She loves camping—and came prepared for just about anything!
1974's Yellowstone Kelley (#7808) was one of my favorite Barbie dolls to play with as a young girl. I loved her deep suntan, pretty pink lips and beautiful shiny red hair. I'd play with her outside and make up camping adventures for her. Apparently I had good taste—today she's one of the harder-to-find dolls from the mid-1970s!
Mattel gave Yellowstone Kelley the popular Steffie face sculpt, with brown eyes, painted eyelashes and long, straight red hair. She has a Twist 'n Turn waist and bendable legs and was made in Taiwan. Her darker suntan complexion fits right in with Mattel's outdoorsy Malibu-era dolls, but that gorgeous red hair and Steffie face make Kelley unmistakable.
Photo by the amazing Gerry Borg
How to identify Yellowstone Kelley
How to identify Yellowstone Kelley
Yellowstone Kelley is fairly easy to recognize once you know what you're looking for. She has:
- the Steffie face sculpt
- a deep suntan complexion
- long, straight red hair with no bangs
- brown eyes and painted eyelashes
- a Twist 'n Turn waist
- bendable legs
- a Taiwan-made body
Kelley's hairstyle
Kelley's hairstyle
Her hair color can vary somewhat from doll to doll, and collectors have also noted variations in hair length. So don't automatically assume a Kelley with somewhat shorter hair has been given the dreaded childhood haircut! Look closely at the ends—factory hair tends to be tapered and somewhat uneven, while a blunt, straight edge may indicate a trim.
Collector's Tip: Yellowstone Kelley's Taiwan-era body can be prone to problems at the joints, so check the hips and legs carefully when buying a loose doll. The darker Taiwan body can also help distinguish her from some other Malibu-era bodies.
Find your Yellowstone Kelley doll on eBay!!
Yellowstone Kelley was part of Mattel's 1974 Sports Set Collection
Yellowstone Kelley was part of Mattel's 1974 Sports Set Collection
Sports and outdoor activities were a big theme for Barbie in 1974. With the 1976 Olympics approaching, Mattel introduced The Sports Set, sending Barbie and friends camping, sailing and skiing.
The four 1974 dolls were Sun Valley Barbie (Skiing #7806), Newport Barbie (Sailing #7807), Yellowstone Kelley (Camping #7808), and Sun Valley Ken (Skiing #7809). Yellowstone Kelley was the standout of the group because she wasn't simply another Malibu doll dressed for a new activity. Sun Valley Barbie, Newport Barbie and Sun Valley Ken were based on the existing Malibu dolls, while Kelley brought her distinctive red hair and Steffie face to the lineup.
What did Yellowstone Kelley come with?
What did Yellowstone Kelley come with?
This girl didn't just throw a sleeping bag in the car and call it camping.
Kelley wore blue-and-white striped shorts, a red-and-white polka-dot long-sleeved blouse, white knee-high socks and white shoes. She also came with coordinating blue-and-white striped pants for when things got chilly.
Her camping equipment included a brown backpack, yellow sleeping bag, camping mattress, camp stove, cookware and utensils, along with a brush and comb—because a girl can only “rough it” so much!
One of my favorite tiny accessories is the green frying pan with its little fish graphic. Apparently Kelley wasn't living on trail mix. :-)
Photo of my Kelley with camp gear
Find your Yellowstone Kelley doll on eBay!!
1973 Quick Curl Kelley
Kelley was a short-lived friend of Barbie
Kelley was a short-lived friend of Barbie
Kelley didn't have a long run in Barbie's world. Mattel introduced Quick Curl Kelley (#4221) in 1973, followed by Yellowstone Kelley in 1974. Both used the Steffie face sculpt and had red hair and brown eyes, but they're quite different: Quick Curl Kelley had curled hair and came dressed in a long green-and-white checked fashion, while Yellowstone Kelley had straight hair, a suntan and her camping wardrobe.
That makes Yellowstone Kelley particularly interesting to me. She was produced for only a brief period, but between her beautiful Steffie face, unusual red-hair-and-suntan combination and elaborate camping set, she's one of those dolls who made a much bigger impression than her short stay in Barbie's world would suggest.
And I should know—I still remember loving mine!
Yellowstone Kelley paper dolls
Yellowstone Kelley paper dolls
Kelley even got another moment in the spotlight after her doll disappeared. In 1975, Whitman produced a Yellowstone Kelley paper-doll book featuring a variety of colorful fashions. Interestingly, some of the paper fashions were based on clothing from the actual Yellowstone Kelley doll.
For a Barbie friend who was around for such a short time, Yellowstone Kelley certainly managed to leave her mark.
~Nicole