The Good: Perfect balance, Good sculpt, Affordable
The Bad: Coloring - problematic color contrast
The Basics: The 2015 Hallmark Shopping Barbie Hallmark ornament is a neat tribute to Hallmark and Barbie's return to it!
2015 marks the return of the Barbie franchise to Hallmark Keepsake stores and many of the shops banked big on Barbie. My local Hallmark shop featured personnel who dressed up in outfits that mirrored the new Barbie ornaments for each of the three big ornament-centered Hallmark release events this year! Perhaps the most self-serving on the new Barbie ornaments is the Hallmark Shopping Barbie ornament.
The Hallmark Shopping Barbie ornament is, as the name suggests, an ornament of a Barbie doll - this time, a redhead! - dressed in a pink skirt and coat, holding a distinctive purple Hallmark shopping bag! This is a Barbie ornament intended to be Barbie after her day of shopping at Hallmark stores!
Basics
The 2015 Hallmark Shopping Barbie ornament is an entirely unique ornament, featuring an incarnation of Barbie that is not indicative of any of the Barbie dolls sold as full-sized dolls. Instead, this is a not-so-subtle advertisement of Hallmark and Hallmark ornaments. The ornament was released with an original issue price of $17.95, which is on par with other ornaments in the Barbie line. The 2015 Hallmark Shopping Barbie ornament is 4 1/2" tall by 1 1/2" wide by 1" deep and she is made entirely of hard plastic.
The 2015 Hallmark Shopping Barbie ornament has pink tweed-like coat, pink skirt and pink high heels. The heels are notable for the realism of their sculpt. Similarly, the Hallmark bag in her hand is distinctive and iconic. This Barbie's hair is short and she had very large eyes. The sculpt is fairly simple; she does not have sculpted-on fingernails and the finest detail (outside the heels) might well be the buttons on Barbie's jacket.
The coloring of the Hallmark Shopping Barbie might well be its only serious detraction. While the purple bag is great contrast, the rest of the ornament has unfortunately muted and similar colors. The skin, hair and peach colored dress do not offer a distinctive enough contrast on the actual ornament to make it truly pop. Instead, the ornament bleeds into the background on a tree and the bag stands out. This has the unfortunate effect of not so much celebrating Barbie's return to Hallmark as making one's Christmas tree into a Hallmark advertisement.
Features
As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, the Hallmark Shopping Barbie ornament could have a function like a sound chip or light effect, but it does not. This is just the ornament, simple and direct. The bag may not be removed and the doll ornament does not feature articulation.
Balance
As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake 2015 Hallmark Shopping Barbie ornament is that the ornaments will be hung on a Christmas Tree. For those creating the ultimate Barbie Christmas Tree, the Hallmark Shopping Barbie ornaments is a cute addition and one that Hallmark fans are likely to truly geek out for more than just Barbie fans. The Hallmark Shopping Barbie has a brass hook loop at the top, center, of her head and from there she hangs with perfect balance.
Collectibility
Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (reviewed here!). Since then, they have branched out into every major franchise from Barbie to Gone With The Wind to The Hunger Games. The Hallmark Shopping Barbie ornament was released at the November Ornament Celebration Weekend and it has sold out at about half of the Hallmark stores I've been to. Given the enthusiasm I've witnessed at this year's ornament events for the new Barbie ornaments, it would not surprise me that it would sell out this year and appreciate in value in the future!
Overview
The 2015 Hallmark Shopping Barbie ornament might lack the contast in person that made the ornament pop in the promotional materials from Hallmark, but the ornament is still a worthy addition to the Hallmark line of Barbie ornaments. It is worth picking up.
For other Barbie ornament reviews, please check out:
2015 Holiday Celebration Barbie (Black)
2015 Holiday Celebration Barbie (Caucasian)
2015 Hallmark Shopping Barbie Set (2013/2014 Hallmark Shopping Barbie)
2012 Barbie Provencale
2012 Brava, Ballerina! Barbie
2012 Holiday Celebration Barbie (Black)
2012 Holiday Celebration Barbie (Caucasian)
2012 Matinee Fashion Barbie - Final In The Series!
2012 Tweed Indeed Barbie
2011 Celebration Barbie (Black)
2011 Campus Sweetheart Barbie
2011 Prima Ballerina Barbie ornament
1996 Enchanted Evening Barbie ornament
1995 Barbie Debut (Brunette) - Club Exclusive
1994 Barbie Debut ornament
7.5/10
For other ornament reviews, please visit my Ornament Review Index Page for an organized listing!!
© 2015 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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