The Good: Good sculpt, Good coloring, Good balance, Cute sparkles
The Bad: Expensive, No flexibility.
The Basics: The 2017 Dream Date Barbie is a classic-looking Barbie ornament that is a wonderful addition to any Barbie ornament collector's collection!
One of the things tha impresses me year after year is how well Hallmark mines the Barbie doll line to find subjects for their ornament line. After decades of making Barbie ornaments (with a few years of a gap in there), it would seem like Hallmark would have to stretch to make high-quality, original-looking Barbie ornaments. And yet, Hallmark succeeds with the 2017 Dream Date Barbie ornament!
For those unfamiliar with them, Barbie dolls have been a leading trademarked doll (and model for unrealistic female bodytypes!) from Mattel for over seventy years. Hallmark Keepsake picked up the Barbie license in order to produce Christmas ornaments and Dream Date Barbie was one of several Barbie ornaments offered in 2017.
Basics
The Dream Date Barbie is one of the basic Barbie ornaments produced for 2017. The 2017 Dream Date Barbie measures out at 4 3/8"tall by 1 7/8" wide by 1 1/2" deep. It was released with an original issue price of $17.95, which was on par with other Barbie ornaments, but seemed expensive for the size.
The Dream Date Barbie ornament recreates the Dream Date Barbie doll in plastic and cloth (with sequin) elements. The ornament features the recognizable visage of Barbie, with her pearlescent blonde hair and a pretty purple dress. This Barbie is wearing a purple ball gown, with a sequined top, and poofy sleeves. The sculpt is an impressive rendition of Barbie the character is instantly recognizable. This is the very traditional look of Barbie and the facial sculpt is the iconic appearance of the familiar doll.
On the coloring front, Hallmark Dream Date Barbie ornament is well made and one of the better blendings of the plastic and cloth elements. The fabric accents the doll's body without making Barbie look particularly plastic, which is cool. The skin tones of the Dream Date Barbie have subtle depth and shading to them and Dream Date Barbie's cheeks have a subtly rosy pallor to them. The Dream Date Barbie features pearlescent yellow hair looks incredible! The sequined top is sparkly in a way that plays off the hair beautifully and accents the character's bright blue eyes.
Features
As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, Dream Date Barbie could have a function like a sound chip or light effect, but does not. This is just an ornament, without any accents, for fans of Barbie. I think it's disappointing that Dream Date Barbie does not have any articulation to her limbs. This is less disappointing considering than none of the Hallmark Barbie ornaments have been articulated, so this maintains the line's consistency.
Balance
As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake Dream Date Barbie ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate Barbie Christmas Tree, the Dream Date Barbie ornament is an excellent addition. The Dream Date Barbie ornament has a brass hook loop embedded into the top center of the character's head. From that point, the Dream Date Barbie ornament hangs perfectly level! This is a well-balanced ornament.
Collectibility
Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (reviewed here!). Since then, they have branched out into every major franchise from Barbie to Gone With The Wind to Twilight. The Dream Date Barbie ornament is a common-release ornament and it has not sold out at any of my local Hallmark stores, possibly because of the original issue price being a little higher than it used to be. As a result, it is a tough sell on whether or not it will be a good investment piece, despite the ornament's quality.
Overview
Fans of the Barbie franchise are likely to enjoy the 2017 Dream Date Barbie ornament, even if it is a little more expensive for its size.
For other Barbie ornament reviews, please check out:
2017 Lavender Luxe Barbie (Limited Edition)
2017 Holiday Celebration Barbie
2016 Barbie Picnic Set (Limited Edition)
2016 Soccer Player Barbie
2016 Holiday Barbie
2016 Cherry Pie Picnic Barbie
2015 Celebration Barbie (Black)
2015 Barbie Celebration Set (2013/2014 Celebration Barbie)
2012 Barbie Provencale
2012 Brava, Ballerina! Barbie
2012 Holiday Celebration Barbie (Black)
2012 Holiday Celebration Barbie (Caucasian)
2012 Matinee Fashion Barbie - Final In The Series!
2012 Tweed Indeed Barbie
2011 Celebration Barbie (Black)
2011 Campus Sweetheart Barbie
2011 Prima Ballerina Barbie ornament
1996 Enchanted Evening Barbie ornament
1995 Barbie Debut (Brunette) - Club Exclusive
1994 Barbie Debut ornament
7.5/10
For other ornament reviews, please visit my Ornament Review Index Page for an organized listing!
© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
| | |
No comments:
Post a Comment