19 inches of what you want her to be...

Yesterday on Tumblr I posted a piece about Tiffany Taylor, a fairly obscure fashion doll that ran from 1974 to 1976. The company that made her, Ideal, is now defunct. Suffice it to say, it's doubtful we'll ever see a Blythe-esque comeback for Tiffany. (Unless I can pull a Gina Garan and through sheer force of will -- and a good deal of creativity -- bring Tiffany back into the spotlight she deserves. But... nah.) That said, Tiffany Taylor is really unique and worth a bit of your time if you're a true doll lover who also appreciates a bit of history. (As opposed to, say, exclusively a Monster High collector.) To start off, here's a few pics I took of Miss Taylor after I had posted yesterday's piece on Tumblr...

And here's the actual piece I wrote yesterday...

Manufactured by Ideal from 1974 to 1976, Tiffany Taylor was a 19" fashion doll with a gimmick: she had both black and auburn hair. You just twisted her scalp and voila! New haircolor and style! Compared to today's dolls Tiffany is kind of odd, very much of her time. In other words she's way cool...

What a face! Ideal really struck gold with this mold, in my opinion. The contours are so detailed and realistic. They kept the makeup simple: frosted lavender eyeshadow, reddish lips, and rosy cheeks. Curved eyebrows and eyelash shading finish the job. Oh, and her abundant rooted lashes, of course! Love 'em!

There were only two versions of Tiffany ever produced, the AA version I'm looking at today, and a caucasian version. I had that one as well, but my mom was so taken with her I finally just gave her to her. Let's check out the other hairstyle...

Eek! Rough night, Tiffany? You did arrive at the start of the disco era so maybe you popped a few too many 'ludes... Back to the black hair...

Here you can see the split where the scalp separates so you can spin it around. Tiffany's facial expression really does crack me up because she honestly looks stoned out of her gourd. But in a beautiful, glamorous, sort of way. Or something. You get what I mean!

She wears a gold bodysuit and wrap of chartreuse chiffon. The wrap can be removed by unhooking it from the pearl. This was the only outfit she was sold in but she had a lot of separate fashions available that you could buy.

Here she is next to Midge and Ashlynn. She's big! It's totally cool. I wish Mattel would release a gigantic version of Frankie or something. I'm only half joking.

Her auburn hair creates a nice two-tone effect. Poseability isn't her strong point. She's only got neck, shoulder, and hip joints. The big draw with Tiffany is her hair and face.

Man, those lashes! I really do adore them. And again, what a great mold! Really beautiful.

There really is something decadent about Tiffany's facial expression. I don't exactly know how to put it... like she's glacial and distant, caught up in her own world.

Nearly 40 years old and still looking great!

Much more on Tiffany, including ad and box scans, and pics of her fashions, at these links:

http://www.crissyandbeth.com/Tiffany.html

http://www.dollreference.com/ideal_tiffany_taylor_doll.html

And there you have it! Tiffany Taylor, a gloriously odd relic of the 70's. Her unique, beguiling beauty has fascinated me since I first discovered her last year. This piece didn't get much play on Tumblr, but I'm hoping you guys, who I've always felt I have a stronger connection to, can appreciate this obscure little bit of doll history. Check out the links provided, too. Lot's of great mid-70's fashions and ads to be found! Take us out, Tiff...

Oh by the way, the post title is from the box Tiffany came in. So wrong I can't help but laugh.