a better thing

 I will occasionally browse Etsy for vintage handmade doll clothes, especially for Barbies, seeing as the main dolls I have here right now are Barbies.

I don't often find things, or what I find isn't great, and once or twice I've been a little disappointed in my orders

But not today. A seller had a lot of dresses for about $20, she said she didn't know if they were commercially or hand made, but there were no tags, so I decided to try.

They came today. I really think they are handmade, BUT made by someone who was an expert seamstress and who had a sense of style. Everything is machine sewn but the way the snaps are sewn on by hand look like how people who sew at home do it. And there's an attention to detail, but the fabrics also don't seem like ones a big company would have used. 

I really like them, and I was a little tired tonight, or I'd have tried them on the dolls (they seem pretty clean, so I'm not going to try handwashing them)

First up- two red "day dresses" or "school dresses" that if they're small enough, would probably fit the little Creatable World girls I have - I will probably try those on them first. 

 There's also a pinafore - it has big patch pockets on it so I wonder if it was an attempt to recreate a Candy Striper uniform. I suppose it would have had a white blouse under it. And then the coatdress is made out of something like felt (it seems a little faded) and it reminds me of an ice skating dress.

And then, my second favorite of the dresses - a white eyelet garden-party dress (not quite formal enough to be a bridal gown, and you wouldn't put bridesmaids in white) or maybe a prom dress? 

 It's lined with lining fabric, there's a green sash with a tiny silk flower on it. 

And then there's what I think is intended as a suit, with a VERY thin fabric (and very narrow; I'm not convinced it will fit even "skinny Barbie") shift, and then a skirt and suit jacket that could go over it. And a peach-colored semiformal that's made out of something like lining fabric, but heavier:

And then finally, my favorite: an evening gown in turquoise silky fabric with silver embroidery, and on the back there is a short train (I tried to fold it out in the second photo)

 

 I want to try the turquoise gown on maybe Olivia (my African-American Barbie), both because the color would be good and I imagine her as being elegant and stylish; and the white one on blonde Barbie. And maybe the suit on Sam, who is more businesslike in her attitude and who has slightly tanner skin and brown hair (I don't think she's supposed to be Hispanic, but could be). And maybe try one of the red dresses on Gabby; she represents a younger woman so the red dresses might work for her.