Middy Dress with Tam

[cami713]

*This outfit was worn by Samantha in the 1986 and 1998 editions of the book Samantha Saves the Day*

PM, 95 or 96

The Good: I don't know why, but this was *always* a favorite of mine. The hat is so cute, and it looks so historical.

The Bad: The bo's'n's whistle is hard to get to stay right. That's it, really.

Rating: ****3/4, A

[shiniker]

I had this outfit as a child, but it didn't fare the best so I bought a replacement from AG and was disappointed at how short the sleeves seemed. I ended up returning it, but was disappointed because I really do love the style.

[QNPoohBear]

I love Sam's middy dress. It's made from broadcloth and based on the new navy uniforms at the time and Middys were all the rage. Samantha is quite fashionable in this dress. The black trim and little anchor are nice details that make the dress look like a real navy uniform. It snaps at the waist and ties just below the waist with a grosgrain ribbon. The tam is made from the same fabric as the dress and doesn't stay on Sam's head very well but looks cute when it does. The whistle is metal and really works. It hangs on a cord which gets stretched out and loses its' elasticity over time.

This is a great historically accurate dress. Grade: A

[rabluv]

It looks so great on my sam! she loves it and the whistle is darling! just wish it came with shoes and tights like the picture...

A+

[Moker]

This is one of my favorite outfits for Samantha! It looks so good on her. I haven't had any issues with getting the whistle to stay in place (as somebody said before). The only downside is that the little button on the bottom back of the dress broke the first time I put it on. However, I still give it an A.

[Masquerade]

This is probably my absolute favorite Samantha dress. Of the set:

Dress: A-. Trying to get the shirt bit to billow slightly over the skirt is sort of difficult, and I'm not sure why it has a single snap in addition to the velcro on the back. Otherwise it's great and incredibly durable - I've had mine 13-14 years and it's still pristine white after being played with so much when I was younger.

Tam: C. It's cute and it matches the dress, but I have a heck of a time trying to get it to stay on her head. I've finally given up, and she wears a white ribbon in her hair instead.

Boots: A. I can't remember if these came with the outfit or if you had to purchase them seperately. Either way, they're Samantha's cutest shoes. My only worry is that someday I'm going to break off one of the pearl buttons, but they're just as old as her dress and they still work fine.

Pictures:

[scandia]

I really like this outfit. My brother went crazy over the whistle. It has stayed in good shape. It works even with the lacy whites underneath. I have had no problems with the tam- however, I do braid Samantha's hair when she wears this outfit. I do not think it is too boyish- after all it has a skirt. I give it an A.

I love this outfit! It's been one of my favorites over the years, so it was the first thing to jump into my cart upon hearing of Samantha's archival.

I got the more recent set, obviously, which included the dress, tam, and button-up boots.

The dress: The detail on this is amazing! I love the little bow in the back and the intricate middy detail of the bodice. It fits my PM Samantha fine.

The tam: Cute, but takes a while to adjust so Samantha's bangs don't fall in her eyes (like all doll hats, though).

The boots: I love the real buttons! The Mattel pair is pretty sturdy, so I doubt a button will pop off easily, but nevertheless, I still feel as if I'm going to break a button off when I put these on Sam. They are very dainty, but the best feature of the boots. Again, they fit my PM Samantha's feet fine.

Grade: A+





(Note: The whistle in the picture is not the official whistle. It's silver as opposed to the brass original, but I thought it'd be perfect for my whistle-less middy outfit. The stockings pictured are her meet stockings.)

[samfan123]

I love the style of this dress. The material is nice and thick and it looks adorable on Samantha. The only flaw I can find is that the sleeves are a little short. When I use the hat I pull the back of it over Samantha ponytail. That usually helps to keep it in place.

[starwenn]

This is the other outfit my parents bought for me along with Samantha for Christmas 1993. It's her official summer "play" outfit - she's wearing it as I type this. I've also long given up on getting the hat to fit her, nice touch though it is. She only wears it when there's company.

On the other hand, even though the elastic's stretched over the years, I still love the whistle. It emits a nice little tweet when you blow on it. Alas, I never did get the boots - she's wearing the flats from the 1996 JLY "meet" outfit and a new pair of Springfield Collection stockings (the elastic was gone on her original ones) with it now.

[robinhoo]

Samantha's middy dress was one of the first outfits I ever got from AG; I've had it for at least 12 years, and it remains a favorite. I don't have Samantha herself, so #14 Julian used to wear it quite a lot, but now Rebecca has (quite rightfully) claimed it, and I just love the way it looks on her. I've never had a problem with the tam on either Julian or Rebecca. I like that the broadcloth has some "heft" to it so that the tam can sit on the doll's head at a jaunty angle and not be floppy. I think this outfit is really well made. It somehow feels like you're getting more for your money with this outfit than with some of the more recent, cheaply-made AG outfits.

Overall I'd give this outfit an A. It misses out on A+ just because the pearlescent paint on a couple of buttons of the boots has chipped off completely after 12 years of being buttoned and unbuttoned. (This is the one benefit to the velcro-backed boots that come with Rebecca's meet outfit -- no wear on the buttons... because they're not functional. )

[skukla]

My Rebecca Loves this dress too! Until the release of her Summer Dress, it was the only summery thing she owned (Movie Dress and Costume for the Costume Chest aside.)

[KitandKat]

This may be one of my all-around favorite dresses AG has ever made. I wanted it for awhile but never got around to it, and finally happened upon the PM version in a lot. The fabric is so soft, and it laces in the back which is so cute! I just like the simplicity of the dress: clean lines, and black and white. I have the Mattel whistle as a replacement part and the necklace is a bit long - but it works! The shoes are ok. I like that they button, but they also feel really flimsy and I think I might've preferred a stronger material. The hat is cute.

Here's Cate, full view of the dress


Kat (ribbon is from Sam's play dress)


Rebecca is wearing a different dress. The placement of the anchor on the dress front is different and the anchor is smaller. Both dresses are Pre-Mattel but I assume they are from different eras.

[QNPoohBear]

Still one of my favorite outfits, even after 20+ years. It holds up well to play and display except for the tiny ribbon in the back.

[Catlin]

What else can I say about this outfit? Probably that it is THE best outfit every produced for American Girl dolls. It is made of a very thick material and sits well on the dolls. The whistle is an adorable touch. It even looks good on moderns.

[Memory]

Aug 8, 2011 16:03:43 GMT -5 kgabor19 said:

I recently acquired a 1988 tagged Samantha's Middy Dress. I have a couple questions for anyone who owns this version...

1. The skirt side seams are not serged. Neither are the armholes and the v-neck portion. My definition of not serged means the seams are not serged and are fraying. Is this normal?
2. It had 3 pieces of velcro for the back instead of one long continuous strip. Is this normal?

The three strips of velcro were used for a couple of years. I have to admit, I never paid attention to the seam finishing.

[QNPoohBear]

Back lacing, PM dress

Sadly it has not held up well but someone asked for a picture.

[1994samanthafan]

Adding another picture in. This is a WB doll in a dress circa '93. The cuffs won't velcro closed on her. My Samantha ('94) doesn't have any problems with this. I love this dress and it has held up well over the years. A+

[francie]

Here's my Molly.

[rugger]

On Charlie (#7)



Looks good on Kirsten too

[xmaskat]

Here are a couple of pictures of Connie (JLY#3 with a haircut) wearing this outfit.

[QNPoohBear]

Traveling Doll With No Name #17 (red/blue)

[samfan123]

I've got your Addy mold. My pictures aren't that great, but here you go.

[gdking1965]

I just purchased two of the middy dresses off ebay and I am absolutely in love with them. I am using them on Addy and Cécile as their school uniforms because I once saw an old picture circa late 1800s/early 1990s of African-American school girls attending Catholic school in New Orleans all wearing white dresses similar to this - minus the navy insignia.

[cheshie04]

Got just when the announced the archival, as I had to have an outfit for summer. It's cute and classic. I wish it came with the whistle, but by that time it was only the middy, tam, and boots.

[americangirlshope]

A+



I love this outfit! I remember very distinctly going to AGPNY with my Aunt and Uncle and picking this one out specifically in 2003. It's held up very well, and I somehow, miraculously didn't lose the whistle! The dress did yellow, but a washing in tide fixed that very quickly. The material is a thick rayon, and the details are very intricate on this outfit. It's very nautical, to say the least! The collar is precious, and has two stars embroidered on the back, just like it would in real life. The hat adds a very nice touch, but sometimes my Sam wears a wide white ribbon instead. This is a must have piece!

[fionabrigade]

I have a PC version and the fabric is thick with nice embroidered detailing but the fit is a bit roomy on all of my dolls though. The hat is a bit of a let down.

[WildPigeonChase]

Is the dress really big on anyone else's doll? Mine seems to be swimming on my Sam. I have to pin it back for pictures otherwise it's be down to the boot (which would be mid calf). It's also really baggy around the waist. I like the hat personally, and haven't had any trouble with it. The boots are also nice, though I do feel like I might break a button if I'm not careful. The same details of the dress look really nice though.