Category: 1990 + Outfits

Outfits that I believe are Transitional or Hasbro and came out in 1990 or later.

25th Anniversary CPK Outfits

In my opinion, the 25th Anniversary kids are the best replicas of the original Coleco kids, and their outfits are just as good! Many people confuse them with the originals. Find out how to differentiate between them.

Anniversary CPK Outfits – 10th to 40th

Quick Links:    Girl Outfits
                              Boy Outfits
                              Preemie Outfits

The 25th Anniversary CPKs manufactured by Play Along are, in my opinion, the best replicas of the Coleco kids and clothes produced thus far. Although they created only one version of each outfit, they replicated many outfits. In addition, the outfits came on a wide variety of dolls. Play Along produced ten girl outfits, two boy outfits, and seven preemie outfits for this series. Each kid came wearing a white baby diaper with sticky tabs underneath.

These kids came in a box very similar to the original Coleco boxes, but the primary colours are silver and white, and each one came with a silver plastic spoon. They also have a special birth certificate and hand tag. The signatures on their bottom are black and say 25th Anniversary.

Brown ponytail, blue eyed girl in a white and green 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch box wearing the pinafore outfit.
25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch Kid birth certificate for Sonya Helaine whose birthday is on December 13th.
25th Anniversary Cabbage patch kid bum signature. It's back with a 25th stamped below it.
25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch kid hand tag, front and back.
Diaper on a 25th Anniversary AA Cabbage Patch kid.

One consistent difference between Coleco and 25th Anniversary outfits is the buttons. The 25th buttons are much thicker and slightly smaller in diameter than any of the Coleco.

Comparison of a 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch button and a 1980's Coleco button, top on.
Play Along vs. Coleco
Comparison of a 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch button and a 1980's Coleco button, side on.
Play Along vs. Coleco

Reminder, these outfits do NOT have clothing codes.

Reminder, these outfits do NOT have clothing codes.

Shoes

These are also of high quality and look very similar to Coleco shoes. There are 25th Anniversary versions of the three original types of shoes, and all have the 25th logo on the sole of the shoe. Inside the heel, they have the pattern often associated with Jesmar shoes inside and say ‘Made in China / Fabrique en chine’. They also come with a piece of white cardboard in the bottom of the shoe (see sneakers below). I have no idea why.

Sole of a 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch shoe showing the CPK logo.
Inside heel of a 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch shoe showing the odd shape and the words "Made in China".
Lace-up 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch shoes.
Lace-up/ High-top Shoes
Mary Jane 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch shoes.
Mary Janes
A pair of 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch blue striped sneakers.
Sneakers
A pair of 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch pink striped sneakers.
Sneaker

Girl Outfits

All but one of these outfits are faithful replicas of the original twenty 1983 outfits. The Butterfly Dress is from the 1986 mimic outfits series.

Bubble Romper

This only came in yellow with a yellow sweater and booties. Unlike the original, the romper has flutter sleeves, and the knit pattern on the other pieces is similar to the KT outfits but still different. The yarn used for the knit outfits is thinner than the original Coleco yarn.  
Shoes: Matching knit booties; Quick Link: 1983 Bubble Romper

Yellow Bubble Romper outfit from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series. Pieces shot.
Close up of the front of the romper in the Bubble Romper outfit from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series.
Close up of the back of the romper in the Bubble Romper outfit from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series.

Ducky Dress

The 25th and the original outfits are very similar. I believe the yarn on the 25th is thinner, but otherwise, they would be hard to tell apart at a glance, although there are differences in the sleeve and collar ruffles.
Shoes: Mary Janes; Quick Link: 1983 Ducky Dress

Ducky dress from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series.. Pieces shot.

Elephant Romper

The 25th version is very easy to distinguish from the original, as the 1983 version never came in pink. In addition, the elephant on the 25th version is a heat transfer, while the original has an applique. Finally, the white shirt has no coloured stitching and doesn’t undo at the back like the original white shirts.
Shoes: Pink striped sneakers; Quick Link: 1983 Elephant Romper

Pink Elephant Romper from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series.

Heart Dress

At first glance, they look very similar. However, the 25th version doesn’t open all the way down the back, and the heart is a heat transfer rather than an applique. The other obvious difference is that the 25th dresses have two ribbon stripes around the bottom hem, whereas the 1983 version has three.
Shoes: Lace-up shoes; Quick Link: 1983 Heart Dress

Pink Heart dress with tights from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series. Pieces shot.
Close up of the back of the Pink Heart dress from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series.

Pinafore Dress

At first glance, this outfit is also very similar to the original 1983 outfit. However, the edge stitching on the 25th outfit is different from many of the 1983 outfits and is black, whereas the others are all shades of blue. Finally, the 25th dress doesn’t open completely at the back like the 1983 version.
Shoes: Lace-up shoes; Quick Link: 1983 Pinafore Dress

Pinafore dress from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series.
Close up of the back of the Pinafore dress from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series.

Ruffled Overalls

The 25th outfit is very similar to the 1983 outfit. It would be very difficult to distinguish between them in a photo, except that the blue 1983 overalls came with yellow rick rack on the shirt, not pink. However, that’s not conclusive evidence because there were 1983 shirts with pink rick-rack and may have been paired with the wrong overalls. Always double-check if you’re not sure. The most obvious difference visible differences are the buttons and lack of tag inside the shirt.
Shoes: Lace-up shoes; Quick Link: 1983 Ruffled Overalls

Blue Ruffled Overalls with white shirt from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series. Pieces shot.
Back of the Ruffled Overalls with white shirt from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series.
Close up of the top of the ruffled overalls from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series.

Shoulder-tie Dress

The easiest difference to spot between the 25th dress and the 1983 outfit is the collar colour. In the 25th outfits, the collar is the colour of the ‘blouse’, whereas the collar of the 1983 outfit is the same colour as the dress portion. In addition, the 25th dress doesn’t completely open down the back.
Shoes: Mary Janes; Quick Link: 1983 Shoulder-tie Dress

Pink gingham Shoulder-tie Dress from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series.
Back of the Shoulder-tie Dress from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series.

Corduroy Suit

The most interesting aspect of this 25th Anniversary outfit is that it only came on girls, whereas the 1983 outfit generally came on boys. In addition, the 25th Anniversary colour was never used in 1983 and the bear applique is a heat transfer, and the hat is a very unique shape, nothing like the 1983 hats. Finally, unlike the 1983 outfit, the 25th Anniversary outfit doesn’t come with a white shirt.
Shoes: Lace-up shoes; Quick Link: 1983 Corduroy Suit

Aqua Corduroy Suit with bear heat transfer from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series.

Windbreaker Outfit

This outfit has a few significant differences. With the pants, it’s the fabric and how white the stitches are for the pockets. For the shirt, it’s the lack of white neck and sleeve hems. With the jacket, it’s the logo and the collar. Each piece stands out as visibly 25th anniversary.
Shoes: Pink striped sneakers; Quick Link: 1983 Windbreaker Outfit

Windbreaker outfit from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series. it has a purple windbreaker, pink and white striped shirt and blue jeans. Pieces shot.
Back of the pieces in the Windbreaker outfit from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series. it has a purple windbreaker, pink and white striped shirt and blue jeans.
Back of the jeans from the in the Windbreaker outfit from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series.

Butterfly Dress

This outfit is unique amongst the girl outfits as it doesn’t replicate a 1983 outfit. The original Butterfly Dress came out in 1986. However, it never came out in this pattern, and the lace of the 25th version is very frilly, not the cotton used in the 1983 dresses.
Shoes: Mary Janes; Quick Link: 1986 #661 Heart/Butterfly Dress

Light blue Butterfly Dress from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series. Pieces shot.
Back of the dress of the Butterfly Dress from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series.

Boy’s Outfits

There are only two boy outfits, and both are from the original 1983 series.

Demin Romper

As I don’t own this outfit yet, I’m basing my analysis on what I can see in photos. This is the only 16” kid outfit that I’m missing.

It appears that the romper is made of thin cotton fabric, not denim and it has wider straps. I can’t see any differences in the shirt; however, it would not have a Coleco tag in it, which it would if it was Coleco. The hat appears to be different as well, but I can’t describe how.
Shoes: Blue Striped Sneakers; Quick Link: 1983 Denim Romper

A rust haired coloured, green eyed boy wearing a Denim Romper from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series. It has a blue and white gingham shirt and red hat.
The back of a a rust haired coloured, boy wearing a Denim Romper from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series. It has a blue and white gingham shirt and red hat.
A rust haired coloured, green eyed boy wearing a Denim Romper from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series. It has a blue and white gingham shirt and red hat. The denim romper is pulled down and the shirt opened ou show his white baby diaper.
Photos from Ebay

Sailor Suit

This outfit is also very similar, but there are immediately visible differences. The accent stripes are silver, whereas the Coleco is always white, and the bow isn’t as big. In addition, the anchor is a heat transfer, not an applique.
Shoes: Blue striped sneakers; Quick Link: 1983 Sailor Suit

Blue Sailor suit from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series. Pieces shot.
Close up of the front of the suit of the Blue Sailor suit from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series.
Close up of the back of the suit of the Blue Sailor suit from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch series.

Preemie Outfits

There appear to be seven preemie outfits, but I could be missing some. All but the Bunting Bag outfit are from the original 1984 series. It’s from the 1985 B-series.

I’ve only owned one of these, so I can only comment on visible differences. It appears many came with some white cotton slippers or booties, but I’m not sure. Based on the “Only at Target” on these boxes, preemies were never sold in Canada. I’m unaware if Target sold them in other countries. Their boxes were slightly different, with a heart behind the logo. Their hand tags had the same heart.

Gown with vest

The 25th Anniversary version doesn’t appear to come with a hat, and it isn’t two separate pieces. The vest is attached at the side seams, and there’s no lace at the neck.
Shoes: White cotton booties; Quick Link: 1984 Gown with vest

Yellow gown with attached vest from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch preemie series.
Back of the gown with attached vest from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch preemie series.

Bubble Bottom Romper

This 25th Anniversary version has an all-white bonnet instead of a pink one with white lace. The small shoulder ruffles are made of frilly lace, not cotton fabric, and the waist ribbon is silky and sewn to the outfit, not cotton with the option of tying a bow.
Shoes: Lace-up shoes; Quick Link: 1984 Bubble Bottom Romper

Brown eyed preemie MIB wearing the pink Bubble Bottom Romper from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch preemie series.
Photo from HERE

Bunny Outfit

This outfit is very similar, except that this colour combination was never used. The blue isn’t dark enough. In addition, the hat has the pattern on the entire bill, not just the underside.
Shoes: Lace-up Shoes; Quick Link: 1984 Bunny Outfit

MIB brown-eyed preemie wearing the white Bunny Outfit with blue gingham accents from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch preemie series.
Photo courtesy of Christine Szerlag
Two preemies with brown eyes wearing the white Bunny Outfit with blue gingham accents from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch preemie series.
Photo from HERE

Yoked Gown

The 25th Anniversary and Coleco versions are very similar in almost every way. The lace is different, otherwise, visually it’s a great replica. Shoes: White cotton booties; Quick Link: 1984 Square Yoked Gown

MIB blue-eyed preemie wearing the yellow Squared Yoked Gown from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch preemie series.
Blue-eyed preemie wearing the yellow Squared Yoked Gown from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch preemie series. The gown is pulled up to show the white cotton booties on her feet.

Frilly Gown

This 25th Anniversary outfit is significantly different from the original Coleco outfit. It never came in purple, and the neck area wasn’t white. In addition, in most cases, it should have four rows of lace around the neck. Finally, there’s no lace around the bottom hem of the dress. Shoes: White cotton booties; Quick Link: 1984 Frilly Yoked Gown

AA preemie wearing the purple Frilly Gown from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch preemie series. The gown is pulled up to show the white cotton booties on her feet.
Purple Frilly Gown from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch preemie series.
Courtesy of Cathleen Mary

Striped One-Piece

These outfits are very similar to the original. They even look like they’re made from the same type of fabric. However, the lace on the 25th is frilly lace, not cotton lace like the original. Shoes: Lace-up shoes; Quick Link: 1984 Striped One-piece

AA preemie wearing the pink and white striped one piece with matching bonnet from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch preemie series.

Bunting Bag Outfit                    

This is the only 25th Anniversary preemie outfit that is not a replica of the original 1984 outfits. It’s from the BSeries, which came out in 1985. It doesn’t have a hood (from what I can see) but there is a tie at the neck with a different type of string, not ribbon. Unlike the Coleco versions, which were either a solid colour or had striped sleeves, the 25th Anniversary outfit has solid white sleeves on a blue bunting bag.
Shoes: Unknown; Quick Link: B501 Bunting Bag

MIB brown-eyed, yellow tuft preemie wearing the blue and white Bunting Bag Outfit from the 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch preemie series.
Photo from HERE

Anniversary CPK Outfits – 10th to 40th

Cabbage Patch Kids have been in continuous production since 1983. Various companies have produced a wide variety of, but every 5 years we celebrate their continued creation and enduring appeal. Here’s an overview of each anniversary and the kids produced to celebrate them.

Anniversary dolls were produced every five years, starting in 1993 (year 10). The production companies often attempted to replicate the original Coleco dolls, with varying degrees of success. Below is a summary of the dolls produced for each anniversary, except for the 25th Anniversary Kids by Play Along, which will have a separate post soon.

10th Anniversary (Hasbro – 1993)

Produced by Hasbro, this was a limited-edition kid (100,000). These dolls had fabric-covered faces (not the regular vinyl of the Coleco kids) and were identical, although there are AA and caucasian versions. All of these dolls had the name Zora Mae and wore the same outfit. The outfit has been described as, “ [a] Pink floral dress trimmed with lace and a matching wide-brimmed hat, white lace tights, pink nylon panties, and white t-strap shoes.” (Ref #1, p. 43)

Pink 10th Anniversary Cabbage Patch Birth Certificate in envelope, showing the name Zora Mae.
Picture of the back of a 10th Anniversary cabbage Patch Kid with black cornsilk hair. You can see the 'hat' is actually just a brim.
Close up of the hem of a 10th Anniversary Cabbage Patch Kid dress showing the pattern, a line of lace, and the embroidered 10th anniversary patch.
AA 10th Anniversary kid complete with dress, shoes and hand tag.
Caucasian 10th Anniversary kid in box .
First four photos courtesy of Kattie Lynn. Final photo from HERE.

15th Anniversary (Mattel – 1998)

This is the first example of the anniversary kids being ‘replicas’ of the original 16′ Coleco kids and their outfits but in a limited fashion. For these dolls, they replicated only one of the original outfits, the Yoke Dress, and produced it in 4 different colours using gingham fabric.

Unlike the original outfit, this version has a removable yoke which ties at the back of the neck. The dress underneath looks very similar to the Bib Dress, without the bib, and is often confused with it. It came with Mattel’s version of white lace-up shoes (which have a hole in the bottom to be attached to the box) and white socks. (Ref #1, p. 126 – 129)

15th Anniversary Cabbage Patch Kid sitting in the green liner of her box with hand tag and birth certificate. She is wearing a red gingham dress with white yoke. She has light brown skin and brown braids.
15th Anniversary Cabbage Patch red gingham dress and bloomers without the white yoke piece.
Back of a 15th Anniversary Cabbage Patch red gingham dress with the velcro fastener of the yoke visible over the shoulder.
MIB 15th Anniversary Cabbage Patch Kid with hand tag and birth certificate. She is wearing a blue gingham dress with white yoke. She has white skin and dark blonde hair.
MIB 15th Anniversary Cabbage Patch Kid with hand tag and birth certificate. She is wearing a green gingham dress with white yoke. She has white skin and lemon blonde hair.
MIB 15th Anniversary Cabbage Patch Kid with hand tag and birth certificate. She is wearing a pink gingham dress with white yoke. She has white skin and lemon blonde hair.
Last 3 photos unknown.

20th Anniversary (Toy’s R’US – 2003)

Toys R’US produced numerous dolls during this anniversary year and labelled many as anniversary kids. However, the special anniversary kids are a boy and girl pair who are dressed in prom-like attire. They were sold separately in standing boxes which have flaps on the front that cover the entire doll except for the face. They have cornsilk hair and, like the Coleco kids, their names were randomly assigned.

MIB 20th Anniversary TRU boy. The top pohoto shows the box, which is long and skinny and coloured silver with little decoration. The bottom has the CPK logo and the top has a hole for the kids face to look through. The bottom photo shows the box open and the doll visible with the CPK story on the inside flap.
Photo location unknown.

The boy dolls all wear a black tuxedo with a white shirt, a silk aqua-coloured vest, and a handkerchief. They also have an aqua-coloured flower on their collar, a black tie, navy blue socks, black TRU shoes, and black silk boxers!

Cornsilk haired 20th Anniversary TRU boy. He's AA with a black tux, white shirt and aqua vest and accents.
Back view of a cornsilk haired 20th Anniversary TRU boy. He's AA with a black tux.
Close up of a Cornsilk haired 20th Anniversary TRU boy. It shows a good view of his vest, tie.
Photos courtesy of Michelle LeRoux.

The girl’s all wear a matching aqua and pink dress, pink lace headband, white lacy tights, matching panties, and pink TRU shoes. They carry a matching purse/bag.

Blonde cornsilk TRU girl wearing an aqua dress with pink accents, matching headband with large pink flower and holding a matching bag.
Pieces of the 20th Anniversary girls outfit showing an aqua dress with pink accents, matching headband with large pink flower, silk undies, pink TRU shoes, white lace tights and holding a matching bag.

25th Anniversary (Play Along – 2008) (Separate post)

30th Anniversary (Jakks Pacific – 2013)

As before, JAKKS Pacific attempted to replicate the vintage Coleco kids for this anniversary. Like Toys R’Us, they produced several kids during this period, but only one set was labelled 30th Birthday Kids. Stickers on the boxes said Limited Edition Vintage Kids.

Although they seem to be attempting to replicate the original Coleco dolls, only two of the outfits are similar to the original 1983 outfits, the pink dress and the purple overalls. I believe each outfit only came in one colour, although apparently, the dress with the pinafore has also been seen in pink.

Picture of four 30th Anniversary Cabbage Patch girls, each in their box, wearing a different outfit. They have different hair and eye colour as well.

Interestingly, although they are being produced by JAKKS Pacific, because JP bought out PLay Along, they must have had access to their materials. The heads on at least some of these 30th Anniversary kids were created by Play Along 25the Anniversary molds! These are the last two girls shown above.

Head mold information on the back of a 30th Anniversary kid that says Copyright 2007, OAA INC. Play Along China.
Head mold information on the back of a 30th Anniversary kid that says Copyright 2007, OAA INC. Play Along China.

Other 30th Anniversary kids produced at the same time included, but aren’t limited to:

Two MIB Cabbage Patch Kid girls with "Commemorating 1983" stickers on the box. One is a red head with sailor dress and the other is a lemon blonde with a pink gingham dress.
Brunette Cabbage Patch kid girl in a purple dress inside a 30 Years CPK box that was sold only at Target inthe US. This doll looks more like the the later dolls in quality and outfit.

35th Anniversary (2018) – WCT

As far as I can tell, they just put some sort of Commemorating 35 Years on all the kids they produced this year. I’ve found at least three different box designs with this message on them. There does not appear to have been an attempt to replicate the Coleco kids or their outfits.

Brown yarn haired Cabbage Patch Kid wearing a pink ruched dress MIB. The box says "35th Collectors Edition".
Lemon yarn haired Cabbage Patch Kid wearing a light blue dress with pink ribbon, MIB. The box says "35th Collectors Edition".
Yellow cornsilk haired Cabbage Patch Kid wearing a purple dress with pink tights, MIB. The box says "Celebrating 35 Years".
Photos all acquired from Ebay or Amazon. Sorry!

40th Anniversary (Jazwares – 2023)

I haven’t seen anything produced to celebrate the 40th anniversary, however, we still have 7 months, so keep your eyes peeled.

At this time, the current 2023 babies are available through Jazwares in California USA.

Transitional Period CPK Outfits – A Summary

As Hasbro took over production of the Cabbage Patch brand, chaos ensued. Find out what collectors means by ‘transitional’ and how this is reflected in the clothing.

Quick List/Links

  • 9 – #101 – #152 (BBB, Preemie, Toddler, Regular kids) (Future Posts)
  • 9 – Designer Line Kid outfits (150s, 170-180s)
  • 9 – Sippin’ Kid outfits (160s) (Future Post)
  • 0 – 400s (BBB outfits) (Future Post)

Transition: the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another.

(Google Dictionary)

In this instance, we’re referring to the transition from Coleco to Hasbro as the manufacturer of the Cabbage Patch brand, 1989 – 1990. This progression, and the chaos it caused, can be seen in the tags used in their clothes. It occurs in five stages.

Stage 1 Tags: 9 – Amsterdam and Gloversville, NY – Coleco

Coleco began using the location Amsterdam, NY, on their tags in late 1987 (I think) and continued until sometime in 1989. Then they switched to Gloversville, NY, the last known Coleco location used on their tags. Consequently, Gloversville tags only occurred in outfits that came out in the first 6-months of 1989. These outfits all have 9 – in front of their outfit code. (See Part 2: The Code Addition for an explanation). Some of the outfits produced in 1989 were designed earlier but weren’t sold until then.

Coleco Cabbage patch kid clothing tag with Gloversville, NY, as the location, clothing code 9-167A and factory OK.

Outfits series sold at this time (that I know of):

  • 9 – #101 – #153 (BBB, Preemie, Toddler, Regular kids)
  • Designer Line outfits 150s (all Gloversville)
  • 9 – Sippin’ Kid outfits (160s)

Stage 2 Tags: 9 – Pawtucket, RI – Hasbro

The codes in these outfits have the 9 –, indicating they are also from 1989, but they are made by a different company. These tags have a Coleco-like clothing code and factory code but are now listed as being made by Hasbro out of Pawtucket, RI. They introduced a new factory code H101, likely intending the H to indicate Hasbro. This happened because Hasbro bought out Coleco in July of 1989 (Ref#3, p. 176).

Hasbro Cabbage patch kid clothing tag with Pawtucket, RI as the location, clothing code 9-106A and factory H101.
Courtesy of Jodi Issacs

Outfits series sold at this time (that I know of):

Stage 3 Tags: 0 – Pawtucket, RI – Hasbro

Following along with the year labelling convention, if 9- is for 1989, then the 0 – would be for 1990. So, these outfits were sold in 1990. However, the tag looks more Hasbro-like than Coleco now. In addition, there are very few outfits with this code. The only outfits produced at this time were the BBB 400s. series (Future Post). These outfits are likely the last of the Coleco designs Hasbro used OR their first attempts at their own designs. My guess is the latter, as all four outfits in this series mimic the look of earlier Coleco-produced outfits.

Hasbro Cabbage patch kid clothing tag with Pawtucket, RI as the location, clothing code 0-100D and no factory code.

Stage 4 Tags: Hasbro tag

By this stage, the tags are all Hasbro, and there are no codes on them at all. It appears that, although they considered or tried to keep using the Coleco coding system, they gave it up rather quickly, likely sometime in 1990.

Hasbro Cabbage patch kid clothing tag with Pawtucket, RI.

Outfits series sold at this time (that I know of):

  • Outfits #148, #151
  • Outfits #116 – #120
  • Hasbro produced versions of some 800-815 series
  • Some early Hasbro BBB outfits
  • Some early Hasbro regular kid outfits (generally a duplicate in some way of a Coleco outfit)
  • Many Poseable Kid outfits
  • Some Splash and See packaged outfits
  • Hasbro Fashion Separates Line – packaged
  • Hasbro Deluxe Fashions Line – packaged
  • Hasbro Fashions Line – packaged (likely but not confirmed by tag yet)
Courtesy of Jodi Issacs
Courtesy of Heather Woodie

Stage 5 Tags: No tag

By 1991, Hasbro was producing their own kids and clothes. None of the outfits are tagged. Some of these lines include Babies (BBBs), Babyland Kids, Poseables (replaced the regular kids), Birthday Kids, Preschoolers, Designer Line Kids and Kissin’ Kids. (Ref#2, p.104))

Hasbro Catalogue 1990, p.4

Transitional Dolls

Although many dolls were sold in these two years, what most collectors refer to as a ‘Transitional doll’ is very specific and quite sought after, as few were produced. These dolls are an amalgam of Hasbro and Coleco parts. One might have a Coleco head, Hasbro body, and Coleco outfit. Or a Coleco body and head, but wear a Hasbro-tagged outfit. There are several possible combinations. (Ref#3, p. 176)

Selling off Coleco Stock

During the Transitional period, you could find odd packages of Cabbage Patch clothing and accessories that were being sold off by Coleco and Hasbro. For example, you might find a Coleco outfit on a Hasbro board and in others, it’s a mishmash of items that don’t belong together on what looks to be an unauthorized board, but isn’t. Hasbro used a variety of avenues to rid themselves of leftover stock. Refer to PTP: Packaged Outfits: Questions and (Some) Answers for more information.

Toddler Outfits – An Overview

Toddlers, the kid in the middle, may have come out late in the 1980’s but still had some wonderful outfits. Learn about them and how they transitioned into Hasbro Preschool Kids.

Clothing Series Quick Links

870s: 1988 Toddler Outfits Pt. 1
880s – 890s: 1988 Toddler Outfits Pt. 2
135 – 139: Coleco Transitional Toddler Outfits (Future Post)
116 – 120: Hasbro Transitional Toddler Outfits (Future Post)
Packaged Splash’n See Surprise outfits (Hasbro)

“It’s been almost like 1983 revisited, and if you don’t believe it, one collector actually witnessed people fighting over toddlers!”

(Ref #4, 12/88, Vol.3 Issue 4, p. 1)

The popular 13” kid in the middle came out in 1988 and sold until 1990 when Hasbro changed the name to Preschooler for 1991. (Ref #2, p. 98) They then sold until 1992. (Ref #1, p. 35) This means there are three versions of Toddler dolls:

Red haired boy toddler in a Coleco Toddler box.
Wheat haired girl toddler in a Canadian Market toddler box. She is wearing a one piece romper with hearts on it.
Hasbro Toddler wearing a purple and yellow romper in a Hasbro Toddler box.
Red haired girl Preschool Kid wearing a time themed dress in a Preschool Box.
Coleco Toddler, Canadian Market Coleco Toddler, Hasbro Toddler (Transitional), Preschool Kid (Hasbro)

Coleco Toddlers only used certain head moulds, and #4 was only used for a short time. All #4 Toddlers appear to have come with the BBB pacifier. (Visit CPK Pacifiers for details). (Ref #3, p. 167) Toddlers came with new hairstyles, and new hair/eye combinations (Ref #2, p. 98). Hasbro Preschool Kids came with even more new head moulds and hair/eye/freckle combinations. (Ref #1, p. 35)

‘Transitional Period’ Toddlers can be wacky combinations of Coleco and Hasbro parts, clothing, and accessories.

Clothing Overview

870s -890s Series (1)

The first Toddlers produced in 1988 were entirely made by Coleco and wore outfits numbered in the 870s – 890s. They were all made in Amsterdam, NY.

White patterned body suit romper with blue ruffle and purple accents.
873B
One piece toddler outfit with yellow bottom, blue top and two button flap accents.
891D
Purple outfit with pink hearts pattern. The neck area is a diagonal white, lace edged piece with pink piping.
890E
Samples of this series. 2nd and 3rd photos are courtesy of Jodi’s Punki Patch and Tasha Keathley.

Note: All the Coleco Toddler outfits were produced by the OK factory, one of the few factories still in production at this time. Therefore, there are no factory differences to note.

130s Series (2)

The 130s series was designed in 1987 along with the 800s series but wasn’t sold on kids until 1989. Most of these outfits were produced for Coleco in Amsterdam, NY although a few were produced by Coleco in Gloversville, NY. So far, the Gloversville outfits appear to be later letters; F and after. They were likely produced in early 1989 for a short time, so there won’t be many of them. Gloversville outfits will always be newer than Amsterdam outfits. For more information on how this works, visit: Tag Codes and locations: 1987-9 and Transitional Period – A Summary.

Red and blue toddler romper with a white blouse underneath.
Sample: 135E, Courtesy of Jodi’s Punki Patch

Teens Series (3)

The series, 116 – 120, is from the Transitional Period and was designed and sold in 1989 by Coleco or Hasbro (Pawtucket, RI). For more details about these outfits and the time period when they were sold, visit Transitional Period- A Summary.

Red and white overall romper with attached blouse. The white fabric has multi-coloured stars on it.
Sample: 9-119C, Courtesy of Jodi’s Punki Patch

Shoes

Coleco Toddlers came with regular white lace-up shoes.  Then, as Coleco transitioned into Hasbro, they started to come with Chunky Toddler sneakers and or coloured lace-ups. I’m not sure if these shoes showed up simultaneously or if there was a specific period for each. Eventually, Preschoolers only came with coloured lace-up shoes (unless the outfit matched with white shoes.

A pair of white lace up CPK shoes.
Regular lace-ups
A pair of pink and white Chunk Toddler shoes with laces and CPK in pink on them.
Chunky Toddler shoes
A pair o fcoloured lace up shoes. They are a deep purple.
Coloured lace-ups

Packaged Outfits

Just like all the Coleco material that wasn’t sold by the late 1980s, Toddler outfits ended up in packages to be sold separately from the dolls. At first, the packages said Coleco on them. Later, even though they’re sometimes still Coleco outfits, the packaging says Hasbro. Eventually, they were Hasbro outfits, like those in the 116-119 series. I believe that last series was never out on kids, it only came packaged.

Packaged CPK toddler outfit of a blue robe with white lace trim and matching booties. Coleco.
Packaged CPK toddler outfit of yellow PJ's with blue trim and matching booties. Coleco.
Packaged CPK toddler outfit of a dress with a waist ruffle and three buttons. Hasbro.
Outfits 1378B, 139B, Hasbro dress

Preschool Kid Outfits

In my opinion, Hasbro Preschool Kid outfits are generally of lower quality, as they were produced using thinner fabrics and clowny graphics. They don’t have the same detail and care that Coleco-manufactured outfits have. These outfits did not come packaged.

Preschooler outfits can be easily identified because they come in six different themes: time, numbers, colours, alphabet, shapes, and animals. All preschooler outfits appear to come with matching coloured lace-up shoes. (Ref #1, p. 35)

Pink top and dress Preschool Kid outfit with a time theme.
Time
White blue and red dress Preschool Kid outfit with a time theme.
Time
Animal themed two piece Hasbro Preschool Kid outfit. The top is a long shirt with ruffled sleeves and a pair of matching bloomers.
Animals

Splash’n See Surprise Outfits

Visit HERE to read about these outfits.

Purple and yellow packaged outfit from the Splash'n See Surprise like.
Courtesy of Jodi’s Punki Patch.

Designer Line Duds – Series 2 (170s-180s)

Dressed to impress (in the last 1980s) these kids have outfits that were all the rage. This is the second set of outfits that were carried on by Hasbro.

Jump to – Series 1: 150s

These kids came out in 1989-9, during the Transitional Period. Hasbro also sold them for a short time from when they took over production in July of 1989 and into 1990.

“According to the 1990 catalogue, these Designer Line Kids had “the cool, casual look that children like for themselves  . . .Their new outfits are the latest and greatest fashion designs, and their yarn or nylon hair is fashioned in the hottest looks around.” (Ref #2, p. 104)

They came with new hairstyles, both yarn and cornsilk, and some new head moulds were introduced with these kids (#36, #44, #45). For more details, refer to the sources listed at the end of the post.

These kids came standing in a special box with a new design. In the US they came with a special purple DL birth certificate but in Canada, they came with the regular 1987-89 certificates. I’m not sure about other countries. They, and their outfits, were made at the P factory; however, they don’t generally end up with pox. A few of the early DL kids came with a new ‘artistic’ Xavier Roberts signature, but it was quickly changed back to the original.

Red crimp haired Cabbage patch kid girl with freckles wearing a purple jacket and matching crazy patterned pants and chunky teal shoes. She is standing in a DL box and had a DL birth certificate.
Picture of a Canadian 1987 - 89 aqua coloured birth certificate and associated paperwork.
Canadian Certificate
Pink 'artistic' version of Xavier Roberts signature that came on early Designer Line Kids.
Artistic signature
Picture of a American Designer Line 1989 purple coloured birth certificate and associated paperwork.
Designer Line Certificate

The Outfits

Numerically, there are two series of Designer Line outfits, the 150s and the 170s-180s. The 150s outfits came out first and the 170-180s came out second. For an explanation of how we know, visit Transitional Period – A Summary.

Each series has six outfits, and there are five versions of each outfit (A-E).

These outfits came with chunky sneakers and white underpants for boys or panties for girls. In this series, the panties may also come in different colours.

UPDATE: Designer Line outfits put on later kids may also have come with Saddle Shoes.

Chunky Sneakers
Saddle shoes
White panties and white cotton boys underwear worn by Designer Line Cabbage Patch Kids.

Finally, these outfits came packaged by Hasbro, but the 150s series did not. Consequently, of the two DL outfit series, this one would likely be easier to find.

Purple skirt with matching patterned jean jacket and sweater top on a Cabbage Patch Kids packaging board. It has a bright orange sales sticker selling it for $4.98.

Clothing Notes:

  1. The tags for these outfits are located in the jackets, which is highly unusual.
  2. The sweaters may have been switched among outfits #182, and #183 as they are all very similar. The tags are in the jackets so this would be possible.
  3. Designer Line socks are different from regular Coleco socks.
  4. I’m not sure if the boy’s outfits came with socks at all.

These outfits were likely made by Hasbro, who may not have been as diligent at making sure the same accessories always went with an outfit. I just don’t have enough evidence to show that the socks and shoes that came with each outfit were entirely consistent. It’s possible that the accessory colour changed based on what they had available. If you have a MIB kid that doesn’t match my records, please let me know!

178 – Jock Jacket and jeans (Boy)

This outfit consists of a jacket, dickie, striped dress shirt, slacks (solid colour), underpants, socks (I think), and chunky shoes. I’m pretty sure this outfit came with socks, but I’m not completely sure!

Picture of outfit 178B. It has a jacket with a purple trunk and red sleeves and aqua trim. There's a CPK patch on the right breast. The shirt is striped aqua and white and there's a pair of grey pants.
This picture shows the dickie that is supposed to come with this outfit. It is visible under the shirt and pants here and is dark pink.
Dickie
Pictures courtesy of Jodi’s Punky Patch and Jennifer Graves.

179 – Sweater jacket, sweater, and skirt outfit (Girl)

This outfit consists of a sweater jacket, sweater, and skirt (made of sweater material). The shirt has a large decal on the front that is a triangle or rectangle, and the skirt that is a solid colour. It comes with undies, chunky shoes, and socks. It’s very similar to outfit 183; the only real difference is the jacket.

Outfit 179B. The jacket is pink, aqua and purple check with thick gold trim. The sweater has a purple check trunk and aqua sleeves with gold trim. The skirt is made of sweater material and is solid aqua.
Outfit 179B. The jacket is pink, aqua and purple check with thick gold trim. The sweater has a purple check trunk and aqua sleeves with gold trim. The skirt is made of sweater material and is solid aqua.
Photos courtesy of Jodi’s Punky Patch.

180 – Overalls with jacket (Girl)

This outfit consists of three pieces, chunky shoes, socks, and undies. The prints used are all colourful and crazy!

  1. Jean jacket with large flap pockets
  2. Solid coloured long-sleeved shirt with coloured trim
  3. Overalls with large leg cuffs and three buttons up the middle front
Outfit 180D. It has a jacket that has a patterned base (had animals) and pink pockets and trim. The pockets have flap closures. The shirt is gold with aqua trim. The overalls are the same pattern with pink cuffs and button strip. You can also see the purple undies and purple and white shoes.
Outfit 180D. It has a jacket that has a patterned base (had animals) and pink pockets and trim. The pockets have flap closures. The shirt is gold with aqua trim. The overalls are the same pattern with pink cuffs and button strip. You can also see the purple undies and purple and white shoes.
Pictures courtesy of Sarah Galt.

181 – Coveralls with long jacket (Girl)

This outfit consists of two pieces, socks, chunky shoes, and undies. The first piece is a long jacket that’s half a solid colour and half a pattern and has rucked pockets. The second is a set of coveralls with a waist tie and three buttons up the middle front.

Outfit 181A. It has a funky patterned long jacket with large ruched pockets and matching sleeve tops. The coveralls are all one colour/pattern and are purple with aqua shoes attached.
Photo courtesy of Kristi Prieto Sams.

182 –Leather jacket and sweater (Boy)

This outfit consists of a leather jacket, sweater, and slacks. It comes with socks (I think), shoes, and underpants. The sweaters all have a large decal on the front. Some of them say CPK Airborne Division.

Shows a #19 cornsilk boy with a brush cut wearing outfit 182B. It's a brown leather jacket with a sweater underneath and grey slacks and aqua and white shoes.
Photo courtesy of Vanessa Brisson.

183 – Skirt, sweater, and jean jacket (Girl)

This outfit consists of a jacket with large solid-coloured pockets, a sweater, and a skirt (made of sweater material). The shirt has a large decal on the front that is a triangle or rectangle, and the skirt is a solid colour. It comes with undies, chunky shoes, and socks. It’s very similar to outfit 179; the only real difference is the jacket. It’s possible that they all came with gold socks.

Outfit 183E. The jacket is had gold pockets and the main part is red with black diamonds. The sweater has a gold trunk and aqua sleeves with purple trim. The skirt is made of sweater material and is solid black. You can see the gold socks and red and white shoes as well.
Outfit 183E. The jacket is had gold pockets and the main part is red with black diamonds. The sweater has a gold trunk and aqua sleeves with purple trim. The skirt is made of sweater material and is solid black. You can see the gold socks and red and white shoes as well.
Photos courtesy of Kristi Prieto Sams.

Version Information

My goal is to record every version of every outfit that was produced. With each outfit above is a record of the outfit versions I have recorded. To understand clothing codes, factories, and variations, please refer to What are Clothing Tag Codes? and Factories and Companies.

I appear to have many of the outfits recorded, but if you have an outfit that is not recorded here, I would like to hear from you. This includes any differences in accessories. Information is best sent in the form of pictures. For details, visit Taking Clothing Tag Pics.

Other Information

DL kids and outfits can also be found in ‘regular’ kid boxes of the same time period.

These outfits showed up in the Coleco Catalogues in 1989 and Hasbro catalogues in 1990. Many of these outfits were never produced or were done in other colours.

Coleco 1989 Catalogue, p.40
Hasbro 1990 Catalogue, p.12

Sources:

Ref #3, p. 170 – 175
Ref #2 p. 104 – 111

Designer Line Duds – Series 1 (150s)

Dressed to impress (in the last 1980s) these kids have outfits that were all the rage. Check out these cool duds!

Jump to – Designer Line Series 2: 170s – 180s

These kids came out in 1989, during the Transitional Period. Hasbro also sold them for a short time from when they took over production in July of 1989 and into 1990.

“According to the 1990 catalogue, these Designer Line Kids had “the cool, casual look that children like for themselves  . . .Their new outfits are the latest and greatest fashion designs, and their yarn or nylon hair is fashioned in the hottest looks around.” (Ref #2, p. 104)

They came with new hairstyles, both yarn and cornsilk, and some new head moulds were introduced with these kids (#36, #44, #45). For more details, refer to the sources listed at the end of the post.

These kids came standing in a special box with a new design. In the US they came with a special purple DL birth certificate but in Canada, they came in the regular 1987-89 certificates. I’m not sure about other countries. They, and their outfits, were made at the P factory; however, they don’t generally end up with pox. A few of the early DL kids came with a new ‘artistic’ Xavier Roberts signature, but it was quickly changed back to the original.

Red crimp haired Cabbage patch kid girl with freckles wearing a purple jacket and matching crazy patterned pants and chunky teal shoes. She is standing in a DL box and had a DL birth certificate.
Canadian Certificate
Pink 'artistic' version of Xavier Roberts signature that came on early Designer Line Kids.
Designer Line Certificate

The Outfits

Numerically, there are two series of Designer Line outfits, the 150s and the 170s-180s. The 150s outfits came out first and the 170-180s came out second. For an explanation of how we know, visit Transitional Period – A Summary.

Each series has six outfits, and there are five versions of each outfit (A-E).

These outfits came with chunky sneakers and white underpants for boys or white underwear for girls.

UPDATE: Designer Line outfits put on later kids may also have come with Saddle Shoes.

Chunky Sneakers
Saddle Shoes

These kids came out at a time when Coleco was dumping material into the market. I don’t have enough evidence to show that the socks and shoes that came with outfits were entirely consistent. It’s possible that the accessory colour changed based on what they had available. If you have a MIB kid that doesn’t match my records, please let me know!

Finally, the 170s-180s outfits were sold packaged by Hasbro, but this series did not. Consequently, of the two DL outfit series, this one would likely be the more difficult to find.

152 – Button Dress (Girl)

The reason for this name is obvious. It doesn’t come with any leg coverings, just underwear. The socks are special in that they too have buttons on them.

Red, yellow, and aqua version of outfit 152, the button dress.
Courtesy of Sarah Galt.
Spreadsheet showing which outfits I have recorded for outfit 152.

153 – Long sweater with leggings (Girl)

Pink and yellow version of outfit 153.
Courtesy of Kristi Pierto Sams.
Spreadsheet showing which outfits I have recorded for outfit 153.

154 – Jean dress and jacket (Girl)

Most of the time, the fabric of the dress and the jacket are the same colour. However, for at least one version, they are not.

Aqua version of outfit 154, the jean dress.
Aqua version of outfit 154, the jean dress. Picture shows the outfit pieces.
Spreadsheet showing which outfits I have recorded for outfit 154.

155 – Shirt, pants, and jacket with hood outfit (Girl)

Purple and aqua version of outfit 155, the girls jacket with hood outfit. Picture shows the outfit pieces.
Courtesy of Carolyn Dahl Wood.
Purple and aqua version of outfit 155, the girls jacket with hood outfit. Picture shows the outfit pieces.

156 – Jean jacket and pants with shirt (Boy)

I’m not sure that this outfit came with socks. I know that sounds weird, but I got a ‘complete’ kid myself, and he didn’t have any socks. Almost all the pictures I’ve seen of this outfit, and all of the pictures that I have of this outfit, either have no socks or have pictures of odd socks, not DL socks. It’s very strange! Do you have a MIB kid with DL socks on?

Jean jacket lined with white fur and matching pants with green shirt. This picture shows the pieces of the outfit. 156
Spreadsheet showing which outfits I have recorded for outfit 156.

157 – Tracksuit with hoodie vest (Boy)

For some odd reason, this outfit appears to show up frequently on kids with the brush-cut hairstyle, even in the yarn hair!

Outfit 157 which has a blue sweater with red twin and red, blue and yellow hoodie vest.
Picture showing the pieces of outfit 157 which has a blue sweater with red twin and yellow, red and aqua hoodie vest.
Spreadsheet showing which outfits I have recorded for outfit 157.

Version Information

My goal is to record every version of every outfit that was produced. With each outfit above is a record of the outfit versions I have recorded. To understand clothing codes, factories, and variations, please refer to What are Clothing Tag Codes? and Factories and Companies.

I appear to have many of the outfits recorded, but if you have an outfit that is not recorded here, I would like to hear from you. This includes any differences in accessories. Information is best sent in the form of pictures. For details, visit Taking Clothing Tag Pics.

Other Information

These outfits showed up in the Coleco Catalogues in 1989 and Hasbro catalogues in 1990. Many of these outfits were never produced or were done in other colours.

Coleco 1989 Catalogue, p.40
Hasbro 1990 Catalogue, p.12

Sources:

Ref #3, p. 170 – 175
Ref #2 p. 104 – 111

Babies – A Summary

The smallest of the Coleco kids, Babies have a wide range of adorable outfits to choose from! Find out about BBB’s, their clothing and its care.

My BBB Patch July 2020. (except one preemie that photo bombed the picture!)
My BBB Patch July 2020. (Except the one preemie that photobombed the picture!)

General Information
BBB Pacifiers
BBBs and Vinyl Discolouration (Pox)
BBB Clothing Series Summary List
               Twin BBB Outfit
             BBB or Preemie . . . that is the question
             Transitional and Hasbro Outfits
Care of BBB outfits

General Information

These 11” dolls were called Babies by Coleco, but most collectors call them Beany Butt Babies or BBB for short. They are the smallest of the Coleco dolls and have bags of ‘beans’ in their bum or tummy. If the bag is in the bum, there is stuffing on top at the neck.

Two BBB bodies (minus heads) with the white bean sacks removed. One has just the bean sack, one has the bean sack and a ball of stuffing.

Babies were manufactured by Coleco from 1986 – 1989 and then by Hasbro until 1992. (Ref. #2, p. 14) Early accounts indicate that they sold very well (Ref. #4, May 1986, p.5)

Babies’ boxes are quite different from the other Coleco boxes. The doll itself is laid down on its side, so the box is longer than it is tall. The look of the boxes, where the birth certificate was displayed, and the look of the birth certificate changed over time.

1986 Box
Later Coleco Box
Hasbro Box
1986 Birth Certificate
Later Birth certificate
Transitional BC

Babies were made predominately by the WS and SS factories. I have seen only two BBBs that were made by the P factory. This may have been a factory mistake, but I have no way of knowing.

Transitional Body Tag
Hasbro Body 1
Hasbro Body 2
Photo courtesy of Zoe Milburn.
Courtesy of an eBay ad.
Baby found on eBay with a P tag.

Coleco made bald Babies with head moulds 1,3,4, and 6. (Ref. #1, p. 97)

Hasbro later used additional head moulds for their kids. Some of their kids had tufts of hair and they had a wider variety of eye colours and skin tones.

Keep in mind that as Hasbro took over from Coleco some rather strange combinations of kids, outfits and boxes occured. For more information visit Transitional Period CPK Outfits – A Summary.

Coleco HM
Hasbro Babies

BBB Pacifiers

The pacifiers used by BBBs are significantly different from the original yellow pacifiers. They are made of softer vinyl and are generally translucent. They have a flatter ring for the hand, and the projection for the mouth is shaped differently.

Picture of a BBB and regular paci. For comparison.

The early pacifiers were the same yellow colour, but later pacifiers came out in a wide variety of colours to match the doll’s outfit. Like the originals, they are marked with the factory, but it is on the flat disc portion. These pacifiers are also used for some transitional Toddlers and for Hasbro Preschoolers.

FYI: Not all colours shown
Factory codes

Finally, Furskin pacifiers look similar to BBB pacifiers, but the mouth protuberance is larger in diameter.

Picture of a Furskin and BBB paci. For comparison.
Furskin vs. BBB pacifiers

BBB’s and Vinyl Discolouration (Pox)

Unfortunately, early SS factory kids are very likely to have developed or to develop vinyl discolouration. They have the dubious honour of being known as the worst for this, as the type of pox they get is generally darker and often more prolific than P factory kids.

BBB pacifiers, because they are made of vinyl, can also get pox. Unfortunately, zit cream treatment doesn’t seem to work very well on them.

Picture of a BBB paci covered with vinyl discolouration spots.

For details on vinyl discolouration and how to treat it, visit Hilary’s How-to Videos.

BBB Clothing Series Summary List

There’s a large catalogue of BBB outfits that were created from 1986 to 1989+.

A: 1986 Knit Series Pt 1. (#191 – 199)
B: 1986 Knit Series Pt. 2 (#200 – 204)
C: 1987 Knit and Terry Series (670s – 680s)
D: Bunting Bag Series (#778 – 781) FUTURE POST
E: 1988 Series (850s 0- 860s) FUTURE POST
F: 1989 100s Series (#100 – 109) FUTURE POST
G: Random BBB packaged outfits, 1989 (#129 – 133) FUTURE POST
H: Random 400s Outfits (#400, #401, #404) FUTURE POST.

Twin BBB Outfit

There is one very special knit BBB outfit that doesn’t have a regular code. You can learn more about it at PTP: The Twin Outfit That Isn’t

Peach Twin BBB outfit. White shirt and peach bottom and hat.
Courtesy of Jodi’s Punki Patch.

BBB or Preemie . . . That is the question

In general, we can say that if the outfit has footies, it’s a BBB outfit. However, a few of the transitional preemie outfits did have footies. So, if it seems too big for your BBB, it may be because it’s actually a preemie outfit. For information on preemie outfits, visit Preemie Outfits – An Overview.

Courtesy of Heather Woodie.
Courtesy of Jodi’s Punki Patch.

Transitional and Hasbro Outfits

Hasbro manufactured Babies until 1992, and the transitional period (1989-1991) BBB clothing is very interesting. Although Hasbro did start to manufacture their own outfits, they also continued to produce some of the Coleco outfits for a time.

There’s evidence that they intended to take some of the Coleco outfits and make them their own. For example, outfit 682 is almost the same as outfit 400. Why are there two of the same outfit? Because outfit 682 is the original Coleco one, and outfit 400 is the one Hasbro created.

Initially, it appears that Hasbro was going to continue coding their outfits but later changed their mind. Outfit 400 was created during this brief period. Instead of using the original Coleco code, they gave it a new one in the 400s. The outfits themselves are almost identical. The biggest difference is in the hat; one has a large fold-over, and the other does not.

Coleco #682
Transitional Hasbro #400
#400 pictures courtesy of Sabrina Vanissa Adams.

Some Hasbro outfits have tags, generally transitional ones, but most don’t have a tag. In this way, we can determine if an outfit is Coleco or Hasbro, even if they look identical.

Care of BBB outfits

The majority of BBB outfits are knit or terry cloth. Both of these fabrics should be hand washed to reduce damage to the fibres/yarn. I also suggest that before washing, you put small pieces of Velcro on the ‘sticky’ Velcro pieces to stop new pulls or damage from developing in the wash.

They can be soaked in oxi-clean and washed with regular laundry detergent. I suggest hanging knit outfits to dry.

You can also bring them back to life by ‘defuzzing’ them. A sweater shaver works well for most outfits. You may find you need to do the edges or decorations by hand with your ‘defuzzing’ scissors.

Before
After
Half/ Half

Your sweater shaver will also work on the cotton-based outfits as it will remove the pills and pulls.

For more information on defuzzing outfits visit, Hilary’s How to Videos.

PTP: BBB Romper Surprise

This adorable outfit holds a great surprise, if you’re willing to look closely.

Caucasian Bean Butt Baby (Coleco Baby) with a dark blond looped tuft and brown eyes. She's wearing a purple onsie with pink footies and two pink buttons shaped like hearts.

This is Helenna Storm. She’s a Transitional BBB wearing a Hasbro outfit. If you take a close look at this outfit, there’s a fascinating detail.

A purple onsie with pink footies and two pink buttons shaped like hearts. The sleeves and both sides are solid purple, and the middle panel is white with purple and pink words.

If you look closely, the middle panel has words on it. Can you read them?

Close up of the words in the white central panel of the outfit.

Did you get it? Yes! It’s the Legend of the Cabbage Patch Kids that was originally printed on the Coleco boxes.

The story "The Legend of the Cabbage Patch Kids" from the side of a 1984 Cabbage Patch box.

Isn’t that awesome! Someone who’s creative and pays close attention to detail was involved in designing this outfit. I bet they loved CPK’s as much as we do!

I also have this outfit recorded as coming in teal.

Do you have it in any other colours?

An AA Bean Butt Baby (Coleco Baby) wearing a teal and purple version of this outfit.
Source unknown

Hasbro Apron Dress – #505

Very similar to the Coleco Apron dress, these Hasbro outfits are harder-to-find, having been sold for a very short time. Can you collect all 5?

These dresses came out sometime around 1989/1990 and were worn by regular-sized, yarn-haired, Transitional kids. Consequently, they were not sold for long and can be hard to find.

Five dolls standing on CPK doll stands. Each is wearing one of the Hasbro Apron dresses with matching Ballet Flats and ruffled socks.
Photo courtesy of Chris Hansing Tallman.

Like other Transitional outfits, their tags have a Coleco number/letter code but are on Hasbro tags. For an explanation of the Coleco codes, visit What are Clothing Tag Codes.

Photos courtesy of Jodi’s Punki Patch.

I believe these outfits likely came with either ballet flats or a coordinating coloured pair of Mary Janes. I have evidence that 505A came with yellow ballet flats, and 505B came with pink Mary Janes. However, the shoes used may not have been consistent by this time, so the colour and shoe type could vary considerably.

These are the known versions of this outfit. It is believed, by collectors, that this is a complete set.

#505A
#505C
#505E
#505B
#505D
Photos courtesy of Jodi’s Punki Patch.

Visit #505 – Apron Dress for information on the earlier Coleco version of this dress. The most obvious differences between the two outfits are the lack of shoulder-ties and CPK logo patch.

PTP: H101 Factory – A Short Transitional Period Blip

What is this odd factory code about? What does it herald?

For context read the following posts first:
Tag Codes Continued: A 2nd Theory
Part 2: A code addition

A small number of outfits and dolls have the factory code H101. I have only seen a 1989 preemie and a Babyland Kid with this factory code, and all of the clothing tags with this code have been found on BBB outfits with outfit numbers 0-101 to 0-106.

These tags are from the first factory that produced Hasbro Cabbage Patch items, located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

The tag from outfit 106A that shows it was made for Hasbro Inc in Pawtucket, RI.
Photo courtesy of Shilo Smith.

H101 Tags

H101 tags look like Coleco tags and have Coleco-like outfit codes, but if you look closely, you’ll see that the item was made for Hasbro Inc. It is likely they wanted to create a factory code for the new Hasbro factory and chose H101. H is likely for Hasbro, and maybe the 101 represents the number they were starting at.

Outfit #103
Outfit #106
Doll tag
H101 Preemie doll
H101 Babyland Kid
Photos courtesy of Rebecca Russel and Shilo Smith.

However, it appears that this tagging system did not last long, probably only for a short period in 1989. There are very few examples of these outfits, and by 1990 they had moved on to more obvious Hasbro tags, and the factory code vanished.  

0 – additional tags

The next step seems to be clothing tags with the code addition number 0-, as discussed in the Code Addition post.  All of these outfits are 400s numbered outfits.

Outfit #400
Photos courtesy of Sabrina Vanissa Adams.

These outfits may have been the last new outfits created or co-created with Coleco during the transitional period.

For more detailed and up-to-date information about the H101 Trsntiional time period, visit HERE

For a complete list of companies that produced CPK’s and Coleco factories click HERE.