|
Post by snowybaby on Jul 3, 2009 11:21:12 GMT -5
Kaya's hair is unruly!!!!!!! My suggestion is to NOT EVER TAKE HER HAIR OUT OF ITS BRAIDS. If you are moving her, DO NOT PUT HER IN A BOX WITH OTHER THINGS. Her hair will get messed up! Otherwise, she is a lovely doll. I absolutely adore her face, so unique! She really does need more clothing and accessories. If you are just starting and wishing to have an entire collection, Kaya is the way to go, because she does not have a lot.
|
|
|
Post by splendidlybaroque on Jul 22, 2009 5:22:10 GMT -5
Kaya is one of the prettiest dolls I own. Her face is absolutely angelic and her hair is easy to care for IMO. I don't play with my dolls much so that could have something to do with it, but if her hair is properly cared for there should be no problems. Although I adore her meet outfit, I decided to make my Kaya a modern girl since the rest of my dolls are modern. Here is a picture of her in the star hoodie outfit:
|
|
|
Post by melangell on Jul 27, 2009 14:18:40 GMT -5
Kaya was my dd's first AG doll. She got her when she was six, one and a half years ago. She has been played with ever since. The clothing and the hair stand up to playing. We always keep her hair in braids. It is unruly, but mist heavily with water and work from the ends up to get out the snarls.
Also, a comment about the closed mouth, which we love. I remember reading in the back of one of Kaya's books (I think her mystery book, which I don't own and can't check at the moment), that her mouth is closed because that is how the Nez Pierce (Nimapuu) Indians wanted her to be. She was reviewed by the tribe and they said that a girl would never be shown with her teeth showing, she should be closed mouthed.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2009 16:06:18 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by shoefairy3 on Oct 19, 2009 12:53:31 GMT -5
My daughter got her Kaya doll in 2005. My only complaint about her, is that I wish her dress fringe would have been tacked down, instead of just strung through the loops, because all of her fringe has either fallen out or pulled out by my daughter and lost.
Her hair is beautiful, but after 5 years of being played with, she definitely needs something done to the frizzy ends. I do love the length of her hair. It is beautiful and fun to style.
|
|
FreakTM
Girl of Many Lands
15 minutes can save you $15 on lunch meats!
Posts: 563
Feedback: Link
|
Post by FreakTM on Oct 28, 2009 16:25:31 GMT -5
I just found Kaya in a thrift store and had to get her. Her hair is impossible, but I'm working on it. I love her and even her dress is up to playability. B+ (Hair)
|
|
|
Post by sewingmama on Dec 26, 2009 22:37:54 GMT -5
One of the things I did NOT like about her hair at all is the wig cap just over her ears. You know how most of the wig caps have hair glued underneath, so that you don't see the edge when you pull the hair back? That's not the case over her ears, and I'm not sure why - maybe so that the braids lie more easily? At any rate, it looks weird if you angle the braids behind her shoulders or pull her hair back into a ponytail, and that bugs the crap outta me. I just got Kaya for Christmas and her wig is different now (2 years later). She now has hairs glued under her wig cap all the way around. I wonder when this changed? I love her hair, I'd say she has a bit of reddish color in her black and dark brown like Jess and Ruthie. Such a beautiful girl!
|
|
|
Post by Mama Lisa on Oct 26, 2010 0:42:54 GMT -5
What a wonderful thread to read! It helped me to fill in a bit of details for my Kaya. She is my very first AG doll and I love her. I have named her Devan Kay after my beautiful dark haired, darked eyed niece with Kay being my middle name. She appears to be a "first run" doll with 2002 on her neck and 2008 on her tag. That confused me, but after reading this thread it appears to be the norm for this doll. I find her face to be serene and strong. The Indians were right to insist on her having a closed mouth. Just BEAUTIFUL!!!
|
|
|
Post by jennycarlsen on Mar 15, 2011 15:04:50 GMT -5
Kaya is a great doll for collectors not so much for children. If you take her hair out of her braids you'll have a real workout getting them back in and they will NEVER look the same. I don't like the newer Kaya doll as much, her face looks much more somber and not stoic like it should. She looked much more authentic when I first bought her in 2002. I do love her outfit though its very real looking and accurate. I am impressed AMG pulled off making an authentic Native American Doll without offending anyone. Grade: A- (Her hair is popping out even though I never removed her from the box!)
|
|
|
Post by Captain Syd on Jun 11, 2011 10:16:00 GMT -5
Kaya with 30's wig And my fav Kaya pic ever:
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2011 10:59:10 GMT -5
I adore my Kaya, renamed Summer. She was my second AG, but is as important to me as my first AG (Rebecca).
*mod edit to remove dead image links*
|
|
|
Post by xmaskat on Jun 11, 2011 12:46:30 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by sailormolly on Jun 11, 2011 19:05:06 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Memory on Jun 11, 2011 22:21:47 GMT -5
Oh yeah, I'm drooling over Summer's new hairstyle too. Wow, that is amazing. That would almost tempt me to take Nia's hair out of her braids! Here are my 4 Kayas with Nia, the newest, still in her meet dress. She didn't stay in it very long. This is Quinta before I added a little "grown up coloring" to her and after
|
|
ag2006
Historical Dreamer
Posts: 2,827
Feedback: Link
|
Post by ag2006 on Jun 12, 2011 15:50:41 GMT -5
Kaya And TatloKaya and Fawn
|
|
green chile supergirl
American Girl Prototype
Order of the Llama Best Writing 2012
A Pueblo Girl in the City
Posts: 4,329
Feedback: Link
|
Post by green chile supergirl on Jun 12, 2011 17:06:20 GMT -5
My Kaya flits between being modern and historical. Here are a few photos of her: \ (My Kaya has had an eyeswap to decal brown eyes.)
|
|
|
Post by FelicityFan85 on Jun 14, 2011 13:43:56 GMT -5
Here is my pretty Kaya. I agree that she has a sweet, contemplative expression. *mod edit to remove dead image links*
|
|
|
Post by PortraitsofADoll on Jun 15, 2011 23:31:00 GMT -5
Kaya in Josefina's School set For a canon image of Kaya:
|
|
|
Post by ladylavender on Aug 2, 2011 20:03:17 GMT -5
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 12, 2011 14:51:02 GMT -5
Kaya modeling some Samantha clothes: Kaya in play dress: Kaya in birthday dress (homemade version, but it'll give you an idea): Kaya in tea dress: Middy dress too. I think Kaya looks adorable in Sam's clothes.
|
|
|
Post by BJK14 on Dec 16, 2011 20:01:38 GMT -5
I purchased Kaya from AG to use as a custom boy but I must say she is a lovely girl. I admit to being 'meh' about her on-line and in the catalogs but she is much prettier in person.
My Kaya has a rich skin tone that I was not expecting...in sunlight her 'skin' almost glows. Her joints are well strung and much better than the Rebecca I purchased earlier this year. Both her arms and legs can hold a 90 degree position without a problem. She does not suffer from 'neck gap' and has nice long neck strings. Her eyes open and close without sticking and her face paint is very subtle and sweet. Grade: A
The faux leather used for her meet dress feels like real deerskin and is an appropriate thickness. I can not speak to the accuracy of the decoration/design but it is well executed and adds to the 'realistic' look. The moccasins are very pointy at the toe and could have been more rounded or natural looking. I like that white faux leather was used for her hair ties. Grade: A- (for the pointy toes)
Her wig is nice and thick but there do seem to be a lot of fly-aways for a NIB doll. Also the left side of the wig appears significantly looser than the right. There is a loose bulge both in front of and behind her left ear and the braid itself is not as tightly formed as the right. Grade: B (for problems with the left side)
My big problem was with the packing. The elastic that holds the neck in place is heat sealed after it is cut...the nylon 'blob' that remains was actually stuck to a bit of her hair. It was not bad (a few strands) but would have been upsetting if I was eight. Even more disturbing (funny for me, possibly traumatic for a kid) was the catalog covering the window of the doll box. Placement wasn't the issue as much as seeing the 'Life Happens' ad for the Doll Hospital - the one with marker/make-up all over the dolls' face. I think they should avoid that in the future. Grade: C
Overall I'm very pleased with Kaya and would recommend her to any collector.
Overall Grade: B+
|
|
|
Post by amgirl on Jan 2, 2012 19:35:18 GMT -5
I love my Kaya... She has the most delicate face. I made her modern because I just thought she deserved more clothing options than what AG offers for Kaya (canon). Here are pix of her in the Snow Flurry Outfit, which I love (in general).
|
|
sharayahlynn
Historical Dreamer
Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, she became a butterfly. εїз
Posts: 2,435
Feedback: Link
|
Post by sharayahlynn on Feb 26, 2012 14:51:34 GMT -5
I love my Kaya (now Tallulah)! She has the sweetest face. I found her (minus her meet dress) for $45 at a flea market last July, and I instantly fell in love with her. Her limbs are very loose, so much so that I'm afraid to even hold her for fear that they'll fall off...I'm still trying to gather enough courage to try re-stringing her. So until I get over my fear of re-stringing (or I chicken out and have someone else do it for me), she's perfectly content standing on her dolly stand and looking pretty. I did bring her down for a few minutes to take some pictures, so here she is:
|
|
|
Post by agluv13 on Apr 16, 2012 18:51:05 GMT -5
I've had Kaya for about a year and being native myself, I absalutely love her. Her facial expression is very peaceful and I really like her skin tone. I chose to remove her braids because they got messy after a few months. It was kinky so I used a flat iron on a low temperature and it is now beautiful and straight. I keep her historical but I am sure she would look great more modern, too. Overall, a beautiful photogenic doll and I recommend her to anyone who wants her.
A+
|
|
|
Post by cheshie04 on Apr 27, 2012 23:40:04 GMT -5
Kaya was my first historical doll and the most important doll I own. I love her to pieces. I got her for my 10th birthday from my dad who had my aunt get her from the MCM for him. She's somewhere around a first run doll, with the darker skin tone. She is lovely, really. Just don't take out her hair. I did when I was young, and managed just fine, but that's because I was very careful and prepared with my mister and brush at hand. My Kaya is historical, but I'll put her in modern clothes to see how pretty she looks. I really love her skin tone- wish they would use it more.
|
|
Mad Celtic Midwife
Historical Dreamer
Best Set Design 2012 Best Actor 2011 Best Set Design 2011 Banned: Cross-Posting
Kit rules this roost!
Posts: 2,319
Feedback: Link
|
Post by Mad Celtic Midwife on Jul 22, 2012 19:59:45 GMT -5
I decided I really wanted a Kaya doll for my bday (August 6th), and when Memory said she had a beautiful first edition Kaya for sale, my dh said go ahead and get her. She is absolutely gorgeous! Her coloring is almost identical to my pm #11, with slightly rosier cheeks and lips. She has the most serene expression on her face. I am thrilled with her! Her hair is still in the original braids, so I can't attest to its quality unbraided, but I can say it is shiny and appears very thick. I think she would look gorgeous in any time period clothing. Thanks for looking!
|
|
|
Post by ladoyle on Aug 7, 2012 19:53:29 GMT -5
I just got my new Kaya at the St. Louis store and love her peaceful look! However, she is a full 1 inch (at least) shorter than my other 5 dolls! She has Pleasant Company 2002 on her neck, but a newer body tag (not the super long one though). Also she doesn't have the deeper face paint, which I do not prefer, since she looks more authentic in natural coloring.
|
|
|
Post by fosterer on Aug 21, 2012 12:06:36 GMT -5
Well first off I would like to say that this is my first post on here. Woooo. Kaya is absolutely one of the most beautiful dolls American Girl makes. I have no clue why she gets ignored so much. I mean, you never see little girls with Kaya. They always have Julie or the girl of the year because they are apparently "more modern." Starting on Kaya's hair. It seems most complain about her hair. They say that it is frizzy, dry, and textured from the moment her braids are taken out. I purchased my Kaya in December 2011 and her hair was perfectly fine when I took her braids out. Her hair was amazingly soft and smooth. Of course she had crimps in her hair from the braids, but it wasn't frizzy. I brushed it after spritzing water and it was fine. I ended up steaming her hair straight, (it is GORGEOUS by the way) but I didn't find it a problem before. Although the ends aren't all even because of the way it was cut in the braids, I love it. The longest her hair is is below her ankles. It is a very dark brown with red (not orange, RED) highlights. Her hair is so fun to brush and style. Now, Kaya's outfit. Her outfit is very well made. I find it very very realistic for her time period. I love the details with the beads and the slits at the bottom of the dress and sleeves. The fabric is awesome quality too. The hair pieces are a nice touch too. I usually keep my dolls modern, as I don't have many historical outfits, but I do think Kaya's meet outfit is very nice. For the doll herself.. Her limbs and head were tight right out of the box and they stay that way. Her eyes open and close well. They are pinwheel I believe. They are a nice shade of brown that goes well with her skin tone. She has feathered eyebrows that appear different than those of my other dolls. She has no head tilt (like a lot of Josefina mold dolls.) Her skin tone is beautiful, it is different than Sonali's if anyone is wondering. It says "PLEASANT COMPANY" on her neck, though I purchased her in December 2011. I suppose that is normal. Overall, I do recommend Kaya to anyone. She is under appreciated at American Girl and that should change. She is a great quality doll. I will take pictures eventually and post them here. Sorry for the long review, I'm not good at writing things short and sweet.
|
|
|
Post by fionabrigade on Sept 11, 2012 0:47:18 GMT -5
Kaya is my third doll. I have an earlier model with the rosier complexion. I'm not sure if Mattel tweaked her mold but in comparison to the display dolls at AGP I think my doll has larger cheeks. The texture of her hair as indicated in other reviews is super dry and frizzy, yet I find it relatively easy to manage with heavy spritzing. Kaya's meet outfit is very detailed and made with a hefty material and her decorative hair shells are not cheap quality. She is a lot shorter than my other dolls, she stands probably a good half-inch below my tallest (Jess) which I believe is due to the lack of length of her neck.
I would love to give her an A+ but the hair and squat stature bring her down to an A.
***edit to remove picture
|
|
sharayahlynn
Historical Dreamer
Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, she became a butterfly. εїз
Posts: 2,435
Feedback: Link
|
Post by sharayahlynn on Nov 18, 2012 21:46:45 GMT -5
My Kaya's skin is darker than Kanani's skin. I tried to get a bit of a skin-tone comparison for you. As for their hair, I believe that Kanani's may be a bit longer, but as I have their hair in different styles (Kaya has a side ponytail and Kanani has a braid), I'm not 100% sure on that. Perhaps someone else has an opinion on hair length? Skin-tone comparison (arms): Skin-tone comparison (legs): And their beautiful faces :
|
|