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Post by Wickfield on Oct 27, 2009 7:07:15 GMT -5
I got just the hat yesterday from a board member - it's another one of those pieces I really wanted when it came out but never got until now! I wasn't really missing much, but it's still nice to have the hat that completes this outfit. Here's a picture: It's made of thick plushy velvet which attracts dust like mad, lol. The velvet must have matched the velour pants on the first runs of the outfits, but my pants are cotton and I prefer the contrast in the two fabrics. The brim can be folded up or down and it fits the dolls head snugly. It would probably be a bit more stylish (they do still sell crush hats) w/o the fleece bows. But the bows are a nice detail, and I like the beads sewn in the center. The hat tends to make Amanda look kind of dorky but in a very cute way. Shall give it a B.
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Post by Wickfield on Oct 22, 2009 7:22:46 GMT -5
I fell in love with this outfit way back when it came out in 1998, but inexplicably never got it. UNTIL NOW! And it has promptly become one of my absolute favorite outfits for Amanda. The blouse The blouse is made with a satin bodice and sheer gauzy sleeves woven with gold threads. It is a very elegant piece in clean bright white. The bodice is decorated with three gold beads stitched to look like buttons (although the neckline is a little odd as the hem is very narrow and plain). The sleeves are nice and blousy, similar to Josefina's camisas, and surprised me by snapping at the wrists. I bought my set used so the satin on the back was pretty beat up by the velcro which is very heavy and could snag anything, so it may not be the best for younger collectors. But for looks it gets an A. The jumper - I like this piece because it looks nearly identical to some of the outfits I had at the target age in the late 90s. The velveteen is so THICK! It is plushy and soft and because of its weight it drapes beautifully. I really like the gold edging which dresses up the jumper and gives it a finished look. I had always been under the impression that the snoflakes had jewels for their centers but they are embroidered from gold and white thread. The pattern on mine is a bit odd because where the waistline is stitched it cuts off one of the snowflakes. :/ It's also nice that, though the outfit is formal and wintry, it doesn't scream holidays. A+The headband - another quintessential 90s piece. This one is hard but flexible enough to get on the doll's head, and is covered in black woven nylon. It's decorated with individually-stitched beads that match the ones on the jumper and shoes. It's very cute on the doll's head although it doesn't sit quite right without going in the middle of her ears, not like a real headband. I'll give it A-The tights - These are very similar to the tights that go to the Holiday Dress, but in black/gold instead of all gold. These are thicker than the usual tights but thinner than the similar gold tights; they seem to hold up pretty well. I like the jazzy sparkles and I would have adored these things at this age. They make the dress seem a bit appropriately younger. AI don't have the shoes but they are just plain black patent flats, with two of the matching gold beads stitched on top. I have found that Nellie's Holiday shoes look really great with the set, and also the black velvet flats from the First Day outfit. I highly recommend this set! Detail of the headband: Showing the bead "buttons", embroidered snowflakes, and threaded sleeves: And just a portrait of Amanda, lol:
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Post by Wickfield on Oct 14, 2009 18:00:03 GMT -5
My cousin got a pair of these back in 2002, but her Mattel pair was not made of wire, nor was it thin like those shown here. Hers were made of sturdy, transparent tan plastic colored like tortoiseshell. I thought they were really great and wanted a pair of my own. A-
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Post by Wickfield on Oct 12, 2009 7:31:13 GMT -5
I got my sweet PM Asian Bitty, Jennifer, in early 1997. She was my first AG doll, period, and my mother picked her out because she looked the most like me when I was born (even though I'm not one bit Asian). She's absolutely darling, nice and squishy, with her skintone darker and more golden than blond Bitty. I love her soft babyish eyelashes and minimal facepaint! I agree with the other reviewers in that her head paint does scuff fiercely but it's easy to color with marker or paint. (My doll's hair seems to be differently shaped than the Mattel dolls - a widows' peak, if you will - and it is very shiny.) She's also had some eye problems - they stick, and one has a rim of silver around the brown iris which doesn't seem to be silver eye, but rather some of the metal workings of the eye showing. Don't know if this is due to a problem with the doll or the care I gave it. She came in the first version sleeper which has pilled over time, but it's been nearly 13 years and I didn't take particularly great care of it. The diaper was just a piece of flannel with a bit of serging around the edges and velcro to fasten. I really need some better pictures but these will do for now. Showing the scuffs on her head: And the markings on her neck: She's the only baby doll I was ever interested in. A
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Post by Wickfield on Sept 28, 2009 17:50:58 GMT -5
Does the redness of this dress stain the doll's body at all if left on for a few weeks? Thank you. We've left our dress on Kirsten for weeks at a time and have had no problems at all. HTH!
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Post by Wickfield on Sept 3, 2009 17:13:47 GMT -5
It's about time I did the review for this set! I bought this as the Mattel "Christmas Accessories" set which included the lantern. (FWIW, mine is a very new version that came in the star box.) The chicken and eggs - Here's where AG's scaling is very poor. This whole chicken, which in the book is a full-sized one and not a guinea, is smaller than Josefina's head! She looks very out-of-proportion if you pay attention and take her out of her cage! The chicken herself is actually very cute, with both painted-on feathers and two kinds of "real" feathers glued to her tail and wings. She fits easily inside of her cage. Her eggs are small too, but very darling. They are made from a clay-like material that has been spatter-painted. They are ridiculously small and they do roll out of her cage. B (for scale reasons) The chicken cage - I didn't find the cage to be particularly cheap - it is made of real wood with a string handle. The string is tied on at the diagonal, and I can't tell if this is clever or annoying, though Josefina can hold it easily. I love the touch of "hay" glued to the inside of the cage! B+The chiles - I can't tell if these are too small or not but they are very cute! Chiles are such an important part of Josefina's Christmas story and her books in general and are great for setting up scenes. These are made from red paper twisted around green string stems and Josefina can hold these, too. A The lantern - I actually don't think this is as "crappy" as the other reveiwers have mentioned. It's not fantastic but not horrible, especially considering that it is included in a set with lots of other goodies. It is made from plain wood, stamped with a gorgeous Spanish design. I love the little candleholder inside! The leather straps are glued in knots (again, Josefina can hold this). The windows lower the effect a bit - they seem to be made from layers of plastic and mine are separating, plus the door of my lantern was warped so one of the windows is threatening to pop off. A- (I really like it, except for the windows). In short, I think this set is worth its original price but wouldn't pay more for it!
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Post by Wickfield on Sept 3, 2009 17:12:15 GMT -5
I just got the silver tray and five bizcochitos which someone sold me from a Josefina lot they received. I'm quite pleased with it, although everything seems a bit off-scale - it looks more like a plate than a platter, and why are there only five cookies? Maybe this is the platter after everyone at the Christmas fiesta took their share. The platter itself is heavy and apparently real silver as it tarnishes like mad. The cookies are sweet and look just like the book cookies. It gets an A- for scale issues.
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Post by Wickfield on Aug 25, 2009 7:07:54 GMT -5
Seems I'm part of the majority in that I think Sombrita is DARLING! Everyone in my family, even my parents really love her. I got my brand-new from AG so she's a white-faced version which I prefer, since book!Sombrita is all black and white. She's very very heavy material, with fur glued on her body and flocking on her face and legs. I noticed the black parts are stiffer and rougher which leads me to believe they've been spray-painted. I do think she could be hard to clean so keep that in mind for younger collectors. Sombrita's little bell ties to a pleather cord and is removable if you slide it over her nose and then ears. The bell is actually metal and very loud! It has a sweet sound but rings constantly so we eventually had to tape the clapper down. All in all I think she's precious and looks great with Josefina. A+
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Post by Wickfield on Aug 25, 2009 6:53:52 GMT -5
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Post by Wickfield on Aug 23, 2009 10:15:02 GMT -5
The loom: This was so much nicer than I was expecting! I knew it was plastic and thusly was awaiting the worst, but it is actually very weighty; it feels more like resin to me. It's also realistically painted to look like wood. The loom comes pre-strung (mine was a tad crooked, unfortunately, but it isn't awful), with the shed and heddle rods already attached and ready for weaving. It seems quite small next to Josefina but is a really neat display piece. A+The yarn: The yarn is real wool and very pretty, complimentary colors. However, my yarn is THICK. It's quite off-scale. I can't tell if it's really a difference from the others' sets (it's definitely thicker than AGR's, it might be the same as GCSupergirl's), but regardless it looks odd when it's on the loom and next to Josefina. I think it's so that the girls who are actually wanting to make the blanket can get it done quicker. But I would have preferred to take my time and get a finer weave. B- UPDATE: I was looking at the yarn and was really discontent with the result, and then I decided to unravel it into two separate pieces like embroidery thread. That can be tricky but it makes your weaving look so much better if you have a new set! The tools: The tools include a fork to push the yarn down, a batten (is that what it's called?) to separate the warp threads, a big plastic needle which I didn't get in my picture, and the shuttle. They seem a little large for Josefina but I don't know if they're supposed to be to her scale anyway. Except for the batten, which is wood, they're made of thick matte plastic and look like bone or something. Interestingly, they are stamped "Pleasant Company", I guess because of the mold. Oh, also there's a clamp to hold the loom onto a table which was a very nice addition! They do their job. AThe booklet: Normally I wouldn't have included any info on this but I wanted to mention that my set (which I just bought new from AG) has a different booklet than AGRescue's. Mine is printed entirely in black and white with a different cover; this must be a change from 2007 (that's the copyright date). Anyway, it's written in English, French and Spanish and is pretty easy to follow, with some interesting information on Navajo weaving. I didn't have any difficulties (and shouldn't, I'm 18), and I doubt I would have had trouble when I was younger. The only tricky thing is sliding the batten through the right way, but after you master that you're set. NOTE, though, the booklet does NOT tell you how to rethread the warp, so keep that in mind. A-
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Post by Wickfield on Jun 19, 2009 17:01:27 GMT -5
The housecoat - Our housecoat - which is a Mattel star-box version - is made of a medium weight cotton in a cranberry and cream tiny plaid print. As qnpoohbear mentioned, it is not lined except for the collar, which features a tiny floral calico print (you can see it in my second picture). Like most of Kirsten's pieces this one velcros at the wrists but it really buttons up the front; the buttons are just like those on Josefina's spencer jacket, but are harder to button here because of some very small button holes! This piece looks absolutely darling over the nightgown, and might look nice as outerwear over some other dresses. AThe sockor - the sockor are made of real felted wool and even though we have a very recent set, the box said they were still made in Sweden. Bonus! Unlike the other reviewers, we had absolutely no trouble getting these on Kirsten's feet, and these are Mattel for a Mattel doll. In fact, they seem like they could slip off; because these are handmade though they likely vary. They fit nicely and complete her whole bedtime ensemble. A
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Post by Wickfield on May 10, 2009 11:43:12 GMT -5
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Post by Wickfield on Mar 21, 2009 19:00:42 GMT -5
Okay, so here are some comparison pics as this set has evidently changed a good deal over the years. First comes the vest - . I have three versions of this - the early PM version, what I believe to be an early Mattel version, and a late Mattel version from 2008. The early PM and early Mattel versions seem to be real leather, or at least real leather with some kind of overlay, and are actually thinner than the pleather version. The color of these is extremely different, a dark reddish-brown compared to the tan of the pleather edition. Neither is tooled very deeply, but the PM one is deeper than the early Mattel one (this is really the only difference between the two and it may not be so much a PM/Mattel issue as just a batch issue). Then we have the late Mattel version. The one I received in 2008 is imitation leather, and boy does it show, rubbery and generic light brown. Interestingly, though the pleather version is stamped more deeply than either leather vest. I really love the leather ones in either version but the pleather one is junk. From left to right: early PM, early Mattel, late Mattel lh6.ggpht.com/_O70_KCdq0J0/TNRBnEmBpcI/AAAAAAAABks/1ix6_2TSDC4/s800/IMG_0650.jpgThe fabric has also changed between PM and late Mattel. The thickness is the same, but the original material is a bit more of a burnt orange than my Mattel version, and the flowers and stripes are slightly different. Not sure when this changed, but it's not too big of a deal. PM on left, late Mattel on right (and the Mattel is not so warm in color, I don't know why it was taking like that) mod edit to remove oversized, embedded image
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Post by Wickfield on Mar 13, 2009 14:39:16 GMT -5
This is such a sweet outfit, not exactly "sporty" and a bit girly but Ashley still loves it and wears it a lot. My sister had the girl-sized set and it was so cute!
The jacket - both the girl and doll ones are very thick and so SOFT! The jacket is made of lavender-colored material with a pinkish cast, ribbed at the bottom with real pockets. Some of those reflective ribbons run the length of the sleeve and "AG" is embroidered on the left cuff. The jacket really zips up with a plastic and metal zipper, too! Also, you could probably pair this with other outfits. A+
The shirt - this is slightly on the thin side but it pulls it off well. Velcroing up the back as usual, the front as a wreath of flowers surrounding "AG", and chain stitching of different colors around the edges of the shirt. Again, not exactly sporty, but another one of those mix-and-match pieces. A
The pants - the pants are the letdown, thin and too short, and they come down in the back when Ashley's sitting. The velcro up the front and then snap with a round metal snap. The cuffs have flower embroidery and zip up the side. The girl-sized pants were much thicker and lined with fleece, I wish these were too. C.
The shoes - the shoes, to me, look like "doll shoes", although I think they were supposed to represent the sporty slip-on sneakers girls were wearing around that time. These are obviously purple pleather with pink and blue stripes. They have a band of elastic in the back so they'll actually stay on the dolls foot, which is a plus. Still, though, we like the outfit better with the gray sneakers. B
The barrettes - two rectangular metal barrettes complete the set, and I thought they held a fair amount of hair. However, they definitely tarnished badly. Maybe a silver cloth would fix them up, I know that worked with the 1998 cowgirl badge which was also cheap metal. B-
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Post by Wickfield on Mar 13, 2009 14:28:30 GMT -5
The PJs - you have to realize that, upon buying this set, it will ONLY really work for winter. I wish the design had been stars rather than snowflakes so it could work year round, but we knew it was snowflakes when we bought it, so... I love the thick, satiny fabric these PJs are made from, and the color - rich dark purple - is great. The snowflakes are printed in an elegant silver tone, and all is edged in a lighter purple trim. The pants pull up with elastic, and although there are frog loops on the top they aren't functional, instead the top velcros up the back. They look really nice on Ashley, I think overall I'll give them a B. The slippers - these won't stay on the doll's feet, I wish they had those clear elastic straps the new AG slides have. They are a cute, realistic concept, and would probably look nice in a bedroom display, but for actual use I'm afraid they get a C.
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Post by Wickfield on Mar 13, 2009 14:22:42 GMT -5
We got this outfit for Ashley the year it came out. Though the colors are rather...bold, it works for a regular exercise/sport outfit, too, if you get rid of the harness and shoes. The jacket - I love fleece sweaters on AG, for some reason. This one seems sturdier, it hasn't pilled as much as some of the other fleece pieces. Edged in orange piping, it zips up the front with a red plastic zipper. There's a patch on the front with a mountain and the letters "AG". Nice all around, and Ashley loves red, so that's a bonus. AThe tank - as SailAway said, the tank is a simple shell made of spandex. It gets extra embellishment with red chain-stitching up the front. It velcros up the back with the thinner velcro, but it still tends to snag the fabric. Also, some might consider the bright orange rather garish. BThe shorts - these are a nice, athletic pair of stretchy biking shorts. These are thicker than the tank top and pull on with elastic. They look even sportier because of the orange and silver trimming. AThe shoes - though the flat, slick soles tend to designate these as specifically "rock-climbing" shoes, if you aren't really too particular you could disguise these as a pair of sneakers, too. The uppers of these shoes appear to be real suede dyed purple, lacing up with flat black laces. I think they are really cute. A The ponytail holders - generic little hair elastics in bright red to match the jacket. They don't have a ton of stretch and one of them broke on my sister. B-The harness & chalk bag- this is such a cool, unique piece! It consists of wide, woven, black nylon straps. They are decorated with designs in fabric paint which looks like some doofusy touch there would be at camp or a rock-climbing place. It goes on easily, with the help of a set of instructions that were included. The three metal carabiners are nice, I think ours were silver, pink and purple. A+ for accuracy. The chalk bag is a tiny little drawstring pouch made of slippery red nylon: B.
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Post by Wickfield on Mar 13, 2009 12:19:13 GMT -5
Licorice - I got Licorice the year she came out, and am attached to her because she was a gift but am not devastated to see her go. My main beef is that she is WAY off scale! She looks like she could eat Kirsten's cats, and you just show me a normal kitten that is the same size as a Westie puppy. Licorice is made of a lightweight, heavy plastic covered in thin black and white fur in the pattern of a tuxedo cat. Her nose is plastic, and her eyes and whiskers are, too. Her facial fur gets messed up easily, and I don't understand why she has little "eyebrows". Also, the wire in her tail was very thin and broke, so now she looks like she has the Cat in the Hat's tail. B-Her cushion - the darn thing sheds! Whenever I take out Josefina's school skirt it has little pink feathers stuck all over it! While it is a nice concept it's really rather cheap, made from stuffed satin with a butterfly pattern. B-Her collar - I got the earlier, original version, stretchy with rhinestone diamonds. This piece is really nice and sparkly and looks terrific on the cat. [/b]A[/b] Her toy...thing - I think it's really supposed to resemble a ball of yarn. Anyway, it is also pink with little sparkly strands woven in. It's magnetized so it will stick to Licorices mouth, too. For what it is, A.
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Post by Wickfield on Mar 13, 2009 12:11:55 GMT -5
Wow, got to be first reviewer for this, too! I'll just say that I really dislike how Coconut is the theme of this party, because if you don't have or like Coconut you're stuck with little Westie decorations all over everything. Also, it cuts down on versatility.
The balloons - while a nice idea in concept, the balloons are made of plastic and wire and are kind of hard for the doll to hold. The handle is made of thick twisted wire with a loop to slip over the doll's hand. The balloons to this set are pink and blue with "Happy Birthday" logos, and a silver one with Coconut. I do like the color choices and all the curling ribbon! B-
The tiara - another good concept but doesn't exactly work. The tiara is made of plastic and is not wide enough to fit on the doll's head! We have a doll from this same period but the tiara still sits strangely on top, leaving a gap between the crown and the head. As far as looks go, it is made of pearlized white plastic and silvery tinsel, with a holographic "Happy Birthday" sticker on top. B-
The gift bag - a cute idea, made of sparkly plastic-coated paper. It actually holds a lot, including all the favors if you'd like to use it as a favor sack. The strap is pearlized pink curling ribbon, and the bag is edged with shiny trim. A+
The favors - these look like real favors you'd get at a birthday party! The stickers are made of blue and pink candies and are really removable. The sketch pad are just like things my sister and I actually had, and I'm glad it came with the little plastic stick even though it's no big deal. The blowout is the best part. It really works! Or at least it did, until the paper got a rip in it. A
The cake and platter - Coconut appears again, here he is in tiny plastic "candy" form on top of the cake. The cake looks pretty realistic with pink and lavender glazing, with the aforementioned candy Coconut and little silk flowers decorating the top. Even the glitter makes sense, I had sugar glitter on all my cakes at this time. The platter is plain pink, scalloped plastic, with a paper doily lining it. The paper doily is very fragile and crumples easily but looks nice when it is intact. A-
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Post by Wickfield on Mar 13, 2009 11:58:06 GMT -5
Wow, I got to be first reviewer for this! Guess I'll have to post pictures, too. In all honesty, I'm not quite sure why I actually got this outfit, as I had always liked the Flower Power Outfit better and this one does not really suit Amanda's personality or looks and doesn't really match the school accessories. Oh well. It looked okay on Josefina, and maybe I was just destined to be the first reviewer. The top - the top reminds me of a lot of Josefina's camisas, with the scoop neck and puffed sleeves. It's not nearly as long though, just the right length to tuck into the pants. The top seems to be made of stiff, berry-colored velveteen, darker and less reddish than the stock photo shows. There are little berries that are actually embroidered in different colors across the outfit! It's a very heavy piece and I imagine it looks best on medium-skinned girls. AThe pants - I'm not really that great with fabrics, maybe these are twill? Either way they are very soft in a neutral olive-khaki color. They pull on with elastic and go down to the doll's mid-calf. They really tie at the waist and at the cuffs, but ties at the cuffs are shorter and tend to come undone. These seem fairly mix-and-matchable, especially with the other pieces of this school line, and could work for a tomboy too. AThe sandals - these are really great and seem to look like actual sandals. They are made from a soft, almost suede-like pleather, woven and with real buckles! The soles are textured and cobbled. A-
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Post by Wickfield on Mar 13, 2009 11:48:54 GMT -5
The binder - the binder looks fairly realistic, rather girly like most of the items of this period, covered in dusty pink fabric with a hibiscus decoration in the lower right corner. No plastic here, the rings and internal parts are all metal - and they really pop open, too! It also looks to scale. A
The folders - three heavy folders made from blue, pink, and olive-colored cardstock. These are very durable and also realistic in construction - real pockets on the inside! - although I've never seen them in this color before. The stickers are a sheet of orange and red, square decals that don't really match but are cute enough. A
The textbook - both my sister and I used this EXACT same book in the 4th grade. All the pages inside are real, and both the paper and bookcover feel exactly like the full-size version. I love how they used to include a real textbook, most of the school supplies sets don't have that nymore, maybe for copyright reasons. A+
The thermos & spork - both of these pieces are made of very heavy, silver plastic. The thermos also has a purple lid with a hibiscus decal and a pink nylon strap. I like the weight and reality of these pieces, but I don't get the point of having a spork slide into the side of the thermos. I also don't understand why the food was supposed to go INSIDE the thermos...? So as a thermos and not a lunchbox, it gets a A, and the spork gets a B because the doll should have just had a fork.
The food - Um....yeah. So aside from the fact that spaghetti and salad is not exactly the most practical school lunch, and aside from the fact that your mom only made you a handful of spaghetti and a handful of salad, and the fact that she made you STUFF IT IN YOUR THERMOS, these parts are really great. Seriously, the salad and spaghetti are far too small, the portions are the size of the entire cookie, and they are painted much too brightly. The plastic containers didn't seem thin to me, and they are supposed to have purple lids to match the thermos. I wish AG had made a lunch set or something, these things just don't do it for me if you are trying to be realistic. C+
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Post by Wickfield on Mar 13, 2009 10:36:20 GMT -5
Good lord, no pictures? Well, I'll have to post some soon. Let it be known that I know absolutely nothing about accuracy in soccer uniforms, I'm just going by quality and the whether or not I just like the look. The jersey - the jersey is made from thin, shiny material printed in a diamond pattern of two shades, and edged in black and white trim. We have the blue set, and it looks nice with our Mattel Ashley's eyes. The "9" is a decal which peels off after too much use so we had to touch ours up with a marker. I think the jersey should have a team logo, shouldn't it? This one doesn't. It velcros in the back and is long enough to tuck into the shorts. Overall I like it well enough but that decal takes it to B. The shorts - these look pretty authentic, especially for the years this set was available. The shorts pull up with elastic and are made from nylon. They're really embroidered in white at the edge and have "American Girl" stitched on one cuff. They are kind of big and reach to the doll's knees. A-The socks - these are just your average AG knee socks in blue, but I'm glad they were included as you need them to play soccer. AThe shin guards - I'm assuming shin guards actually have to be HARD to protect your shins, rather than a few layers of stiff black fabric. These have a strip of elastic sewn to the back and stay on the doll pretty well, but they aren't long enough to peek out of the socks like the catalog shows. B-The cleats - I think these are very cute, I've seen ones just like them at the mall. They are made of sturdy black pleather with little pegs on the bottom so your doll won't slide around on the field. There's two white ribbon stitched to each side, and the laces are real ones with aglets. They fit both PM and Mattel dolls, A+. The bag - the bag is a nice duffel bag although you really have to cram the ball inside. It has a mesh pocket outside and the rest is made from nylon, with a satin cord to draw it shut. There's also a zipper on the side, for some reason. A-The towel - boy, there's a lot of pieces to this set! I'm not sure a towel was absolutely necessary, but it's a nice little one about the size of a washcloth, made from thick terrycloth with an "American Girl" patch stitched to the front. BThe ball - the soccer ball is the only thing I found really lacking, it is soft and squishy, stuffed with cotton and an outer layer made from pieces of pleather. I think it should have been harder and bigger, and I like the newer AG soccer balls better, C.
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Post by Wickfield on Mar 13, 2009 7:34:34 GMT -5
I love these PJs, they look good on Mattel girls but look even cozier on PM Amanda! I got these in 2002, right before they retired. I'm glad I did!
The PJs - these are made from stiff, thin cotton. I never had a problem with wrinkling, but they do look rumpled which I just think makes them look more comfy. Both the bottoms and shirt are cut very roomily. The pants pull up with elastic and reach a good length down the doll's feet. The pajama top is wide and really buttons up the front! I haven't had too much difficulty with the buttons, I think the thread started coming out of one, maybe. The eyelet pattern on the fabric is simple but adds nice detail, although I do occasionally worry about threads coming unraveled. A+
The pouch - it's a nice inclusion, but kind of pointless. I stuff it with Amanda's next-day clothing and sling it over her arm. B
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Post by Wickfield on Mar 13, 2009 7:27:29 GMT -5
Ashley came in this outfit in 2002, we got it as soon as it was being made because when we ordered the doll, catalog pictures still showed the Urban Outfit. It's a cute set, but it's too girly for a tomboy like Ashley. I would like a less fancy outfit that could go either girly or tomboyish, and I think the Ready for Fun outfit later accomplished this. I also don't think it's too adult for a young girl, this just seems like an outfit for a fancier occasion - which is why we bought the girl-sized pieces for me when I was 12!
The sweater - this was made during the Purple Reign of AG, when even my mother said, "They sure like to use a lot of purple, don't they?". It is a dusty lavender color, very thick and high quality. I love the raised embroidery at the wrists, a detail even the girl's sweater didn't have. The ribbon is a pinker shade, it threads through and ties to the front, and can come out if you aren't too careful. A+
The shirt - I really like the shirt! I think it's supposed to resemble a mock-turtleneck. It's made from cream-colored, thick cotton. The detail on front is supposed to look like hydrangeas and is really made from stitched-on sequins and embroidered leaves! Very beautiful and looks great with blond hair, A+.
The skirt - wow, this is really nice, an olive green herringbone-textured fabric that is also quite thick. It velcros with the "snag-free" velcro at the side, and falls to about the doll's knees. There is all manner of decoration at the bottom, beautiful different ruffles and ribbons, a lot of detail that's really nice. A+
The tights - *runs away screaming*. These things look really cute with the outfit but they SNAG! I don't even know HOW they snagged, there's hardly any velcro in this set! Either way, the back of our pair is completely shredded. This is a very delicate piece but looks nice. B-
The boots - I actually wasn't too crazy about these, they were just kind of funny looking and I never saw anything like this for actual girls. They are a much darker purple than any of the outfit's pieces and seem to "ground" it. With a thick rubber sole and a suede-like upper, they zip up the front. B
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Post by Wickfield on Mar 13, 2009 7:16:53 GMT -5
This is a nice, basic shirt, although I wish it came in more colors than black because it looks a little hardcore, which won't suit all dolls . It is stretchy, spandexy material that velcros in the back, and fortunately it doesn't snag! It fit's both PM and Mattel and looks nice on a wide variety of coloration. I wish AG had been selling jeans at the same time, because most sets don't come with jeans and Amanda didn't have much to wear it with. A-
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Post by Wickfield on Mar 13, 2009 7:14:24 GMT -5
The sweater - the sweater is a soft fleecy little number, very thick and with a fuzzy texture. It tends to pill slightly. Inside the sweater closes with a hook and eye closure which you'll have to look for as it's quite small, and then ties on the outside with a real ribbon. I love the beaded edging! When I saw this in the catalog I thought it was that silver wrapped thread used on some things. This may be delicate if you really yank on it but I haven't had any problems. The sweater looks most beautiful on blue-eyed dolls! A
The skirt - why did you not use SNAPS, AG? *mourns* The silver overskirt snags really easily on the velcro closure behind, even though it's the newer, thinner velcro. The back of my skirt is really really picked up. At least it still looks nice from the front. The skirt is made from a thicker, shiny white material overlaid with the thin, sparkly silver material. I got my set in 2002, and I think the skirt is a bit different than earlier versions: it is shorter and doesn't fold as much, and the overlay doesn't hang down as far as other sets I've seen. Weird. The skirt is really pretty, so if you can keep it away from velcro like the plague, A-.
The tights - these are super thin and snag way too easily, but I was able to substitute Nellie's Christmas tights which work perfectly. The thin-ness is actually good, they impart a kind of sheen you wouldn't have with thicker tights. Again, very fragile, but they make the outfit look nice.
The shoes - love these! They are sturdy, really snap, and have the most beautiful color ever. I think they really make the outfit, I only wish they could be used with more outfits! A++
The hair clips - these are also quite breakable! They are made from clear plastic that appears to have been dipped in glue and rolled in glitter. From catalog pics, I thought they would be transparent plastic with glitter inside - were they ever like that?. B-
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Post by Wickfield on Mar 13, 2009 7:03:48 GMT -5
Got this outfit in 2002, methinks, and I think it's very cute and is one of the pastel sets Amanda can actually look good in! The hoodie - as you can tell from the pictures, the hoodie is a pale yellow, waffle-knit top that pulls on over the doll's head. Now I have a chubby PM doll and I haven't found the shirt to have stretched too much. Sure the neckline is v-necked, but you aren't supposed to pull it down to the doll's tummy, you just have to position it. The hood is edged in ribbed fabric and doesn't really fit the doll's head, and you can see the inner seam, which is the only thing I don't like about this piece. The sailboat button is so cute! AThe skort - is love. It is a real skort, not a scooter, so you can see the shorts behind. It velcros at the fly and then another panel of fabric covers it and snaps to the side. I love the sunny yellow, pink, blue and green fabric they chose! It looks so nautical, somehow, and very comfortable to wear. A+The sneakers - these are the only real sneakers Amanda has, and so they go with jeans, too. They are real canvas high-tops, with a thick heavy-duty rubber sole and the AGoT logo on the bottom. I love the real shoelaces with aglets! I'm so glad these were included, although I doubt it would be easy to find shoes that match your outfit so perfectly. AThe hat - this is so cute! Not only does it look darling with this set, but we've also paired it with Kit's beach PJs. It is also made of thick...maybe canvas? You can fold the brim up all the way around or leave it down in the back. It fits the doll's head well and doesn't look too odd with bangs, either. A
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Post by Wickfield on Mar 13, 2009 6:55:57 GMT -5
This is a great, versatile outfit with real mix-and-match capabilities. Ashley has claimed it, and it fits both her PM and Mattel versions! The jacket - I'm glad AG has finally included a basic denim jacket in it's set! This one is made of good quality dark blue denim, thin enough to seem scale on the doll. The pockets are contrast-stitched in white, and the buttons can actually work! And I'm so glad there's no embroidery or anything so this can go with other pieces. AThe shirt - my sister had the matching girl's shirt, both are just adorable! Made of thickish soft cotton, Coconut in screenprinted and doused with glitter. Unlike the girl version, there's no rear-view of Coconut on the back, just velcro. The shirt has a bit of stretch and fit on PM Ashley easily. While I think AG overdid it with Coconut during these years I really like this piece. A+The khakis - Ashley is always fairly hesitant to wear the khakis as they seem slightly feminine with their fitted shape and flared, slitted bottoms. They have real pockets and belt loops and velcro at the fly. They were even big enough to fit PM Ashley, our fattest doll! AThe sandals - didn't really care too much for the sandals, they're denim with a big platform, foam heel. I don't know why AG makes slides for doll feet, they just fall off! Also, the embroidered flowers make them seem a bit girly. We usually pair the set with the gray sneakers instead. B-The ponytail holder - heh, I really liked this ponytail holder but it's gone AWOL at present. It had a lot of stretch and I loved the sparkles woven into the texture. Some of the pink strands started to pull out so it's slightly delicate, but great for ponytails. (If your set doesn't have it, though, it's no great loss. ) A
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Post by Wickfield on Mar 12, 2009 15:34:41 GMT -5
I got this dress for Amanda after going on a Victorian/Edwardian kick from watching Sherlock Holmes. : I love it! The dress - this is so high-quality! The dress is made from thick, crisp, shiny taffeta, with a wonderfully large bold plaid pattern. The colors are terrific and work well together, and IMO it would look better on a dark-haired doll like Samantha, rather than Nellie (and it also looks very nice on Josefina when she plans to masquerade as Italian immigrant). I really love the pleating detail, they are deep enough to stay in place and the skirt uses enough fabric to seem swingy. There's also a lot of detail on the yoke, which is made from a thinner cotton and decorated with tiny white buttons. The sleeves look correct, helped a little with elastic sewn in at various sections. My only quibble is that the dress is supposed to be "drop-waisted", but it is sewn to the belt so you can't really make the top blouse over, and also the pleats are only stitched halfway down so you can see the thread. Still, though, A+The hairbow - I never had many problems with this, but I usually use it for a different style than Nellie or Sam. It's not really a bow, just a piece of folded velvet tied in a knot and sewn to a ponytail holder. I don't mind the ponytail holder but it's just so thick, if it had been a piece of elastic it would have looked better. Also, I'm not sure if a velvet hairbow is historically accurate. A-The tights - super-thin AG tights of the flimsiest variety. They seem really oddly long, too! I use these for the Ice Blue outfit, not this dress, for which I substitute Samantha's Christmas tights which look much better. C-The shoes - I LOVE THESE! I think they are just like Felicity's shoes, only made from patent leather. They also sport a round gold buckle on the top. They are just so shiny and absolutely adorable, and they complete the outfit. They also fit PM dolls! A+
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Post by Wickfield on Mar 12, 2009 15:25:14 GMT -5
The shoes - I really like these shoes! I found them easy to put on my PM #14 when she plays Edwardian. They are very nice, thick and soft pleather. The heel is low and may make the doll wobble but I use a stand usually anyway. The bows are also pleather, but the backing has begun to separate - this, of course could easily be repaired. A
The socks - not much, a fishnet pair of socks with a scalloped edge, they are creamy and yellowish and reach over her knees. They are also fairly thin and could snag easily. B-
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Post by Wickfield on Mar 12, 2009 15:20:31 GMT -5
I can't believe this outfit sells so high on Ebay, I just saw one sell for $185! I got this outfit the year it came out, December 2004. The dress - this dress is made from a very thin cotton in a pretty creamy shade. I would say the fabric is too thin, although this is a summer dress; it also wrinkles fairly easily. I love the lace details on the yoke, skirt and sleeves! The waistband is also accented by a thin, ribbon-y flower. I think this dress would look very nicely under Sam's duster, and I like it better than her birthday outfit but it's still not my favorite. Maybe it looks better on Mattel Samanthas than my PM #14. BThe hat - the hat was kind of a bummer, I haven't used it very much. It is made from a mesh-like material and the same cotton as the dress, but with an eyelet texture. It doesn't puff the way catalog pictures show, it lays flat and oddly on the doll's head. There are also a few ribbon flowers on the hat. I like how it was based off a real historical piece, but I think the doll version could have been done much better. CThe croquet accessories - I'm glad these were included, they were the best parts of the set! Both the ball and mallet seem to be real wood partially painted green, very similar to the AGoT set that came out in the 90's. The wicket is made of bent wire stuck into plastic bases made to resemble grass and flowers. These pieces look really nice in displays, too. A
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