Fun, fantasy, and challenge – all a part of collecting Cabbage Patch Kids.
Judy D. Morris, Ref#2, p.5
How it Started
I have been collecting Cabbage Patch Kids since my mid-teens, more than 20 years ago. It started when I found a ‘twin’ for my childhood doll, Hilary Dorcas. I just could not leave Brekke Anne behind at that flea market.
As I collected, I learned more and more about these fascinating dolls. Their story is so complex. There are so many variables that make each doll unique. Eventually, I became fascinated with their clothing. As the internet developed, I found experienced CPK ‘mentors’ who taught me what they knew and answered my questions when they could. Many amazing people have been collecting CPK’s since they came out.
Then I noticed that many of the outfits had number/ letter combinations on their tag.
I wondered, what do these ‘codes’ mean?
I started to track the information in a spreadsheet. I started to notice patterns. I asked around to see if anyone had noticed the number/letter combinations and got very few positive answers. If they had seen them, they had not considered what they meant.
I had to know more! I started tracking the original 1983 outfits as they seemed to be well tagged, and I owned more of these outfits than any others.
However, the spreadsheet quickly grew to include ANY type of Coleco Cabbage Patch Clothing, some Hasbro outfits and Jesmar outfits. It currently has 16 tabs and continues to grow.
For an introduction to clothing tag codes, jump to: What are Clothing Tag Codes
The Purpose of this Blog
With the help of collectors from around the world, eBay sales pictures, and other random sources, the spreadsheet has become a massive database; however, I’m still missing a lot of information.
With this blog, I want to make it easier to share information, gather information, and learn about these amazing dolls and their astounding clothing collection!
Become a part of the journey by looking at your collection and sending me information, pictures, and/or competing theories.
Every statement I make in this blog about CPK clothing is a theory. I can’t prove anything as there is no primary documentation available from Coleco. If you have something that might disprove or change a current working theory, I would like to hear about it. Please comment on the blog or e-mail me.
Eventually, I want to make this information available to the general public, likely using a searchable website. So, if you had a random piece of CPK clothing, you could find out which outfit it went with, what kids it likely came on, what year(s) it was produced, etc. Everything at once. A dream, but one that I believe is possible.
The Current Closet
Now, almost 2 1/2 years into this project, I have over 1500 possible outfit variations recorded (or waiting to be recorded). That does not include the information I have saved on the clothing by the post-Coleco companies. (Hasbro and later)
I am also tracking:
- factory variations (and there are a LOT)
- shoe identification information
- fabric information
- velcro use patterns
- codes on accessories (e.g. pacifiers, hats, helmets, hangers)
- undergarments
- early Hasbro outfits (Transitional Preschooler, BBB, 16″)
- package information (clothing packaged for sale)
I am also recording Jesmar outfits, but I have been unable to determine any patterns to their tag information yet. (Jump to: Jesmar Tags and Clothing)
The Future
I plan to post at least once a week, or each time I learn an interesting new tidbit. Some posts will be shorter, some will be longer; it will depend on the topic.
If you have a post topic suggestion, a question or a great post idea, please share it!
For an introduction to clothing tag codes, jump to: What are Clothing Tag Codes
For information how to clothing tag pictures, jump to: Taking Clothing Tag Pictures.