There is a posting string called my size barbie that you might want to look at. They have some links on there that might be helpful.

It is really hard, not worth doing, you can try dyeing, but it won't take, you can try rerooting, but that takes so many hours, and only an expert can do it. Search on customizing barbie dolls, and you will find tons of how to sites.

Mignon....I have made some of my own to use...they actually have turned out quite nice ......and I have ordered a copy of Simplicity 8817 from the site given in the other thread.....I ordered it and paid using paypal as she said she would ship in three days so I am hoping that she does. They are actually pretty easy to make patterns for...she is pretty straight up and down compared to the other barbie so I made a little sun dress pattern and have used it with three different skirts..a straight one, a flared, and a gathered one......I have a little dress bodice pattern that I plan on making up tomorrow for the first time...hope it is a good fit too....... I uploaded three of the pictures of the dresses I made from my patterns to the gallery....if you want to see them, click on the link and open the My Size Barbie threads.....I haven't taken a picture of the one with the straight skirt yet but it turned out really nice. Here is a link that might be useful: My Size

my point about Barbies is this: Even though *I* never bought her another Barbie after the end of her 4th year, and even though I tried to gently discourage other people from doing so, she now, at age 10, has more than 25 Barbies, and 8 Kens. Where did they come from? Other people. You can TELL people not to get her any more, but they still will. By telling people not to, you will only "keep it down to a dull roar." You will not be ABLE to prevent any more from coming in. Someone will either ignore your request, forget it, never hear it, or override it bcs the present is just TOO perfect. So you won't be depriving her for life of new Barbies. You *will* be slowing the tide. Bcs, you see, she's just starting. Barbies today are differnent than when I was a kid (OK, I'm 44, so that was a LONG time ago). When I was a kid, Barbies were expensive. Kids who had 4 were RICH! I thought I was really being indulged when I was given a Skipper. Now, Barbies are $5 to $7. Some are more, but a lot are not. They're an easy gift to buy for b-day parties, etc. And maybe you live w/ a bunch of Grinches, but you don't sound like the sort of person who does--you sound generous and indulgent, and I bet you learned that from the folks around you. That means, all the folks around you are gonna buy indulgent presents for your kid. And a $7 Barbie, or $14 packs of clothes, or $29 cars, are gonna be in your future at every gift-giving occasion. And, the MOMENT aunts, uncles, friends of all ages, etc., realize that she likes Barbies, they are gonna go overboard, right along with YOU. And she's only THREE. Leave some room for "future expansion," and try to establish "controlled growth," is what I'm saying. Then, when he best friend at age 4 insists on getting her a Sleeping Beauty Barbie, bcs she KNOWS (rightly) that your DD will love it, or your future DS wants to get her a Barbie car (bcs he loves cars, and she loves Barbies, he argues--how can you fight that?) you can welcome it enthusiastically into your daughter's room, and not cringe at the idea of trying to shoe-horn it in among all the OTHER stuff that didn't come w/ such love behind it. Drop me a line when she's 10, and tell me whether I was right.