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Post by bingandnelsonfan on Feb 27, 2023 8:26:02 GMT -5
Released February 2023.Isabel marks her side of the room with her accessories that reflect her personality and favorite trends.
Includes: Pretend butterfly string lights—a Christmas gift from Nicki—that can attach to Isabel’s bedframe. A cat poster, a mini version of the American Girl magazine from 1999, a pink journal with a printed graphic on the front, and a pink pom-pom pen. A plush daisy-shaped pillow with an embroidered center and a plush pink backrest pillow. A miniature pretend Tamagotchi®, a handheld digital pet toy. Includes a chain so the doll can hold it and a lenticular display screen that changes when viewed at different angles.Isabel's Bedroom Accessories Price: $50.00 SKU#: HNR83 The Columbus AG store had most items displayed in cubes, so we couldn't touch anything but the big-ticket item pieces. This is a visual review, based on our having handled most previous American Girl pieces.  The pink “lounge pillow” is a huge plush version of the smaller ones that you see in the big-box stores. Personally, we have quite a few of these (non-AG brands), and they’re absolutely wonderful for keeping the dolls sitting without falling backwards. The smaller plush throw pillow should have been part of the bed set, like the four that Nicki got, but it does match the bedding nicely. The mini AG Magazine and paper wall poster are just what they look like. The diary comes with a removable pom-pom pen, and it’s where you find out that the Hoffman twins rented their movies from Blockbuster. The hanging string of butterfly lights was designed to hang from the bedposts, but it’s way too long. The store display people put it on the footboard, where it dangled on the floor. If you put it on the headboard, you probably couldn’t use any pillows (if it didn’t even touch your doll’s head). Looked to me like it could easily be cut down to a good length. You’re probably buying this set for the ’90s Tamagotchi, anyway (smile). It’s non-operating, with a lenticular/holographic image on the front, that’s much nicer in person than photos. It looked like a little better quality than a lot of AG’s plastic pieces. Sis and I didn’t have them as kids, but the one in the set looked pretty cute to us.     
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Post by bingandnelsonfan on Feb 27, 2023 8:23:08 GMT -5
Released February 2023.When Nicki’s twin, Isabel, redecorates their entire room in pink, Nicki uses tape to mark her side of the room off-limits. Isabel later surprises Nicki with a bedroom redesign that suits her style—including this bedding set with no pink in sight!
Includes: A white-painted wooden bedframe with a purple tufted mattress; A zebra-print pillow and a reversible comforter with a zebra print on one side and a purple leopard print on the other; A yellow smiley-face faux-fur pillow, a green alien faux-fur pillow, and a square zebra-print throw pillow.
Weight: 3.4 lbs Dimensions: W: 11.25" x L: 21.25" x H: 9.5"Nicki's Bed and Animal Print Bedding Price: $150.00 SKU#: HNR82 The Columbus AG store had most items displayed in cubes, so we couldn't touch anything but the big-ticket item pieces. This is a visual review, based on our having handled most previous American Girl pieces.   Similar to Claudie’s bed in construction (MDF composition pressed-wood and short legs), the beds for both Nicki and Isabel are identical. (It’s the same bed with different bedding.) They look really nice as a pair with a timeless feel (pretty basic and nothing that screams ’90s). They’re probably going to be popular with the younger playing crowd. If you're pairing the two beds with the Computer Desk set, the three sets do match each other nicely in a whole-room setting. You’d be looking at $445 (plus tax/shipping) for the trio, which isn’t too bad in today’s world for the amount of AG stuff you get here. BEDDING The bedding is a woven fabric, probably a poly/cotton blend, comparable to other recent bed sets. It comes with one zebra bed pillow, one zebra throw pillow, and two plush throw pillows (four pillows). 
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Post by bingandnelsonfan on Feb 27, 2023 8:22:28 GMT -5
Released February 2023.Isabel loves pink, and there’s PLENTY of it in her side of the bedroom that she shares with Nicki. Isabel is determined to have her side of the bedroom reflect her new personal style. She even surprises Nicki with a bedroom redesign that incorporates their two styles!
Includes: A white-painted wooden bedframe with a pink tufted mattress; A pink gingham pillow and a reversible comforter with a pink gingham print on one side and a multicolored daisy-and-butterfly print on the other; A doll-sized version of the Miss AG Bear, a popular American Girl® plush teddy bear from the 1990s. The cuddly plush bear features embroidered eyes, nose, and mouth, and comes dressed in a blue nightgown with embroidered buttons.
Weight: 3.4 lbs Dimensions: W: 11.25" x L: 21.25" x H: 9.5"Isabel's Bed and Floral Dreams Bedroom Set Price: $150.00 SKU#: HNR81 The Columbus AG store had most items displayed in cubes, so we couldn't touch anything but the big-ticket item pieces. This is a visual review, based on our having handled most previous American Girl pieces. Similar to Claudie’s bed in construction (MDF composition pressed-wood and short legs), the beds for both Nicki and Isabel are identical. (It’s the same bed with different bedding.) They look really nice as a pair with a timeless feel (pretty basic and nothing that screams ’90s). They’re probably going to be popular with the younger playing crowd. If you're pairing the two beds with the Computer Desk set, the three sets do match each other nicely in a whole-room setting. You’d be looking at $445 (plus tax/shipping) for the trio, which isn’t too bad in today’s world for the amount of AG stuff you get here. BEDDING The bedding is a woven fabric, probably a poly/cotton blend, comparable to other recent bed sets. It comes with one bed pillow and a replica of the AGOT mini Miss AG Bear in her nightshirt.
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Post by bingandnelsonfan on Feb 27, 2023 8:17:14 GMT -5
Released February 2023.Isabel and Nicki each get 30 minutes of Internet time each day. Isabel likes to play games and chat with her friend Kat, while Nicki likes to browse fan sites for her favorite bands and pro skateboarders. Both twins enjoy playing games and learning more about their favorite characters on the American Girl® website.
Premium features: A white wooden desk with CD towers and space for the computer, plus a desk chair that Isabel or Nicki can sit on. A ’90s-style computer with four screens to alternate that can play sounds with the press of a button. It also illuminates! Plus, it includes pretend CD and floppy disk drives, an attached keyboard, a mouse that makes a clicking sound, and a mouse pad.
Includes: Two sticker sheets that match each twin’s personality and can be used to decorate individual sides of the desk—there are even glow-in-the-dark stickers that really work! Two floppy disks that can be inserted into the pretend floppy drive of the CPU, two pretend CDs that can be inserted into the pretend CD drive of CPU, and two CD cases. A cordless phone that Isabel and Nicki can share, and a phone base station. An alien-head-shaped mug, a marker Isabel and Nicki can hold, and a picture frame with a printed photo of the twins. A fabric rug with a yin-yang pattern—a gift from Mom and Dad for Christmas to represent balance between the twins.
Desk Weight: 3 lbs Dimensions: Desk: W: 12.6" x H: 9" x D: 7.75" Chair: W: 4.75" x H: 8" x D: 4.75" Computer: W: 5” x H: 6.5” x D: 7.5”Isabel and Nicki's Computer and Desk Set Price: $145.00 SKU#: HNR85 The Columbus AG store had most of the new items displayed in cubes, so we couldn’t touch anything except the dolls posed on the big-ticket item. This is a visual review, based on our having handled most previous American Girl pieces. Short of recommending that you find one of the original 1990s PC or AG computers/desks (the used ones aren’t very expensive, and it’s a much nicer-looking set for display), this seems like something that will appeal to a lot of parents looking for a play item for kids. The computer makes a couple of noises, so it should appeal to little kids, in particular. The vibes this set’s giving off to me are kinda like ’90s meets modern and should work just as well with modern displays.   The chair, with its plastic body and metal legs, looks just like an old school chair, and the doll will probably be able to perch on the edge (like they do on the old Mac computer chair) with a non-slip something under it. The yellow color’s a bit wacky for me, but hey . . . someone else will probably love it! The clickable wired mouse is fine with its AGOT-logo mouse pad, but the papers and stickers don’t add much value to the set. The plastic phone is very cheap-looking, and the little CD towers look the part without adding much weight to the tabletop.   The one-piece computer somewhat resembles the old Vaio computers that were around in the ’90s, and it comes with two replicas each of a CD and a 3-1/2 floppy disk. It stands 5″ tall, makes a couple of noises when you do things on it, and the two pieces do not separate. While AG tells you that there are four interchangeable “screens” (printed mylar slides), they don’t show you what they are, on either their website or at the store. It’ll just have to be a nice surprise for you when you open the box! The round yin-yang rug is, well, it’s a round piece of yin-yang fabric that doesn’t fit under the desk or between the beds. But it might look cool to someone else and does add to the Includes list on a pricey set. The desk is made of the same MDF (pressed wood pulp) that AG has used for years now on their beds. The bright white color seems a bit cheesy looking, but that’s sorta becoming an AG standard these days and matches the beds. If you don’t have or can’t get one of the older ones that AG made in the ’90s, or just like all the kitsch that comes with this set, this seems like a good stand-in. Especially if you wait for a good sale . . . There are two small raised pieces on the back edges of the desk top. These hold the CD/Floppy storage towers in place. The computer itself is one piece.  THINGS TO THINK ABOUT We all agreed that the whole desk set-up has a LOT of in-person appeal, but I’m glad we didn’t pick it up yesterday on impulse. At the store, we all felt that the table was way too large to sit next to or between the beds, and the price is a bit much for us, so we decided to wait until it went on sale. The table is nearly 8″ deep, and the beds are only a smidge over 21″. That means that more than a third of the bed is blocked off, kinda like sleeping in a walled-off cove. The Columbus store never displayed the desk between the beds. Even AG doesn’t display them like that in their online stock photos. In the store’s bedroom cube, the display person had made the cutest little nightstand out of foam core. But we’ll cover that with the review of the Beds in a following entry. So, if you don’t mind the size of this desk, at a total of $445 for two beds plus this set, you’ve got a really cute bedroom for two of your little girl’s dolls. If you’re going to use it without the beds and have the space, it’ll make a nice little computer-desk display for you. I’m not sure about sitting a second doll at the back, because it does have a short support piece running side-to-side. Here’s a comparison of size, for those of you who have the old 1990s PC Mac set. Old Set: 9-7/8W x 7-1/2D x 8-1/2H New Set: 12-5/8W x 7-3/4D x 9H One more thought for you before we leave the desk set behind, but please remember that we are adult collectors and this is just our opinion. We stared at this for a long time in the store, and three of us have discussed little else since last night. I really wanted a PC (we have the Mac) for Bunty & Eliot, so I really wanted this to work. But I’m going to tell you why we won’t be buying this set. (Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy it. I’m just giving you three adults’ opinions here.) The overall feel for us was one of Barbie meets American Girl. The plastic is very thin (think Dollar Tree) on everything but the computer and reminds us of some Mattel playsets. Little kids will be used to this quality and will probably be really happy with it, though! The one-piece computer has us stumped. After hours of discussion, we can’t get away from the fact that it has a 3-5 year old Little Tikes feel about it. It’s round and puffy and made of this cheap-looking grey plastic that looks like a small child’s toy. It does make noise, and you get to insert/eject the CDs and discs, so little kids will probably be really happy with it (as long as it works, anyway). The desk is kinda cheap-looking to us, even if it is a heavy MDF board. With that white surface and pieced-together construction, it just looks cheap. And it doesn’t really much look like a desk to us. It’s too large to work in a Scenes & Settings photo shoot, and using it with a non-S&S backdrop, we’d have to shoot from pretty far away to get it in. I don’t want to imply that this set isn’t just what you’re looking for. We just thought we’d share some of our thoughts with you, from an adult’s point of view. The sticker seems a bit steep to us for its play value, and we thought that some of you would like to know why we aren’t buying it.   Something else to think about. AG has gone sticker crazy with this collection, and they’ve included stickers for just about every set (even down to the “Grin Pins” to stick on your clothes). The store had even put stickers on the bed posts. There were stickers all over the place, probably because most of the stuff was white and needed some kind of color? I don’t know, but the stickers don’t stay stuck well at all on most of the items. We arrived at the store one hour after opening time on release day. There were stickers that had curled up at the edges and/or were falling off all over the place. The only thing we could touch was the big-ticket display, and we tried to push the stickers down again. It didn’t work, because the adhesive on the back of them felt and worked like a post-it. You might want to re-think using the stickers.
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Post by Jamirae on Feb 26, 2023 7:06:06 GMT -5
This pricey outfit was released at the end of 2022 as part of the World Traveler outfits series. It’s priced at a wallet popping $45. It does include a lot of pieces including a skirt and jacket in pink and purple houndstooth, a tank top, white shirt boots, sunglasses, a purse, cellphone with phone screens.
It’s main attraction to me was that it would give Kavi another outfit option that can mix and match with what is in her collection. That it certainly does. My first disappointment with the outfit is that it’s made of a stiff cotton mush fabric with the print only on the outside. I’d hoped for something more in the line of the France World Traveler skirt in composition, and for the price, I expected that the fabric colors would be in both sides of the material. But not the case here. The skirt of the France set is more substantial.
However, in terms of seamlessly melding with Kavi’s Performance Outfit, that it does. The black graphic shell can substitute for the shiny top of the Performance outfit, toning things down quite a bit. It’s also a nice standard wardrobe piece that is versatile. Wish it had sleeves., and really, for this price , it should have.
Decent white boots. I could have done without the purse and other accessories and s lower price point on this set.
I give this a C+. The + because the colors do work with a lot of current wardrobe sets out there now. I’d have otherwise downgraded it further for fabric quality (lack thereof) and price. Really , for $45, the main pieces should have been more substantial, and it’s disappointing to me that AG chose to simply add cheap chatter pieces to beef up the price instead.
But it gives Kavi a skirt to wear with that wild jacket of hers, and an outfit a bit more conservative to wear. The two Makena outfit tops really stretch the mix and match possibilities I do like how all of this fits together.
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Post by Jamirae on Feb 26, 2023 6:42:24 GMT -5
I surprised myself getting this outfit if our 2023 GOTY first. I was not happy with the discordant, loud pieces initially and the $40 price tag was also appalling. But I wanted to start her collection and I wanted multi pieces, and I wanted something for cold weather. This outfit includes a top (which is flashy sparkly sequined) , pants (curiously thin light fabric), sandals (with a warm jacket?!?) and a barette.
I dressed my Nia, TM62, the Med complexioned Sonali mold doll, into the entire outfit to get an overview of all of the pieces and surprisingly to me (and a bit begrudgingly), it works. Even though it shouldn’t, imo. My Nia looks just like a Musical theater loving, fashionable girl of this time. So AG designers hit the mark in this respect.
The jacket has multi mix and match possibilities. I’d bought Makena’s two outfits, and the pink and the lilac shells would each look great with the jacket and pants. The flashy shell that comes with the set I’ll reserve to wear with black leggings or other shiny pants or skirts for fancier wear. The jacket is a statement piece for preteens this year.
I am disappointed in the fabric choice of the pants. Designwise , they are fine and the color, though a bit too true pink for me, matched a lot of her things and is fine for a preteen. But the pants are made of a very thin fabric that I have trouble associating with cold weather. Summer pants to me. I wish they’d been a bit more substantial in fabric but this appears to be the trend in AG doll clothing these days. I was disappointed to find the new travel outfit jacket and skirt to be made out of the same very thin fabric. The fit and workmanship of these Kavi pants are good, but the fabric is very thin.
I wish AG had given Kavi a closed pair of shoes with this outfit instead of the platform jelly sandals. But she does have those pink meet tennis shoes, I guess, and I have plenty of AG boots that will go with this outfit that she can wear.
I ordered the City Travel outfit to coordinate with the pieces of this outfit, and this works well. The colors of that set match up well with pieces of this ensemble. That there are so many pieces to these wardrobe sets really makes for a lot of possibilities
I’ve yet to open Kavi’s Backstage Trunk, but I’m sure those pieces will work with these clothing items. The sparkle shell top certainly belongs in that trunk. I’m going to borrow Corinne’s meet outfit to do some more mux and match here with Kavi as well.
I give this set a B grade because of the light cheap fabric pants and sandals.
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Post by bingandnelsonfan on Feb 24, 2023 9:37:48 GMT -5
Released in February 2023.Like many kids in the’90s, Isabel and Nicki participate in Pizza Hut’s® BOOK IT!™ Program by reading books to earn a free one-topping personal pan pizza.
Includes: A personal pan pizza, and a paper pizza box with authentic ’90s Pizza Hut® logo and graphics. A red transparent cup with a white Pizza Hut® logo, a pretend parmesan shaker and a pretend red pepper shaker. A doll-sized purple ’90s BOOK IT!™ pin replica from the ’90s that can clip onto clothing, and a doll-sized “free pizza” certificate for reading books in the BOOK IT!™ program. A doll-sized version of Super Slumber Parties, an American Girl® book for girls released in 1997.Pizza Hut® BOOK IT!™ Set for 18-inch DollsPrice: $32.00 SKU#: HNR80 Includes: Four Pizza Slices, Plastic Black Pizza Pan, Cardboard Pizza Box, Red Pizza Hut Drinking Glass, Spatula, Hot Pepper Shaker, Parmesan Cheese Shaker, Book-It "button", Book-It Coupon, mini Slumber Party Book.Rating: A++++++++++ This is now one of our all-time favorite AG sets! Besides reminding Sis and me of some of the happiest times of our childhood (reading and pizza with friends), it’s the magic word around dolls in our house. FOOD!!! Our dolls are food crazy. I’m going to use my own photos of these set pieces, instead of AG’s stock photos.   So, what's the best part of this set? It’s the RED PLASTIC GLASS! I’m not kidding! It’s almost (okay, maybe not, but almost) worth the price of the set. As members of a homeschool group, we all saved our coupons to eat together, often filling the large sit-down area at Pizza Hut. It was a lot of fun, and seeing this set really brings back good memories. (Funny story. When we opened the box, we were all grabbing like maniacs. The glass came out, and a momentary silence hit before the squealing started. Three women all talking at once. What was the first thing Sis said? “Oh, I can’t believe it! It looks exactly like the real thing. Feel the rough finish. Can’t you just taste that awful city water with the bad-tasting ice cubes in it?” We all had to stop for a good laugh, because Mom and I answered with “Oh, you’re right! It’s just PERFECT!” True story.)    Have you gotten the idea that we’d give this set more than five stars if we could? Everything in here is the PERFECT size for AG dolls, and that isn’t always the case with their items. Thumbs up to AG for making sure this happened! The cardboard box looks just like the ’90s Pizza Hut boxes.    The red glass has the old logo and pebble finish of the ’90s. (I won’t bother showing it again.) The parmesan and hot-pepper shakers are similar to the ones you got in Maryellen’s Seaside Diner, and the “innards” look more like the real thing than the glitter they usually use. (No kidding, it looks like parmesan and red-pepper flakes inside the shakers).  The pizza is a really nice plastic (nicer than previous pizza releases, in my opinion) that resembles a stuffed-crust pizza a bit. They even painted the bottom of it to look like a golden crust, which is a step up for them.  The spatula is plastic and looks just like the old ones.  The perfectly sized “pin” is a clipback, and the Certificate is a perfect reproduction of what we used to get.   And did I mention the red glass! Your dolls will insist on EACH having one! American Girl needs to put these on sale REALLY SOON!
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUTThere are two things worth mentioning about the set, I think. I don’t know how important it is to you, but the box is not a cardboard box like AG’s previous releases. It’s just a lightweight cardstock with a shiny finish. They really shouldn’t have chintzed here, but you now know that you’ll just have to be really careful with repeated use. The other issue is a bit more serious, but don’t let it keep you from buying the set. Ready? It isn’t a Personal Pan pizza. Nope. It’s the size of Pizza Hut’s classic medium pizza. The size of the pizza and pan are way too large for a PP pizza. The pan is not the PP tall-sided one. It’s the shallow medium pan.    While it was momentarily disappointing to see that it was not a PP pizza, the jubilation from the doll crowd here was enough to make it just as good . . . in a different sort of way. These boxes and pizza slices are a perfect medium-size for the dolls. It will look like they medium or large pizzas, and the dolls can pose with the boxes. These pizzas almost look edible (better than any other 18″ doll pizza we’ve seen), and now Harold will have a stack of to-go boxes that fit in his delivery wagon! 
Thought you’d like to see this new Pizza Hut pizza side-by-side with the pizza and box from AG’s TM Pizza Party Set #2 (2018-21).    (Update: After several days of adult doll play, we've decided that AG went way too cheap on these new boxes. They're very thin and will not hold up to repeated opening and closing. They also bend quite easily, since they are not cardboard. Well, they aren't board of any kind. It's just some cheap coated paper printed to look like a Kraft box. So, what we're going to do is empty the pizza slices into a separate container for storage and leave the boxes carefully stored in a drawer. That way, when we want to use the boxes in a photo shoot, they'll still look nice.)
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Post by bingandnelsonfan on Feb 23, 2023 16:34:45 GMT -5
Released February 2023.Nicki can head to her skate spot or school with her cool skater-style accessories.
Includes: A twill baseball hat with faux mini American Girl Today™ Grin Pins attached, black oval-shaped sunglasses with transparent lenses, and a ribbon necklace with a yin-yang pendant. A shiny messenger bag with a skate graphic on the front. A composition-style notebook with artwork on the front and a pack of American Girl Today™ Grin Pin stickers.Nicki's Accessories Price $36.00 SKU#: HNR75 The light-blue baseball cap has elastic at the back and two buttons sewn on it that look like the old grin pins. The old Girl of Today logo is embroidered on the front panel in white thread. The black sunglasses and shoulder bag are really nice. My Nanea has these same glasses in red (don’t know where I got them), and they look classy and fit really nicely. The faux-patent, very shiny vinyl purse looked really good, better than a lot of the earlier bags. The choker is as cheap-looking as Isabel’s Meet necklace (think pet leash with velcro at the ends). Worse than the way it looks, though, is the fact that they used a very cheap BLACK ribbon that will probably stain the doll. A small paper “journal” and one sheet of sticky “Grin Pins” complete the set.   
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Post by bingandnelsonfan on Feb 23, 2023 16:20:52 GMT -5
Released February 2023.Isabel is on top of ’90s trends and shows off her interest in fashion with these accessories.
Includes: A felt beret with faux mini American Girl Today™ Grin Pins attached, pink sunglasses with pink lenses, and a multicolored beaded flower necklace. A transparent mini backpack with flower artwork on the flap. A bound scrapbook Isabel uses to document her life—includes a sticker sheet plus images and photos inside.Isabel's Accessories Price: $36.00 SKU#: HNR74 The adorable little beret is a re-make of the Janie and Jack blue one from Christmas 2022 Mix-and-Match. I don’t normally buy doll Meet Accessories, but this beret really spoke to me! They come with two small shankless buttons (like Grin Pins), tacked onto the front with thread, which look really nice. However, they can be easily removed and used elsewhere, if you want a solid-color beret. Here are a couple pictures showing the beret on my Bunty -- mixed with some of Nicki's Meet Outfit pieces and a pair of older JLY jeans.   The pink sunglasses and plastic beaded necklace are pretty cheap and not worth describing. The “backpack” is a pure ’90s see-through jelly bag, like you’d find holding soap or lotion in any beauty-supply aisle. One display doll at the store had it on the doll, but it looked too small and short (backpack was up at the back of her neck). It has a handle, however, so the doll can hold/carry it like a bag. A small paper “journal” (waiting to be filled in, with a few pages started) and two sheets of stickers complete the set.   
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Pet Set
Feb 23, 2023 16:16:08 GMT -5
Post by bingandnelsonfan on Feb 23, 2023 16:16:08 GMT -5
Released February 2023.Isabel and Nicki are so excited when their parents let them each pick out a pet from the animal shelter as a gift for the first night of Hanukkah. Just like the twins themselves, the pets they choose are very different!
Includes: Isabel’s plush calico kitten, named Buffy; Nicki’s plush chocolate lab puppy, named Blossom.Isabel and Nicki's Pet SetPrice: $34.00 SKU#: HNR76 The kitten and puppy are sold as a set in one box. They’re cute, non-poseable plush, just like previous “named pets”. Being crazy about plush (Sis and I had more than a thousand in our time), I think AG missed the mark trying to sell these as pets. They are REALLY cute plushies that would be perfect for a ’90s set-up. As you know, the 1990s was probably the high point in plush, with makers like Dakin, Russ, and Gund. Most of our friends had baskets and mounds of plush animals, and this AG set reminds me SO much of what we had back then. The quality of these “pets” is surprisingly nice, if you buy them as plushies, and just the right size.   
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Post by uninoodle on Feb 22, 2023 13:00:22 GMT -5
As of February 2023, Isabel and Nicki Hoffman are here! Please check out the Rules for Reviews and add your own reviews of their playthings! Items that still need reviews: September 2023 ReleaseAmerican Girl Today Tee Isabel's Year 2000 Outfit Movie Night Set New Year's Party Accessories Nicki's Red Vinyl Jumper Outfit Slumber Party Kit Of course, we welcome additional photos and reviews for items that already have threads started. Member photos and descriptions often provide more detail than stock images, and we can never have too much information! As new items get released, new threads may also be started. Reviews for Girl-Sized Clothing go here and Isabel and Nicki Book Reviews go here. Thank you for contributing! |
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Post by QNPoohBear on Feb 21, 2023 15:54:42 GMT -5
Three PM Felicitys. All are pleasingly plump, soft and squishy. Felicity 1 on the left is my original Felicity. She was a gift in April 1992 and I believe she's first edition. Felicity 2 in the middle belonged to my little cousin who is 10 years younger. I believe she's from 1993 or 1994. The earliest two Felicitys (1991-1992 and ca. 1993-1994)have ever so slight differences. The wig cap is different underneath and the neck strings are slightly different.  Felicity 3 is a secondhand waif. We have determined she is probably from 1997ish/late 90s. Her hair is slightly darker than the other two and her eyes show more white. The first two have copper red hair while the later one has slightly darker hair. It's only noticeable when they're together.    Comparing Felicity 2 and Felicity 3 neckstrings  More close-ups of Felicity #3, Faith     |
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Post by ag.in.va on Feb 20, 2023 23:25:37 GMT -5
I was impressed when I received this. I heard felt and was not prepared for its weight. It drapes nicely on Felicity and feels very warm. She looks so cute with the hood up. http://instagram.com/p/CoiJ0QGPy5V |
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Post by ag.in.va on Feb 20, 2023 23:16:15 GMT -5
I got this set cheap because while it was NiB, there was a stain on the shift that came off easily. Its simple but adorable. I know its not exactly historically accurate, but I’ll overlook that due to cuteness. A bit sheer, but since Lissie is a doll its fine. I have had no issues with her mules staying on, I have a Mattel version so not sure if they were a different material or if I’m just lucky. http://instagram.com/p/Coc7nwoPfGZ |
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Post by ag.in.va on Feb 20, 2023 23:12:18 GMT -5
I was never a fan of this outfit before, as I felt it clashed too much with Felicity’s eyes. It also pales in comparison with her original meet. However, I think it is lovely on BF Felicity with her more subdued coloring. The material is not my favorite, but it still looks lovely on the doll. I just don’t like touching it! http://instagram.com/p/CoVeS28Svmb |
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Post by ag.in.va on Feb 20, 2023 23:07:25 GMT -5
This is the iconic Felicity dress to me, as I remember when she first came out and I saw her catalog and Meet book cover. Its simply beautiful and my favorite of her dresses. I love how it looks on BF Felicity. http://instagram.com/p/CoqBrx-y6Fz |
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Post by ag.in.va on Feb 20, 2023 23:03:13 GMT -5
I purchased a NiB Felicity on eBay end of January 2023. I was never fond of the laser green eyes and the lined brows, so I had never purchased a PC or Mattel version. I find BF Felicity stunning. Her eyes are still very vivid without being terrifying, and while her hair is more auburn it is still bright. I have no issues with the newer body nor zipties, so I won’t dock points for either. My Lissie feels like good quality, and i enjoy having her in my collection. http://instagram.com/p/CoQeYutvGmU http://instagram.com/p/CoqBrx-y6Fz http://instagram.com/p/CoVeS28Svmb |
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Post by maddy479 on Feb 19, 2023 11:58:34 GMT -5
Quickie review to show how the outfit looks on an older doll! I love this outfit. I think it's well-made and worth the $45, though if you have the opportunity to get it on discount obviously that eases the blow. Here it is on a short body tag 47 (circa 2008):  The one thing I will note for those curious is that the top is snug on older dolls. The velcro closes almost all the way without straining too much, but you do have to tug, and there is a small gap near the waist. The doll's arms can still move freely. The skirt has plenty of give. If you or someone you know has limited motor skills, it should be okay, but the velcro may snag the sequins in the process of tugging it closed, so keep an eye out for that.  Having the doll's hair up really helps the dupatta drape nicely, and in a perfect world they would have done some kind of tutorial on how to do the hairstyle they picture on the web, but I guess that's life. There is velcro between the dupatta and the tikka and under the tikka, which helps the whole thing stay on the hair without damaging the hair on removal. It's a nice touch. Overall, I give this outfit an A for attention to detail and integration into the stories and certainly recommend it as part of Kavi's collection. The fabrics are nice and there are a lot of pieces, which drives up the cost, but sub-$50 is pretty good for AG these days. |
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omar
American Girl Prototype
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Post by omar on Feb 12, 2023 19:38:55 GMT -5
from the AG page- This doll-sized wheelchair has a bright pink frame, a padded seat with an embroidered American Girl® logo, wheels that turn, adjustable footrests, and working handbrakes. Includes a colorful fabric bag with two front pockets that attaches to the back of the wheelchair.The chair, once I got it out of the box, looked extremely familiar and I soon realized why- this uses a slightly modified mold from the Pleasant Company blue wheelchair. This is a great way to get that size and style chair, without the clumsy push-handles, and the inclusion of a padded seat and a carry bag on the back of the chair. It fits dolls quite well, and there's plenty of photos online to show that off. The chair has a plastic frame with metal hardware holding it together. It's extremely well made and certainly worth the full price, though I happened to get this particular one during a sale at the AGP Houston store closure. http://instagram.com/p/ColOcroMarY http://instagram.com/p/ColPH17sqzo |
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Post by felicityelizabeth on Jan 22, 2023 17:16:14 GMT -5
This photo shows the difference between an authentic coat and what I am sure is a grey market coat. Note the difference in the length, fullness and buttons (they're on the wrong side on the grey market one).  When I purchased Kirsten's coat on e-bay, I didn't know anything about the grey market. After learning about it through this board, I looked for a tag in my coat and there wasn't one. I didn't ask the seller about a tag because I assumed the coat was genuine and would have a tag, but it wasn't until I read here about the grey market and looked for a tag that I discovered no tag, no genuine coat. This also told me that I paid way too much for the coat. I eventually purchased another coat and knew to ask about a tag. When I received the coat, I compared it to my first one and then I saw the differences. I'm guessing that whoever produced the coats is no longer doing it, so they haven't changed the buttons to the correct side on more recent ones. |
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omar
American Girl Prototype
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Post by omar on Jan 16, 2023 21:37:14 GMT -5
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mamared
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Post by mamared on Jan 16, 2023 15:42:39 GMT -5
This lovely chair is pictured on the cover of Felicity Learns a Lesson. Here's the catalog description: Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence while seated in a handsome writing chair like this one. The writing arm swings from side to side so Felicity can sit easily in her full gowns, Under the seat is a drawer that holds her writing supplies. An exquisite hardwood reproduction.
I had the Pleasant Company version of this chair for several years and appreciated the high quality and how much it reminded me of an actual full-size Windsor chair. I like the curves on the wooden seat (and that it's not just a flat seating surface), the continuous arm that goes all the way around the back, and also the attention to the spindles and all the other parts of the chair. The writing arm is attached to a peg, so not only can it swing from side to side, it can also be lifted off and removed entirely if you prefer to use it that way. (There would still be a little hole for the peg in the arm of the chair.) I also like the little drawer underneath where you can store some of the writing supplies when not in use. I think it's worth noting that Felicity's Windsor Writing Chair is pretty tall; the back of the chair comes up mid-way on her head when she's standing next to it. This is a taller than a lot of other AG chairs, and since it also has the arms, it's wider. All of this means that the scale can look a little off if it's placed near other types of chairs in a doll room (not because its scale is too big, but more because they're scaled too small). In my opinion, this chair is most perfectly situated by itself next to a window or bookshelf, or maybe as the only chair in a bedroom. Multiple Windsor chairs can work together too, they just take up a bit of room! Although I really like this piece, I didn't use it much and ended up giving it to another board member. Besides the size, it was also a bit fancy for most of my set ups, and like JustMagicMaria noted, my girls didn't look very ladylike while seated in it. I don't think I have any photos from when I used to have the chair, so here's the catalog photo instead.  And here's a close up, where you can see the height of the seat back relative to Felicity, and also the peg from the writing desk portion coming down through the continuous arm.  |
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Post by Librarian4 on Jan 15, 2023 8:58:23 GMT -5
Sorry that I don't have any pictures, but Evette's accessories are very well made. The jacket is lovely. It's a gray with tiny white pinstripes and beautiful orange and red/pink embroidered blooms on it. In her book, the jacket looked like it might have been a blue jean jacket, but it's not. The purse is brown with tassels and well made also. It's very cute. The cream colored sunglasses go very well with Evette's coloring. I give this set an A+. |
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Post by Librarian4 on Jan 15, 2023 8:53:10 GMT -5
I am enjoying my new friend Evette so much! We are bonding like crazy. This is my first Josefina mold and I think she is just stunning. I have to thank bingandnelsonfan for her pictures as they inspired me to choose an Evette with a higher forehead, instead of one whose wig sits lower on her forehead. This makes the difference for me. I love her skin tone, her freckle pattern, her beautiful eyes and more pronounced lip color. One word of warning. While her hair is beautiful and my girl had a really thick wig, when you first take the hair out of the net, let the curls fall on their own to losen up. I finger-combed then to pull the curls down and that made the hair frizz. I had to spray some water and wig spray on it to get rid of some of the frizz. I am really happy with my Evette. |
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Post by ag.in.va on Jan 10, 2023 14:20:36 GMT -5
Kavi with her painted lashes removed:
*broken image link removed*
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mamared
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Post by mamared on Jan 8, 2023 1:04:42 GMT -5
This is a cute sleeping bag! I picked it up for not much more than the original retail price a few years ago, mainly because it kind of reminded me of the kind of sleeping bags my parents had when we were little before they finally upgraded. (No telling how old they were at that point!) I don't have Molly, so Kira decided to help out with modeling in these photos.  The sleeping bag comes in an olive green duffel bag that closes on one end with a red drawstring. The bottom of the duffel is round, and there's a sewn-in hand strap on the side. The diameter of the bag is 4 inches, and the height is about 8.5 inches. All of the stitching is red, which matches the drawstring.   The sleeping bag inside measures 19 inches long and a little more than 11 inches across when zipped. It's made of a khaki-colored cotton twill and lined with brushed cotton plaid fabric, mostly made up of green, blue, and white with some thinner red accent lines. Like the duffel, the stitching on the sleeping bag is red, which helps to tie them together.   The sleeping bag zips up on two sides, but the zipper stops three inches away from the top. It's nice to turn this little bit over so the doll can snuggle underneath when it's time to go to sleep. There's no pillow, so I decided to fold up the bag as a pillow.  Overall I think this is a nice sleeping bag set and I'd probably give it an A if it can be found in the $20-30 price range. I think it's an especially nice bag for camping trips. One additional note: Not sure if this needs to be said, but unlike more modern sleeping bags which are put away by punching them down into their stuff sacks, sleeping bags like this one are folded in half lengthwise ("hot dog style") and then rolled up from one end, and then the completed roll is put into the duffel bag. The duffel bag that comes with this set is generously sized so this isn't too hard to do (unlike the bags of yore where half the battle was getting the bag rolled up tightly enough to fit). If the bag is put away properly, not only will it avoid getting wrinkled up, but there should also be just enough room to stash a small pillow or teddy into the duffel! |
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mamared
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Post by mamared on Jan 8, 2023 0:14:47 GMT -5
Here's a review of the new set along with comparisons of different versions that I have. I have a few versions, including a nearly complete Capture the Flag set that had Pleasant Company stickers on some of the pieces, a partial Capture the Flag Set that doesn’t have labeling, and the new Camp Gowonagin Accessories set which was released in June 2022. The older sets were purchased many years ago on the secondary market so I can’t be sure of their dates, but I’m the original owner of the latest set, which was purchased new at the LA pop up store soon after release. I don't have the original packaging for most of the old version, but here's the box from the new Camp Gowonagin Accessories (SKU# HHN82, $36). I'll use the newest AG description of the set as a guide for the rest of my comparisons.  Molly’s days at summer camp are full of activities like swimming and canoeing in the lake, archery, singalongs, playing Capture the Flag, and trying to scare each other with creepy crawly things! Her summer camp accessories include:A U.S. flag with 48 stars attached to a plastic pole - This is a pretty short flagpole (notice that it’s sitting on the log in this photo, and it still only comes up to nose level). The whole thing measures only 10.5 inches tall, including the gold tip, and while I understand that the shorter height makes it easier to package and store, I wish it were longer. I’m not a fan of the American Girl branding on the flag either (in white lettering on the bottom stripe). On the positive side, the flag is significant in the story so I’m glad it’s included, and I also appreciate the historical accuracy with the 48 stars to represent the 48 states after World War II (when the story takes place). Grade: C (marked down because of the branding) The PC version (on the left in the photos below) is just a bit taller, at 11 inches, and it has a slightly skinnier flagpole that is made of wood. Both flags have the correct number of stars (48, arranged in 6 rows of 8) and stripes (7 red and 6 white), with the blue on the PC version being a little darker navy than the other. There isn’t any branding on the PC flag.    A wooden canoe paddle with the Camp Gowonagin logo - The three versions that I have of this piece are all pretty similar in terms of size and shape, with some slight variations in wood color and curvature as seen in the photos. The oldest paddle has the roundest handle edges, while the newest one has more square corners. The paddles measure just over 11 inches long and about 1.5 inches at the widest part of the blade. I’ve never understood why Molly’s name is painted on the paddle, or what the play value is of this piece, but I do like the significance in the story and the camp name and logo, done in red and blue. (This is the same logo that’s on the front of the Camp Gowonagin hat.) The new version of the paddle has an American Girl 2022 imprint on the back, along with the product number and other information about being made in China, whereas older versions had the gold oval stickers (the remaining one says it was made in Taiwan). Grade: C+ (decent piece with limited play value)      A blue armband for playing Capture the Flag - This is nicely done. As with the prior version, it’s made of fabric with a sewn-on knot, and a Velcro closure. This is used to show that Molly is on the blue team in the Color War at camp; the other team wears red armbands. I like how easy this is to put on the doll’s arm and that it always stays tied. You can see in the photos below that the new version is a slightly brighter blue and slightly wider than the PC version, and it no longer has a tag. (The PC version is on the top in the photos that show both.) Grade: B+    A set of realistic plastic bugs including three black ants, three brown ants, and two crickets - The creepy crawlies play a key role in the story but of course they can be used outside of the story too. I’ve arranged one black ant and one cricket from each set in the photo below, with the PC version on the left and the newest AG version on the right. The ants are all made of hard plastic, while the crickets feel more rubbery (like a gummy worm) in the oldest version and gradually get more firm. The second photo shows the scale and also some of “brown” ants, which look more like a dusty rose color to me. They are the same size as the black ants. (There’s only one brown ant in my oldest set, which is why I think it might be incomplete, as everything else matches up. Lots of creepy crawlies are missing from the middle set.) Grade: B   Five creepy-crawly plastic worms - Like with the crickets, the oldest version of worms is very rubbery and flexible, like gummy worms, while the newest AG version is firmer and has more of a fixed shape. I think the old ones are kind of interesting but the new ones aren’t appealing at all (which might be kind of the point). Grade: C   A vinyl pouch with the Camp Gowonagin logo that can be turned into a sit-upon by threading the red gimp (plastic string) through the holes as outlined in the included instructions - This piece was originally part of the Camping Equipment set (1988-2010). It consists of a white plastic piece that has the Camp Gowonagin name and logo, with prepunched holes so it can be folded in half and the sides sewn with the included red gimp (plastic cord). The original set came with a reproduction of the Chicago Daily Tribune June 6, 1944 (D-Day) edition to stuff inside the sit-upon and give it padding; the newspaper was a really nice bit which is sadly omitted in the newest version. I have a couple older versions of the sit-upon, one of which has already been put together, and they are on the left in the photos below. The newest version is slightly larger and a brighter white, still with thin red pinstripes. The bottom photo shows the older directions/information (a folded pamphlet) and the newer 2-sided instruction insert. I like that this is a functional craft that also teaches an old-time activity, but I do wish the newspaper was included. Grade: B+    A metal bean can for holding bugs - The older Camper’s Pork and Beans cans (on the left below) had metal rims and bottoms with cardboard sides, but the new one seems to be all metal. You can see the slight changes in size and appearance over time, and that the newest can is the only one with the light blue lettering and chef apron and hat (those parts are white in the older cans). The can plays an essential role in Molly’s plan to gather and transport bugs (and eventually capture the flag) in the story, and while a lid would be a handy feature, it wouldn’t be very authentic. Grade: A-     A letter in an envelope from Molly to her dad that features the Camp Gowonagin logo - These photos show the older version on top, with the envelope that you can actually seal. It was probably a good idea to change this! The letter is a really nice touch, as it ties all the other pieces together and it’s how the original book ends. Grade: A- (low playability, but it’s a nice touch and doesn’t take up any room)    A picture of Molly that she sends to her father after winning capture the flag - I’ll just include close up photos here, as the piece is self-explanatory. Grade: A- (same reason as above)   One piece not included in the description, but part of all the historical releases, is the pamphlet, which tells about the two weeks that Molly spends at Camp Gowonagin and the adventures she has. I really appreciate that the historical releases are once again accompanied by these pamphlets, and I give it an A.     The one piece that was part of the original Capture the Flag Gear that didn’t make it into this set is the whistle, so I’ll include my photos of the PC whistle here. It would have been nice to have it in the new set, too.   All in all, I think AG did a pretty good job on the rerelease of this set and making it more accessible for Molly fans, especially considering how expensive and hard to find the original can be. That said, I don’t know that there’s much play value for all of the pieces or that they would make much sense to people who haven’t read the story, so with that in mind the retail price might still seem kind of high. I think my overall grade would be around a B.  |
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omar
American Girl Prototype
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Post by omar on Jan 4, 2023 15:01:20 GMT -5
from the AG site: Kavi’s PJs reflect her dreams of being a star on Broadway.
Includes:
A dark-blue short-sleeved PJ top with a rainbow star foil graphic across the center and dark-blue PJ pants featuring a multicolored foil star print
Rainbow faux-fur slippershttp://instagr.am/p/CnAXlrVOmmy The top and pants are soft, and feel like cotton, but are probably a blend fabric. I'd love to get a set of these in Omar size, too.  The slippers are very furry, furrier than her dog, Scamper however, the slippers do have a ginormous tag on the back of one slipper. Thankfully, it's just sewn in a loop around the elastic band that's meant to hold the slipper on the doll's foot, and the tag could easily be removed completely. Still, Kavi should be careful she doesn't trip on the tag when she's padding around the house at night The pajama pants felt snug while trying to get them on Kavi. This is with Kavi's narrower torso (like the current TM dolls) and what feels like a slightly understuffed doll in particular) but they might loosen up with more playtime. Also, I'm not sure if the navy blue fabric will leave stains on a doll's vinyl and cloth body, so I took them off her as soon as the review was done. I'm not saying that they will stain or won't stain. I just wanted to be a little bit careful for the time being. |
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omar
American Girl Prototype
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Post by omar on Jan 4, 2023 14:24:35 GMT -5
From the AG site: According to Kavi, her dog Scamper is “the smartest dog in the world,” and he really seems to understand how she feels.Includes: A plush dog with curly black-and-white fur, wearing a pink ribbon collar and leash
A dog bowl with pretend foodhttp://instagr.am/p/CnATwXGOqeN Kavi's dog, Scamper is super cute, and doesn't have a poseable internal armature inside, like the TM pets do. Scamper is roughly the same size as Flurry, bigger than Bo. As far as I can tell, Scamper shares the eye style of Bo and Flurry. http://instagr.am/p/CnAemdfuHVz Note, the leash is sewn into the dog's neck seam, just like Melody's dog, Bo (I have Bo, so I'm making that comparison) The fur doesn't seem as curly as AG says it is, but Scamper is very very cute and very cuddly and I'm sure Kavi will love having Scamper around for moral support. I didn't take photos of the dog bowl or food, but the food "hockey puck" is removable and cane be taken out and replaced back in the bowl. The food puck is textured to show detail |
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mamared
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Post by mamared on Jan 1, 2023 20:09:29 GMT -5
Kavika Sharma was released on Thursday, December 29th. She goes by Kavi (rhymes with Lovey), and she’s an Indian American girl living in New Jersey, who loves dancing, singing, performing, and spending time with friends and family. I purchased Kavi a couple days after her release from the LA store. The doll, meet outfit, and journal retail for $115. (SKU#: HMC06) Here are some stickers that were given out at the release:  Doll:By now it’s well-recognized that Kavi has the modified Marie-Grace face mold (with a longer neck than the original), medium-tone vinyl, brown eyes, and medium-length dark-brown hair.  Her hair is very shiny and mostly straight, with a hint of a wave at the bottom. She has a center part but the very front is pulled back into a half-ponytail, and there are some layers in the back. You can see some of the shades of dark brown and brownish-black in this photo. Her hair feels very soft and almost slick without feeling too heavy. I haven’t tried styling it, other than taking down the half pony tail, but it seems like a nice wig.  Kavi has the good body fabric, a zip tie at the neck, and a long, rather fat body tag.   Personally, I’m not a huge fan of the MG face mold, and I’d probably prefer the wig cap to be not quite so far back on Kavi, but I didn’t spend much time picking her out so I don’t know how much variation there is. Regardless, I think the face shape works well for Kavi, and I was surprised at how much I like the combination of the hair, brows, eyes, and vinyl tone. Even the painted lashes seem appropriate and work for her. Overall, I didn’t expect to like her this much, but I would give her a solid B+ (and higher if you’re a fan of the face mold). Outfit:Kavi comes with “a layered, cropped mesh top with a multicolored print; silver jogger-style pants; pink tennis shoes; and cotton underwear.”  The top is a multicolor print on teal/aqua mesh, with a high neck and long sleeves, layered over a sewn-in teal/aqua colored bodice. The cropped bottom and ends of the sleeves have a lettuce edge, and the whole thing closes with a single strip of Velcro up the back. The exact print pattern on the mesh varies on each doll, but in my opinion, the print variation on this particular piece doesn’t really impact the overall look. I liked the top before getting it, but since changing Kavi’s clothes and seeing how incessantly the mesh gets caught on the Velcro strip, I kind of hate it. At least no snags yet. Grade: C-.   The jogger pants are silver colored and lightweight enough to have a nice drape but heavy enough to be well made. They close with Velcro on the fly and have a functional cargo- style pocket with flap on the side. I like these and think they’d be good for daily wear and for Kavi’s dancing. Grade: B+   The shoes are dark pink high tops with white laces. Thanks to the absence of socks, these can slide on and off without untying. I don’t hate these, but other than the benefit of not having to tie/untie them, I don’t like them that much, either. They do play up the pink in the printed top and I think they’d look better with the pink hat in the accessories to balance them out, but my Kavi doesn’t have that (yet). Grade: B+.  Kavi’s underwear is just the standard pink undies that many dolls come with, so no photos and no special grade. My overall grade for the meet outfit would be a B, because I think the pieces have a fun and funky vibe that go well with Kiva’s personality, even if they’re not all perfect. Kavi’s Journal:This paperback journal is very reminiscent of the old Amelia’s Notebooks, with written entries that are supplemented with illustrations, doodles, and “photos”, kind of like a combination journal and scrapbook. It essentially highlights a few weeks of Kavi’s life. Some of the topics addressed are celebrating Kavi’s twelfth birthday by cooking with Dadima (her grandma) and going to “Wicked”, trying to be organized and do well in school while dealing with attentional issues, celebrating Diwali (her favorite holiday), and planning a dance for the school’s talent show with her friends Pari and Sophie (who study different dance styles). The journal is really well done, and I can’t say enough good things about how the topics are addressed, the pace and flow of the story, and how the illustrations support and add to the text. I think the journal is excellent, and I can’t wait to read Kavi’s other books when they come out. Grade: A+  Here are some more pictures of Kavi, in the Bollywood Costume that she wears in the show with her friends, and wearing the Diwali Outfit (that’s not part of her collection but ties in perfectly and looks stunning on her)!    |
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