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Post by ada on Feb 25, 2009 13:42:02 GMT -5
Here are the jeans on Katya. I think they look a bit funny on her. I also would prefer straight-leg/skinny to bootcut, but I guess it's because these jeans were introduced a few years ago. They are much bettter than the jeans of the Blue Jean Basics outfit, though. When I got mine today (I got them from a board member) and put them on Katya, though, I was confused. I thought at first I had received the capris, but then i realized that they definitely did not resemble the capris. Anyway, compare them on my girl to them on Keri's Bea: Either my girl is abnormally long-legged, or the jeans I got were abnormally short. They look OK with high tops, as shown above, but I am not going to pair them with any low-top shoes.
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Post by ada on Feb 20, 2009 15:11:52 GMT -5
Ever since I saw the ski vest, I knew it was something I had to have. It is a really beautiful and deep rich red, with some kind of swirly pattern and peachish buttons. It has a fur-trimmed hood. I would wear it, which is a tall order for AG clothes. It's incredibly detailed and well-designed. A+, probably my favorite AG item ever. I probably wouldn't wear the sweater, but it will add some nice variety for my girl's wardrobe. A. I has some nice embroidery detail. The mittens are adorable, although I could have done without the AG logo on them. I guess it was inevitable, though, since there is no AG logo anywhere else on the outfit. A-. The ski pants are fine for being... ski pants. There is some detail on the bottom which matches the swirly designs the vest. This wouldn't be a good mix and match piece, but that's OK, I guess, since AG hasn't made a ski parka in a long time. A-. I'm not sure if I'm going to keep these, since my girl doesn't ski or snowboard at the moment. Maybe I'll hold onto them, though, just because the whole effect of the outfit is really cute. The sock/slipper things... I just can't figure out. Are they indoor shoes? Are they outdoor shoes? As a city girl, I would never ever ever wear these outside in winter. I am picturing my feet soaked with disgusting street slush. Gross. I guess I will use them as slippers for really cold nights. B- because I can't figure out their purpose. Overall, I do wish that they had done a jacket instead of a vest, and boots instead of slippers. I know that you can get the plastic ski boots from Nicki's Ski Gear, but it would have really increased the versatility. And to me, a vest is not sufficient for winter wear. I wear a vest UNDER my winter jacket or in the fall/spring. If you're wearing snowpants and mittens, you should probably have a real coat. And the slipper things are just kind of dumb to me, but I'm not a skiier so I don't really know what skiiers would really wear. Maybe it's an apres ski thing. I give the whole an A- though, despite these logic issues, because it's so cute.
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Post by ada on Feb 20, 2009 14:21:47 GMT -5
I don't have the backpack, but I got the laptop today and there was no review for it, so I figured, why not Here is the description: (taken from the Playthings page) Backpack & Laptop Your American Girl’s roomy blue backpack holds all her homework, plus her berry-colored laptop and two pretend discs. Her laptop keeps you connected, too—it holds 50 names and phone numbers and displays the date and time. It even has a built-in calculator so you can help your American Girl check her math homework! My thoughts on the laptop: I wanted Lindsey's laptop, because that one has a nicer color scheme, but it fetches much higher prices on ebay due to it being for a LE doll. This one has a less-pleasing color scheme, IMO, but it can be found for cheaper. The backpack in the set it ugly, which is why I didn't try to buy them together. I have Lindsey's bag instead. This laptop is exactly the same as Lindsey's, except for the colors. Lindsey's is clear plastic and light blue, and this one is white plastic and a raspberry color. These laptops are the most realistic computers AG has made for dolls. Yes, the original Mini Macintosh was a tiny reproduction of a Macintosh of the day, BUT the scale was so off on it that it was hard to make it seem believeable that even the most nimble of dolly typists could actually use that thing. These have a realistic scale, and are less toy-looking than the desktop that followed. The keys actually work, unlike the Mini Macintosh ones. The computer has address book and clock functions. I, personally, will not be using these. Since it's not backlt and doesn't have an alarm, the clock is pretty useless apart from the novelty of having a doll laptop clock. And I have no use for a doll laptop address book, although young children may find it cool. I would prefer they did something like the Field Trip report on the Mini Macintosh, rather than try to make it functional for humans, since the end result was pretty weak. It's OK in the looks department though--it's reminiscent of the ibooks which were popular in the early part of the decade. I think a computer is a pretty neccessary prop for a modern doll, though, and this computer is the best option currently going, I think. If AG releases another laptop, I'll probably sell this one and get that instead. Right now I'm pretty satisfied, though. I give it a B+ overall.
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Post by ada on Feb 20, 2009 12:54:33 GMT -5
I just got this piece today. I bought mine from a board member for 175$ including shipping, but on ebay most of the ones I've watched have gone for 200$, not including shipping.
Would it be worth 200$+ shipping? You get a bed, a desk, and a storage system. Looking at the designerdiana's calculations, you get a deal--plus factor in that you don't get a nightstand, you get a DESK, which is even more expensive.
I think that this makes a great bedroom for a modern girl. I love that it looks kind of like something you'd find at IKEA, which was perfect for my character. Another cool thing about it is that you can decorate the way you would if you had a dedicated bedroom space for your doll, without actually having to put posters on your wall or attach a shelf to your wall. It works great for small spaces, because you can quickly move the whole setup to a more convenient spot, and it keeps all the doll action confined to a very small space. I was pleasantly surprised to see how much the drawers held, and although I would have liked a rack to hang clothes, the shelves in the closet also hold more than I thought they would. At the moment, all of my doll's stuff that she is not wearing is in this thing--granted, my collection is quite small. The ledges and shelves provide ample space for toys/book/etc. that your doll might have.
Notice a doll. This is a piece that will really only work for a single doll's room. If you have a lot of dolls and you want them all to have beds and such, you may be better off purchasing, say, a bunk bed, a table and chairs, and a trunk. For a small collection though, this is fabulous and worth even the secondary market prices. As someone said above, though, I don't really understand why they didn't utilize the space next to the drawers to add two more. And again, I wish there was more space to hang stuff. Overall though, this is the absolute best solution for storage and display of my personal collection, and I would give it an A+. Whether it work as well for someone else depends on what they have and what they want from their doll furniture.
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Post by ada on Feb 18, 2009 2:42:07 GMT -5
I got this outfit because I think the top looks great on #25. As a whole, I think the outfit is a bit more sophisticated/high fashion than most other JLY outfits. It is a bit too preppy for me overall, but I really just wanted the shirt and that's the piece I'm keeping. I did not get the sunglasses or hair ribbon with mine, although I think the sunglasses are really cute and I wish I had them! The shirt and its appropriateness for #25 is the whole reason I even thought about getting this outfit. It's a long-sleeved, navy and white cotton stripey top. I wish that it was black and white striped instead of navy and white, but that's just my personal color preference. It ties at the collar in the front, which is a cute touch. As shown in Keri's photos above, it's a great mix-and-match piece which can be worn as a casual piece, or dressed up a little bit for a slightly more formal event, like dinner at the country club or the boat race at the yacht club. (Sorry, but with the pants, that is where my mind goes. Probably why I don't like them very much.) For versatility and adorability, I give the shirt an A+. It adds that dimension to your doll's wardrobe without having to go truly prepped out and getting her a polo shirt. The pants, I'm sorry to say, leave me cold. Probably because this outfit is exactly the kind of thing my my mom would have loved for me to have worn when I was a preteen. They're cute, don't get me wrong. And they look great on my doll. But I couldn't help projecting when they were on my doll, and I felt like that I really should just take the review photo and then take them off immediately. Those of you who were never forced into tennis and golf camp with snobby kids in South Florida may not have as visceral a reaction as I did. Back to the review. They're made out of white khaki material, just like you'd expect a human-sized pair of pants like these to be. Your doll will probably have to go sans underwear, since otherwise they probably show through. They are laced at the bottom, which, as mentioned above, does limit their mix-and-match potential but does add some cuteness. They are widelegged, to really bring the nauticality. The belt is OK; it adds some color to the outfit and ties the ribbon and sunglasses to pants and shirt, since the belt is navy and red. There are two real pockets in front, and while the fly is velcro, it actually has a button which snaps. These are really high quality doll pants, like shruken people pants instead of doll pants, if you ignore the velcro. B+, because I can't really think of another outfit I could use it for due to the fact that they're so specifically nautical. If someone can find another top to go with it, I'd love to see it. I also have to subtract some points because they make me queasy. Espadrilles is a word I learned from reading The Ultimate Preppy Handbook. These are white with red piping and laces. I didn't have quite as strong a reaction to these as I did the pants, but they're really just not my doll's style. And I tried them with a skirt and I thought they looked kind of funny. I think these have to be worn with pants exclusively. I didn't find them to be too big for my doll. Maybe they would look OK with a bathing suit if you can find a red-and-white one, but I don't have one. B, because again, I can really only see a doll wearing them with this specific outfit. Overall, I'd say B+. The top is awesome, but the pants and espadrilles have limited mix and match potential. And when I look at the doll in the outfit, I'm trying to convince myself, "OK, she's just in a 1970s Soviet beach comedy!" and not "She is having lunch with her grandma at the Palm Beach Bath & Tennis Club." If I can convince myself of the former, I'll probably keep the whole thing, but if not, I will have to keep only the top, due to the latter. Now for pictures. The full effect. You can see what I mean about the shoes with a skirt here. It's just not working for me. (The skirt is from Mia's 2-in-1 outfit.) With the shoes from the Star Hoodie Outfit. A vast improvement.
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Post by ada on Feb 17, 2009 13:39:51 GMT -5
Here is a picture of the Meet Outfit on #25. I think the coloring does more for her than it does for Mia. Sorry about the bad lighting. I don't have Mia, so I'm only going to review the outfit. First, we have a berry-colored sweater. I am neutral about the sweater's embellishments. For me, they kind of work for the girl I bought it for, because she's Russian and needs good wintry stuff. When I was putting this on, I ended up feeling very stupid because I forgot about the thumbholes and the sleeves were really hard to get on. Then I had a "Duh" moment. The sweater sleeves, I'm happy to report, look okay if you don't use the thumbholes if that's not your style. I actually quite like the sweater, snowlake iron-on transfer and all. Think of it this way: iron-on snowflake instead of sewn-on or embroidered snowflake gives you the choice! A. Next up, the skirt. VERY DIFFICULT TO GET ON. This especially concerns me because she wears it with tights, which snag easily. The other negative about the skirt? When it's worn in a way that doesn't make your doll look stumpy, the hem of the sweater covers up the sequins and blue threaded design on the waistband, so then it just looks like a plain gray sweatskirt. It'd probably be really cute over one of the plain leotards, because then you could actually see the design. I know a lot of people are not big fans of the skirt's style, but I am a miniskirt person and I really like it. A for looks, C+ for the fact that it is so hard to get on and that so many shirts would hide the waistband. The tights are your basic AG tights. Light Pink. I like them. A+The shoes ARE ADORABLE. I actually bought them separately first as a replacement part, and then bought the rest of the outfit later. In my opinion, the cutest shoes AG has ever made! I love the color, both of the canvas and of the laces, and I like the fact that the laces are elastic. A+I think the best part of the set is that the pieces are so mix and matchable. I have strong opinions about meet outfits and mix-and-matchability; that is, I think that the Meet Outfit should provide you with foundation pieces. Mia's Meet Outfit goes ESPECIALLY well with the pieces (besides the jersey) from her 2-in-1 outfit. In fact, my 2-in-1 outfit would feel incomplete without Mia's pink tights and turquoise sneakers. Overall, I really like this set and would recommend snatching it up if you find it at a not-too-exorbinant price, especially if you already have the 2-in-1 outfit because it extends the wearibility of those pieces by a lot. But, AG, you really should have put more freaking elastic in the skirt. So, sadly, B+.
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Post by ada on Feb 15, 2009 18:21:02 GMT -5
I have this and I think it's super adorable. I had the same computer growing up. I agree with the disproportionate thing. Look at the size of the keys and the mouse, and then look at your hands. I never noticed it when I was little, though. I think the report screen it comes with is a lot better than the clock/address book thing they've done with the doll computers they've made since then, and a lot more realisitic. I hope they will go in this direction with the next doll computer. I give it a A+ for cuteness, realism, playability, and nostalgia... but must subtract a letter grade for the scaling. A funny story... I'm rounding up the AGoT accessories that I'm not planning on using anymore and giving them to my 9-year-old sister... when I was talking to her on the phone I asked her if she wanted this computer, and she told me she already had it. And I had to say, "No you don't, it's four years older than you are" and felt very old. I think she will be amazed at what computers used to look like.
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Post by ada on Feb 15, 2009 12:18:45 GMT -5
I just got her, and I adore her! She is, like others mentioned above, a very pretty and sophisticated-looking doll. Her wig is prone to flyaways, though, and her hair texture itself would be described best as "fine." Also worth noting is that mine came with short hairs in the back, which older #25s don't have. A+
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Post by ada on Feb 15, 2009 11:56:38 GMT -5
I received my set in a trade. Would I have paid 28$ for it? No, but I'm glad I have it now, as an iPod and skates are two things I really wanted my doll to have. If you have a Mia, of course figure skates are an essential for her.
First, the skates are basic white figure skates. The toe pick is a nice touch for doll skates. I like the blade guards a lot, because I have an unnatural attraction to anything glittery. I have always had a fascination with blade guards for some reason, and I always wanted skates so I could get hot pink sparkly blade guards. But ice blue is nice too. This part gets an A+ because it accomplishes absolutely everything that you would want a doll ice skate and blade guard set to do.
Next, the skate bag. I like the colors; the berryish purple and indigo look nice together. It probably could have done with some embellishment; perhaps a screenprint of a skater or something. So A-.
The iPod. Man, this is kind of tough. I really, really, really wanted an iPod for my doll. But if I had my druthers, it would not have had an ugly flower print thing on it. And while I do have pink cases for my iPods, I kind of rather would have had my doll iPod be a different color. And the song it plays? I would not have named it "Dance Party Mix." To me, it sounds like carnival music or something. It's nice, though, that you can turn it on and off and you don't have to wait for it to stop itself if you turn it on accidentally. B- in execution. But the idea of having an iPod is so vital for me that I give the concept an A+.
I think the headphones fit my doll's head just fine, although I think the cord is kind of strange. First of all, it's thicker than my person-sized headphone cords. In comparison with the doll, I think the cord would be equivalent to, say, the kind of cord you would use to hook up a guitar to an amp. Because of the thickness, it doesn't really fall naturally, the way a regular cord would. You can see it in the picture in one of the reviews above; it's very stiff. B
The armband is just an elastic band and you hook the iPod onto the strap. I found that it's easiest to get the armband on the doll's arm first, then attach the iPod. I have the armband on over the sleeve from the Star Hoodie Outfit and it fits OK, although I don't know how it would fit over something thicker. B+
It also comes with a dock, which I don't have much to say about. It's a nice touch, and will probably help you to not lose the iPod, since the iPod is pretty tiny. This way, you can stand it up on a piece of doll furniture when your doll is not wearing it, which I think is nice. And since it plays a song, you can stand the iPod up and turn it on so your girls can have a DANCE PARTY. A-
Overall: B+. In short? If you can find it for a good price--I probably wouldn't pay retail for it, and definitely not inflated retired prices--go for it, especially if you feel than an iPod or skates are important for your doll to have. I would surmise that AG will release another iPod some day, though, and it may be less pink n' flowers than this one is.
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Post by ada on Feb 5, 2009 23:22:37 GMT -5
I think that what makes a good Meet Outfit for a JLY is versatility. For those who are just starting out, it's the first outfit they get. Many of the other JLY meet outfits had pieces that could be added to other outfits. If they had just made the hoodie and long-sleeve tshirt into a hoodie and an actual LS tshirt instead of fake layering, it would really increase the versatility.
While it's very "now," and the shoes and leggings can be used with other outfits, the star hoodie thing has little mix and match potential, IMO. It's too short to be worn over tights, and too tight to be worn over jeans without looking too bulky. The shoes, at least, are cute. I think the leggings would also be cute with higher boots for a winter look. I agree with Leila; I don't think it'd really be worth 26$ on its own.
B
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Post by ada on Jan 30, 2009 8:32:17 GMT -5
This piece seems more suitable for an office than a child's bedroom. B for being kind of ugly. It seems to hold up pretty well though.
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Post by ada on Jan 30, 2009 8:29:26 GMT -5
I agree that there isn't as much storage for doll stuff as you'd expect, since the drawers don't fit much, especially for the price. But I have to say that I think this piece was the one that got the most bang for the buck over the years. Obviously it's useful for playing school, and mine has a handle on top, which I don't see in the OP's pictures, which makes it more portable, albeit less realistic.
Another issue is that unlike Julie's lockers, which come in a set, there's only one, so you'd need buy more than one to make a more realistic scene, but the price prohibits that.
I mainly like this piece because it has use beyond being just doll's furniture. I used it after I stopped playing with my AGs for years because of its locking capability. So it I used to store my secret diaries and etc. It's cute enough to also work in a preteen or teenager's bedroom.
If you just want it as doll storage, there's better pieces out there. But if you find it for a good price, I recommend it.
B as doll furniture, but A- overall.
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Post by ada on Jan 30, 2009 8:16:58 GMT -5
I bought this mainly for the denim miniskirt. My winter wardrobe centers around denim miniskirts in all colors, so of course my dolls had to have one.
I give the skirt an A, although I agree with Leila that it might be a bit mature for younger dolls. For a doll who is in 6th grade, I think it is fine. This skirt fits my 1995 #3 (the doll who I bought this for hasn't arrived yet) just fine, which is good news for those of us with PM dolls. I was pleased to see that you couldn't tell that the waistband was elastic.
The sweater and mittens are adorable and I love the colors. Another A. However, it is a little tight on my PM doll. I didn't have any trouble attachting the loops to the buttons.
I also got the legwarmers on just fine. A. My mom believes that you can't have the doll wear the legwarmers with the sweater, only with the hockey stuff, but I disagree and think they look very cute. Legwarmers are very trendy now, so I think they are a great addition to the wardrobe and can be worn with other skirt/tight outfits.
The hat gets an A-. I like the way it looks, but I am terrified of it pilling.
Now for the negative: I have two gripes with the outfit. One is that I have no use for the hockey stuff, since I don't have Mia and I don't plan on having any of my girls play hockey. I wish that they had been two separate sets, because now I have this stuff I'm trying to get rid of. I love the casual outfit, and think it includes great mix-and-match pieces, but I wish I had been able to buy it on its own.
I'm not going to grade the hockey stuff, because I haven't used it at all and I don't want it. The hockey puck seems like it would get lost very easily, though.
I also wish that the outift had come with tights, because I haven't located any of my tights yet and right now my doll's legs look, well, naked.
So I give the set a B overall, but an A for the casual outfit part of the set.
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Post by ada on Jan 28, 2009 2:10:02 GMT -5
I just got the 2-in-1 outfit from ebay, and am having difficulty getting the hat to not look dumb. Does anybody have any advice on how to get Mia's pink hat to not look stupid? Pics, please, if you've got em! Thanks!
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Post by ada on Oct 14, 2008 22:57:10 GMT -5
I would give it a B+ because while the chair and beach bag are nice, I don't like the water bottle or snack bar. I would prefer a plastic snackbar to the cardboard box they give, and the bottle doesn't open.
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