polly Pocket toes could be.

Here are the three versions of Polly that I have so far:

From left: Pony Club Polly, Bathtime Fun Polly, and Studio Flat Polly.

Bathtime Polly is definitely my favorite, although her swimsuit makes her less versatile than the other two.

The set also comes with a wolf.  Okay, it's clearly supposed to be a pet dog, but it looks like a wolf:

I'm hungry like a wolf.

He has a serious expression and piercing blue eyes.

He sits on a circular base, just like Polly, which gives him excellent balance:

The bathroom itself is wonderful.  It's packed with things that are missing from my other compacts.  On the lower level, there's a huge bathtub filled with bubbles:

There's a (heated?) towel rack to the right of the tub, and a scale and mirror to the left.  There are even stairs leading up to the huge tub!  I think Polly might be rich.

The tub itself is packed with items, too, and all of them are painted different colors.  There's a towel draped over one side, a toy boat at the back, and a tray with a toothbrush and soap:

Serious question: do people brush their teeth in the tub??

Sidebar: I love that Polly lives on her own but still plays with toys in the bathtub.

There are holes in the floor so that Polly can stand in front of the mirror and her direwolf dog can watch:

The trick with this set is that the entire bathtub can pull out and double as a ring:

The ring section is made out of flexible yellow vinyl and has a lot of adjustability:

I used my trusty new hand model to show off the ring feature:

That's a very cute and detailed ring.

The upper level of the bathroom has a toilet, sink, and storage:

This is so good.  I love the metallic mirrors on either side of the room, the mix of colors (with pink toilet paper!) and the engaging background.  And I'm so relieved that Polly finally has a toilet:

Not as relieved as I am, Emily.

This set stands out to me because of all the little details.  Since the focus is on only one room, that room feels very complete.  It's a joy to look at, fun to play with, and the added ring feature is clever.  Kids could use the ring to bring Polly with them throughout the day.

The compact-style toys were my focus when I first started to pull this review together, but as I searched eBay and read more about Polly's history, I found another kind of product that I wanted to investigate: a Pollyville building from the mid 90s.

Here's a 1994 commercial to introduce the Pollyville concept:

 

They're still using that same song.

Starting in around 1993, tiny little dollhouses joined the lineup of Polly Pocket products.  The traditional compacts and ring boxes were still available during this time, but the miniature Pollyville buildings took the franchise into a new direction.

I love the idea of mini dollhouses, so I was eager to add one of the Pollyville buildings to this review.  These buildings are pretty expensive now, especially if they're unopened.  Currently all of the offerings on eBay are in the $200 range:

A complete, used set with no box is a lot cheaper, maybe $30-$70, depending on the popularity of the specific set.  For example, this Toy Shop (which I covet) costs $25 at katiescottage on eBay:

Polly is holding her own doll!

Katie's Cottage actually has several used vintage Polly Pocket sets for reasonable prices--and Katie herself was nice enough to let me use her lovely, clear picture.

I would have chosen the Toy Shop for this review (it's perfect for me!) but I wanted a more conventional house, and was also eager to have at least one example of vintage packaging.  So, I splurged and bought a new-in-box Dance Studio:

Pollyville Dance Studio (1995).

This was pricey (about $120), but not as expensive as some of the other new-in-box options.

The set comes with Polly and Miss Lerna, the dance teacher, and the box is decorated with little photos of those two characters interacting with each other and with the studio.

The left side of the box has two little snapshots, the upper of which demonstrates how Polly and Miss Lerna can "dance" when a nearby chair is moved:

The bottom photo has Miss Lerna getting ready to relax in her bathtub after a hard day's work.

The right side of the box has my favorite thing: thumbnails of other available sets in the collection:

On closer inspection, I can see the Drive-Thru Burger Stand, the Dance Studio, the Tree House, the Ice Cream Parlor, and the Dress Shop:

Those all look really cute, and they all have a narrow red sidewalk in front, so if you buy the whole group, they could be placed together to make a city block.  Buying all of them would have been more feasible back in 1995 when they were $7.99 each.

The back of the box has a large photograph of the studio, which opens up to reveal two stories--much like the compact sets:

There's a lot of text on the back, too, so I'll zoom in on those sections.  Underneath the Pollyville logo, it says that there's a piano for "music" during Polly's dance class, and that you can "really hear a sound like Polly's shoes tapping:"

That will be interesting!

On the opposite side of the box, it says in large lettering, "there's a fun new dance in town and everyone wants to learn it!"

It also describes how Miss Lerna lives upstairs in a comfortable bedroom (with a toilet!).

At the bottom of the box, there's a picture of the dolls and another description of how moving the chair will make them dance:

Neither of those characters looks like Polly, though.  The blonde girl with pigtails has the same mold as Tiny Tina, but with a different (strange-looking) smile.  Not sure what that's all about.

The bottom of the box has a 1995 Bluebird copyright and Mattel's distribution credit.  It also has what I believe is the tag line for this collection, which is: "a tiny town of precious little places for Polly and her friends to play in!"

"Precious" has slightly different connotations these days, and I was taught to never end a sentence with a preposition.  Otherwise it's a cute phrase.

The top of the box has an old price sticker, which I usually get excited about, but unfortunately this one's been mostly scraped away:

Still, I can see that it's a sale sticker, with "new lower price" written on it, and the first number looks like a 4.  So I'm guessing $4.99.  Can you even imagine?  The price I paid is basically 25 times what it was 30 years ago.

The dolls and house came attached to an orange cardboard backdrop that pulled out of the main box.  There was also a sheet describing the 2-year limited warranty:

That ship has sailed.

Here's everything that was in the box:

Polly Pocket's Pollyville Dance Studio, 1995.

Let's look at the two dolls first:

Going into this blind, I'd have sworn that we're looking at Polly (the teacher) and her student, Tina.  But the box is definitely telling me that it's Polly on the left and Miss Lerna on the right.

The girl with pigtails has the Tiny Tina mold, but with raised arms:

Here she is with my other Tina:

That's the same character.

They even have the same smile in real life.  

Maybe the sidekick friends weren't such a big deal in 1995, and Bluebird was trying to give Polly some different looks?  I know that by 1997 there was a complete redesign of the brand, and new friends (Lila and Leah) were introduced.  So perhaps this was the beginning of the end for Tiny Tina.

Whoever she is, look more closely at her legs for a sec:

I think they're separately articulated!  Eeee!

Here she is from the back:

That's definitely two separate legs.

You can see the seam down the middle of her feet:

So she can sit, like all of the other dolls, but she can also do splits!

Yay!

I'm sure she was designed like this so that she can dance, which was an excellent idea.

Despite some similarities to Polly, Miss Lerna looks more mature.  Her hair is short and blonde (are they all blonde?) and not as curly as Polly's hair:

She's wearing a long blue top with a lavender collar over orange pants.  It's a daring mix of colors, even for the 90s.

Here she is from the back:

I don't know how Miss Lerna is supposed to teach Tina Polly how to dance if her legs can't separate.  She can sit, but that's about it:

Now I'm spoiled.  I wish all of the Polly Pocket dolls from this era had separate legs!

The Dance Studio is very small, as you can imagine.  It fits easily into one hand:

The level of detail is fantastic for such a small house.  There's a fun mix of colors on the exterior, with a purple door, white windows, blue walls, a red roof, an orange walkway, and an assortment of greenery:

There's also a lion door knocker and a tiny birdhouse!

The molded detail is excellent, too, with shingles on the roof, bricks in the walls, and leaves on all of the foliage:

The right side of the studio has some ivy-like growth covering part of one window and most of the soffit vent:

The back of the house is relatively plain:

And the left side has a brick chimney:

The bottom of the structure is mostly purple plastic, but there's a white section that's been screwed to the purple base.  This must be where the dance mechanism is housed:

I see a smiling toilet.

There's a 1995 Bluebird copyright on the toilet white section:

The top of the studio folds back to reveal a very colorful and inviting interior:

The the tip of the roof holds the top of the house perfectly in place to be a second story room.  It's certainly a sturdier design than the original compacts, although not as unique.

The first floor area has a dance studio, complete with the dance mechanism that was so enthusiastically advertised on the box:

There are two circular holes for Polly and Miss Lerna to stand in, and each of these is set inside a short, jellybean-shaped track.  So the dolls will be able to move back and forth along those tracks.

According to the box, moving the nearby pink chair will cause Polly and Miss Lerner to dance...and create a "tap dance sound."

Sure enough, when I move the pink chair back and forth, the holes for the dolls slide along their tracks with a ratcheting sound.  I wouldn't necessarily call it a tap dance sound, but it works.

Curious to see the mechanism for myself, I opened up the bottom of the studio:

The pink chair is attached (via that silver screw that you can see) to an arm than moves the central purple section.  There are some gear teeth on that section that engage with one side of a rack on the white piece, causing the dancers to move back and forth. 

The ratcheting sound comes from a tiny pink pick that sticks out and rubs along the other side of the white rack:

It's a very simple system, but it adds another level of interaction.  And it will never require batteries.

Fun fact: the white part of the base is screwed to the bottom of the house with three screws, one of which is very long.  The long screw is concealed by the telephone stand that sits next to the piano:

Who knew it had structural significance?

In addition to the dancing mechanism, the first floor is packed with furniture and small details.  There's the pink chair that we already looked at, and next to it is a white table with some orange snacks.  Incidentally, the table is white because it's sticking up from the underlying panel that I removed: 

There's also a green boombox in front of the chair.

The back wall of the room is taken up entirely by a ballet barre and a huge mirror:

On the left side, there's a bright pink piano and the structural side table with its old fashioned telephone and plant:

It's impressive that the piano keys are painted white.

Upstairs, there's a cozy living area for Miss Lerna:

I love the mix of colors here.  The pink bed, green chair, and purple dresser don't match, but the floral rug in front ties everything together.

The pink bed has a comforter with white clouds on it, and is framed by two big corner windows:

To the left of the bed, the purple dresser has a tiny lamp and book.

On the opposite side of the room, there's a full bathroom, complete with bathtub, toilet, and sink.  The bathtub even has a shower head:

I like all of the decorations on the bathroom wall.  There's so much to look at!

So Miss Lerna doesn't get a kitchen, but she has a fantastic bathroom.  Can't have everything, I suppose.

After I'd inspected all of the details in this house, I sat back and watched Miss Lerna go through her day.

She woke up feeling happy, with tons of bright light coming into her room:

Ahhh.

This going to be a great day because my favorite student is coming over!

Uh, oh, gotta go!

Hair looks good...as always!

Whoa!  That's a short shower head!

I'll take a bath instead...and wash my clothes at the same time.

Oh, hello Tina!  I'm so glad you're here!  Come on in.

It's Polly Miss Lerna, not Tina.

Of course, of course.  Let's see what you've been working on, Polly.

Keep those kicks high!

Use your arms!

Looking good, Polly.

Now let's run the whole routine again with some music.

Tap tap tappety tap TAP!

Goodbye Miss Lerna!  You're my favorite teacher!
Bye Polly.  See you next time.

What a beautiful day.  I think I'll go into town and get a bite to eat.

I guess I need the Drive-Thru Burger Stand now so that poor Miss Lerna can eat!  Still, it seems like she has a very nice life in Pollyville.

Okay, so I love the compact sets, but this mini house brings everything to a whole new level.  The house is not only a feat of engineering, but also a feast for the eyes.  I think if there's a Polly Pocket collector in me, she's gonna want more Pollyville sets.

This is now my dream:

It's a blurry dream, but still.

Maybe I'll start with that toy store and see where things go.

The vintage Polly sets are certainly great.  But they're not cheap, even used, and so I wanted to take a closer look at some of the sets that are available now--for ordinary retail prices.

There aren't many Polly Pocket houses out there.  There's one from six years ago that's still for sale on places like Amazon for under $30, but it doesn't tempt me much because the dolls aren't articulated.  Polly looks like a video game character in the developmental A pose:

  

Not the best version of Polly.

Also, the house doesn't really appeal to me.  I don't feel a sense of wonder when I look at the details.  Many of the furniture pieces are loose--not carefully molded into a well-engineered house.  And there's none of the generous, artistic color use that we saw with the Dance Studio.  I do see a full kitchen and a toilet, though, which is nice.

So maybe it's a fine toy, but it can't compare aesthetically to the 1995 Dance Studio.

I also found this $40 Gelato House from 2025, which is massive compared to the Dance Studio and doesn't make me think of Polly Pocket:

It's bigger than her head.

The best thing that I could find was this relatively small 2024 Polly Pocket Barbie Dreamhouse for about $20:

Polly Pocket Barbie Dreamhouse, $19.99.

Starting in 1998, Mattel took over full ownership of the Polly Pocket brand, which they still have to this day.  That means they can do fun things like crossovers with Barbie.

And it's a fairly natural crossover, since Polly looks like a child version of Barbie--especially in this box art:

The set came in a simple blister pack that had fallen apart by the time it got to my house.  

The cardboard backing has a nice big picture of the house, and it looks like there are plenty of fun little features, plus three dolls:

On closer inspection I see a dachshund and a shiny silver wheelchair, too!

Here's everything that was in the box:

Let's look at the dolls, the dog, and the wheelchair first:

The wheelchair is not as shiny as advertised.

I wasn't sure who these characters are supposed to be.  Is it Polly and her friends, or Barbie and her friends?  The description on the Mattel site says that it's Barbie, Brooklyn, and "a friend:"

The "a friend" looks like Teresa to me.  And the dog's name is Taffy, which is cute.

Here's Brooklyn:

I really love the newer micro dolls.  They have cute faces, flexible vinyl hair, and articulated arms, torsos, and legs.  Brooklyn is wearing a pink top with a black and white checkerboard section, and some pale blue pants.

Her hair is molded into an intricate micro braid pattern with a rounded bun on top:

The hair is really well done.

Here's Barbie...who looks just like Polly:

She's wearing a sleeveless blue button-down top over bright pink pants, and her long blonde hair is loose:

Last is Teresa:

She's wearing a fancy purple sleeveless top over orange pants, and has wavy shoulder-length brown hair:

Miss Lerna's pants are back in style!

These dolls are just over a quarter of an inch taller than the original Polly:

Polly Pocket from 2024 (left) and 1989 (right).

This difference in size means that I can't expect the compacts and houses for the new dolls to be as small as original Polly Pocket items.  But they don't have to be as big as the Gelato House.

I decided that Teresa could use the wheelchair for this review.  She locks into the seat securely:

Ready to roll!

And the handles are at just the right height for Barbie to push her around on big pink wheels that actually spin:

And let's not forget Taffy, who is extremely cute and a nice addition to the set:

Yap!

The house itself came in three pieces (back, front, and water slide).  All of the parts snapped together easily:

From the side, you can see the hinge mechanism that will allow this house to close (like a compact!), and also the heart-shaped button that controls the sliding elevator:

The front of the house has a modern look, with tall windows, a pink balcony, and a working front door with a paw print on it:

The interior of the house has three stories, and there's an outdoor area with a pool:

The outdoor area also has a small patch of lawn with pink flowers that I think is especially pretty.  And there's a wheelchair accessible ramp leading to the elevator.

The three floors of the house are spacious, and it looks like Barbie Polly has both a bathroom and a kitchen!  Lucky girl:

The top floor is a nondescript balcony type of space with some monochromatic molded drinks and lantern lights on the back wall:

And a cactus.

There's a flap-like door that lifts up to access the water slide:

The second floor has a tiny bathroom with a toilet (but no shower) and a Murphy bed that doubles as a shelf:

Barbie locks into the toilet seat very securely:

Ready to go!

There are sticker decorations on the back wall of the bathroom with a window, a mirror, and some shelving.  But the design is generic and the sticker is loose at the top, and starting to curl under:

The shelves on the Murphy bed are only a two dimensional sticker, but at least it's not falling off.  There's a fun assortment of books, flowers, a candle, a boombox, and even some cat figurines:

What is that big gold thing hanging from the ceiling?

The sticker on the back wall of the bedroom is also fun to look at.  Barbie has a surfboard leaning up against the wall and a guitar hanging alongside her clothes!

The bed folds down to reveal a plain, undecorated bright pink comforter that matches the wall:

I know this is a Barbie house, but there's so much pink!  It'd be nice to have more contrast.

Barbie fits in the bed, but again, I'd want some space between my head and the wall:

The first floor of the house has the kitchen and an entryway:

And there's a translucent purple door at the base of the elevator shaft that folds down to connect with the outdoor ramp:

I found it tricky to get Teresa and her wheelchair into the elevator.  Her head is too tall to clear the opening, so she has to be angled sideways to fit in.  There's a peg on the floor of the elevator that inserts into the bottom of the wheelchair to keep it secure, but I struggled to get the two pieces connected:

I finally managed to attach the wheelchair to the elevator, at which point Teresa could ride securely up and down to visit all of the floors:

The elevator is a great feature of this house.  I like how there's actual access to each floor, unlike the Gelato House where dolls have to jump or swing from the elevator to the house or something:

Can you tell I don't like the Gelato House?

The kitchen section of the first floor is fairly complete.  It has a blue countertop with a sink and an oven...but no refrigerator:

I wish that the whole kitchen wasn't a wall of blue, but at least the molded detail is nice.  And it's not pink.

The dolls fit well into the space, with the help of pegs to keep them secure, but it's definitely a one-person kitchen:

No dogs allowed.

Once I'd explored all of the rooms, I went back to add in the ten smaller accessories that came with the set:

There are two chairs, two pineapples, a pitcher of lemonade, a palm tree, a dog house, a swim float, a table, and a chair swing.  The pineapples seem a bit random, but the other items are functional and make sense.

Here's how I arranged everything:

On the top floor, that folding door actually doubles as a section of roof, and the chair swing can hang down from it:

With a pineapple, if you want.

Barbie locks into this chair the same way she does with the toilet and the wheelchair:

Ready to swing!

In the outdoor space, I put the palm tree, doghouse, and swim float near the pool:

With another pineapple.

Now Brooklyn has a place to land when she goes down the slide!

Wheee!

The grassy area can accommodate the table and two chairs, and there's a peg for the jug of lemonade on the table:

That's an exceedingly large jug of lemonade.

The dolls don't lock into these chairs, so they tend to slip around:

I hope you're thirsty, Barbie!

There's no set place where each accessory has to go, so other variations are possible.  For example, the doghouse can go in the grassy area:

And the chairs and table can squeeze in elsewhere:

The accessories are cute, but they prevent the Dreamhouse from closing.  I had to remove many of the smaller pieces in order to get the house to fold up:

It's a hassle to take all of the accessories out and put them back in again, but it's still nice that the house can fold.  It's definitely reminiscent of the original compacts.

Once folded, the back side of the house looks like this:

There's a lot of molded decoration, but the whole thing is all the same color of light pink.

The house looks much better from the front, where Barbie can stand on the balcony and wave to her fans:

For a size comparison, this house is similar, at least height-wise, to the BarbieLand mini Dreamhouse that Lena reviewed in August of last year:

Polly Pocket Barbie Dreamhouse (left) and BarbieLand Mini Dreamhouse (right).

But the Polly Pocket version has a lot more detail and inner space, thanks to the folding feature.  So the BarbieLand minis could have had a nicer house, but a different decision was made.

The Dreamhouse is about two and a half times taller than the Dance Studio, with a lot more internal surface area:

2024 Polly Pocket Barbie Dreamhouse (left) and 1995 Polly Pocket Dance Studio (right).

It's interesting to see these two Polly Pocket houses together.  There are about thirty years between their release dates, which is a lot of time.  I like both toys, but the older house feels so much more special and well made.

First of all, the size difference makes all of the details in the Dance Studio feel more impressive than the details in the Dreamhouse.  It's amazing how much was packed into that tiny house.  But the details themselves also feel more interesting in the Dance Studio.  Those bright, intricate backgrounds, the full-length working dance mirror, the dancing feature, that tiny piano with its painted keys...it's all great.

The construction of the Dance Studio is also superior.  The plastic is heavier and more solid, there's a wide range of colors and textures, and the open-close mechanism is excellent--with no little accessories to get in the way.

The Dreamhouse has its perks, though.  For one, I find it slightly easier to play with.  Some of the spaces, like that elevator, are tricky to navigate, but overall it's more accessible.  And the mini dolls are wonderful.  I love their faces and hair, and the fact that they're so well articulated.

But there are a lot more Polly Pocket toys on the market these days, so my comparison isn't over yet!  For example, the 1991 bathtub ring toy that I looked at earlier has several modern interpretations.  I found this one on Amazon for just under $10:

2025 Polly Pocket Anniversary ring, $9.99.

This ring box set was released to celebrate Mattel's 80th anniversary.

Like the vintage ring boxes, this set has a themed design and comes with a doll and a pet:

The theme is a very extravagant party, with glitter, stars, presents, balloons, and a piñata:

And a girl jumping out of a cake.

Polly comes inside a heart-shaped birthday cake ring, and is accompanied by a balloon dog:

I was able to remove the older Polly from her bathtub without taking anything apart, but this time I had to separate the ring from the cake in order to release Polly's long legs:

Here's Polly with her balloon dog:

It's very clever to have the pet be a balloon animal!  I love it.  And Polly is sweet, with her purple-streaked hair in long pigtails.

Polly is wearing a red shirt with a white bow on it, and has pink pants and shoes.

Here's my new Polly with her 1991 counterpart:

2025 Anniversary ring Polly (left) with 1995 Bathtime Fun ring Polly (right).

I love bathtub Polly and her green swimsuit.  The newer Polly feels more generic to me.  I keep getting her confused with Barbie Polly from the Dreamhouse.

The two rings are comparable in size, but the bathtub is a lot more interesting and has more detail and originality in its design:

The older Polly can fit into the newer ring, but not the other way around:

There's not a whole lot to explore with this ring box.  The upper section has a teal piñata that swings back and forth, and a balloon arch with a teddy bear on one side:

The lower section has an elaborate floor design, with sprinkles, streamers, teddy bears, and candy.  There's also a pile of presents on one side, all wrapped in teal with pink bows:

I don't know what the white stuff is on the left side.

The cake fits nicely into the ring slot:

But as a centerpiece, the cake isn't very impressive.

When closed, this ring box is about the same size as the older one, but it has a faceted surface on top and a different logo design:

2025 Polly Pocket ring box (left) and 1991 Polly Pocket ring box (right).

To me, there's just no comparison between these two.  The older set is so much more detailed and so much more conducive to imaginative play:  

Explosion of nonsense vs. beautiful design.

For those like me who are unhappy with the modern interpretation of the Polly Pocket ring box, there are also some vintage-style rings available.

I found this Keepsake Collection of three rings on Mattel's site a little while ago:

Polly Pocket keepsake Collection ring box three-pack, $33.00.

I'm not going to de-box these rings today because the review is already going to be too long, but I can show you a few close-up photos of the box:

There are three different themes.  My favorite is the Stardream ring with an astronaut and a chimpanzee!

The astronaut sits inside a spaceship ring.

There's also a Mermaid Seashell set with a seahorse friend:

I love that seahorse!

The mermaid sits inside a clamshell ring.

The last is a Fairy Meadow set with a frog:

Her background is beautiful.

The fairy sits inside a flower ring.

I can't tell for sure if these are reproductions of actual 1990s rings, or simply inspired by themes from the 90s.  Mattel's description is unclear, and I couldn't find any photos of similar vintage products online.  Either way, the details aren't as impressive as the bathroom ring.  The themes are creative and interesting, though, so I like these better than the Anniversary ring box.

There's one last type of Polly Pocket product that I want to talk about today, and that's the modern Collector Series compacts.  Before I do that, though, I should mention that there are playline compact toys available these days, too, to fit the newer 1.25 inch dolls.

I'll show you a few examples of these playline sets so that you can get an idea of the variety.  All of them are in the $20 range.  There's this adorable Hedgehog Cafe compact from 2020:

One of the dolls has pink hair!

This would have been a great addition to today's review, but...no time.  Maybe another day?

And there's a much larger hedgehog-themed set from 2023.  This one doubles as a purse, and includes a baby hedgehog which also opens like a compact: 

That set looks fun, but it's so large that it doesn't really fit with the Polly Pocket concept.  It also doesn't have anywhere near the level of detail as some of the older sets, despite there being two separate pieces.

A slightly more traditional compact-style example is this Care Bears set from 2024:

It's bright and inviting, and even has some mini Care Bear figures.

My favorite of these playline sets is the Monster High compact from 2023:

The case is shaped like a Skullette, and there are some intriguing areas inside.  It comes with miniature versions of Clawdeen, Draculaura, and Frankie.  I actually bought this set, but didn't have time to include it.  I'll definitely have to revisit this topic!

As I mentioned earlier, the sets that really got my attention are not the playline compacts, but the Collector Series compacts.  These all came out fairly recently (like in the last two years).  The themes originate from popular culture--like a movie or television show, and they feature dolls with the older body style.  So the scale is smaller than the modern playline examples I just showed you.  Many of the sets also have unconventional compact shapes that have something to do with the theme.

There's this Stranger Things set from 2024, where the "compact" is in the shape of a walkie-talkie:

Very clever.

This looks so cool, with six mini dolls, four bicycles, and lots of little secret areas and things to do with the landscape.  It's pricier than the playline toys, though, at $50.

I also love this mug-shaped set inspired by The Office.  It's from last year:

The interior space looks inviting, with lots of little areas to explore and recognizable spaces from the show.  There are six mini dolls in this set, and it also costs $50.

My favorite of the unconventionally-shaped compacts is the Friends set (which also folds up to look like a coffee mug).  It's from 2023:

This set looks really well designed, with Central Perk on the lower floor, and the two apartments (complete with the much-used hallway in between) on the upper floor.  Again, there are six mini dolls and lots of cute accessories (including a tiny foosball table!).  At $54, this is the most expensive set of all.

The Collector series also has some more conventional compacts, like this one from Wicked:

I want to know what's behind all of those doors!

And a brand-new addition from Back to the Future:

Great Scott!

These compacts cost $33, so are quite a bit less expensive than the other Collector sets I showed you.  

I literally covet all of the Collector sets.  But the one I decided to feature in this review is the Addams Family compact:

Polly Pocket Collector The Addams Family compact, $30.

I figured this would tie in nicely with my recent Wednesday Addams series.

The packaging on these Collector sets is very nice.  The compact is mounted, in its open position, inside a square window box.  The box is decorated on all sides.  On the front, there are cartoon versions of the characters:

On the left, there's a plastic window decorated to look like a window of the Addams mansion.  And there are creepy little details like thorny vines, an activated bomb, and a headless doll:

The right side has another window into the interior of the box, and a little cemetery:

I like the color scheme of this packaging.  It's dark, with a lot of green, beige, and grey, but there are also little pops of color that make it eye-catching.

The back of the box has a circular window that shows off the decoration on the top of the compact:

It's a portrait of the four Addams family dolls.

As nice as the packaging is, I can't imagine leaving a toy like this in the box.  There are places to be explored!  Mysteries to uncover!

The compact came encased in plastic, adhered to a decorated cardboard backdrop:

The backdrop has three sides, all of which are decorated to look like the interior of the mansion.  On the right side, there are little portraits of Wednesday and Pugsley hanging on a wall with opulent red wallpaper and dark green and brown wainscoting:

On the left side, there are portraits of Morticia, Gomez, and cousin It:

Cousin It is a strange inclusion, since he isn't in the set.  Thing would have been a better choice since he's actually one of the mini figures.

Here's everything that was in the box:

I'll take a quick look at the figures, and then we can explore the compact.

First, here are Morticia and Gomez:

They have the classic Polly Pocket body design, with a single joint in the torso.  They have completely new faces, though.  Morticia has a white head with a serious expression, and Gomez has a wide smile and a mustache.

Their outfits are quite detailed, too.  Morticia is wearing her signature long black dress, while Gomez has a purple and black striped suit.

All of the characters have flexible vinyl hair, which is an interesting change from the original dolls.

Here are Pugsley, Wednesday, and Thing:

Pugsley has blonde hair and a lopsided smile, while Wednesday's pale face has a bored expression.  Thing is impossibly small.  He's about the size of a grain of rice.

Here they are from the back:

Pugsley is wearing a red and white striped shirt over black cropped pants, while Wednesday has a black (or a very dark blue?) dress with white accents.

Wednesday's head sits a bit higher than the original Polly's head, but her hair is not as big, so the two dolls end up being approximately the same height:

It's fun to see the Addams Family characters in such a small size.

All right, now it's time to enter the grounds of the Addams mansion!  There's a working gate at the front edge of the compact, with "Addams" written in metallic silver letters:

The gate swings open to reveal a vine-covered pathway leading up to the house:

On the right side, the path is guarded by a Little Shop of Horrors style carnivorous plant:

I think its name should be Rupert.

Rupert has red teeth all around the edge of its gaping mouth, and the mouth opens and closes.  Thing had better be careful to not get trapped in there!

Hold on Rupert, there's something stuck in your teeth.

Behind Rupert, there's a black bench sitting up against a short hedge:

So Morticia and Gomez can relax and watch Rupert digest its meals:

Burp.

On the opposite side of the path, there's a small cemetery with two gravestones and an exposed casket:

The casket opens...

And is Wednesday's favorite place to take a nap:

Sweet nightmares, dear.

The outdoor space is really fun, but the interior of the mansion looks even more alluring:

There are two stories, connected by a red staircase that doesn't actually have access to the second floor:

The fireplace looks so cozy!

On the left side of the ground floor, there's a shelving unit with a hinge on one side:

What could be in there?

The shelves have molded decorations with printed colors.  I see some skeletal hands on the top shelf, books and a portrait on the second shelf, and a big axe on the bottom shelf!

The bookcase opens to reveal...

A secret room!  With tall glass windows and some plants!  Of course it's not an actual room, but only a sticker.  Still, this decoration adds a lot of implied depth to the space.  And the dolls can actually fit behind the door:

The second floor has three distinct areas, all covered with an ornate molded black roof.  Above the roof, a bat-filled night sky is visible:

On the right side of this room, there's an organ with a circular notch in front of it, so that the dolls can stand and play:

I'll play a dreary requiem for you.

On the left side, there's a large black chair with a crystal ball next to it:

It's the perfect place for Morticia to sit:

In the middle of the room, there's an armored knight statue that hinges open to reveal...

A skeleton! 

The space behind the armor is a bit too small to hold the dolls:

But that doesn't stop Pugsley from trying to hide there:

I love how there are so many different areas to pose and play with the dolls.  Despite being labeled as a collector's item, I feel like this is an excellent toy.  But the decorations are so good that it's a nice display piece, too.  There's not a bare patch of wall anywhere.

The compact looks fancy even when it's closed:

And that little portrait of the family, if you look at it from the side, reveals four skeletons and a creepy background!

Whoa!

The back of the compact is plain, with the Polly Pocket logo and a 2023 date:

This compact is almost exactly the same size as the 1989 Polly's Studio Flat:

I love both of these compacts.  The Addams Family version has no trouble keeping up with the ease of use and level of detail in the older set.  I prefer the hand-drawn whimsy of the Studio Flat decorations, and its less cluttered appearance, but the numerous movable parts in the Addams set are an engaging upgrade:

They both have their charms.

There's such a range of Polly Pocket toys available right now!  With the vintage compacts, the Pollyville houses, the new playline sets, and the fancy Collector series, there's a lot to digest.  I hope I haven't overwhelmed you by trying to showcase too many of the choices in one day.

I wanted to end the review by getting all of the dolls together in one place.

The Addams mansion, while awesome, is too small for the newer 1.25 inch Polly girls:

They can't fit into Wednesday's coffin very comfortably...but I guess their heads are small enough for Rupert's jaws!

Nom, nom, nom.

The Dance Studio is way too small for the larger dolls.  In fact, I don't even think Barbie Polly could make it through the front gate!

So the gang got together at the Barbie Dreamhouse:

Where everyone fits.

Pony Club Polly can't lock into the yellow swinging chair, but I think she still had fun relaxing and getting to know Taffy:

We have the same size head, Taffy.

All of the girls had a great time using the water slide!

But there wasn't a lot of room for them in the pool, since Bathtub Polly was making friends with Pugsley:

I like your striped shirt.

There was certainly plenty of lemonade to go around, though!

Please, drink as much as you want!

Gomez and Thing were in charge of preparing lunch, while Barbie Polly and Wolf kept them company:

I'm still hungry.

And pretty soon, the smell of delicious food got all of the Pollys rushing to the kitchen!

What is that fruity smell?

Lunch is served!

We're having pineapple again?

Bottom line? I looked at three categories of vintage Polly Pocket toys today (compacts, ring boxes, and Pollyville houses) and contrasted them to similar things that are new on the market.  For each category, I'll revisit how that comparison went.

First up are the compacts.  These are the original and quintessential Polly Pocket products, dating back to the very conception of the brand in 1983.  I looked at two compact sets from 1989: Polly's Studio Flat and Polly's Pony Club.  Both are charming.  Each is packed with fun areas to discover, while retaining enough open space to invite play.  The hand-drawn designs on the background stickers add warmth and depth to each room, with windows, doors, and other objects that the tiny spaces couldn't otherwise accommodate.  The compacts each come with two dolls.  I appreciate the dolls for their single point of articulation and ability to sit.  I really like the friendly, simple faces of Polly and Tina, although the faceless riding child is creepy.  In this millennium, the closest thing to the vintage compacts are the Polly Pocket Collector sets.  These have the same style of doll as the originals, and many of them have a similar compact size, too.  I chose the Addams Family set to review, and am delighted with it.  It has many of the same features that impressed me about the older toys: there are tons of different details to explore, lots of colorful backdrops, and plenty of play potential.  The artwork might not have the same artistic charm as the originals, but the movable parts and secret rooms are a welcome addition.  Overall, I really like both the old and the new compact sets.  They're wonderful, creative and...well, compact.  I'd be thrilled to add more sets from either generation to my collection.

I also looked at two ring box sets: Bathtime Fun from 1991 and the 80th Anniversary set from 2025.  The Bathtime Fun ring set is a gem.  It's a lot like the larger compact toys, but keeps the focus on only one room.  The bathtub ring is probably the highlight of the set, with its tiny molded faucet, foamy bubbles, and even a toothbrush!  And the ring feature works well, giving kids a way to take Polly along with them wherever they go.  The modern ring box is not as good.  I love the little articulated 1.25 inch doll that comes with the set, but the box scene is missing all of the realistic little touches that make Bathtime Fun so great.  The ring itself, which is a heart-shaped cake, is probably the least creative part of the set, and so it makes a far less interesting focal point than the bathtub.

The last vintage Polly Pocket product that I looked at is the Pollyville Dance Studio.  This is not a compact, but rather a miniature dollhouse that folds open to make two stories.  And miniature is an understatement.  This house is so tiny, it fits into the palm of my hand.  And for something so small, it has remarkable detail.  There's a whole dance studio downstairs, complete with a working wall mirror, a pink piano, and even a mechanism that allows the dolls to move back and forth to "dance."  Upstairs, there's a cozy bedroom and a full bathroom.  And the entire house is decorated extremely well, with a wonderful mix of colors and molded textures.  The set comes with two dolls, one of which has separately articulated legs to expand her dance repertoire.  I'm basically obsessed with the Dance Studio.  And, unfortunately, there's really nothing like it in the modern Polly Pocket market.  The closest thing I could find was the Polly x Barbie Dreamhouse.  This is a house that folds open to create two separate spaces, but it's easily two times as tall as the Pollyville studio, and most definitely can't fit into the palm of my hand.  So, even at first glance, it's missing the cuteness and "wow" factor of the older toy.  I don't want to disparage the Dreamhouse too much, since it has good play value and some fun features.  I like the working elevator, and the inclusiveness of adding a wheelchair.  I also like the Murphy bed, and the presence of both a kitchen and a toilet.  And the dolls that come with the set are great.  But, the house doesn't fold up with the accessories in place, one of the background stickers is coming loose, the color distribution is unartful, there are a lot of blank walls and...well, I got spoiled by the Dance Studio.  The Dance Studio is a little treasure, and the Dreamhouse, by comparison, is just another pink plastic doll house.

I can't believe it took me this long to review vintage Polly Pocket.  I've absolutely been missing out.  I tried to make up for lost time by looking at too many things this week, but it didn't affect my ability to come out of this review with clear favorites.  The Pollyville houses from the mid 90s are my favorite vintage pieces, and the new Collector compacts are my favorite modern Polly products.  Both sets are simultaneously engaging toys and interesting collector's items.  And there's no need to spend the extra money on new-in-box versions of either of these sets, since most of the fun is in opening up that mysterious compact or house, and then carefully exploring all of the details and secrets of Polly's tiny, iconic, enduring little world.