School Accessories (School Bag & Supplies)
Sept 28, 2019 16:36:06 GMT -5
Post by chernayakoshka on Sept 28, 2019 16:36:06 GMT -5
I didn’t have Molly as a kid, but I still asked for this bag for Christmas (and got it!) for my modern doll. I liked it that much and still feel that, like many of Molly’s school stuff, it’s a pretty timeless accessory. Mine would be from the early 2000s.
Bag – B+
The red canvas bag is huge, plenty big enough to carry all of Molly’s school supplies (and probably then some!). The faux leather strap is long enough to either loop over Molly’s shoulder or even over her head for easy carrying. I’m especially impressed that the buckles are actual, working buckles and Mattel didn’t cheap out by using Velcro. Molly’s name is clearly visible across the front, lest any of the other dolls get jealous and try to steal her awesome schoolbag!
Yet, it only gets a B+ for me because the faux leather did not hold up well over the years. I was on the older end of the target audience when I got this in my youth – around 12 years old – so I played with it very gently. As an adult, it’s been used as a display piece with very little use of the buckles. As you can see in the picture, the faux leather has flaked away from the areas around the buckles. I’m pretty disappointed in this because it’s otherwise a fantastic piece, but this flaking is very obvious and looks terrible.
Report Card
I love little touches like this. One side of Molly’s report card gives us her grades while the other provides her basic class information. Even though I didn’t use this for Molly as a kid, I still appreciated this look into her school life – what’s she’s good at, and what she can improve. I like it even more as an adult collector with a Molly. It’s printed on thick cardstock and gives the appearance of being handwritten.
Flashcards – A
These are pretty standard flashcards. I had similar ones in my school days. Obviously, I never separated mine, but they’re printed front and back and are made of thick cardstock. There’s nothing particularly special about them, but they’re a good replica of the real thing.
Gaining Skill with Words – A+
I’ve always adored AG’s schoolbooks for being tiny replicas of, I assume, books actually used during the time period. This one is no exception! Its well made with a sturdy cover and thick pages. The pages are in full colour and include actual assignments and examples of what’s being taught. These are the details that set AG apart from other companies to me.
Binder, Pencil Case, Pencils, and Eraser – A+
This was my favourite part of the set when I was a kid. At the age I was when I got this, my school lists were starting to regularly feature binders and pencil bags as required supplies, so I enjoyed having a doll set that also had these things. The binder is solidly made with replica lined notebook paper and three metal rings to keep everything in place. The pencil bag is a blue, sturdy fabric with a white zipper and holes to keep it in the binder. Obviously, I never took my eraser and pencils out of their little plastic bags, but I like what I’ve experienced of them. They look like mini versions of the real things, and that’s all that really matters to me. I don’t know if the pencils really write or not, nor if the eraser really erases. My best friend in elementary school had this set and used it frequently, and hers did write and erase, but she had an earlier version. Either way, I’ m not looking to use these and am happy with them as they are.
The bag may have its problems as far as longevity is concerned, but I’m pleased with this set overall. It worked well as a modern school set when I was younger and now serves in its intended roll as Molly’s schoolbag and supplies. I can confirm that it has a lot of play value for kids (my old BFF and I used it every time we played school with the dolls) and good display value for collectors. A very solid A once the wear on the leather straps is considered.
Bag – B+
The red canvas bag is huge, plenty big enough to carry all of Molly’s school supplies (and probably then some!). The faux leather strap is long enough to either loop over Molly’s shoulder or even over her head for easy carrying. I’m especially impressed that the buckles are actual, working buckles and Mattel didn’t cheap out by using Velcro. Molly’s name is clearly visible across the front, lest any of the other dolls get jealous and try to steal her awesome schoolbag!
Yet, it only gets a B+ for me because the faux leather did not hold up well over the years. I was on the older end of the target audience when I got this in my youth – around 12 years old – so I played with it very gently. As an adult, it’s been used as a display piece with very little use of the buckles. As you can see in the picture, the faux leather has flaked away from the areas around the buckles. I’m pretty disappointed in this because it’s otherwise a fantastic piece, but this flaking is very obvious and looks terrible.
Report Card
I love little touches like this. One side of Molly’s report card gives us her grades while the other provides her basic class information. Even though I didn’t use this for Molly as a kid, I still appreciated this look into her school life – what’s she’s good at, and what she can improve. I like it even more as an adult collector with a Molly. It’s printed on thick cardstock and gives the appearance of being handwritten.
Flashcards – A
These are pretty standard flashcards. I had similar ones in my school days. Obviously, I never separated mine, but they’re printed front and back and are made of thick cardstock. There’s nothing particularly special about them, but they’re a good replica of the real thing.
Gaining Skill with Words – A+
I’ve always adored AG’s schoolbooks for being tiny replicas of, I assume, books actually used during the time period. This one is no exception! Its well made with a sturdy cover and thick pages. The pages are in full colour and include actual assignments and examples of what’s being taught. These are the details that set AG apart from other companies to me.
Binder, Pencil Case, Pencils, and Eraser – A+
This was my favourite part of the set when I was a kid. At the age I was when I got this, my school lists were starting to regularly feature binders and pencil bags as required supplies, so I enjoyed having a doll set that also had these things. The binder is solidly made with replica lined notebook paper and three metal rings to keep everything in place. The pencil bag is a blue, sturdy fabric with a white zipper and holes to keep it in the binder. Obviously, I never took my eraser and pencils out of their little plastic bags, but I like what I’ve experienced of them. They look like mini versions of the real things, and that’s all that really matters to me. I don’t know if the pencils really write or not, nor if the eraser really erases. My best friend in elementary school had this set and used it frequently, and hers did write and erase, but she had an earlier version. Either way, I’ m not looking to use these and am happy with them as they are.
The bag may have its problems as far as longevity is concerned, but I’m pleased with this set overall. It worked well as a modern school set when I was younger and now serves in its intended roll as Molly’s schoolbag and supplies. I can confirm that it has a lot of play value for kids (my old BFF and I used it every time we played school with the dolls) and good display value for collectors. A very solid A once the wear on the leather straps is considered.