Mattel had already made it big with Barbie, but there were still more dolls to be sold. Between 1985 and 1988, they produced the line of My Child dolls. Every doll was said to be one-of-a-kind due to the variations in skin, hair, eye color, outfits, and make-up. They were all made of cloth and were soft and cuddly--obviously meant for use, not just for display.

The various hair colors that were available included brunette, black, blonde, two-tone blonde, strawberry blonde, and red. The eye colors were violet blue, brown, aqua blue, and green. Depending on the country, stores were stocked with different skin colors. In the United States, pale-skinned dolls were the primary color available, although there were some Hispanic and African-American dolls. To identify one of these My Child dolls, take a look at its bottom--there should be a green heart there if they were made before 1988. The pale-skinned dolls did not have a green heart or dimples on their bottom in 1988.

In Europe, Canada, and Australia, peach-skinned dolls were the predominate sellers. They typically had longer hair than American dolls and had no green heart to mark their bottom. The Canadian dolls can be identified by the two tags on them--one in English, one in French.

Along with all of those features, each doll would come with a specific kind of make-up. They still managed to travel lightly on the way to their new home, as each came with a comb, a brush, and a 'brag booklet.' The new parent could even send away for a locket that would hold a picture of her doll.