Navidad Outfit (retired)
Sept 11, 2016 21:48:04 GMT -5
Post by Wickfield on Sept 11, 2016 21:48:04 GMT -5
Released in 2016 for $34, retired in 2019. Replaced the earlier Christmas Dress & Mantilla (Holiday Outfit).
When Tía Dolores gives Josefina a gift of elegant fabric, she chooses a stylish dress pattern and sews every stitch herself! Celebrate her town’s most blessed holiday, Navidad (Christmas) with this special outfit that features: An empire-waist dress with pretty ribbon details on the sleeves and bodice. White stockings and black shoes. A fine lace mantilla, a veil held in place by a fancy comb.
Josefina's Navidad Outfit came out in 2016 as a replacement for her original yellow Christmas dress. Even though I collect for Josefina, I actually bought this outfit for my Caroline doll. After all, it was based off an American dress from museum in NC, so I thought it would work just as well for her Regency collection.
The set includes the mantilla with attached comb, the dress, a pair of stockings, and Josefina's FOURTH pair of black flats! (Although I can forgive the flats a little bit, since most people aren't completionists and this outfit has come out when some of the other offenders have already been retired.) The shoes are almost the same as her original Christmas shoes, but they cover a bit more of the top of her foot. The stockings are not ribbed like the originals and they are shorter knee-sock length like most BF stockings. They still feel thick and substantial, however.
This time, Josefina's mantilla is white and I believe that, unlike the previous black veil, white is actually the correct color for a young girl. The white veil is the same width as the black one, but it does not scoop down as low in the back (this doesn't make much of a difference when on). It contrasts nicely with Josefina's hair and I find it mix-and-matches much better with the rest of her collection, so she can wear it with her more traditional Mexican outfits as in my pictures here. The comb is basically the same although the prongs are thinner, and instead of transparent brown plastic like my 2004 mantilla, this has a darker brown color swirled in. I think it is supposed to imitate tortoiseshell although it looks more marbled to me.
Everything works for Caroline except the mantilla, which is culture-specific. I have to admit that this isn't a very creative dress, considering it is basically just a recolor like many things in Josefina's Beforever collection. The style is similar to Josefina's yellow dress though not quite as detailed, resembling Caroline's dresses a bit more in construction. The fabric is quite surprisingly nice, it feels like a quality taffeta with an interesting woven checkerboard pattern just like the inspiration dress. I would be careful to avoid snags but the dress has snag-free velcro which helps a lot. The color looks more of a royal blue in the photos but in person it has a definite violet slant. I like the navy-blue ribbons although I think they could have been stitched with a touch more care as they are a little bit wavy on the bodice.
Overall I give this dress an A- with points deducted for the wonky ribbons and unoriginality. BUT despite those flaws I am still very glad to have it in my collection as it will work for many of my girls!
When Tía Dolores gives Josefina a gift of elegant fabric, she chooses a stylish dress pattern and sews every stitch herself! Celebrate her town’s most blessed holiday, Navidad (Christmas) with this special outfit that features: An empire-waist dress with pretty ribbon details on the sleeves and bodice. White stockings and black shoes. A fine lace mantilla, a veil held in place by a fancy comb.
Josefina's Navidad Outfit came out in 2016 as a replacement for her original yellow Christmas dress. Even though I collect for Josefina, I actually bought this outfit for my Caroline doll. After all, it was based off an American dress from museum in NC, so I thought it would work just as well for her Regency collection.
The set includes the mantilla with attached comb, the dress, a pair of stockings, and Josefina's FOURTH pair of black flats! (Although I can forgive the flats a little bit, since most people aren't completionists and this outfit has come out when some of the other offenders have already been retired.) The shoes are almost the same as her original Christmas shoes, but they cover a bit more of the top of her foot. The stockings are not ribbed like the originals and they are shorter knee-sock length like most BF stockings. They still feel thick and substantial, however.
This time, Josefina's mantilla is white and I believe that, unlike the previous black veil, white is actually the correct color for a young girl. The white veil is the same width as the black one, but it does not scoop down as low in the back (this doesn't make much of a difference when on). It contrasts nicely with Josefina's hair and I find it mix-and-matches much better with the rest of her collection, so she can wear it with her more traditional Mexican outfits as in my pictures here. The comb is basically the same although the prongs are thinner, and instead of transparent brown plastic like my 2004 mantilla, this has a darker brown color swirled in. I think it is supposed to imitate tortoiseshell although it looks more marbled to me.
Everything works for Caroline except the mantilla, which is culture-specific. I have to admit that this isn't a very creative dress, considering it is basically just a recolor like many things in Josefina's Beforever collection. The style is similar to Josefina's yellow dress though not quite as detailed, resembling Caroline's dresses a bit more in construction. The fabric is quite surprisingly nice, it feels like a quality taffeta with an interesting woven checkerboard pattern just like the inspiration dress. I would be careful to avoid snags but the dress has snag-free velcro which helps a lot. The color looks more of a royal blue in the photos but in person it has a definite violet slant. I like the navy-blue ribbons although I think they could have been stitched with a touch more care as they are a little bit wavy on the bodice.
Overall I give this dress an A- with points deducted for the wonky ribbons and unoriginality. BUT despite those flaws I am still very glad to have it in my collection as it will work for many of my girls!