Meet Accessories
Oct 4, 2020 16:54:52 GMT -5
Post by Lady Lena on Oct 4, 2020 16:54:52 GMT -5
Once I saw the mini walkman, I knew I had to get Courtney's meet accessories.
They currently retail for $30 (though $5 off if you buy the doll + accessories at the same time), and include:
Overall, I'm really impressed by the quality, though not without a few caveats.
I'm going to go down each item individually.
Helping me out with my photos are my Courtney (Mirjam), and my #25 (Simone, but we can pretend she's Tina borrowing Courtney's things - or reclaiming the things Courtney "borrowed" from her)
Cassette Player / Walkman
This is adorable! It is not functional, but you can put the tape in (and, I suspect, the tapes from the sleepover set, though that was not in the store when I went) and press down on the buttons. You have to open the cassette player manually; there's no springs or anything electronic in this at all.
It is a bit strange how the only way for her to hold it (without practically breaking your doll's hand) is on the back of her hand.
It looks so weird and unnatural to me that way that I made a cord with embroidery thread so she can just have it hang from that from her wrist. Not perfect, but a little better.
There is also a giant grey peg on the top that the headphones go on top of, rather than an internal headphone jack-style hole to connect them.
(with the cord I made to go around her wrist)
(with the cassette tape inside)
see pictures below for the awkward way the built-in strap makes it sit on her hand.
Headphones
Speaking of the headphones, they are really nice quality! The headband is metal, the earphones are solid quality plastic, and they even have the little foam covers that headphones like that always had (still have? I haven't seen anything sold with old school headphones like this in a while).
The cord is a thick yellow plastic, and while it looks a bit bulky, we have to remember that these are children's toys, and they won't be easily tangled.
There's a plug at the end with a notch in it so that it can pop right onto the cassette player.
See photos below
Cassette Tape
The tape is cute, nonfunctional, and fits in both the cassette player and the cassette case. It says "Courtney's Mix 1", and has a designated A side and B side, just like a real cassette. (it even fits into the cassette player like a real cassette). Again, it's not functional, but it's cute.
See photos below.
Cassette Case
It's just a basic little plastic cassette case that has the track listing (all two songs lol, neither of which seem to be real songs, presumably because of copyright issues with history that recent) that you can put the cassette into when you want to switch out what's in the walkman. It snaps closed and seems to stay closed.
Bangle Bracelets
These are, imo, the most mixed of all the items.
They are high quality, thick plastic, with embossed patterns. They aren't closed; there's a little gap so you can stretch them over her wrist.
However, if you stack all four on one wrist, they're too small to go on and off without scratching her vinyl up. They also get stretched out the further up her wrist they are.
Also, they just seem.... a little thick for 80s bangles to me? I could be wrong; I wasn't alive during the 80s, but something about the scale makes me think more of the chunky bangles that were popular in the late 00s than the thinner ones I'm used to seeing in media produced in the 80s (and family photos, of course).
I've been stacking them two on each wrist when she does wear them, because that's about the extent to which I feel they can sit without scratching her vinyl.
The bracelets on their own:
Lip Smacker on cord
This is super cute! It's doll sized and adorable and nostalgic (for me, too; I remember these in the 90s). The cap comes off completely so you can apply the lip balm (plastic) to her lips. I suspect the cap might go missing with children (or even absent-minded adults). The lip smacker is two solid pieces (cap + tube) and to my knowledge can't be removed from the cord without cutting the cord. I haven't had any desire to remove it, so I haven't tried. The cord does have a sliding knot to adjust the length.
Maureen for Mayor button
Like Rebecca's rabbit brooch, this is a clip, not an actual pin. That said, it can slide onto her shirt, skirt, cardigan, or jacket, and seems to be of high quality. It's one solid piece, with the campaign logo printed on the front. It doesn't feel cheap at all, and I'm not worried about breaking it.
Overall, I'd give the meet accessories set a B.
Various photos using multiple pieces:
- bangles up the arms; I really couldn't get four to sit in a way I felt wouldn't damage the doll coming off. maybe I'm just paranoid about a new doll.
- headphones on, with cord
- walkman tied to her wrist using a strap I made myself
- bangles two per wrist; this is the way I think fits the best
- as you can see, the walkman sits awkwardly on the outside of her hand. I have some friends who were able to finagle it so she actually held it, but my doll / walkman (not sure which is to blame) wouldn't do that.
I tried to wrap the headphones over her neck, but it doesn't quite look natural because of how thick the cord is
-Maureen for mayor button
-Lip Smacker cap
-Cassette case (open)
-black bangle
-Maureen for mayor button clipped onto the pocket of Courtney's meet skirt
-Lip Smacker on cord
They currently retail for $30 (though $5 off if you buy the doll + accessories at the same time), and include:
- Cassette Player / Walkman
- Headphones
- Cassette Tape
- Cassette Case
- Four bangle bracelets
- Lip Smacker lip balm on a cord
- "Maureen for Mayor" button
Overall, I'm really impressed by the quality, though not without a few caveats.
I'm going to go down each item individually.
Helping me out with my photos are my Courtney (Mirjam), and my #25 (Simone, but we can pretend she's Tina borrowing Courtney's things - or reclaiming the things Courtney "borrowed" from her)
Cassette Player / Walkman
This is adorable! It is not functional, but you can put the tape in (and, I suspect, the tapes from the sleepover set, though that was not in the store when I went) and press down on the buttons. You have to open the cassette player manually; there's no springs or anything electronic in this at all.
It is a bit strange how the only way for her to hold it (without practically breaking your doll's hand) is on the back of her hand.
It looks so weird and unnatural to me that way that I made a cord with embroidery thread so she can just have it hang from that from her wrist. Not perfect, but a little better.
There is also a giant grey peg on the top that the headphones go on top of, rather than an internal headphone jack-style hole to connect them.
(with the cord I made to go around her wrist) (with the cassette tape inside)see pictures below for the awkward way the built-in strap makes it sit on her hand.
Headphones
Speaking of the headphones, they are really nice quality! The headband is metal, the earphones are solid quality plastic, and they even have the little foam covers that headphones like that always had (still have? I haven't seen anything sold with old school headphones like this in a while).
The cord is a thick yellow plastic, and while it looks a bit bulky, we have to remember that these are children's toys, and they won't be easily tangled.
There's a plug at the end with a notch in it so that it can pop right onto the cassette player.
See photos below
Cassette Tape
The tape is cute, nonfunctional, and fits in both the cassette player and the cassette case. It says "Courtney's Mix 1", and has a designated A side and B side, just like a real cassette. (it even fits into the cassette player like a real cassette). Again, it's not functional, but it's cute.
See photos below.
Cassette Case
It's just a basic little plastic cassette case that has the track listing (all two songs lol, neither of which seem to be real songs, presumably because of copyright issues with history that recent) that you can put the cassette into when you want to switch out what's in the walkman. It snaps closed and seems to stay closed.
Bangle Bracelets
These are, imo, the most mixed of all the items.
They are high quality, thick plastic, with embossed patterns. They aren't closed; there's a little gap so you can stretch them over her wrist.
However, if you stack all four on one wrist, they're too small to go on and off without scratching her vinyl up. They also get stretched out the further up her wrist they are.
Also, they just seem.... a little thick for 80s bangles to me? I could be wrong; I wasn't alive during the 80s, but something about the scale makes me think more of the chunky bangles that were popular in the late 00s than the thinner ones I'm used to seeing in media produced in the 80s (and family photos, of course).
I've been stacking them two on each wrist when she does wear them, because that's about the extent to which I feel they can sit without scratching her vinyl.
The bracelets on their own:
Lip Smacker on cord
This is super cute! It's doll sized and adorable and nostalgic (for me, too; I remember these in the 90s). The cap comes off completely so you can apply the lip balm (plastic) to her lips. I suspect the cap might go missing with children (or even absent-minded adults). The lip smacker is two solid pieces (cap + tube) and to my knowledge can't be removed from the cord without cutting the cord. I haven't had any desire to remove it, so I haven't tried. The cord does have a sliding knot to adjust the length.
Maureen for Mayor button
Like Rebecca's rabbit brooch, this is a clip, not an actual pin. That said, it can slide onto her shirt, skirt, cardigan, or jacket, and seems to be of high quality. It's one solid piece, with the campaign logo printed on the front. It doesn't feel cheap at all, and I'm not worried about breaking it.
Overall, I'd give the meet accessories set a B.
Various photos using multiple pieces:
- bangles up the arms; I really couldn't get four to sit in a way I felt wouldn't damage the doll coming off. maybe I'm just paranoid about a new doll.
- headphones on, with cord
- walkman tied to her wrist using a strap I made myself
- bangles two per wrist; this is the way I think fits the best
- as you can see, the walkman sits awkwardly on the outside of her hand. I have some friends who were able to finagle it so she actually held it, but my doll / walkman (not sure which is to blame) wouldn't do that.
I tried to wrap the headphones over her neck, but it doesn't quite look natural because of how thick the cord is
-Maureen for mayor button
-Lip Smacker cap
-Cassette case (open)
-black bangle
-Maureen for mayor button clipped onto the pocket of Courtney's meet skirt
-Lip Smacker on cord