Redundant, you say? Not so if enhancement is going to increase Barbie's personna. You don't have to stick to Mattel's creations. Using bits and pieces of clothing and accessories from other manufacturers can produce a Barbie of many themes. Barbie can be a firefighter, a police officer, a Japanese geisha or a rock diva. I tend to favor Barbie as a bride, but more about that later.

I make outfitting Barbie very easy for you. Since I am a clotheshorse, I am ticky about matching clothing with accessories. I use the same guidellines I use for myself to pair Barbie's two-piece outfits that are bestsellers.                                                                                                                    .

I give outfits descriptive titles to catch the prospective buyer's eye. For example, adding an adjective to Lavendar Party Dress will perk one's curiosity about the product. I like adjectives such as luscious and loud, thus using alliteration for a lilting effect. (Lilting would go well with lavendar, too!)

I purchase Barbie clothing in great quantities from many different sources, both on and off the Web. Sometimes clothing I receive from other sellers looks dull. I simply wash it in the washing machine! They all turn out beautifully. Stains on white garments are removed by dipping a cotton swab in bleach. I rub the stain with the cotton swab until it disappears.

I segregate in-stock, unmatched Barbie clothing into different plastic bags. Tops are in one bag, bottoms such as skirts, pants and shorts are in another, accessories are in another, etc. Every time I receive the latest Barbie clothes shipment I divide the new batch into tops and bottoms then match them to the other halves I already have. Voila! I invent new outfits that are unique and definitely are not sold in stores. Mixing and matching is challenging and a lot of fun.

Inexpensive?

You can't find inexpensive, individual outfits in department stores anymore. Now we see multiple Barbie outfits in ornate packaging with high prices posted on them. Choices are limited. I provide over 400 individual outfits in my store...and growing. Prices are very low which encourages quantity purchasing.

On occasion I receive damaged clothing from other sellers. As a remedy I cover permanent stains by sewing on cute mini-patches. I sew loose seams back together on my sewing machine. If the garment appears hopeless, I cut off the Velcro or the snaps for future use on other garments. Sometimes I save the rest of the garment to serve as part of another homemade garment or as a pattern for a future original.

  Here Comes the Bride           

                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Bride Barbie:  I love to receive or purchase not-so-pretty white gowns. I add lots of lace, bows, beads and/or decorative flowers to produce a beautiful wedding gown. The only seam I separate is the back seam, which makes embellishing easier. Once I finish embellishing, I  restitch the back seam, producing a beautiful gown. Imagine the time I save not having to make the gown from scratch! I choose Barbie shoes that match the gown's trim. I twist mini-artificial flowers together to produce a bouquet. Bouquets are enhanced by adding flowing ribbon and lace. Veils are made by twisting lace around ponytail bands and adding netting, I decorate the veils with flowers, ribbon and/or anything else I may create. These one-of-a-kind wedding gown sets are better made and more beautiful than any gown one might buy in a store.

The trick to being a successful Barbie outfit seller is to be creative. Variety and originality will contribute to multiple sales. Also remember to sell clothing that is absolutely mint. If it isn't, be honest about your product in your ad before your customer commits.