Back cover of the Green 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?

This set has some iconic outfits, including Electric Feathers from The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour and some cultural pieces (which were considered international at the time and not appropriating): the Chinese dresses, the Cherokee, Bolero and “Vagabond” outfits.  The pink outfit seems like old Hollywood showgirl.

The Green box dresses originally sold for $5.98 according to Sandra Bryan in Cher Doll & Her Celebrity Friends. She says there were 20 total.

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  1. Peasant Lady: a blue blouse with white pants
  2. Electric Feathers: the black and white zigzag, off-the-shoulder gown from The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
  3. Vagabond: white dress with a yellow and red fringe shawl
  4. Stepping Out: a green & orange spotted pantsuit
  5. Bolero: all boots and culottes
  6. Sunkissed: an orange pantsuit with bell bottoms
  7. Madame Chan: a Chinese dress which came in three colors, green & yellow, red & yellow and blue & yellow
  8. Dragon Lady: a red Chinese dress with a dragon on the front and arm fringe
  9. Pink Panther: the pink ski pantsuit with the poof hat
  10. Easy Living: jeans with patches and a white
  11. Cherokee: a suede-style dress and a dark brown vest (Bryan’s book show two versions, one with a more elaborate cuffs, neck and a ruffled hemline.)
  12. Space Princess: a back and white halter with legwarmers and tall black boots

There were eight missing outfits in my research, which according to Bryan’s book were additions added in the 1977 Mego catalog:

  1. Dramatic Drizzle (also shown in the Cher Trunk ad): a white sleeveless gown with a head-to-toe wrap
  2. Frosted Feathers: a one sleeve, silver leopard gown with white and black feather trim
  3. Genie: sheer yellow genie pants with a halter top and head cap
  4. Glorious Gold: a sleeveless sparkly top with a billowy gold skirt
  5. Hanky Panky: Pink chiffon skirt and top
  6. Madame Butterfly: red, black and gold gown with bell sleeves
  7. Sadie: split red skirt with pink and yellow top
  8. Sweater Girl: turtle neck yellow skirt with black velour culottes

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

The Eight from 1977

I wasn’t able to find boxes for all of these.

Sonny Fits

Sonny had outfits in the Green series too:

  1. Private Eye: a tan coat and yellow sweater
  2. Space Prince: an astronaut outfit to match Cher’s Space Princess in the Green box series
  3. Buckskin: jeans, a jacket and an orange sweater (the catalog has a green sweater) – I would say this was meant to go with Cher’s Green Box Cherokee outfit but it’s too contemporary looking.
  4. Hoedown: blue overalls to match Cher’s Hoedown in the Blue box series
  5. Gypsy King: red pants, white and red gypsy shirt (possible to go with Cher’s Green Box Vagabond)
  6. The White Tux