Back cover of the Purple box

I can’t tell the difference between the Green and Purple box outfits, which are both called Designer Collection. They both seem like nice dresses. Apparently they were both released in 1976. What’s the difference?

There are some iconic dresses in this collection including the Half Breed outfit (with the unfortunately derogatory name of “Indian Squaw”) from The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, La Plume, Foxy Lady (my favorite outfit) from the Cher show, Starlight, Radiant, Blushing Bride, Pink Fluff.

There is no price information for the Purple box dresses in Sandra Bryan’s book Cher Doll & Her Celebrity Friends, confirming they were the cheapest. She says there were 12 total.

Ad

  1. Whiteout: a white summer pantsuit
  2. Starlight: a gold gown with silver netting (almost like the chainmail Cher wore in the 1980s)
  3. Pink fluff: a white pantsuit with a pink poof shawl (similar to Mint Parfait in the Boutique Collection)
  4. Gown of Paradise:  saffron (India) Indian gown
  5. Radiant: red and white striped gown
  6. Fortune Teller: a black grow with a white and black seam down the middle and jewel at the breast (I always get this one confused with the Growing Hair doll dress and it looks nothing like what Cher wore on the TV show.)
  7. Indian Squaw (Half Breed) from The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
  8. La Plume: a blue and white pantsuit with blue body poofs (the ad has a yellow version)
  9. Herky Jerky: a blue halter pantsuit with jacket
  10. Half and Half: a pink top with black pants
  11. Foxy Lady: a purple pantsuit with a black lace overlay and cape from the Cher show
  12. Midnight Blue: I can’t made heads nor tails of this outfit. Looks light a horse riding outfit.

According to Bryan there were nine additional dresses in the Purple line only sold in Canada and Europe. No fair.

  1. Dainty Damsel: a Snow White looking dress
  2. Let’s Hustle: silver and brown metallic pants with matching vest and a peach blouse
  3. Peek-a-Boo: looks like a Hollywood-era nightgown in lime green with ribbing
  4. Star Brite: a silver glitter gown with a blue starburst design and white boa (looks similar to the Blue box starburst dress)
  5. Blushing Bride: a rare bridal outfit with veil and plastic flowers
  6. Rodeo Roundup: Cher’s cowboy outfit (what??)
  7. Tara: ruffled mint-green Scarlett O’Hara dress (why didn’t the U.S. get these??) (Bryan says this was also pictured in the Travel Trunk ad)
  8. Beautiful Dreamer: white ruffled jumpsuit
  9. Radiant Ruffles: purple skirt and jacket with green blouse

Photos of the outfits in their boxes (1-12)
Click to enlarge.

 

The Canadian. Europe Dresses