One of my favorite vintage Skipper’s is, as it so happens, one of the hardest to find, the elusive Japanese Skipper. The Japanese Skipper hit store shelves in 1964 and was exclusive to the Japanese market.
Japanese Skipper
Like traditional Skipper’s, she had three hair colors– titan, brunette and blonde. The Japanese Skipper is usually associated with ‘pink’ bodies, which means many are found with faded faces and limbs.
Japanese Skipper
This exclusive Skipper was sold as a basic doll, wearing her classic red bathing suit. She was, also, sold wearing more elaborate fashions.
Traditional Skipper vs Japanese Skipper
One of the most interesting aspects of this Japanese Skipper are her eyes. Traditional Skippers have side glancing blue eyes. This Skipper, however, has large black side glancing eyes with painted lashes. They look great in person.
Japanese Skipper
I couldn’t nail down any hard facts about how long this Skipper was out or why exactly Japan was the only country with such a drastic face paint change. If you know, please share your info in the comment area!
Japanese Skippers are pricey on the second hand market, but for good reason. They stand out in a crowd of sky blue eyes with their unique eye design. For that reason, my brunette Japanese Skipper is one of my favorites.
Traditional Skipper vs Japanese Skipper (note: they’re the same size, but my stand is a bit too high for the Japanese Skipper.)
I’ve spotlighted this doll on my YouTube channel, too. The video is below!
What do you think of the Japanese Skipper? Share your thoughts below! And stay tuned for another installment of the Skipper Highlight Reel next month (see last months)! And of course, if you have more info on this doll, please share it!
Tagged: mattel, skipper
