I have found that there are at least two ways that CPK high-top shoes were laced. I’m not sure exactly which factories used which one, but I’ll tell you what I (think) I know.
If you have a MIB kid whose shoes have never been untied and you see a different pattern, I’d love to hear about it! I’d also love to know which factories used which option.
I have seen this procedure used by the P, OK, and KT factories. This is what I would call the normal way of lacing, as the ends of the laces are pulled even as you go.
Option 2
I found this procedure on a few OK factory kids. I don’t believe they were all done this way, but the ones I’ve seen were on OK kids.
I believe that this procedure has a significant benefit over the other option. When you pull the laces tight, there isn’t as much pressure on the holes, and they won’t rip as easily.
Other shoes that have laces
Here are pictures of other CPK shoes and how they were originally tied. I apologize. I don’t have many pictures, but I’m always willing to add those sent to me.
Make way for “The Greatest Kids on Earth” and join us at the circus! These outfits have lots of bright colours and wacky hats. Which one is your favourite?
Circus kids came out in 1985 and like a lot of the specialty kids, did not sell well. Some may have been sold in 1987, but they were only manufactured in 1986. The series consists of six clown outfits (#100 – #105) and a ringmaster outfit. (see below) There are two versions of each outfit. The outfit names were created by Coleco.
Fantastic picture courtesy of Holly Spencer. Note: The circus ponies came out in 1987. (Ref #3, p. 134)
Circus kids come with a distinctive box, hand tag, and birth certificate. They also came with a clown-themed poster in the box and a trading card in the birth certificate envelope. (Ref#2, p. 72) The original boxes were sort of tent-shaped but later boxes were more rectangular (see ringmaster box below). (Ref #3, p. 133)
They were made by the KT and P factories. I don’t think that each factory produced all six outfits, as I’ve only recorded one factory per outfit so far. However, different factories could produce A and B. These outfits are on the coding matrix but create a duplicate set of #100 – #105 numbers.
One reference noted that these outfits came on P, KT and OK kids. In this case, the OK kids wouldn’t match their outfits. What combination is your Circus kid? (Ref#2, p. 72)
There are several different tags from both factories. This is likely due to changing trends during the production period.
Front – Factory codeBack – outfit code
Each outfit comes with a pair of clown shoes, socks, and a head accessory. The shoes are stamped on the bottom with a factory code, and one shoe from each pair will be a squeaker. The socks are always made of brightly coloured silky material and are quite a bit longer than regular socks. In addition, the socks have no distinctive top edge.
Circus sock vs. regulra sock
As with all the specialty outfits, these outfits were eventually packaged and sold separately from the dolls. In addition, you can sometimes find individual pieces of these outfits in ‘lot’ packages. Leftover Jesmar stock dolls were also dressed as clowns and were sold on the Canadian Market in bilingual boxes. (Ref#2, p.72) I don’t remember seeing a clown in a ‘regular’ box, but it could have happened. Many other specialty outfits were sold this way in later years.
Do I have all the pieces?
Along with the face mask, headgear, socks, and shoes, each outfit includes the following:
Preppy Polka Dot – #100
One-piece romper with sleeves
Pointed hat with ruffle
Neck ruffle
100A – missingmask100B
Cuddly Crinkles
Top with a large neck ruffle and three pom poms
Matching bottoms
White pointed hat with ruffle and pom pom
101A101B
Bashful Bow
Dress
Yellow bloomers with white polka dots
Large puffy hair bow
102A102B
Teasin’ Topper
Shirt (structured like a t-shirt)
Vest with tails
Matching shorts
Small bow tie
Small hard vinyl top hat
103A103B
Rowdy Rainbow
Shorts with suspenders (detachable)
Shirt with collar
Large neck tie (sewn on)
104A – missing socks104B
Preppy Pom Pom
One piece romper with the large pom poms
Small neck ruffle
Vinyl bowler hat
105A105B
The Ringmaster Outfit – #188
This outfit is the only 188 I have recorded, and for some reason, was coded separately from the clown outfits. This outfit was worn by both boy and girl dolls. The doll came in a circus box with a Circus Kid birth certificate and included a black megaphone. I am unsure if these dolls came with a poster.
The outfit includes a black bowtie, a red velveteen jacket with tails, a fancy white shirt with ruffles down the front, a gold and red vest, white satin jodhoppers, high black boots, and a large black top hat.
The boots are factory labelled on the inside rim and are easily confused with the Russian World Traveler boots. The more obvious differences are the detailing and the height. The Russian boot is shorter than the ringmaster boot.
Russian World Traveler bootRingmaster boot
Other Information
These are the photo from the 1987 Coleco Catalogue. It looks like they used actual outfits for these pictures, which is unusual.
Six informative updates that I’ve made to various posts.. See what we’ve learned!
A massive update has been made to the Cornsilk Series 4 post. Like the previous series, I’ve added information on each individual outfit and updated the general information as well. We know a LOT more than we used to! But there’s still more to learn. To learn more, visit Cornsilk Series 4: Wacky and Layered Pt. 2
A recent discovery has significantly changed our understanding of the 400s series. For more information, visit What’s With the Numbers?
More information about 31 tracksuits with the number 84 on them has been discovered. To find out what, visit #8 31 Tracksuit.
An update that was long in coming! See what cooperation has wrought. Happy Holidays!
I’ve been putting off a huge update to a certain post for quite a while, but it is finally done. Working together we’ve been able to add a huge amount of information to Cornsilk Series 2 and the post was sadly out of date. No longer!
It’s been updated with all the information I have, pictures have been added, and spreadsheets for each outfit are now included. It should be easier to place a specific piece of clothing among the crazy that is this series.
These full-form vinyl sneaker-shaped shoes came with all Designer Line Kids outfits (1989) and may have come on kids wearing the Hasbro version of outfit #812 and two Hasbro transitional poseable outfits.
There may also be additional Transitional outfits that came with these shoes, of which I am unaware. In addition, during the Transitional period, Hasbro and Coleco were selling off inventory, so outfits may no longer have come with just one type of shoe. There may be more than one type used for these outfits, including the Chunky Sneakers.
I have not yet seen Chunky Sneakers that were separately packaged. Separately packaged DL outfits sold in the late 1980s either did not come with shoes or may have come with Saddle Shoes (see below).
Beyond their distinctive shape, these shoes also have a pattern on the bottom and no factory indicator on the inside of the shoe.
Colours I know of
Teal/Aqua
Purple
Mauve/greyish
Darker purple
Light pink
Darker pink
Orange
Dark Orange
Royal blue
Red
Black
Lime Green
Pictures courtesy of Eric Botelho and thatcabbagepatchgirl.
Saddle Shoes
Chunky Sneakers are often confused with Saddle Shoes, which came out about the same time (1989) on a few outfits, Coleco and Hasbro. There seem to be two versions, one with real laces in the top two holes and used by Coleco, and one without laces (holes not punched through) and used by Hasbro.
Coleco with lacesHasbro without laces
Outfit #809 may have come with these shoes, and some of the #812 outfits (Coleco version) came with them. I believe that the Hasbro tracksuit outfit also came with them. There may be more; this list is likely not complete. These shoes also came separately packaged.
#809#812Hasbro TracksuitFirst two photos are courtesy of Kristi Prieto Sam and Lori Hamilton.
Their most distinctive feature the is CPK logo located on the bottom of each shoe.
Photo courtesy of Cheryl Parker.
Colours I know of
Darker Purple
Pinkish Purple
Yellow
Royal Blue
Teal/Aqua
Chunky Toddler Shoes
Chunky Sneakers are also confused with Chunky Toddler Shoes. They look similar but are smaller and only came on some Transitional and Hasbro Toddlers. (Future Post)
These outfits are all copyrighted from 1987 but were sold in 1988, as indicated by the 8- in the clothing code. (For more information about these codes, visit: Part 2: The Code Addition)
It appears that these outfits were all produced while Coleco HQ was located in Amsterdam, NY, with production stopping before they moved their headquarters to Gloversville, NY, in 198
Some photos courtesy of Ami Day, Tasha Keathley Helms and Jodi’s Punki Patch.
I’ve recorded two outfits in the 880s and four outfits in the 890s. There may be more outfits on either end that are unidentified. As with the 870s series, the first outfit, outfit #888, came only on boys. (The girl’s version is outfit #119. It is structured differently and doesn’t have the stars.)
I have no letter C recorded for any of these outfits and no more than four options for any outfit. This leads me to theorize that there are only four versions of each outfit: A, B, D, and E. I have no idea why they skipped C. I theorize that the outfit planned for this letter wasn’t approved.
If you have an outfit that is not recorded here or does not match my information, (e.g. You have a 501D OK that is pink, not yellow.) I would like to hear from you. Information is best sent in the form of pictures. For details, visit Taking Clothing Tag Pics.
Other Information
Although the outfits look like they may have multiple pieces (e.g. a shirt and overalls), they are actually all one piece.
Outfit #873 looks very similar to toddler outfit #892, except the ruffle goes all the way across.
These outfits are all copyrighted from 1987 but were sold in 1988, as indicated by the 8- in the clothing code. (For more information about these codes, visit: Part 2: The Code Addition)
It appears that these outfits were all produced while Coleco HQ was located in Amsterdam, NY, with production stopping before they moved their headquarters to Gloversville, NY, in 1989.
Photo of 874 courtesy of Michelle J. LeRoux.
There are at least six outfits in this series, but there may be more after #875 that are unidentified. Outfit #870 came only on boys, and the girl’s version is outfit #874. There may be as many as ten different versions of each outfit (A – K). This means I need a lot more information!
If you have an outfit that is not recorded here or does not match my information, (e.g. You have a 501D OK that is pink, not yellow.) I would like to hear from you. Information is best sent in the form of pictures. For details, visit Taking Clothing Tag Pics.
Other Information
Do not get outfit #875 with dinosaur pattern fabric confused with the Dino Overalls for regular-sized kids (#807). The latter is very HTF and very sought after. The toddler outfits, not so much.
Although the outfits look like they may have multiple pieces (e.g. a shirt and overalls), they are actually all one piece.
Outfit #873 looks very similar to toddler outfit #892, except the ruffle goes all the way across.
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.
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:
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.
873B891D890ESamples 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.
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.
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.
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.
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)
This is how I repair a hole in the fabric of a Cabbage Patch Kid. Hope it helps in some way.
I’ve posted a new video on how I repair holes in the body fabric. The video itself is a bit rough as it was done rather quickly but I believe the information is all there. The link is also available in the right side menu under “Hilary’s How-to Videos”.
Please keep in mind I am NOT an expert in this stuff. This is just how I do it. You do what works for you.
