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1978 is often referred to as Sindy's “lost” or “missing” year. This is primarily because it was not covered by Colette Mansell's “The History of Sindy”. The year merely got a mention as “uneventful”. However the reality was quite different, because as well as the new UK Pedigree releases, the company were preparing to launch Sindy in both the US and in Germany.

Pedigree's parent company had been busy and in 1976 it had acquired the United States and Hong Kong holdings of the American toy firm Louis Marx & Co (having previous acquired the UK subsidiary back in 1967). In the same year it had also bought the ailing German toy manufacturer Schuco (SCHreyer Und CO). With the parent company reorganized as Dunbee Combex Marx, Pedigree now had access to new markets. Sindy was badged and distributed as Marx in the US and Schuco in Germany to take advantage of the familiar local branding. Pedigree's logo is shown immediately below with the Marx Sindy logo beneath left and Schuco Sindy logo beneath right.

We believe that both the Marx and the Schuco ranges were launched in 1978. Apart from 'Blushing Bride' (see below) the boxed Marx outfits were all 1977 Pedigree Sindy Outfits. Schuco releases, on the other hand, used 1978 Pedigree outfits. Interestingly both the Marx and Schuco boxed dolls were given brand new outfits which were then subsequently reused for Pedigree Sindy.

Another reason why there may be confusion regarding 1978 is that some 1978 boxed dolls have been found packed with the earlier 1977 style leaflet and in general the 1978 style leaflet is quite hard to find. Given that Colette Mansell wrote “The History of Sindy” in days before the accessibility of the internet, it is not unsurprising therefore that despite all her efforts some things, including 1978, got missed. We have found that the absence of this year from “The History of Sindy” and the scarcity of style leaflets have understandably led to some confusion and outfit misdescriptions, particularly on ebay. We would be grateful to hear from any collector who has any other observations regarding this year's outfits so that we can build up a definitive set of descriptions for this “lost” year.

The dolls continued to evolve and they now had much softer heads, which were styled with long hair, sewn-in eyelashes and very pretty faces. We know of at least one collector who only collects these Sindys, as they prefer them to any of the other dolls released before or after this model. Some collectors believe that even amongst these dolls there was a range of facial complexions to complement the outfits produced and certainly we can see this amongst our own dolls, however whether this was just accident or design we cannot say for certain.

Again five dolls are catalogued in the Pedigree literature for 1978.

• Active Sindy (Ref 44657 – international reference 44658), the ballerina, was still available with an updated reference.

• Funtime Sindy (Ref 44682 – international reference 44692) – the ever popular lowest priced doll was again available in an updated simple cotton shift dress. She had a poseable head, twist n turn waist and bendable click-click legs.

• Weekender Sindy (Ref 44683) – a Sindy with a poseable head, twist n turn waist and bendable click-click legs wearing a new outfit.

• Sweet Dreams Sindy (Ref 44684 – international reference 44694) – a brand new doll with a poseable head, twist n turn waist and bendable click-click legs and, a new first for Sindy, sleeping eyes. The doll that was actually sold was slightly different to the one shown in the Pedigree literature. In reality her eyes had very little of the white of the eye showing which gave a her a slightly strange look almost boss-eyed look compared to her more open-eyed sisters. It should also be noted that the continental dolls had painted on eyelashes which their UK counterparts did not (see photo at top of page).

• Nurse Sindy (Ref 44685) a new doll wearing an authentic nurses outfit. This doll had a poseable head, twist n turn waist and bendable click-click legs. We think this Sindy does have a slightly different face with softly coloured features and a sweet expression. She looks like she's just dabbed on a bit of face powder and freshened up her rose pink lipstick before doing her rounds. Her hair is an even shoulder length and is designed to curl gently around her nurse's cap. These lovely Sindys came in elaborate window boxes with a drawing of Sindy dressed in her full outfit standing on a ward.

We know of at least two other boxed Sindys which are generally believed to be 1978 releases and we have also shown these dolls also below. We would be interested to hear from any collector who can provide any more information on these uncatalogued dolls so that we can update the Museum where necessary. Also if collectors believe that there are other uncatalogued boxed dolls from 1978 which we have not included, could they please let us know?

We have struggled to find any labels on our 1978 outfits, even those that are still mint. We have a red and white Hong Kong paper label found in the 'Blushing Bride' gown and we know the same label has been found in a pair of red trousers which probably belong to the 'Cold n Frosty' outfit, but that's it. The poppers were predominantly sewn-on metal snap fasteners (both round and circular) and a few chrome coloured poppers with the backs facing. We would be keen to hear from any collectors who have found labels in their 1978 outfits.

Sindy's outfits continued to reflect the current fashions and she was given a new set of Mix n Match Fashions. Of her original accessory packs only 'Dress in Style' Ref 44403 (the shoes, boots and headbands set) was now shown in the Pedigree literature. She did however get a new jewellery set which is shown below.

This doll wore a simple V-necked, sleeveless, A-line shift dress made of red cotton. The fabric at the edges of the armholes were folded back onto the dress and stitched in place with white cotton. This contrasting white stitching detail was also used to decorate the neck and hem. The top of the dress was backed with either a strip of red cotton bias binding type material or a white stiffening fabric to maintain the shape. It fastened at the back of the neck with one sewn-on metal snap fastener. This outfit came with a pair of white round-toed court shoes.

There is also a variation of this simple dress which we think is the international version. The fabric is identical to the UK version but sewn to the back of the waist is the same red & white braided belt which was used for the 1978 navy blue 'Mix n Match' skirt (Ref 44185 - international ref 44175) - see below. This version has been found with one sewn-on metal snap fastener and also with one chrome coloured popper with the back facing. This version used white stiffening fabric around the neckline.

We think the international version was slightly longer and slimmer cut than the UK version but this could simply be due to the manufacturing process. A comparison photo of the two dresses side by side is shown below.

Weekender Sindy had a new outfit, this time a calf-length dress. The short-sleeved T-shaped bodice was made from red, white and blue horizontal striped printed cotton and again the top of this dress was backed with a white stiffening fabric to maintain the integrity of the shape. It had a straight-cut “slashed” neckline at the front and it was cut very slightly on a curve at the back of the neck. The skirt was made of thick white twill-type cotton and attached around hem was a ruffled frill of the red, white and blue cotton sewn with the stripes on the vertical. A tie belt made of a red silky cord tape was sewn to the back of the waist and the dress fastened at the back with two sewn-on metal snap fasteners. The co-ordinating shoulder bag was made of navy blue cotton with small rectangle of the red white and blue cotton sewn to the front and stitched in place to give two additional front pockets. The two shoulder straps were made of white cotton cord. Red slip-on mules accompanied this outfit.

This outfit was very similar in design to Sindy's earlier 1974 outfit 'Sleep Tight' (see 1974 Sindy). It was another pretty cotton nightie and dressing gown set and it appears to have been sold both as the boxed doll outfit and as a separate outfit.

Made from a pretty floral sprigged cotton with dark and light pink flowers with blue centres and green leaves and stems on a white background (it is a slightly different pattern to that shown in the 1978 Pedigree literature) this was a floor-length nightie and dressing gown ensemble. The nightie had a full elasticated gathered bodice and pale pink satin ribbon straps. The hem of the nightie was trimmed with white nylon lace and the nightie fastened at the back with one chrome coloured metal popper with the back facing. The long-sleeved dressing gown was made of the same floral fabric and was decorated with the same white lace around the large shawl collar, the cuffs and the hem. The dressing gown fastened at the front of the waist with a pink satin ribbon tie belt which was sewn to the back of the waist. This outfit came with a pair of slippers which was fashioned from a pair of Sindy's white slip-on mules covered with pink faux fur.

We have not seen the floral pattern that was used for photos in the Pedigree literature, however we know that this outfit was trimmed with at least two different patterns of lace. See comparison photos above and also the 'Good Morning' description below.

This doll is a real favourite with collectors and whilst at first glance a boxed Sindy doll wearing a nurse's uniform might appear a strange choice for a fashion doll, one must remember the context. In 1975 the BBC began to broadcast “Angels” a seasonal drama series following the exploits of student nurses at St Angela's hospital. It was a very popular programme and ran until 1983. In 1976 Denys Fisher produced an Angels doll. She came “realistically” dressed as a trainee nurse in her candy stripe uniform, and four other “authentic” outfits could be purchased for her. They were “Staff Nurse”, “Private Nurse”, “District Nurse” and “Sister”. The Angels sister's outfit included a long-sleeved dark blue dress and a frilly cap, and indeed this uniform was the standard British sister's outfit at the time. So perhaps in answer to this doll and to exploit the success of the TV programme, two years later Pedigree released its own Sindy Nurse. As you may have read in the Pedigree brochure on this website, it did take a couple of years to get a new product to market. Interestingly, given that Sindy's 1965 nurse's outfit had been that of a student nurse, it seems somewhat fitting that some thirteen years later Sindy appears to have been promoted to sister.

Sindy's nurse's dress was long-sleeved, round-necked and knee-length. It was made of a dark royal blue cotton with the cuffs and the collar edged with white cotton bias binding. It opened down the back and fastened with two sewn-on metal snap fasteners. On top of the dress, Sindy wore a white cotton nurses pinafore apron with white crossover straps at the back which fastened with velcro to the back of the apron. Over the apron Sindy had a black elasticated nurse's belt which fastened with one chrome coloured metal popper with the back facing. For her head Sindy was given a frilly nurse's cap in keeping with her grade of sister. Attached to a white cotton headband and covering the hair on the crown of the head was a white nylon netting which was finished at the back with a flourish of white nylon lace ruffles. This elaborate concoction was kept firmly on Sindy's head with two white taffeta ribbons which tied under her chin in a bow. To keep her warm as she travelled to and from work, Sindy was given a classic nurse's cloak made from the same dark royal blue as the dress, lined with a rich scarlet cotton and featuring red criss-cross chest straps which fastened behind her back with one sewn-on metal snap fastener. In addition the cloak also fastened at the front with a sewn-on metal snap fastener at the neck. This outfit came with a pair of black tassel shoes.

This doll was not shown in either the 1978 Pedigree trade catalogue or the style leaflet, and we think this Sindy was retailed though the home shopping mail-order market as we have found an advert for her. Unfortunately we can't confirm the company with certainty because unfortunately the catalogue page showing the doll that we have seen does not name the firm. We think that it might have been the Kays home shopping catalogue. In addition, there has been some discussion as to whether she is a 1978 or a 1979 doll, but having seen the other Sindy items and outfits on that catalogue page, we are placing her here in 1978. Confusingly the catalogue page calls her 'Weekend' Sindy however we have seen a photo of the boxed doll and she was called 'Weekender'. This doll was shown as blonde in the catalogue and the photo text seems to indicate that she might have come with an extra outfit. Unfortunately that is as much as we know about her origins and we would be delighted to hear from anyone who can add to this description.

The outfit itself looks to be a quite cheaply made skirt and top outfit, made from a thin nylon crimplene/polyester type of material. Made in plain white, the top was long-sleeved with a turtle-neck. It opened down the back and fastened with either one or two sewn-on metal snap fasteners (we have both). By contrast the material for the skirt was a pretty floral design with blue, green and white flowers with white or green centres and yellow leaves and stems on a red background. The skirt itself was a simple A-line design with a sewn-on waistband. It fastened at the back of the waist with one sewn-on metal snap fastener. Sindy was given a matching headband made from a rectangular strip of the red floral fabric with the edges folded over and hemmed with red cotton thread and with a metal snap fastener sewn onto the end. And to complete the outfit a matching dolly bag with a handle made of white rick-rack. Inside the neck of the bag the fabric was gathered and sewn with cotton elastic tape approx ¼ inch in length to give a frill effect. This doll was shown in the catalogue wearing red shoes however this outfit seems to have come with white round-toed court shoes.

Finally, there appears to have been variations to the floral pattern with either a blood red or an orange red background. We have tried to show this above but it is quite difficult to pick up the colour difference with a camera. These variations are not straightforward. Amongst the outfits in our own collections and in talking to other collectors, there is often one item (the skirt, headband or dolly bag) that is a different colour, either blood-red with the rest of the floral fabric orange-red or vice versa. The most common explanation given for this by collectors is that one item must have faded, and/or the outfit has been assembled from different collections thereby leading a colour mismatch. Whilst this is quite a hard outfit to find, this discrepancy is quite common and we think that two different dye lots were used for this outfit, so there are indeed two variations. Perhaps some of the mismatches even occurred on the assembly line as we have a blood red skirt with an orange red waistband. BillyBoy* in his article on manufacturing noted that variations in dye lots were common and considered of no consequence and we wonder if this it what we are seeing here with a catalogue Sindy which was probably made as economically as possible. We would be very interested to know what other collectors think about this?

This doll appears to have been packaged with the 1977 style leaflet.

Although this doll was not shown in the 1978 Pedigree trade catalogue or style leaflet, it is generally believed that she was a 1978 release (although if you know otherwise please do let us know). She wore the new 'Weekender Sindy' outfit but she came with added extras for her holiday, some of which had been cleverly re-utilized from a previous set.

As well as her 'Weekender' dress, shoulder bag and red slip-on mules (see above), this Sindy was given a red suitcase decorated with “Bonn”, “London” and “Rome” destinations stickers and a moulded “Sindy” in the bottom right-hand corner. At first glance it looks identical to the one from Sindy's 1976 'Globe Trotter' (aka 'Travel Accessories') set. However it is slightly smaller and more angular in shape (see inset photo). She also acquired a fancy new silver and black SLR camera with a black vinyl strap. And, included from the 1977 'Sunlounger' mini scenesetter there was the orange wraparound sunglasses and the yellow stretch nylon swimsuit. But surprisingly the sun-tan oil was not included.

We also think this doll has a slightly different face and hairstyle. This doll has a delicate, slightly tanned face and she has long hair which reaches to the middle of the back. She also had an elaborate window box with a photo-picture of Sindy dressed in her 'Weekender' outfit with her suitcase and camera standing by the side of a hotel swimming pool with the sea in the background. The camera in the picture is the 'Globe Totter' camera (see 1976 Sindy) and not the one she actually had.

This doll came packaged with the 1977 style leaflet.

A new year and another new riding outfit. Following precedent set in 1977 Sindy again had a pair of stretch-nylon jodhpurs with inside knee pads. This year they were made of a beige nylon with soft brown suedette knee pads with a co-ordinating cream coloured stitching, and white elasticated stirrups. They had a sewn-on waistband made of the same beige nylon, a fly opening and they fastened with one sewn-on metal snap fastener. Sindy's top was a yellow stretch nylon jumper decorated with a black plastic horseshoe motif. It had a sewn-on turtleneck, cuffs and waistband made of the yellow fabric. It fastened at the back of the neck with one square-shaped sewn-on metal snap fastener. We believe this outfit came with a pair of Sindy's black plastic high-heeled riding boots and a long black plastic riding crop.

This was a lovely bedtime set consisted of a bath robe and shortie nightie. The robe was calf-length with long wide sleeves. It was made from pillar box red cotton towelling. The neck and front edges of the robe was bound with a white cotton binding. Stitched to the back of the robe was a woven flat white cotton tie belt which had a knot at each end. Under the robe Sindy had a little shortie baby doll nightie set made of a shiny white nylon. The top of the nightie was gathered and elasticated and it had delicate white nylon shoulder straps. Both the top and the hem of the nightie were trimmed with white nylon lace. It fastened at the back with one sewn-on metal snap fastener. The matching pants were made of the same white shiny nylon. They had an elasticated waist and the leg holes were trimmed with the same lace as was used for the nightie. This outfit came with a pair of white slip-on mules.

We wonder if there were variations to the lace trim and we would be pleased to hear from anyone who has something different to the one we have shown above.

Sindy's undies for 1978 was a nylon underwear set consisting of a half-slip, bra and two pairs of the same pants. This year's theme colour was yellow. The bra and pants were made of lemon yellow nylon. The top of the bra was trimmed with white cotton/nylon lace and it had sewn-on bra straps made of the same lemon yellow nylon. It fastened at the back with a square-shaped sewn-on metal snap fastener. The pants had an elasticated waist and the leg holes were trimmed with same white lace as the bra. The half-slip was made of a yellow and white nylon with a texture similar to a seersucker. It was A-line in shape with a fashionable and practical side slit on each side. The hem was trimmed with the same lace as the bra and pants, and it had an elasticated waist. This outfit came with a pair of white slip-on mules.

We know of two variations to the lace trim as shown above. Interestingly, the set above left has the same teardrop shaped lace trim as the 'Cosywrap' baby doll nightie set above. We would be interested to know if there are any other lace trims for this set.

This was a dress, hat and shoes ensemble. The Pedigree literature described this dress as an “overdress” which seems a peculiar description because there was no undergarment. The dress was a long calf-length cotton shift dress with half-sleeves. These frocks were quite simple in design but they had some nice styling touches, they had square necklines at the front dipping to shallow V-shaped necklines at the back, the half-sleeves had turned up cuffs, and they had a separate matching tie belt to clinch in the waist providing form to what would otherwise be quite a shapeless dress. They fastened at the back of the neck with one sewn-on metal snap fastener. To accompany these dresses, Sindy was given a large brimmed hat made of navy blue twill cotton with an under-brim lined with the same the fabric as the dress. The crown of these hats were made from one piece of material artfully stitched into four segments to provide shape. This outfit came with a pair of white tassel shoes.

We have not seen the pattern shown in the Pedigree literature which was navy blue with white polka dots decorated with red, yellow and white flowers with contrasting centres and green leaves. Instead we know of two variations. The first variation which is more commonly seen and is also shown above, was a circular abstract design in gold, emerald green, turquoise blue, red and white on a navy blue background. The cotton used for this hat was a pale shade of navy blue and this dress had a square-shaped snap fastener. The other variation shown MIP (Mint In Packet) below had a floral pattern of pink, red, white and yellow flowers with contrasting centres and green leaves and stems on a navy blue background. The cotton used for this hat was a much deeper shade of navy blue and this dress had a circular snap fastener.

This outfit would probably have been described as dressy casual, perfect for visiting or hosting a coffee morning. The long-sleeved smock-top blouse was very pretty. It was made from a stiff peach cotton printed with blue, orange and white flowers with green foliage. It had a sewn-on collar with small turned back lapels, and both the cuffs and the curved hem were embellished with a feminine frill made from the same fabric. The blouse fastened under the front of the neck with one sewn-on square-shaped snap fastener. The co-ordinating coffee brown cotton twill trousers were very slightly tapered and they had a fly opening which fastened with one sewn-on square-shaped snap fastener. This outfit came with a pair of brown tassel shoes.

A pretty maxi-dress made from a fine green and white gingham cotton. This dress had long sleeves, puffed at the shoulder and close fitting at the wrists trimmed with white cotton lace. The bodice was shaped with two darts at the front of the waist and it had a squarish scooped neckline at the front, again trimmed with the white lace around the neckline. As a final touch, the skirt of the dress had a calf-height frill made from the same gingham which went all away around the hem. It fastened at the back with two sewn-on square-shaped snap fasteners. This dress came with a pair of white tassel shoes.

What's this? Sindy in a hoodie? Well we guess that back in 1978 a hoodie was seen a fashion statement rather than lifestyle choice. Sindy's hoodie was made of golden yellow cotton towelling and it was quite intricately made. It had a hood, long sleeves, pouch hand pockets at the waist and a cross-flap opening. The hood's drawstring covering, cuffs and waistband were made of a contrasting black stretch nylon and the drawstring tie itself was made of a soft white cotton braided cord which had a knot at each end as shown MIP (Mint In Packet) right. Sindy's jeans were made of a rich cyan blue cotton with a yellow top stitching detail around the edges and a double stitching detail down each outside leg seam. It had two patch pockets at the back which were also decorated with yellow top stitching. These jeans had a slightly V-shaped waistline at the front with a front-fly opening which fastened with one sewn-on square-shaped snap fastener. This outfit came with a pair of yellow slip-on mules.

We have noticed that the jeans vary for this outfit, and using four different pairs we hope to illustrate this. One type is shown in the main photo above and left in the photo left. These jeans are made of a duller cyan blue fabric and they are cut so they sit on the hips and are shorter on the leg. Another type is shown MIP above right and right in the photo left. These jeans are a much brighter blue and are more generously cut so they hug the waist and are longer. We have shown two pairs side-by-side on the same type of Sindy doll so you can see the differences clearly. There is also considerable variation as to the position of the patch pockets on these jeans, some are set high up close to the waist and others are set lower down, but this does not appear to be dependent on the type of jean.

We have a couple of observations to make about this outfit:

Firstly, this outfit runs when washed, particularly the jeans – so don't wash these garments unless you really have to.

Secondly, the hoodie is often found without the drawstring ties. This is quite surprising because the cord is a soft braided cotton with knots on the end so it is not something which easily slips out. Whether some were sold like this or whether the cord has just got lost over time we cannot say, but its absence is quite noticeable on many of these outfits. Indeed, could the non-cord hoodies be linked to a particular type of jean - let us know what you think?

Sindy's new coat was knee-length and made of bright red corduroy. It was described as a “trench style coat”. It had long straight sleeves, a sewn-on collar and reverse lapels. It had a tie belt made of the same corduroy and the belt itself was stitched to the back of the coat at the centre of the waist. It fastened with two square-shaped sewn-on metal snap fasteners. For her neck Sindy was given a dainty triangular cotton scarf printed with a dainty red floral pattern on a white background. All the sides of this little scarf were hemmed. This outfit came with tassel shoes - see below.

The outfit above was bought as a decarded mint outfit and it came with brown tassel shoes, which a number of references suggest are the correct shoes for this outfit. However, as you can see right, we also have this outfit MIP (Mint In Packet) and it has black shoes. Indeed we have heard from two other collectors who also have black tassel shoes with their MIP outfits, but we have also heard from someone who has it with brown shoes. So perhaps this outfit actually came with either? We would still be pleased to hear from anyone else who has this outfit or who bought it MIP who could tell us what colour shoes their outfit has.

We know of two variations of the scarf, both of these are shown below still stitched to the original card.

Another fun outfit for Sindy and perhaps something she could wear to the barn dance if she didn't “do” dresses. This outfit was styled around a pair of knee-length cropped dungarees made from a denim blue cotton chambray. The dungarees were quite detailed, the trousers had wide legs which were nipped in and shaped at the waist with four darts (two at the front and two at the back) which was then sewn to a waistband of the same fabric. At the front, attached behind the waistband was the bib, it had long shoulder straps which went over the shoulders and were stitched at the back behind the waistband, where it fastened with one sewn-on metal snap fastener. As a finishing touch on the right knee there was a little blue and white square gingham patch made from cotton. The blue and white gingham cotton was used for short-sleeved shirt which was worn under the dungarees. This shirt had a sewn-on collar and the sleeves had turned back and stitched cuff detailing. This pretty shirt fastened at the front with one sewn-on metal snap fastener. For her head Sindy had a floppy brimmed hat made from the blue denim cotton, and for her feet she had knee-high white boots.

We understand there is a subtle variant on 'Country Cousins'. It looks more like the Pedigree literature in being a lighter denim blue, with the shirt and trouser patch in different pattern fabric to the more commonly seen version of this outfit, but we don't have this one. We have however found a pair of dungarees where the bib has been sewn on top of the waistband.

This outfit is quite difficult to find complete but the description below is from two boxed outfits so we are pretty sure it is correct.

Another great shopping outfit for Sindy. This one consisted of an overshirt suit. The suit was made of a red and white striped cotton decorated with blue, white and yellow flowers with green leaves. It is different to the fabric shown in the Pedigree literature. The hip-length overshirt had half-sleeves , a V-neckline and a sewn-on collar. It opened down the back where it fastened with two sewn-on metal snap fasteners. It came with a separate tie belt to clinch in the waist. The matching panel skirt reached to just below Sindy's knee. At the front it had one large centre panel flanked by two smaller panels, with a further two panels at the back of the skirt. It had a sewn-on waistband and it fastened at the back of the waist with one sewn-on metal snap fastener. Under the overshirt Sindy wore a white nylon turtle-neck top. It had long straight sleeves with sewn-on cuffs. It opened down the back where it fastened with a sewn-on metal snap fastener at the back of the neck. By way of accessories this outfit came with a large basket weave synthetic straw holdall bound with red cotton. The same red cotton was used to make the two large handles so that the bag could be worn on the shoulder. This outfit came with a pair of white tassel shoes.

This smart trouser suit was described in the Pedigree literature as being made of jersey, however we have to say ours feel more like a crimplene. This smart suit had an edge-to-edge jacket with long straight sleeves, a sewn-on collar, a stitched-on three-quarter length belt detail, and on the left breast a patch pocket with a triangular red handkerchief detailing. All the edges of the jacket including the collar, sleeves, tie belt and patch pocket were decorated with a thick red overstitch. The matching trousers were slightly flared and had a fly opening which fastened with one chrome coloured metal popper with the back facing. The hems of the trouser legs were overstitched with red thread to match the jacket.

Under her jacket Sindy wore a simple long-sleeved red cotton shirt (see photo above right). It had a narrow sewn-on collar, and it fastened at the front with one sewn-on metal snap fastener which was sewn to the inside hem of the shirt thereby maintaining the clean lines of the shirt. This outfit came with a pair or round toed-court shoes.

We know of two variations of this outfit, as shown above. One is a dark navy blue trouser suit and the other is a lighter blue colour.

Sindy's 1978 raincoat was made of a dark navy blue shower proof nylon. It was a calf-length coat it designed with four panels, one each side at the front and two panels at the back forming a centre seam. This seam was sewn on the inside above the waist and on the outside below the waist to provide a faux pleating detail. It had long straight sleeves, a sewn-on collar and reverse lapels. It had a matching tie belt which was stitched to the back of the coat along the centre seam. It fastened at the front with two sewn-on metal snap fasteners, one at the breast and the other at the thigh. It came with a brimmed shower hat made of the same nylon. The crown made of four triangular sections stitched to a brim made of the same fabric, the edge of which was similarly bound with the same nylon. This outfit came with a number of accessories. Her bag for this outfit was a white or off-white shoulder bag made of cotton backed with stiffening fabric. It had a large rounded flap which fastened with a square-shaped sewn-on metal snap fastener. For her feet she had white knee-high boots.

For her neck, Sindy was given a rectangular scarf, about 5½ inches long, made of a red floral cotton decorated with green foliage and flowers and buds in blue, light blue, yellow and white. The flowers had blue or white centres. Only the long sides of the scarf were hemmed.

This outfit has sometimes been found MIB (Mint In Box) with the additional accessory of a small pair of white cotton towelling mittens (see photo right) which are not referred to in the Pedigree literature.

We believe this outfit was used as the boxed doll outfit for 'Sweet Dreams' Sindy and also as a separate boxed outfit. For a full description & a photo with a different lace trim, please see also  'Sweet Dreams' Sindy above.

We would be keen to hear from anyone who has the boxed outfit only that they would be happy to show here.

The choice of fabric pattern used for this outfit was very strange and some collectors love it and others really quite dislike it. The simple sleeveless floor-length dress was made of silky nylon printed in a sage green, deep coral, mauve and white swirly floral pattern. It had a round neck with a deep frill made from the same material. The neckline and the armholes were bound with the same silky fabric and the frill was attached around the neck by the binding. At the back, each end of the frill was stitched neatly into the side edges of the back opening, and in addition, the frill was stitched with about four stitches under each arm so Sindy's arms had to thread through a little arm hole in the frill. The dress fastened at the back with two chrome coloured metal poppers with the backs facing which went through both the dress and the frill. There was a matching clutch bag or evening purse made from the same fabric as the dress. It had a flap opening which fastened with velcro. To complete this outfit Sindy was given a very dark brown stole made from small fine feathers and a pair of brown tassel shoes.

We know of two variations to the fabric used for this dress, but depending on the cutting, there can be many variations as shown below.

Here was a chunky knit outfit to keep Sindy warm on cold days and it came with a tabard – what a fashion blast from the past.

This outfit consisted of a yellow, cotton towelling, long-sleeved top, which sometimes gets confused with the 1977 'Mix n Match' yellow towelling top. It had a sewn-on turtle-neck and turned up cuffs. It opened down the back and it fastened with two sewn-on metal snap fasteners. The contrasting bright red cotton trousers were slightly flared and had a fly opening which fastened with one sewn-on metal snap-fastener. Over the top Sindy wore a multicoloured striped, acrylic wool tabard (the striped pattern is slightly different to the one shown in the Pedigree literature). It was literally two oblongs of machine-knit fabric stitched together at two corners leaving a slit in the middle to pop it over Sindy's head. It fastened at the sides with silky red cord, and colours of the tabard itself were blue, light blue, maroon, red, white and yellow. There was a matching knitted beanie hat with a turned-up brim. This outfit came with a pair of red round-toed court shoes.

This outfit was a very fashionable beige suedette suit. The V-neck bomber jacket had long sleeves, waistband, and a darker beige faux fur collar. It fastened at the front with two sewn-on metal snap fasteners. The matching panel skirt reached to just below Sindy's knee. At the front it had one large centre panel flanked by two smaller panels, with a further two panels at the back of the skirt. It had a sewn-on waistband and it fastened at the back of the waist with one sewn-on metal snap fastener. The edges of the front panel and the waistband were overstitched in a brown thread providing a contrasting detailing. The short sleeved turtle-neck top was made of nylon with a woven box pattern in brown, tan and white. It opened down the back and fastened with a chrome coloured metal popper with the back facing. For her feet she had brown knee-high boots.

This outfit has proven to be quite difficult to document because we have found two versions but neither quite match the Pedigree literature. The literature described this outfit as “Crepe two-tier dress, chiffon veil and train with pink flower halo. Bouquet and ribbon trim.” The photo showed a wedding gown and veil edged with what looks like white cotton broderie anglaise. Needless to say we haven't found any that quite looks like that. The two that we have are the Pedigree and the Marx versions of this outfit and they are subtlety different, so we have described both of them.

In general, this outfit did have a very pretty white dress and its two tier skirt, reminiscent of later Victorian/early Edwardian dresses, was shaped and sewn to the bodice just under the breasts. A very popular design for bridal gowns at this time. The V-neck bodice had three-quarter length sleeves and the top tier of the skirt was U-shaped at the front and cut steeply at the back so that the sides of the top tier met at the back of the waist. The neckline was trimmed with white nylon lace, so were the cuffs and the hems of both tiers of the skirt but the lace was different with a much wider pattern. The dress fastened at the back and has been found with either two sewn-on metal snap fasteners or two chrome coloured metal poppers with the backs facing. The floor-length veil was made of a large circle of white nylon trimmed with same lace as the cuffs and the skirt. At one section it was gathered onto a white elastic cord loop which fashioned a headdress. This outfit came with a small posy of flowers trimmed with two pink satin ribbon streamers. For her feet Sindy wore a pair of white round-toed court shoes.

The UK 'Blushing Bride' gown was made of a quite stiff white nylon with a finely brushed surface. It is slightly shorter that the Marx version and the shaping under the bust of the bodice was not cut quite so deeply. The V-neck of the bodice was backed by white stiffening fabric and it had shorter sleeves.The two versions are shown side by side immediately above & below with the Pedigree gown on the left.

The headdress was made of a white polyester voile. It did not have the “pink flower halo” described in the trade catalogue instead the headdress was trimmed with silk embroidery flowers and leaves in pink, white and green. This version was kept on Sindy's head with a length of shirring elastic.

We know of two bouquets that have been found with this outfit. The first was a posy of blue, white, light pink and dark pink fabric flowers which we think had yellow centres and was tied with a length of deep pink satin ribbon. We have also seen this outfit boxed with a posy of four deep pink fabric flowers again trimmed with a length of deep pink satin ribbon. Unfortunately we are unable to show the UK bouquets and we would again be very glad to hear from any collector who can help us with this or can add to this description.

In many ways the 'Blushing Bride' outfit shown in the Pedigree literature more closely resembles the Marx version shown above which was called 'Let's Get Married'. It had a white nylon crepe gown which was thinner and smoother than the UK version and it had a different lace trim.

The Marx veil was made of a finer transparent nylon chiffon (see left on the comparison photo above) and it came with a headband made of pale pink with dark pink centre guipure flowers which was sewn to an inch of pink elasticated cotton tape which we think was the “pink flower halo”. 

We are not sure whether the “halo” is to be worn over or under the veil because it is not visible in the Marx catalogue or on the outfit packaging. We are showing it over the veil because it was described as a “halo” and appears to have been worn that way in the Pedigree literature, although it could equally have been worn under the veil as shown right.

This outfit has also been found with two types of bouquets which are different to the Marx photo. The first had fabric two-tone flowers which were deep pink in the middle and light pink at the ends of the petals trimmed with a length of deep pink satin ribbon (which would appear to be quite similar to one of the UK versions – this box says ©1977) - see bouquet left. But we also have a MIB (Mint In Box) version (© 1978) again with the fabric two-tone flowers but this version was trimmed with a length of pale pink satin ribbon (at first glance it looks like the same ribbon used for the pink ballerina outfit but it isn't – it is paler, wider and coarser than that) - see bouquet in the main Marx photo above. Also, the number of flowers found on the Marx bouquets seems to vary, we have found two, four and five flowers on these bouquets.

The red, white and blue theme of the boxed dolls, 'Weekender Sindy' and 'Sunshine Girl', was extended to Sindy's Mix n Match fashions which were updated to the same co-ordinating colours. There were still eight different packs which could be used to create 84 different fashions and the trade catalogue continued to describe them as meeting the “Pocket money price points”.

The write-in offer for a child's size Sindy T-shirt which could be exchanged for three T-shirt tokens from the front of Sindy's Mix n Match fashion cards (plus a postal order for 99p) was also still available (see also 1977 Sindy), but the packets made it clear that the offer would close on the 30th November 1978.

A shaped white cotton fleecy long-sleeved bolero jacket with the edges of the jacket and the sleeves bound with a navy blue cotton polyester binding.

A pair of red thin cotton trousers with a fly opening which fastened with a sewn-on metal snap fastener and a navy blue cotton skirt with a red and white silky braided tie-belt attached to the back of the waistband. The skirt was A-line in shape with three panels at the front and a sewn-on waistband. It fastened at the back with one sewn-on metal snap fastener. Stitched to the back of the waistband was a red braided tie-belt trimmed along each edge with a row of white over-stitches picking up the red, white and blue theme. This set came with a pair of red slip-on mules.

This set consisted of a jacket and co-ordinating tie-headband or scarf. The long-sleeved jacket was made of bright red brushed nylon (the Pedigree literature described it as velour). It had a sewn-on collar and two shaped pouch pockets at the front just above the waistband. It fastened at the front with two sewn-on metal snap fasteners – one at the neck and one at the midriff – and it tied at the waist with a white silky cord drawstring. To accompany the jacket Sindy was given a red, white and blue striped cotton scarf. It was made with the printed stripes on the vertical, the long sides were hemmed and the short ends were gently frayed to provide a soft fringing detail.

This set consisted of two co-ordinating tops. The first was a slightly tapered T-shaped top made of the same red, white and blue printed cotton as the scarf which came with the Mix n Match 44186 set (see immediately above). This time the printed material was cut on the horizontal and it is very reminiscent of the bodice of the boxed doll dress for 'Weekender Sindy' and 'Sunshine Girl'. It had the same straight-cut “slashed” neckline at the front but it had a more V-shaped neckline at back of the neck. Unlike the dress, this top was not backed with stiffening material around the neckline. This top was quite long, hip-height in fact, and it opened down the back where it fastened with two sewn-on metal snap fasteners at the neck and waist. In line with the second set of waist height fasteners, a length of red silky cord was stitched to the fabric to provide a tie belt. The second top was a navy blue cotton towelling jumper. It had long sleeves and a sewn-on turtleneck, cuffs and waistband. This jumper opened down the back where it fastened with three sewn-on metal snap fasteners.

This set also consisted of two tops. The first was a red knitted cotton jumper. It had a V-neck and long sleeves with sewn-on cuffs and a sewn-on waistband. This jumper opened down the back and fastened with three sewn-on metal snap fasteners. The other top was a conventional white short-sleeved T-shirt made of nylon with the heart shaped Sindy logo printed on the chest. It opened down the back and normally fastened with one sewn-on metal snap fastener, although we have found one with what looks like an original plastic popper (see below). This T-shirt was a mini replica of the child's size Sindy T-shirt supplied in the Mix n Match offer.

There is a very interesting variation of this T-shirt, instead of white stitching it has orange stitching. We have speculated with the owner as to why it might be different - is it a sample or a prototype or did the machinist run out of white thread? We don't know, but the contrasting stitching compliments the logo beautifully.

This set comprised a pair of culottes and a skirt. The culottes were made of red cotton, with a sewn-on waistband and a fly opening which fastened with one sewn-on metal snap fastener. Accompanying the culottes was a skirt which again appeared to resemble part of the boxed doll dress for 'Weekender Sindy' and 'Sunshine Girl', this time the skirt. This skirt was made of thick white cotton and attached around hem was a ruffled frill of the red, white and blue cotton sewn with the stripes on the vertical. This skirt had a sewn-on waistband and it fastened at the back with one sewn-on metal snap fastener. A pair of white tassel shoes was included with this set.

Two pairs of cotton trousers, one pair in navy blue and the other in white. They had fly openings and fastened at the waist with a sewn-on metal snap fastener. A pair of white slip-on mules was included in this pack.

A smart blouse and shoulder bag set completed the 1978 Mix n Match range. The pretty tailored short-sleeved shirt was made of cotton, it had a sewn-on collar and it fastened at the front with one sewn-on metal snap fastener. The holdall shoulder bag was made of navy blue cotton with two white cotton “rope” handles. By way of detailing, stitched to the front of the bag was a navy blue cotton rectangle fashioned to provide two additional long narrow pockets.

We can't recall having ever seen the shirt shown in the Pedigree literature which was shown made of white cotton with navy blue and red stitching detail around the collar, end of the sleeves and down the front edges and we did wonder if this was a prototype? But, a  Sindy collector has told us that they once saw a very similar shirt with the blue and red stitching which was described as 'Mix n Match' but as they couldn't determine if it was truly this shirt. We would be very interested to know what other collectors have found.

There are however two well-known examples of this shirt both of which have a complimentary red and blue floral pattern on a white background. These MIP (Mint In Packet) versions are shown above. The blouse shown on the left above has the UK reference 44191 and the version above right has the international version reference 44181. However you often see the version in the main photo and on the right for sale on UK ebay, so we think both must have been available for sale in this country, and we believe this is probably the most common version.

Described as a “Sindy Play accessory”, Sindy got a set of updated jewellery in 1978. There were two sets of love beads in red, white & blue and in plain white (which again reflected the fashion of the time), that 1970s classic – the medallion - this time with a silver coloured chain, Sindy's gold coloured locket and a larger sized gold coloured locket for a child to wear (the middle necklace shown above).

This set was shown with a white jewellery box as shown above, although in later years the Pedigree literature reverted to showing this set with the brown jewellery box originally shown with the 1976/1977 jewellery set 'Finishing Touches' (see 1976 Sindy).