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Post by rosieangel on Dec 29, 2009 16:48:00 GMT -5
I bought a pre-loved PM Samantha (c. 1995 by the look of her shorter though still appropriately brown lashes, like my 1995 PM Felicity) from a board member. Her hair is a bit dry and crunchy, but it has still retained its original curl, and her face-coloring is simply lovely. Unlike my other PM dolls, who tend to faceplant without the aid of doll stands, Samantha stands up on her own without any issues. And I love her decal eyes... They photograph beautifully, and I'll never have to worry about them going silver!
Though it is a pretty enough dress with its elegant pleats, I never liked Samantha's meet outfit due to the fact that it isn't flattering on her, she only wears in it on the cover of her books, and what is up with those Mary Jane shoes? Samantha consistently wears Edwardian ankle boots except at her birthday party. Grandmary would certainly disapprove.
I'll give her an A, but her Meet outfit is a B and those awful shoes are a D.
My Samantha in what I think should have been her Meet Outfit:
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Post by rosieangel on Dec 15, 2009 0:57:28 GMT -5
This is one of my favorite dresses for Samantha. It's such a smart look, and the fabric is wonderful - though not what I think of when I think of flannel. It feels more like a felted wool, perfect for crisp fall days. The contrast stitching and white buttons are very cute, and I don't have any problems with the riding up that other reviewers complained about when she wears this with her lacey whites, though the pleats tend to want to pop out under the full petticoat, which is its own problem. I give this an A based on its fabric and appearance.
Here is Samantha looking very cute and ready for... reading about cats.
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Post by rosieangel on Dec 15, 2009 0:49:15 GMT -5
This is the first dress you see Samantha wearing in Meet Samantha, so I always considered it to be much more iconic than her Meet Dress. The fabric is thick and crisp, the design is simple and clean with its starched yoke, collar, and cuffs, and the pinafore is a versatile piece that looks adorable with a variety of other dresses. I also love the thick hair ribbon that comes with it, though it is very hard to tie properly!
I'll give this dress an A for sheer cuteness.
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Post by rosieangel on Dec 15, 2009 0:39:58 GMT -5
I bought this quilt from a board member, so I do not have Sari's quilt that accompanies it. Mine has a small tag marked Pleasant Company, 1996. Kirsten's quilt is a lovely coverlet, just as it is described in the books, with simple patchwork squares that have varying designs on them.
I wish the quilt was a little bigger... I don't have her bed, so I hoped that I could wrap it around her shoulders. However, it's too small for that. Other than the size, I love it! B+ due to size.
Kirsten wrapped up in her quilt:
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Post by rosieangel on Dec 5, 2009 1:05:22 GMT -5
Revised version (plastic)
I recently bought this from a board member, and I think, aside from the cheap-looking pegs where you can actually see the mold seams (ugh), this is a very cute piece. The double rosette design is quite elegant, and the finish makes it look like an actual guitar - it doesn't look plasticky at all (except for the aforementioned pegs). I like that you can strum the strings - and tune them - albeit, not very well, but I managed to tighten them enough to make four notes. The pink ribbon is also a nice touch.
Felicity's limbs don't allow her to hold the guitar properly... I know, because I did everything in my power to get her to do it. She just looks kind of silly with it. But she liked it so much in the book that I had to get it for her.
Felicity rocking out on her guitar: <dead image links removed>
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Post by rosieangel on Dec 2, 2009 18:19:18 GMT -5
This dress is far too nice for work, I think! It has a really exquisite cut with the ruffles at the drop shoulders. The color is also quite lovely, a muted green with tiny stripes made of burgundy pinprick dots. They look like shadow stripes in the photographs, but they actually are a print!
The hair ribbons that come with this area great color! When I redo Kirsten's hair in its original looped-braid style, I'm planning on making these the default hair ribbons since they will match all of her outfits.
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Post by rosieangel on Dec 2, 2009 16:30:07 GMT -5
There are so many wonderful reviews of this dress that I don't need to add too much too them... The dress has an elasticized waist, so it fits Kirsten well, and the woven ribbon is sewn in at the back to hold it in place! Easy play at its finest!
The striped socks are very cute! I like to just leave Kirsten in them with no boots when she wears this dress. It's fun to imagine her padding around her house in her stocking feet! Matching red hair ribbons are also included for achieving a festive look.
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Post by rosieangel on Nov 30, 2009 18:40:16 GMT -5
I have the older PC set, according to others' handy side-by-side comparison pictures. It's the first of Felicity's cute little accessory items that I bought. The tea caddy is very cute and made of a dark-finished, sturdy wood, with a tiny brass detail to give the illusion of a keyhole at the front. On top of the caddy is a shapely little handle.
The cup and the plate are adorable! They have what appears to be screen-printed peaches on them and just a bit of gold trim for some shine.
I also like the Queen's Cake a lot. It looks very realistic to me, and has a nice weight to it that a lot of fake food items just don't.
The napkin is made of a thick cotton with a waffle-weave. It looks very absorbent! The spoon is... just a basic spoon, I guess. It's silver and has already tarnished. I'm not going to bother polishing it.
Felicity likes her set a lot, as you can see here!
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Post by rosieangel on Nov 30, 2009 14:13:28 GMT -5
I got my Kirsten in 1993. I do agree with the posters saying that her hair is very dry and prone to frizzing and her skin looks rather flat and colorless when compared to later versions, but I love my Kirsten just the way she is and wouldn't change anything about her for the world. I think Kirsten is the cutest of all of the historical PM American Girl dolls - Her eyes are just so friendly and inviting, just like the sweet character in the book who just wanted to love and be loved by everyone everyone around her. My one big complaint, which may have been a flaw with all of the PM dolls, since my PM Felicity has the exact same problem, is that Kirsten could never stand on her own without the help of a doll stand. She'd just double over and face-plant onto the nearest hard surface in a sad sad way. I do have doll stands, but when I see the newer Kirstens standing on their own, it makes me feel a little envious. Kirsten came with her Meet dress, which is my favorite (along with her winter outfit) due to its gorgeous blue color, white contrasting collar and cuffs, and lovely fit. The dress really brings out her eyes. I don't have a problem with the comparatively thinner fabric - in Meet Kirsten, her dress was an old hand-me-down from an older cousin, so it's only natural that the fabric is more "worn out" than her other ones. Her pantaloons are also very cute - I love their eyelet trim! The socks aren't my favorite and the brown moccasin shoes don't look anything like hers and are hideous, in my opinion, but I rectified that situation by buying her additional socks and shoes right away! *mod edit to remove dead image links in this review* And Kirsten in her birthday dress, wearing the shoes that come with her. Since I never bought the two-toned ones, these are the only ones that even remotely matched said dress. Aren't they just... sad? Throughout her books, Kirsten's few desires are usually fashion-centric - pretty dresses, a stylish hat with cherries, a new apron, etc. I know that she HATES these shoes. She doesn't complain, since Kirsten is a good girl and will make due with whateve she has, but she still hates them and dreams about nicer shoes at night. True story.
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Post by rosieangel on Nov 30, 2009 14:07:35 GMT -5
This is one of Kirsten's few dresses that I put off buying for her until the last minute because I felt ambivalent about it, to be honest. Pink dress on blonde dolly felt so cliche. But then I made up my mind that I wanted all of the dresses in her core books when it was announced that she'd be archived.
I actually ended up liking this dress a lot. I agree with the other reviewers that the dress itself is really ugly on its own, but with the apron added, it looks adorable! The fabric is airy and light, and the subtle checks, sleeve bows, and lack of growth strips make me think that this is, indeed, a special occasion party dress. I also love the apron! It's an adorable shape with sweet trimmings, and it buttons in the back all proper-like.
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Post by rosieangel on Nov 30, 2009 0:29:33 GMT -5
I have the Mattel version of the set! I'm pretty sure that it is NOT made from actual wool; the yarn is soft and smooth and has a certain "slippery" feeling that reminds me a bit of the cotton/ramie sweaters I wore as a child. It's still absolutely adorable, though. I also agree that it is quite tight on my PM Kirsten. I've been hesitant to try and close the cardigan out of fear of popping a button.
The hat fits my Kirsten just fine! I think it looks so cute on her. The mittens are also quite sweet, but, as I didn't have that handy guide to dressing her that was so kindly posted here, I couldn't quite figure out how to get them onto Kirsten's hands without making her look silly. So you get to see them on her lap.
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Post by rosieangel on Nov 30, 2009 0:14:43 GMT -5
My Kirsten nightgown is a PM one. It has tiny details that I appreciate - delicate lace at the collar, cuffs, and placket, blue quilted embroidery at the yoke, and a yarn bow with long tails! I'm not sure if the flannel, which did pill over the years is the result of it being a low-quality fabric or my loving it a little too much - I used to dress Kirsten in it every night before laying her right next to me in bed! The nightgown has held up pretty well, considering the fact that I got it in 1993!
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Post by rosieangel on Nov 29, 2009 14:32:57 GMT -5
Sari is my favorite AG "doll for your doll". She's got a sweet little face, braids like Kirsten's, calico dress and shawl that remind me of Kirsten's Meet dress, and patchwork knickers! So cute!
One of the best features about Sari is that she fits neatly into Kirsten's hand, so Kirsten can realistically carry her doll with her! She can also be tucked under the arm or just flopped into Kirsten's lap.
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Post by rosieangel on Nov 28, 2009 14:14:01 GMT -5
My housecoat, which I got with Kirsten's nightie either in 1993 or 1995, when I bought 90% of my AG items, is one of the few AG items that actually buttons instead of having pretend buttons and velcroing in the back. I really appreciate that. The coat itself is rather light, thinner than her nightie, which is kind of odd, because shouldn't a coat be heavier than the clothes you wear underneath it? But the print is very cute and the contrasting floral calico under the collar is probably my favorite detail in the whole piece. It's roomy enough to just fit over her nightgown.
Her sockor are my favorite part of the set, though! They're some sort of wool fabric, and they have a great, organic shape. When I was younger, I really liked that, unlike 99.9999% of AG footwear, these were easy to get on and off.
As far as playtime goes, this set was very important! Kirsten slept next to me in my bed wearing this set for many, many nights - it kept her nightgown from riding up, and it made her look extra cute to me!
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Post by rosieangel on Nov 28, 2009 13:58:27 GMT -5
I like this dress a lot. I have the newer pre-Mattel version, as my Kirsten was a 1993 birthday gift. The fabric is a lot stiffer than her other dresses, which I like because it becomes more wrinkle-resistant and preserves the adorable little pin-tucks in the front of the bodice. It fits her beautifully and looks quite cute with her Meet Apron!
I lost the shawl when I was little, probably because I was so frustrated with trying to tie it around her shoulders that I simply discarded it. When you're ten years old, you don't think about collectibility, unfortunately! But I do remember it being so small that it was impossible for my little hands to tie. That's a pity, because the shawl itself is cute and matches with the cranberry color of her dress beautifully!
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Post by rosieangel on Nov 28, 2009 13:51:49 GMT -5
I considered this to be one of those necessary evil items to buy, because, let's face it, Kirsten's "Meet" booties are just atrocious.
The new boots do not have eyelets, which I am told is a historic detail? They're easy to get on and off, but more importantly, Kirsten looks better in them than in those awful brown booties!
The socks are the same ones you get with Kirsten's Meet, Birthday, and Flannel Undies. I don't think they're anything special, per se, but the fun thing about them is that you can use them to share with another AG doll, which is what I use them for.
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Post by rosieangel on Nov 28, 2009 13:37:06 GMT -5
I love love LOVE this dress! The fabric is light and summery, and it looks gorgeous on Kirsten! And, as other posters have pointed out with their pictures, it features the sweetest little pearly oval buttons ever! All of Kirsten's dresses except her super-fancy birthday dress have growth strips, but they look especially cute with the vertical stripes! It's easy to get my chubby PM Kirsten in and out of.
The hat is adorable; however, it is an infernal pain in the rear to keep on her head. I have the same problem as all of you! One of my friends who also has Kirsten said that she modded the hat by sewing a clear hair elastic into the... umm... I'm not to familiar with hat terminology, but shall we call it the cap? of the hat with clear fishing wire. This mostly holds it in place.
Anyways, I really don't want to mod official items and the little cherries on the hat are just too precious to leave out of play.
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Post by rosieangel on Nov 28, 2009 2:02:49 GMT -5
I got mine off the AG site, so it's the real deal! However, I lost the kerchief a long time ago, and I hardly even remember what it was like. So you will get a review of the items that I do have for it! The blouse is made of a thick, unbleached muslin. It's quite lovely with its stand-up collar, and it has a very natural look. Like all of Kirsten's tops, I find it easy to put on. The bodice is of a checked material. It has a velcro back closure, which keeps the sewn-in front lacing looking good in the front and keeps it quick and easy to dress her in. The skirt is striped in coordinating colors and made of a thinner, softer material than the rest of her dress. I think the pieces look lovely together. This dress is also an important part of her story, and I'm glad to have it!
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Post by rosieangel on Nov 28, 2009 1:52:24 GMT -5
I have the Mattel set, which I also quickly bought upon announcement of Kirsten's archival. The top is a white flannel fabric that I feel rather ambivalent about - I like the cut of it with the sweet little keyhole front, but the fabric attracts lint from her woolens like a magnet!
The skirt, however, is lovely - a thick wool felt that holds a hooplike shape with an embroidered waistband and bias binding trim. It's really festive for the holidays - although I also have Kirsten's Santa Lucia gown, I prefer to have her in this ensemble with her "woolens" during the holiday season. The ribbons are also very pretty! They coordinate well with the skirt.
This set is fun to play with, since you can mix and match it with a variety of socks, shoes, ribbons, and other accessories. I probably spend more play time with Kirsten's winter clothes than any other.
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Post by rosieangel on Nov 28, 2009 1:20:59 GMT -5
I love the hat and slippers! The hat is made from straw, with a lovely shape, satin ties, and tiny clusters of pink flowers. I haven't had any trouble keeping it on as long as it's tied tightly! It looks both cute on her head and hanging off the back of her neck in a lazy fashion.
Her brocade shoes are a real treasure, though. They look pretty with all of her dresses except the ball gown, and the print is simply beautiful! I also think that they're easier to get on and off than her meet shoes, so I tend to keep her in these more than the others.
I don't have the best shot of the shoes, but this photo shows the hat off nicely:
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Post by rosieangel on Nov 28, 2009 1:14:18 GMT -5
This is probably my least favorite of all of Felicity's dresses. I didn't actually want it, but I received it as a gift from a relative who knew I collected Felicity so I accepted it graciously. The lace mob cap is my favorite part of the set - I use it with many of Felicity's other dresses, and for storage so her hair doesn't get mussed. The dress itself is white, and while the fabric itself is nice, I don't like the sleeves - they're too short, they bunch weirdly with the shift underneath, and the trim reminds me of more of baby doll dresses than accurate historic replicas. The eyelet trim also got a little burnt during pressing, and my iron was not that hot! How irritating. The sash has a lovely floral pattern on it, but I have yet to figure out how to tie it in a way where it doesn't look embarrassingly stupid from behind. That said, it looks quite nice from the front. It's just not one I like to put on very often. <dead tinypic image link removed>
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Post by rosieangel on Nov 28, 2009 0:49:19 GMT -5
Invitation and Fashion Doll I Felicity's doll is really cute! Her dress looks just like Felicity's ball gown, and she comes holding a bouquet of flowers! She's posable, but moving her around is a little awkward as her sleeves ride up and she's in danger of losing her small bouquet of flowers. The nice thing about her being so stiff is that it is easy for Felicity to hold her in her hand or have her sit upright in Felicity's lap, like this:
Her paint is glossy and new-looking despite her age, and her pinner cap is firmly glued onto her head.
I still have the invitation, though it got a little bent and nasty with time so I didn't photograph it. It is tied shut with a lovely red ribbon on the outside, and written in a scripted font on the inside. It really doesn't stay in Lissie's hand without bending it, though.
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Post by rosieangel on Nov 28, 2009 0:26:02 GMT -5
I have the PM version of these accessories.
The muff is adorable and oh so plush! It has lovely embroidery and satin ribbons. I love that it has elastic to make it stay on one hand, though I would have loved it to be a bit longer so Felicity could fit both of her hands inside! Either way, it is super cute.
The mitts are made of a supersoft leather with embroidering on it... so cute! They mold to her arms beautifully! I'm sad to hear that Mattel replaced them with a cheap pleather... I can see from the photos that the new ones just don't look as nice as mine do (not that I have a great shot of them to show you or anything, just Felicity in her winter ensemble with them on.
The pattens are made out of wood and metal. They're really cute looking, but they fall off her shoes ALL THE TIME. I only put them on when Felicity is steadied with a doll stand, otherwise, there's really no point in trying to play with them.
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Post by rosieangel on Nov 28, 2009 0:15:54 GMT -5
For pure aesthetic purposes, this is my favorite of Felicity's outfits. The cotton jacket with the dainty floral print contrasts beautifully against the heavy textured brocade of her skirt, which has soft side pleating to give it a lovely shape. I also love the plain mob cap. It's been my all-purpose one, since it goes with all of her dresses! Makes it so I don't have to dig around for her other caps.
My big complaint with this outfit is that the ties are slippery and glossy, and lacing the jacket closed so it doesn't gap is difficult! When I was little, I'd hand the doll off to my Dad in frustration, asking him to help me. Even as an adult, I find dressing her in this to be a bit of a project - the last time I wrestled Felicity into this outfit, it took me 35 minutes to fully dress her (yes, I'm crazy enough to time such things)!
She looks her loveliest once it's finally on properly, though... It complements her complexion and eyes just beautifully.
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Post by rosieangel on Nov 27, 2009 23:56:20 GMT -5
Mattel version
This cloak is made from a thick wool felt with a satin bow closure. I think it's quite pretty and drapes well, though the color doesn't match nicely with most of Felicity's outfits. I only have Lissie wear it with her Christmas gown.
I am disappointed that it doesn't have any lining or at least finished edges, and I do agree that it's quite overpriced for what you're getting, but mine has not frayed yet, and I've had mine for a few years now. So your mileage may vary with this one.
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Post by rosieangel on Nov 27, 2009 22:37:59 GMT -5
Maybe this is because my Lissie is a PM, but I respectfully disagree with you all and think she looks just lovely in her Christmas Dress! The color really brings out the red of her hair, I think. I also love the little details on her stomachers, her pinner cap, and her pretty necklace. Switching out the stomachers adds to the overall play value of this gown... they're so much fun! Another detail I like that is sadly lacking in many of her newer dresses is the long length of the gown.
What I don't like are the ridiculously tight sleeves that require me to fiddle with her shift everytime I dress her in it, and the way the bobby pins on the cap continually snag Felicity's hair... Lately, I've taken to using the lace cap that comes with her summer dress instead of the pinner cap for the sake of preserving the quality of her hair.
Closeup of alternate stomacher: >broken links removed<
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Post by rosieangel on Nov 27, 2009 22:06:15 GMT -5
I got my PM Felicity doll in 1995, and she is just lovely. At first, I wasn't quite sold on her decal eyes, but they grew on me as I played with her. I adore Felicity's Rose Garden Meet dress - the fabric on it is pretty and lightweight, and the graduated frills on the sleeves are much more elegant than the flatter sleeves of her other dresses, in my opinion.
Her hair held up much better to play than my other AG - aside from a few split ends, which are inevitable, it's still glossy and like new! She could never stand up straight without a doll stand, though, so I just keep one around for her.
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