Doll Review: Barbie BMR 1959 Curvy

And, pretty much as I predicted, I haven't been able to post in almost a month. The last few weeks of college were crazy. I think I mentioned this before, but I signed up for an online internship at a communication agency. Long story short, the customer wasn't happy with the last assignment we did, and we basically had to redo the whole thing. All of this during the last 3 weeks of school, when I also had to do a video presentation for a project. I managed to pull it off, and I finally have some time to come on here and talk all things doll related. 

A couple of years ago I used to do lots of doll reviews, mostly because that was the only way I found to bring content to the blog regularly. At some point I got bored by it and didn't think people found them interesting, so I stopped doing them. Now, if I talk about a new doll, I try to add something more to the post, like a new background or a comment on another topic. For this particular doll however, I feel like I have a lot to say, so, disclaimer, this post is going to be very opinionated. 



For those of you who don't know, the BMR1959 dolls were released around late October-early November 2019. In case you missed, here's the commercial. When I saw them, I didn't love them. The outfits were too wack for me, and I was quite confused. Much to my surprise, people loved them and thought they were super cool and the fashion looked superb, while I just found it... a bit tacky. Once I got pass the clothes, I found that some of the dolls were pretty, specially this one. At the end of the day, if you don't like the clothes a doll comes with, you can always redress her. 

Now, why did it take me so long to get this doll? Since I wasn't super sold on the doll because on the clothing, I wasn't going out of my way trying to find them at any cost. I saw that the price point was 30$ and, in my experience, dolls on that price range tend to cost in Spain around 50€ (55$). I was NOT going to expend 50€ on a doll that I wasn't super sold on. Plus, around a month before, they announced the Chriselle Lim dolls, and I loved those (see them here). They weren't available in Spain at that point, but I was waiting to expend my coins on those, so BMR would have to wait. Much to my surprise, the BMR1959 were sold for 30€ (33$), which is the first time that I see a Mattel collector doll sold at the same price here. That made me a bit more keen on this doll, but was still waiting for the Chriselle Lim ones. Fast-forward a few months, the Chriselle Lim aren't availiable in Spain, neither have I found an European retailer that carries them. It's a bit disappointing, to be honest. However, around a month ago I was scrolling through Amazon and I found this lady for just 22€. It was my chance to finally get her and, finally, here she is.



The packaging is actually really cool. It's looks like a shoe box made of what seems recycled cardboard and has this beautiful sketch on the front. The only downside is that you can't see the doll, so you don't know if you're getting the wonky one. Once you open it, the doll comes protected with a tissue paper with the BMR1959 logo all over it. It's a nice detail.




She comes attached to the box like this. Each of the BMR1959 has a different background color, and this particular one is in a beautiful bright purple that I would love to recreate for future photos. 

BMR 1959 GHT94


The purple background wasn't attached to the box, so you can slide it out pretty easily and release your doll. Here she is. 



Right of the bat I can tell you that I don't like how the clothes look on her. However, I got her mostly because I love her face. She uses the Pazette sculpt, which hasn't been used very often, and mostly on collector dolls. I don't have a doll that uses this sculpt, so I'm quite happy to add her to my collection. Guess that I'm some sort of "sculpt collector". 



I think she's overall nice, but I can tell that her face paint is not completely symmetrical. I like the dark purplish lipstick, I think it really suits her. 

Her hair is up in a ponytail. A section of the hair is twisted and turned around the rubber band. It's a nice hairstyle. She has some baby hair painted on her forehead, which is something Mattel has been doing lately, specially on dolls of color. Her sunglasses are sewn to her hair, something that I will try to remove at some point. 



She's wearing silver earrings. One of them has sculpted "BMR" and the other one "1959", but I don't think that comes across well on camera. 



Like I already said, I don't like the clothes. This dolls are said to be 90s inspired, and people that like them say they remind them of the Benetton Barbies from the 90s. Personally, when I first saw them, I didn't get Benetton, I got Barbie meets Supreme. However, I feel like lately there's some 90s influence in fashion, so now I kind of agree. 



The outer jacket is made of plastic and it's quite stiff, so she can't really pose very well. When I saw the promo pictures, I thought this would be made out of a sheer synthetic fabric. It's a pain to take it off or put it on. It's not very well made either. 

At first, I didn't understand what this hoodie dress with grandma's couch fabric was supposed to be. But recently I saw on Instagram a real life version of this and I got it. I don't think this design translates well to doll scale, not everything does. Despite having just called it "grandma's couch", I do like the print, it's colorful.



She's also wearing this golden ankle boots. I do like them because they're versatile, but I feel like they clash with the outfit.


She has the same deep dark skin tone than the purple floral pants Made to Move doll. 



Here's my issue with this line. I do not see this as collector dolls, they look more "deluxe fashionistas". 30€ I think it's a bit pricey for what you're getting, but the 22€ that I've paid is a fair price, considering that she has a made to move body and comes with a stand. The regular made to move dolls started costing around 15-18€, and the Style Luxe dolls from a few years ago costed 20€. Maybe it's just me, but I feel that they're charging more just because these are labeled as collector. I know it's not that big of a price difference, but it's something that bugs me.



The other thing that I'm concerned about is that we haven't seen any regular Made To Move dolls in a while, so I have a feeling that Mattel has decided to make this type of body a collector thing, more exclusive and hard to find. 

Overall, I think this doll is pretty, and I'm happy to have finally bought her and even happier to have bought her at a discount price. I do not like the clothes, but I see that's quite in line with today's trends. Very ASOS, very Supreme. Probably I'm too old to understand this "urban" style (or whatever this is called), or maybe I'm just from a different cultural background that's why I don't get it. However, people seem to love this style, so I wonder if Mattel has considered selling fashion packs with this theme. 



When it comes to the other dolls in the collection, I think they're pretty, and if I had a bigger budget to expend on dolls I would try to get the Kira one. To be honest, if money and space weren't an issue, I would buy every doll under the sun. Unfortunately, since we moved I've cut my budget to expend on dolls a lot, so I'll stick to the ones that I really want. They've recently released a wave 2 from this line, and there's a redhead boy that I find adorable, but so far he's the only one I have an interest in buying. 

So what do you guys think? Am I being too picky? Tell me what you think of this doll line in the comment section. I do always pay attention to what you have to say.

Hope you're all doing well and see you soon. 

Monster Crafts

PS. She also needs a name, so any suggestions will be welcome. 


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Comments

  1. Thank you for this review. I love doll review, by the way, as they provide an opportunity to learn about new dolls.

    This doll is new to me. I think she has a pretty face and I love her eye color. I think the outfit is fine but I wouldn't purchase it if it were a stand-alone item and not on this doll.

    I have never seen a posable Barbie so I am happy to see what one looks like.

    We are celebrating African-American history and culture here in the US this month through the Juneteenth commemoration so thanks for posting information about this doll.

    As for a name, I suggest Amara, which means elegance.

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    1. Hi again Dorothy. I'm happy to hear that you're interested in doll reviews.

      I do agree, her face and eyes are very pretty. I wouldn't buy this outfit separately either. Posable Barbies have been around for a while. It's a new body that came out a few years ago called Made To Move.

      I recently heard of the Juneteenth commemoration. It wasn't intended, but I'm happy to find out that my review fits the celebration.

      Amara is a beautiful name, thanks for the suggestion.

      Thanks for stopping by.

      Delete
  2. Hi! Thanks for reviewing this doll. She and Kira were the only ones I initially wanted. Perhaps because I agree with you, I don't think you're being picky. I don't like the fashions - I think they look garish. The waist packs and the girls' shoes are the only things I like. I would have liked this dress if it were in a different pattern. I do LOVE that Mattel used a dark lip color for this doll. Congratulations on getting her at a decent price.

    Oh and congratulations on finishing your video presentation in spite of the unexpected client revisions. Glad you had time to share your thoughts and photos of this lovely doll. Looking forward to your future posts ... when you can. ;-)

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    1. Hi D7ana. We're on the same page. Once you get pass the loud clothes, the dolls are quite pretty. I've seen the Millie redressed and she looks very beautiful. When it comes to the shoes, I did not like the sock shoes that Millie was wearing. I'm also happy that they didn't give this particular doll a hot pink lipstick, like they often do.

      Thank you so much. This week is the last week of college, so expect new post soon. I'm planning on doing a photography themed post next.

      I've seen that you've been blogging again but, for some reason, I've missed your posts. I'll go check them out now.

      Thanks for stopping by.

      Delete
  3. Hi Linda. I'm glad to hear that you have an interest in reviews. I always feel like mine aren't interesting because I usually get the dolls much later and there are already tons of reviews out there.

    I feel like this dolls are very divisive, people either love them or hate them. I do agree that it didn't seem as well thought as other outfits in the line, and it totally makes sense to me. The jacket I wouldn't mind if it wasn't such a pain to work with.

    That's my concern. Are this collector dolls going to replace the playline MTM? I personally can afford to get an extra doll to rebody if they're sold for 19€, but for 30€... We can't we have both lines in the market?

    Thank you, I'm glad that you think that I did a good job. It was stressful, but now that I'm free, I have time to do some exercice and get back in shape. Quarantine has taken a toll on my physical wellbeing.

    Thanks for the name suggestion. Belle is indeed a beautiful name.

    Hugs to you too.

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  4. While I love the MTM bodies, I'm not a fan of the outfits. But I think your choice is very pretty~ I do see them going down in price, gonna keep an eye on that. Have a great weekend:@)

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    1. Hello Lynn! Welcome to my blog. I feel like the outfits are quite divisive, but I do appreciate that they're giving us more Made to Move dolls in different body types.

      Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend you too.

      Delete
  5. I actually like reviews because they're informative :) As to the doll, she's gorgeous. I was considering getting either her or the pale Ken with a male bun, but I don't know ... there's been too much of them just about everywhere :) I decided to get an older doll instead and perhaps that's a mistake because they'll get more expensive and that I'm sure of. It'd quite possible that when I finally decide that I want those dolls really badly, they'll be too expensive for me to purchase :) As it is now, I'm not sure I'd be able to appreciate them fully, so I'll wait. Thanks for the review, it was really pleasant to read it.

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    1. Hi Coffee and dolls. Honestly, that has happened to me. And, those times that I get a doll at full price because I really want her and I don't want to risk her being sold out, she goes on sale at a ridiculous price not long after. This was the only one I really liked, and I feel like I will fully enjoy her.

      Thanks for stopping by

      Delete
  6. Congratulations on getting a good price on a doll that you wanted! I agree that the fashions are kind of strange, and since you didn't like the fashion, there was no point in paying a high price for her. I was a young mom in the 90s, but I don't remember seeing a lot of clothes like the ones the BMR dolls wear. I also think that the dolls are high priced, but I think Mattel was banking on how different and "cool" they are.

    I might get the man bun one, just because he has an articulated body and a strong face mold. That bun is coming down if I do buy one, though. Hopefully, prices on the first wave will go down now that there is a second wave coming out.

    So are you officially done with college now. I hope so!

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    1. Hi Barb! Thanks, I was quite lucky. I think the 90s influence is basically baggy clothes and bright colors. You made an excelent point, Mattel is basically charging more because they're "trendy". They have done a great job capturing certain Instagram trends thouhg. I just wish they made a similar doll line but with different styles (and at a cheaper price).

      I did not like the man bun Ken, I wasn't a fan of his facial expression. I do like the sculpt though. Have you seen the redhead one from the second wave? He has a beautiful face.

      I will be done with college on Monday, but I have to go back next semester to take 3 more classes.Hopefully, I will graduate in February.

      Delete
  7. Although the doll is quite pretty and the body okay, I'm not fond of the painted hair on the head, and I totally agree with you about the costume, it's ghastly! The only things I would keep are the doll, boots and specs!

    I appreciate your honest review, too many only present the positives and don't point out the negatives. I enjoy reading reviews, as they give me an insight to the dolls I don't collect myself.

    Hopefully you will have a little more dolly time now. :)
    Big hugs,
    X

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    1. Hi Xanadu. I don't mind the baby hairs, I just wish they weren't doing it so often. The boots and the glasses are my favourite part too. If the jacket wasn't so stiff and baggy, I wouldn't dislike it so much.

      I do try to find a balance of pros and cons. If I had only negative things to say about a doll, I wouldn't buy her in the first place. One of the problems I had when I was doing reviews is that I was posting 2 times a week, because I thought that the more content the better. At some point it started feeling like "my job" and I wasn't having fun with it, and I feel like my readers could tell. Now I only try to post about those things I'm really interested and passionate about. I try not to rush the posts either.

      I will have more time. In fact, later today I'm going to the craft storesupplies for a craft I'm planning to do.

      Big hugs to you too.

      Delete
  8. Loved your review and I love this doll. It is always good to hear someones opinion. OK, I confess, I bought them all. They have all been redressed. I was able to get some on sale for less then $20 apiece, so I bought multiples. I needed this body in this skintone! This girl has the most gorgeous face. Even though I stole her body, one of the heads went on a very tall IT very dark AA body and got a hair makeover. I kept one as is and the other one kept her body, but got a hair makeover and a redressing. I will post their photos soon!

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    1. Hi Phyllis. Thanks, I'm glad that you liked the review. If I could find them for less than 20 a piece, I would probably buy more dolls from this line, or even a double to use as a body donor. For that price, it wouldn't bug me so much the fact that I don't like the clothes. Less than 20 was what the origininal Made To Move dolls cost, and they didn't even come with shoes, so it's a good deal.

      I saw that you did a reroot on one of the Kira dolls, but I'm looking forward to see more photos in the near future.

      Thanks for stopping by.

      Delete
  9. That doll is drop dead GORGEOUS! It's really funny because I don't even remember seeing her. Whether I collect a type of doll or not, it's always interesting to see a doll through the lens of another collector. I'm happy you bought this doll because it will help us see her full potential. I have other doll blog friends, Olla (Blog o Barbie Fashionistas) and Kamelia, both of whom buy Barbies I wouldn't give a second look at. When they are finished redressing them and post photos to their blogs, the dolls are practically unrecognizable (in a good way). I totally understand why Phyllis put her body on an IT body. Her face is a real standout.
    In terms of price-- well.. $20-22 is the going rate for entry level "collectables." And I guess Mattel gets away with this pricing because they do have a playline which goes for 7-10. However, the quality is not only very cheap, the dolls are barely above the standard of the Dollar Store knock-offs. Sometimes the makeup isn't even painted on properly! And none of the bodies are articulated. All Kens now have molded plastic hair and some of the Barbies have clothes that are three items blended into one: top, skirt, vest. So I suppose when they do anything a little bit different, they are now calling that a "collectible" and charging as such. The clothes are not my taste-perhaps Mattel is hoping to catch the eye of a very young collector.
    That said, I tip my hat to all of you who can look at this new generation of Barbie and see the "diamonds in the rough!"
    Big hugs.
    P.S. As far as that internship is concerned... the mistakes as well as the successes are needed to shape your career. I had a lot of "Now I know what not to do" moments that taught me about consequences of certain decisions! Those were real-life experiences that could not be learned in a classroom!

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    1. Hello April. I'm glad that you find her pretty, that's a beautiful sculpt that she has.

      I do agree, Barbie prices seem to have skyrocketed the past year. Here in Spain dolls tend to cost more than in America, so I always expect to pay a bit more. However, seeing the Fashionistas here for almost 15€ when they used to cost 10€ it's almost insulting, as I don't see the prices going up that much in american stores. I do agree that, overall, Mattel seems to be overpricing some of their latest products. The fashion packs that I bought a few years back had more or less the same price, but the quality was much better. I think that a million dollar company like Mattel could find a way to produce at a lower cost, and give us some decent quality products. However, they're doing some things right, like adding more diversity to the Barbie line.

      Thanks for your advice. The funny part is that what the customer wanted was something I suggested from the very beggining, but my idea was discarded very quickly. And I do agree, the experience that you get from doing the actual job is not something you learn in a classroom.

      Thanks for your lovely comment.

      Delete
  10. Nah, you are not a picky one. I have been wondering about these dolls too and have read many reviews with some serious thoughts about the BMR1959 series. I ordered mine for some days ago and it will arrive today. I am a bit nervous about the face up and the joints. Hope that she is ok on those parts. The clothes remind me a lot of the fashion we had here in the late 80's and have today - you should look like a walking grandma's couch (this had me laughing). And all is so oversized too, clothes wise.
    But she is a pretty doll and I have been looking for a darker skin Barbie to join my collection. The prize for this doll is rather high, so I am glad you found her at a lower price. I agree with you that the BMR1959 dolls are a bit more like fancy fashionistas instead of dolls for collectors. And some of the more fancier dolls are hard to find!
    Well, hope you can enjoy her and share her with us. Looking forward to getting mine later today! :) Happy Summer!

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    1. Hi Niina! The articulation on mine feels a bit stiff, but I don't know if that has something to do with the fact that she's a curvy doll. I haven't read any other reviews from this series, but people on Instagram seem to be crazy for them. And I do understand, the dolls are cute, but I just don't like the fashions. Being that said, I've taken some more pics of this doll and others trying to give them an "urban" style. I don't totally dislike the "couch" print, but I would use it more as an "accent" type of print (for example, to be used for the sleeves, or for a swim suit).

      I personally don't mind buying playline dolls, in fact, most of my dolls are playline. If I like a doll and I can afford to buy her, I will get her regardless of the collector or playline label. The issue here is that I feel this dolls are wrongly labeled as collector, which is something most of you agreed, and therefore, they're charging more for what isn't better quality than playline.

      Hope you have a wonderful summer too and that your summer class goes well.

      Delete
  11. Love the lip paint on this doll. I've never heard of the Pazette sculpt before, but then I've sort of fallen out of touch with the collector doll market, since collector dolls have gotten so expensive.
    Signed, Treesa

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    1. Hi Treesa. I agree, collector dolls have gotten so expensive. When I started, there were beautiful dolls for 40 or 50$ and then a few for 80$, but now most of them seem to be around 100$, and the quality isn't that great.
      Thanks for stopping by.

      Delete
  12. I love this in-depth review! I am more a collector of male dolls than Barbies (although I make exceptions!) so it's nice to hear the details on the newest ones.

    Let me tell you, the red-headed male BMR doll is ADORABLE. He moves and poses very nicely, and he has not only freckles but DIMPLES. I didn't like his outfit at all, so now he's in a nice pair of jeans and a green print shirt. The face mold is a new one, called Tate, after the guy who designed it. So I call him Tate.

    I also have the dark-haired man-bun BMR guy, and he has such an expressive face. His outfit was possibly the worst of the three! He looks very intelligent, so now he's wearing a lab coat (the clear glasses look like lab goggles).

    I have the dark-skinned, green haired BMR guy, and I love him - he's he only one I've left the original clothes on, because they suit him so well. He has eye makeup, lipstick, and nail polish, which make him look adorable.

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  13. Hello! Yes, I've seen pics of the new male doll and he's very cute. He's already on my buy list. I also thought about calling mine Tate, since I name most of my dolls after their head sculpts.

    I didn't have a particular interest on the other two male characters, specially at that price tag. If their original retail price had been 20$ I would have probably considered getting more dolls.

    Thanks for stopping by.

    ReplyDelete

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