Trixie Mattel says she's the world's premier collector of Dusty, the awkward '70s answer to Barbie

By Marah Eakin | January 7, 2020 | 8:30pm

Aux Features Trixie Mattel

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If you don’t know about Dusty, you’re not alone. Kenner’s 1974 “sporty” answer to Barbie, the fashion doll was a pretty monumental flop. Called “one of the ugliest fashion dolls ever made” by some, Dusty arrived shortly after the passage of the Title IX act and was fitted with a more athletic body than Barbie, complete with tanned skin and a spring-loaded arm and waist for swinging tennis rackets and taking whacks and golf balls. However, she also boasts some of the worst hair in the doll game, and lips that look like they’ve been shellacked with sun-blocking zinc oxide. It’s a wonder she was released at all, really.

That’s why most doll collectors have shunned Dusty, choosing to focus on more charming and beautiful fashion plates like Barbie. Trixie Mattel isn’t most doll collectors, though. As you’ll see in the video above, the drag queen, musician, and cosmetics mogul says she’s one of the world’s premiere collectors of the dolls, which she admires for their grotesque beauty—and chemically odd plastic skin that hasn’t stood the test of time. She ran us through her fairly comprehensive collection of Dusty memorabilia, including Dusty’s wardrobe and comic book advertisements—all while stroking Dusty’s shockingly flaxen locks.