The Ever Flex Barbie Body Sculpt.
The Ever Flex Body refers to a rarely used body mold that debuted in the 2000's with Jewel Girl Barbie as a body for playline dolls, depending on the needs of the gimmick.
Description[]
The Cheerleader Barbie, with the Ever Flex Body to allow for posability.
This body is certainly unique among the Barbie Body Molds, as it is characterized as being constructed from a very soft and rubbery vinyl that allows for bendability and posing. Dolls with an Ever Flex torso usually had a joint concealed under the vinyl to allow the body to twist and turn with even more range than the classic Twist 'n Turn Body. A drawback to the body is that the material often attracts dust, lint, and dirt, requiring it to be cleaned after play. The body was made as a compromise for the discontinued use of the Twist 'n Turn body, as the introduction of the Belly Button Body meant it couldn't be used anymore with the new mold. Though it allowed the Belly Button Body to actually have waist articulation, the body had flaws. The body was not known for longevity, as beyond the fact that the soft vinyl could rip with rough play, the joint inside the torso could eventually wear out and break if played with too much.
The body would occasionally see use for 2000's playline dolls, most notably the Dance 'n Flex line, the Cheerleader (2003) line, and the American Idol lines for example. The bodies for these dolls were made entirely out of the Ever Flex vinyl to allow for endless posability. The mechanism for the limbs used wire underneath the vinyl to allow the doll to bend and pose. The American Idol line is noteworthy for only having Ever Flex limbs, as the torso is permanently stuck in the singing and dancing pose, which makes the dolls polarizing for fans.
The body stopped seeing use with the introduction of more articulated doll bodies, like the Pivotal Body and the Made to Move Body.