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Post by SarahL on Feb 18, 2009 16:39:14 GMT -5
Grade: B+
I have had this outfit for about 10 days and Chrissa has been wearing it while in her stand on my desk. I came home today and found the goggles on the floor. The strap ripped where it went through the buckle. I'm concerned the rubber isn't made to stand up to periods of wear more than a few hours. There seems to be a weakness in the rubber at both buckles.
I took off the straps and was trying the goggles on other face molds. They snapped at the nose bridge! The goggles are really cute and look like perfect miniatures of real ones. They fit Chrissa's face perfectly and are ok on Addy's mold. They just don't seal completely. On the classic mold, they look a little big. Those are the only molds I could try them on before they broke. So super cute piece, but I'd say display only!
The other part of the outfit I'm less-than-pleased about is the towel. It's just a cheap piece of cloth and not very towel-like at all.
The swimsuit is great. It velcroes up the back, but I didn't have any problems with snagging while putting it on. The swim cap is made out of bathing suit material as well and fits nicely, though I don't think it's possible to get all her hair under it. I do like the material choice since a more rubbery material would snag her hair.
The kick board is cute and seems pretty sturdy. It's made of a more solid foam than kick boards I'm familiar with.
The stickers are cute, but I haven't put them on my doll, so I don't know how well they work.
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Post by Aaryana on Aug 12, 2009 23:30:06 GMT -5
Sophie got this set a few days ago for her Chrissa doll, and in theory it's a great set. However, the goggles left a nasty ring on Chrissa's face when she left them on over night. She doesn't put them on the doll's face anymore, but she sits them on her head. The suit is well made, and it has the type of velcro in the back that is supposed to snag less than the older kind. The towel is thin and much too small for the doll. It makes a better washcloth, and is now folded up on the pretend sink Sophie has for her dolls. The kickboard is nice, especially for display. Sophie's mom took the stickers away because she didn't want to risk them making the doll sticky.
Overall, I give the set a B+.
If the price were about 5 dollars lower and the goggles didn't leave the ring, I'd up the grade to an A.
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Post by Dragonslovedolls on Oct 29, 2009 5:18:50 GMT -5
I tried this on Sonali, since Chrissa was busy being a Sparkly Angel at the time.
I jump the gun and Sonali grabs the towel with an outraged, 'DO you mind?!!'
The swimsuit is great, proper swimsuit fabric and I love the colours. It looks stunning on Sonali and the blues ought to really suit Chrissa too. I have to wonder, why on earth did they need to put velcro up the back? At least it's the baby velcro that doesn't snag, but I have an earlier AGOT one piece swimsuit and I'm sure that didn't need a fastening up the back.
The towel... meh. I agree with other comments. It's not towel-sized and it's not towel fabric either.
I expect I really should have tried the bathing cap on Chrissa herself. It barely fits on Sonali's head without trying to tuck all that hair in! I see why they didn't make it of 'proper' bathing cap stuff...very unfriendly to doll hair! It's cute and it matches but my dolls probably won't use it.
The goggles... look like the real thing. The 'seal' around the eyes is clear: did they change this after people complained about the goggles leaving marks? (I assumed black marks because my childhood goggles and most of those I've seen have black seals around the eyes).
However the rubber strap on mine feels very 'sticky' and I wouldn't want to be putting the goggles on and off my dolls all that often for fear of hair damage. Also the nose piece is not at all flexible like the ones on real goggles. Mine have not broken (yet) probably only because having read of others' problems I was extra super duper very careful with them. I probably should have tried the goggles on Chrissa too (who says Sparkly Angels don't swim?). They don't fit Sonali's face perfectly but you'd have to look really closely to notice. Given the other comments about broken nose pieces and straps and my own observation of the rubbery stickiness of the strap, my dolls will hold them rather than wear them.
The 'tattoos' are cute. I put one on and peeled it off with no problem.
Yep the kickboard feels a bit more dense than those I've seen too, but it's a cute piece.
B+ for this set from me too, for the towel and goggle issues.
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Post by grantok on Oct 29, 2009 19:04:52 GMT -5
I just recieved this yesterday....The swimsuit seems like the crotch is really thick...I haven't tried it on Chrissa yet..but it just seems odd. I agree with other posters about the towel (better yet napkin) I would give it a B...I think AG could of put a bit more thought into this
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arlsdimples
Girl of Many Lands
Order of the Llama
Posts: 691
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Post by arlsdimples on Nov 12, 2009 13:50:51 GMT -5
I am hoping to get this from my PS when I hear back from her. I put off buying it when I was in NY a couple of weeks ago and now am regretting it. I think it is actually one of the nicest detailed pieces from Chrissa's wardrobe. The colors are stunning and the goggles are TDF. They are actually my favorite part and the reason I really want this piece so much.
I just wanted to add something about the towel since no one who has reviewed yet seems to be aware of it. I have two nieces who swam in high school and in college. The towel IS acurate for swimmers. They have smaller more absorbant towels which they use when in competition. When I see them over the holidays if I remember I'll ask for more details and post it. Hopefully by then I will have my own set in hand.
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Post by Rollsinsnow on Nov 19, 2009 22:08:45 GMT -5
Very cute set! I only got it because they are sold out online and I didn't want to regret it, but I'm so happy I did!
I managed to fit all of Gracie's (#29) hair underneath the cap, and the goggles are perfect little imitations. The board and stickers went back in the box for storage though, I really have no need for them, and the doll can't hold the board.
Grade- A
Very impressed with the quality
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Post by moxielin on Nov 20, 2009 11:00:14 GMT -5
FWIW as a former swimmer I can tell you that "real life" goggles are about as reliable as the AG ones (not very!). They frequently break, leak, leave rings,etc. so one could argue that they are indeed quite authentic!
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Post by lho17 on Jan 4, 2010 13:58:30 GMT -5
FWIW as a former swimmer I can tell you that "real life" goggles are about as reliable as the AG ones (not very!). They frequently break, leak, leave rings,etc. so one could argue that they are indeed quite authentic!  Good point. My DD has been very happy with her swim set for Chrissa, other than having a hard time getting the swim cap on, but then again, she has a hard time getting her own swim cap on. lol |
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Post by LaurenInChicago on Jan 4, 2010 20:53:30 GMT -5
I agree about the goggles.
As for the towel, I'm pretty sure its actually supposed to be a shammy, not a full towel. A shammy is made out of the material that shammies used to wash cars are made of- they dry you off very quickly when you get out of the pool as they super absorbent. They're always small, about the size of a large washcloth. I think that's what AG was going for.
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Post by Danibananni on Jan 14, 2010 18:16:46 GMT -5
I am also a swimmer and was so excited when I saw they had this set. It is realistic. The goggles are so cute and they are trying to go for a shammy for the towel. I love that they included the stickers, even though I won't use them. The stickers represent when little kids are given their events and the helpers write it on their hands, so they remember. Then they would draw all over themselves. Oh how I miss swimming...
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Post by nursiegrrl on Apr 2, 2010 21:25:33 GMT -5
As an ex swimmer myself I used a shammy when in competition just like the one from this set. After multiple races, warm ups, cool downs and showers in between, towels get way too soaked!
If only they made 'eat my bubbles' stickers to put all over the doll. XD That would make this set truly authentic!
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Good point.
