Grade: C+
When this outfit debuted, I marveled at the number of pieces that were included for $44. However, after purchasing this set, I concluded that we’re getting quantity with this set, not quality. Like EofA noted, the concept of this set is wonderful, but the execution is severely lacking. That being said, my target age-group children love this set and don’t notice the design flaws.
The two main pluses of this set are the wide array of pieces and their versatility. This set contains a superhero suit, reversible cape, dragon costume with matching hat, black leotard, reversible skirt, reversible wings, black slipper, crown, and memory game/book. With a bit of imagination these pieces have loads of play potential. While they’re designed for dress-up and Halloween, some pieces can be used for pajamas, and dance wear. The leotard has also doubled as a swimsuit and the skirt has been used for day clothes.
It often seems like boys get the short end of the stick when it comes to dress-up wear. Therefore, I was impressed that this set contains two creative, non-villainous costumes.
Superhero Suit:
The superhero Outfit is my son’s favorite of the options. The suit with printed buttons fits decently on the baby. However, like other have mentioned, you do see a fair amount of baby fat in back. Also, little hands may require assistance when putting this on their dolls. Without the much needed zipper or Velcro, it sometimes feels like you’re going to rip the costume or Bitty’s arms in the dressing process. Additionally, my son’s superhero costume wasn’t sewn the best and is already beginning to pull away a bit at the seams after a month of play. It’s probably something worth checking if you have the ability to choose the outfit in person. Also, it’s already evident that the buttons will show scratches and wear with time.
I really don’t recommend doing this, but I was able to get an 18” doll in the costume with lots of twisting and tugging (the seams were already lose beforehand). The doll’s limbs do not move in this outfit and the results are not worth the effort.
The separate, reversible cape is impressive in my book. My kids frequently wear capes and wings with their day/play clothes. Now Bitty can do the same. The two sides also increase the versatility.
Dragon costume: Like others have noted, the dragon costume shares many design flaws with the superhero outfit. Namely the back is low cut, there’s no zipper, and it can be challenging for little ones to put on their dolls. Fabric sensitive children may also not care for the feel of the polyester suit and the silk screen stripes may show wear with time. That being said the dragon/dinosaur outfit has lots of play potential, especially when paired with the earlier prince and princess costumes. I couldn’t get this outfit on the 18” dolls.
The quality of the matching hat is equivalent to the rest of the outfit. The spikes appear to be supported by cardboard and may show wear with play/storage. I also wish that the hat had a tie. Our bitty dragons tend lose their hat quite often during play.
I definitely had lower expectations for the girl’s outfits. They have fewer pieces and seem less creative than the “boy’s” outfits. However, I didn’t find them as disappointing in real life.
Leotard: In general, AG has yet to perfect the leotard, especially sleeveless and short-sleeved ones. This one isn’t an exception. The fabric is very thin (almost see-through) and the design reveals quite a bit of cloth body. That being said, it’s fairly versatile and fits the 18”ers nearly as well as the Bitty dolls.
Reversible Skirt: The reversible skirt has a pink print on one side and stripes on the other. I was amused that the stripes were sewn and not a piece of striped fabric. The piece is cute, versatile, and fits well. No complaints here.
Wings: The reversible vinyl wings are also a cute idea. The piece has ribbon straps and stays on well. The bee side of our wings isn’t sewn the best and the butterfly side will show scratches with play, but they’re okay overall.
Slippers: The slippers are typical, AG ballet shoes without the leather bottoms. They’re difficult for little hands to put on their Bitty dolls and are nearly impossible to get on the 18” dolls. I do like that the tags are inside the shoes and don’t interfere with the outfit’s appearance.
Crown: The crown appears to be a stuffed, fabric covered headband. Unfortunately, it’s quite difficult to put on Bitty’s head. For that reason, it doesn’t see much use here (even though crowns are almost always a hit). I didn’t want to be the one to break it, so I didn’t take any pictures of it on the doll.
Matching Game: The matching game is an interesting deviation from the norm. Although ours hasn’t been opened yet, the pieces appear to be relatively thin cardboard. It could be a fun activity to tuck in the diaper bag when we’re waiting at restaurants, the doctor, etc.
Overall, this set isn't as impressive as it looks. However, for the right price, it has a fair amount of play potential.
