Barbie Fashion Designer
Company: Mattel Inc.
Estimated Price: $19.99
http://www.mattelmedia.com
Age Group: 6+

There are a lot of fashion designer wannabes out of work, and here is a program that allows them the freedom to design.

First you are given a screen that has Barbie on the right and the command buttons on the left. You then choose which type of outfit you'd like to make. There are six categories in all. For example, you could design clothes for a dream date, or perhaps something for "outdoor fun." Whichever you choose, you'll have plenty of options.

Once you've chosen your category, you go to the Clothing Workshop where you choose your outfit. I think I will go with a nice shirt and skirt outfit. On each side of Barbie there are arrows. I click on these to see different variations of tops and skirts. On the far left-hand side is a column (a sort of toolbar) filled with different icons. These icons represent different parts of my outfit. The first button is Category, second is Clothing, and the third is Accessories. Once I've finished there, I have the option of selecting a design for my fabric.

Ok, now on to the fourth button: Color Workshop. The markers begin to flash and we choose a color for our outfits. I click on the color and then on the area I want it to go, noting that I can change colors as often as I like. That done, I can move on to the fifth button selection, which is the Dressing Room. Now if I haven't completed the outfit (let's say I forgot the shoes), the program asks me to please finish the outfit as it reminds me about selecting shoes. Everything must be "colored-in" and taken care of. (I found that most children forget the belt...)

Ok, now I'm ready! Oh look, there's Barbie all dressed in my own outfit! Now I'm ready to leave the Dressing Room. I return to visit the Design Workshop by clicking button #6: the Fashion Show. Here I must wait while Barbie gets ready. Pretty shoes do a colorful 5 second countdown. Then what appears? Why, it's an animated Barbie walking down a fashion runway in my very own creation! [Applause] Once is not enough? Not for me, anyway, so there's a repeat button so I can watch her over and over and over... well, you get the idea. Doesn't she look beautiful?

But enough of that, and on to button seven. This is my Closet. In my closet I save the beautiful new outfit I just designed. I can get also rid of old clothing by "giving them to charity," represented by a basket at the bottom of the screen. Of course, we know it's really just the Trash, but it's not such a bad thing if kids learn there's a far better way to deal with old or unwanted clothes than throwing them away. It's an acceptable deception.

The eighth button selection is the Print workshop. I can print my creation onto special "fabric" for Barbie to wear or on regular paper for a child to color. It could be complicated, but Barbie is on hand to give a child step by step instructions on how to properly print the outfit.

The last button in the column is the Quit button. For some reason, there are no warnings there, and I DO NOT want to click on this button unless I'm absolutely sure I'm finished. One false click here and the program ends without a second chance dialog box, so caution your children about this particular Quit button. That's not how Macs usually work, so beware.

Movement around in Barbie's Fashion Designer is made as easy as possible, and I just follow Barbie's instructions throughout. Barbie is there to guide a child through each phase of the development of her outfit.

What I get
Barbie Fashion Designer comes with a CD-ROM, a user guide book, marker pens, fashion shoes, ribbons, hooks and loops, seam stickers, and glitter paint for her fashions. Also included is the special paper that is needed for your own little girl to print out the fashions she's designed for her own Barbie to wear.

Please read the booklet that comes with the program with your child. It gives all the information needed not only to run the program, but important instructions about the storage of the materials included with it. Nothing is worse than the look on your daughter's face when she goes to make her outfits, but finds that her materials have been ruined.

Requirements and Installation
Barbie Fashion Designer requires Mac OS 7.1 or greater, a PPC (90MHz recommended), 16 MB RAM, and at least a 2x-speed CD-ROM drive. Barbie Fashion Designer must be installed before running, and won't run off the CD-ROM. Also needed is a laser or ink jet printer.
Note: Virtual Memory should be ON for technical reasons. It is also advised that background printing should be turned OFF for improved printing performance.

Summary
We have four granddaughters and two adopted granddaughters. Like little girls everywhere, they're always yelling for everything Barbie. My problem was finding Barbie software for the Macintosh. Well here is one which, if you follow the age recommendation (6+) on the box, is perfect for your child. But those of us that have smaller ones (aged 3 to 7) should know there is simply no way that children can navigate this program without an adult's help.

The age recommended is right on, and I found it very difficult for the younger kids to completely understand. They would usually become frustrated in the area where Barbie goes to the Dressing Room. Also, I find children are always forgetting something. So, unless you want to help the child under 7 (which I will say is well is worth you time and effort), this program may not be for you.

But for kids 7 and up, this program is limited only by the child's imagination. Adding the accessories to the package was a wonderful idea. I played with this program with my grandchildren for hours. I helped them design their clothes for Barbie and we printed them, colored them, and dressed our dolls. It was great fun.

The only concern I had with the program was what I found lurking within the packaging; inside the box were advertisements for other Barbie programs. That might be good in most cases, but not for us, because the colorful advertisments were only for the PC people. It's difficult to explain to children why they can't get these other Barbie programs.

Stillt, I would recommend this program for all the Barbie lovers out there. And moms out there with smaller daughters (ages 3 to 7) may have finally found a great excuse to play with Barbie Fashion Designer themselves. I won't tell a soul!

Final note: With Christmas coming, I was hoping to see more of Mattel's Barbie programs for the Mac. Unfortunately, local retailers still only have the Wintel versions on their shelves. Come on, Mattel, there are LOTS of Barbie supporters that use the Macintosh, especially now with the incredible sales success of the new iMacs. Please give us more programs for our little "Barbies."

MacMice Rating: 3.5

Lyn Price
lyn@mymac.com