A couple of weeks ago I mentioned a toy line that I wasn’t familiar with (when I was writing about an issue of Stickers Magazine in Peel Here #41), called Furrever Friends (stuffed animals with tails that were meant to be worn like clothes.) Well, a female reader happened across the post who knows more about these that I could ever hope to. She also had a great idea, which was to open up the floor of Branded from time to time to another point of view, a more feminine p.o.v., and since I’m always happy to fill in the gaps when I can, here is Ms. Magnolia Simms providing a little commentary on Kenner’s Furrever Friends…
"Fuzzy Furrever Friends Memories"
"Hello to all of the 80s Children and Fans out there! My name is Magnolia Simms and I am definitely a child of the eighties. A huge fan of Smurfwreck, I wanted to provide a girls view. Many thanks to Shawn for letting me provide my memories and point of view.
My mind is completely spinning with so many ideas to write about first. So many lovely and interesting memories!
I think I’ll start off about something that I’ve recently come back across and decided to regain my collection of.
Furrever Friends were made by Kenner in the later half of the 80s. They are small plush kitties with Velcro attachable tails. Unfortunately they were only made for a short time, and only six produced. The six were Bushytail (pink), Honeytail (yellow), Powdertail (white), Snowytail (blue), Posietail (purple), Rosietail (white w/pink splotches & peach tail). They each came with two tails, but you could buy attachable tails called Tail Toppers separately. Different color tails had different colored ribbons/bows w/elastic on them.
These were such neat toys. When I was a little girl I had Posietail and a couple of the tail toppers added to her. I would use her as a scarf in the wintertime. Other times I would have her tossed over one shoulder like an old fashioned movie star with a fur. I loved that she was not only a toy but a friend and a fashion accessory. There wasn’t anywhere that I wouldn’t wear my Furrever Friend! At times when she wasn’t being worn, I would wrap her tail around her in a circle as if she was in a little bed or all curled up.
I came across what I believe to have been a mail order item called a Tail Salon. I received it from an old Kenner employee who acquired old stock. It was in a plastic clear package or bag and has a violet colored attachable tail, ribbons, bows and pillow type thing.
Kenner also made little clip on kitties called Clip n’ Tail. They were a firm plastic with fuzzy tails that were about six inches or so long. They also made six different ones that I’m aware of.
There have been rumors that in the 1988 Kenner Catalog they showed six non-kitty Furrever Friends including a fox, raccoon and mink (also a carrying case.) I am trying to find a copy of that catalog or pictures from it to prove the rumor.
So right now I’m in the middle of regaining some of my childhood. I’m searching for these Furrever Friends and accessories to add to my collection and to share with a new generation.
Until next time, remember your heart can still be in the 80s even living in the present."
-Magnolia Simms
I’m not sure yet how often I’ll be posting columns from guest bloggers, but this was surely fun. Thanks Magnolia, for sharing your feminine p.o.v. and your memories!
