J: Jazzie

 

Jazzie

A character in the Barbie line who is not well remembered. The aforementioned Francie wasn't the only cousin of Barbie's to have her own line. In 1989, Jazzie, Barbie's Cool Teen Cousin was introduced. Jazzie was something of a spiritual successor to Mattel's Starr line from a decade earlier. Starr was a high-school themed line that had no ties to Barbie. Starr had a boyfriend and two female friends, a car and several fashion sets. Only one doll of each character was made and the line lasted about two years. Starr's boxes were white with a notebook-paper design.

Jazzie's line was similarly packaged in white boxes, and she also had a boyfriend and two female friends. A Volkswagen Cabriolet (which the Heart Family also had) and a Burger King playset were also released, as well as several fashion sets (only for the girl dolls). Jazzie was launched in five different versions during  the first year of production, along with her three high-school friends. Jazzie came as a basic high school doll, as well as in Teen Dance, Cheerleader, Work Out, and Swimsuit themed outfits. The different dolls' outfits could be changed into more than one different look.

(From left) Jazzie, Chelsie, Stacie and Dude in 
the original white packaging.

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Some Jazzie dolls and outfits.

Jazzie used the head mold of one of Starr's friends, Kelley (this was also used for the Caucasian Mrs. Heart dolls). Jazzie's boyfriend was named Dude, and he used the head mold of Derek from the Rockers line. Her girl friends were red-haired Chelsie (with the head mold of another of Starr's friends, Tracy), and African American Stacie. Stacie used an often-used head mold that will come into discussion later.

Chelsie and Stacie are two more names that have been thrown around in Barbie's world. The name Chelsie also appeared in the Barbie Generation Girl line. The differently spelled Chelsea was one of the dolls in the My Scene line, and that same spelling is used for the name of one of Barbie's current sisters (originally named Kelly). The doll Stacey (note spelling) was a British friend of Barbie's produced from 1968 to 1971, and another of Barbie's current sisters is named Stacie. Confusing, eh?

But let's get back to Jazzie. During her second year of production, her friends were discontinued and her white boxes were replaced with the hot pink color associated with Barbie. Soon Jazzie's own line was cancelled and she was absorbed into Barbie's annual swimsuit line (the same had been true of Francie), making three more appearances before disappearing altogether.

Jazzie's new pink packaging 

Jazzie's first appearance in
the Barbie swimsuit line. 

(from left): Ken, Barbie and Jazzie in the Sun
Sensation line.

 Glitter Beach Jazzie--
the last Jazzie doll
produced.

This was another line that came out way too late for me. I might have wanted it. So many things I learned about later in life.