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Post by daughterofthedryad on Jun 19, 2014 20:03:25 GMT -5
I actually quite liked the hardness and durability of the mask...no worries about bending it or creasing it while trying to get it on the doll. The elastic could have been a bit longer as it is hard to get over the doll's head.
The gloves slide easily on and easily off...my sister was pleasantly surprised, as she expected them to be quite difficult to get on. They're made of a stretchy (maybe knit?) material with metallic threads.
The wings, I think, were the big disappointment in this set. They hook easily enough to the dress but are not big enough to really show behind the whole costume if you're looking from the front--plus they're not stiff enough to hold themselves out properly, so they end up drooping. It would be better if they were made of a harder material, like the mask. I think my sister was pretty disappointed with them.
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Jun 19, 2014 19:59:51 GMT -5
Blouse: nice thick cotton, although I can tell it has poly content in it (I'm picky about fabrics). The lace on the collar is good quality, and I agree with a reviewer above--the cuffs needed velcro! Good mix & match potential.
Skirt: pretty printed cotton, nice and full. Fabric holds out well even without crinoline. Definitely needs some sort of fastening in the back--it's difficult to get on the doll with just elastic especially when you're trying to get the skirt on over the blouse and keep it tucked in.
Jacket: disappointed with the fabric, as I expected it to feel thicker/of better quality (or if not that, then at least be lined). The colors are gorgeous and the trim is too. It fits excellently and I love how it fastens in front, with velcro under the two little buttons.
All in all, quite pleased with this lovely outfit. Definitely worth the $14 I paid for it on sale.
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Jun 19, 2014 19:54:40 GMT -5
The dress definitely feels better than it looks (silky!), and definitely looks better in person than in the AG stock photos--not as shiny. The material is admittedly very thin, and I like another reviewer would not have purchased it but for a tiny person who wanted it very badly. Luckily I was able to pick it up on sale--I think $14 is a reasonable price, especially considering the lovely heeled shoes that come with the outfit. Definitely the best part of the lot
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Aug 27, 2012 20:06:43 GMT -5
I found my Molly at the thrift store for $3 and in nearly perfect condition--she had all of her original outfit (including glasses & hair ribbons) and her braids were nearly pristine. Very pleased with that deal! I just wish I knew when she was from. She looks nearly the same in face mold/paint comparison as my AGOT from 2000. Her clothes are tagged 1986 and her neck is stamped with Pleasant Company.
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Jun 1, 2011 20:16:26 GMT -5
Cécile is and has always been my favorite of the GOMLs because she is gorgeous and so is her costume. Her book is very exciting too, and I loved it. She reminds me of Elizabeth Cole AND Elizabeth Swann! lol. Actually if you wanted a custom Elizabeth Swann doll, Cécile would make a wonderful candidate. Hmm....
From the ground up: Cécile has fringed brocade mules with rubber soles. One quibble: they slip off VERY easily! (far too easily!). Also, they don't fit her feet extremely well. Her stockings are plain white cotton, and reach to her knees.
Cécile is not wearing a shift or any kind of underclothing, which is kind of an annoyance in the accuracy department, but I can overlook it. Her brocaded underskirt is merely printed (or painted) but it feels almost like real silk, is heavy and completely lined, and is fastened at the waist with a snap for easy removal.
Her polonaise (the overskirt and bodice/sleeves) is made of what feels like silk, too. The overskirt is lined, trimmed in a ruffle and some braided trim and pulled back from the waist (polonaised) with buttons at the side seams. (In actuality the skirt is simply tacked). This creates the pooching effect of the overskirt in the front. The bodice is trimmed in lace and looped trim. The stomacher is painted like the skirt and is sewn on one side to the bodice. The other side fastens with hidden snaps, so it opens (almost) like the real thing. I found that interesting. The little emerald jewel at the bottom of the stomacher has an elastic loop to fasten over it, as an extra feature to hold the dress closed. It doesn't really do anything, and it's hard to get it off and on, but it's still a nice touch. I appreciate the detail.
The sleeves are quarter-length and trimmed in nice-quality lace. Feels like real cotton.
Jewelry: Cécile has two pearl-and-cameo bracelets which are supposed to come on and off (apparently) but I don't want to mess with them as they look extremely fragile. The fastenings also look rather complicated. The cameos have excellent detail. The necklace is a simple, double strand of pearls which has a standard necklace fastener; easy removal. She has a strand of pearls in her hair too but mine are rather misplaced; they look funny. Cécile's earrings are emerald studs. My doll's ears have not turned green.
Her hairdo is made of a lot of little sausage curls; one of the back ones must've gotten caught in something, because it's bent in two. Another back sausage curl looks looser than the others. Her top hair is very simple: just curls gathered into a ponytail atop the head.
Accessories: Cécile's fan is a removable piece! Very cool, but also easy to lose. The gold handle feels heavy, like real metal, and it's studded with emeralds. You can tell the "ostrich feathers" were simply a cut-down fake feather (the kind you get in a big pack at the craft store). I don't remember if it looked like that in the catalog or not.
Overall: an A+ for Cécile, despite a few picky things. Cécile is a keeper! And an A for the book.
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Jun 1, 2011 19:58:49 GMT -5
Isabel is gorgeous, and (it seems) quite popular, sort of like Samantha. I remember reading her book when I was about 12 and liking it a lot. She's a spunky girl!
From the ground up: Isabel has on black leather Elizabethan shoes that slip off quite neatly (I used to like switching her and Cécile's shoes). I was impressed with the detail and accuracy of the shape. With the shoes she has tea-dyed stockings which go up to the knees. She has no underwear (accurate) but is wearing an enormous hoopskirt. It's white poly cotton with what seem like two flimsy wires in it, and a cardboard waist piece to make the dress really stand out. The cardboard has a slit in it, so you can easily take off the hoopskirt.
Over the hoop is the opulent velvet dress. I was impressed with the quality of the velvet, but not with the "brocade" underskirt! It IS woven, but only covers the front (it's a false underskirt, like Elizabeth's). However, the velvet skirt is lined in gold satiny cloth, so I guess that makes up for it. The skirt bustles out in back with a bit of a train, and fastens with a snap. The waistband (hidden) is the brocade fabric. The skirt is trimmed all the way around (yay!) with shiny gold braid.
The bodice is separate. The stomacher actually has boning (impressive!) to make it stand stiffly down the front and give Isabel that fashionable inverted-triangle shape. The stomacher is sewn into the dress (pity) and the bodice fastens up the back with black hooks & eyes. I haven't tried to undo them; they look like they'd be hard to fasten back!
Attached to the bodice is the lovely pleated ruff (quite soft, not stiff at all) which matches the lace on her sleeve cuffs.
Isabel wears a gold lace snood over her elaborate hairdo. The front of the snood is a tight headband that doesn't come off. The back has elastic in the bottom. Her earrings are stud pearls with gold ornaments. She has a tiny pearl necklace with gold-embedded ruby pendant. Her only other ornamentation is the chatelaine, which actually looks like tiny rhinestones strung together flexibly. It seems quite fragile and I try not to mess with it. I don't think it can come undone.
ON the chatelaine is strung a lovely, embossed real mirror (quite impressive!), a couple of tiny gold keys with a thread tassel, and a ruby-studded pomander ball, which looks like it has a fastener but won't open. I haven't been able to get the chatelaine chain to stay in Isabel's hand, which is a bit disappointing.
Overall, an A for the book and an A for Isabel. No A+ because of the cheap underskirt. Otherwise, an extremely detailed and impressive doll. Worth every penny.
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Jun 1, 2011 19:43:32 GMT -5
I did not like Minuk's book at all. It was extremely well-researched but I found Minuk to be an irritating character. Also, there are a couple of mentions given to menstruation and other topics suitable for older girls, the target audience.
The doll is very pretty but to someone who loves pretty dresses, her fur costume is uninteresting. Minuk is definitely the least-decorated of the dolls.
The fur costume is in several pieces. The leggings come down to the tops of the boots but are cut off abruptly, with no finishing whatsoever. The boots hide this but it is definitely a flaw compared to the rest of the collection. The jacket comes down low and covers the entire arm, as well as having a hood. The hood is removable to show off Minuk's braids. She also has removable mittens, simply a pocket-shaped piece of fur (which are difficult to get back onto splayed fingers); and her boots are in two pieces (again attesting to the relative cheapness of this outfit). The fur part is one piece, and the actual boot is a fake leather moccasin. You can't tell they're two pieces until you actually hand-examine the outfit. All put together though, it looks impressive.
Minuk also has lovely beaded earrings (her only ornamentation, besides the tassels on her back) and glossy black braids. One thing I found annoying: her braids are stitched to the front of the jacket.
C for the book, because I personally didn't like it, and B- for the doll--it's a great concept (an Alaskan doll is quite unique!), but poor execution, particularly in the costume. Compared to others in the collection, Minuk's costume is put together quite cheaply. A disappointment.
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Jun 1, 2011 19:33:39 GMT -5
Neela is gorgeous. She reminds me a lot of Jahanara from the Royal Diaries series. (They're both from India, and they're both wearing orange saris.)
Neela has a gorgeous sari. The skirt fastens with snaps and is easily removable. It's embroidered heavily in silver thread. The underskirt is orange satin-like material, to match the top. The skirt fastens with snaps too. The top laces up the back, with a modesty panel. I have never examined a real sari so I have no idea how authentic this all is.
Her jewelry is a lovely accent. Neela is barefoot, but she has a silver anklet on each foot and four gold bracelets on each arm. In addition there is a gold hoop necklace and a gold chain (instrumental to the story), both tacked to the blouse. She also has gold hoop earrings. My doll's ears are turning slightly green where the earrings are attached. At present it's not really noticeable.
Her hair is long and gorgeous, a single black braid with a fake flower, which reminds me very much of Josefina. There's something different about Neela's head posture; her head is wired to look down slightly and will not stay raised. Also, her arms are made to stay closely by her sides. I think this makes her more charming.
Overall, one of my favorite GOMLs. A+
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Jun 1, 2011 19:26:58 GMT -5
I liked Saba's book more than some of the others, although I agree that the beginning is a little tough to get through (yawn). The doll is gorgeous and has incredible detail.
Her dress is very thin, fine white cotton trimmed in tiny embroidery. The woven trims are simply printed onto ribbon and the ribbon is sewn to the dress--not as impressive as it could have been. She has three gold bracelets on each arm and two gold anklets on each foot. The bracelets & anklets have slits, so theoretically they could come off, but I'm not going to try it.
Her sandals are plain brown "leather" with straps. In addition to the dress, there's a shawl-like garment wrapped around her shoulders and tacked to the dress. Kind of annoying. She has an amber bead necklace and a cross necklace, both tacked to the dress. She also has gold hoop earrings and a gold hair ornament. I liked the doll well enough, but once I read the story I liked her better. A for the doll and A- for the book.
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Jun 1, 2011 19:14:05 GMT -5
This is a great shelf set, very heavy, wonderful quality. I like how you can separate the side pieces and store books between. The risers are kind of annoying and cheap. They look funny on the stands. And I always wonder if there was supposed to be a doll on that 9th riser....
The drawer is a very nice touch as well. One thing about this set, Isabel's skirt is so big that she looks misplaced on any space except the center. Silly. Also, my shelf lacks the decorative "GOML" symbol. Was that a decal placed on by the consumer? Or did AG just leave it off some of the shelves?
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Jun 1, 2011 19:05:51 GMT -5
The skirt and sweater are sold separately. I'm lumping them in the same post.
Kit's Sweater Set for Girls: I got this on sale for $25, almost half off. It's a decent sweater set, the quality is much better than stuff you can buy in stores, it doesn't look as if it will pill and the fabric is thick, but not too thick. I still wouldn't pay $45 for it. The undershirt is sleeveless, rather than being short-sleeved as Kit's are in the books (and on the doll). I don't know why AG did this but it doesn't matter that much. The undershirt slips over the head, no fastenings.The sweater is nice quality, it has several shiny white buttons down the front and looks just like Kit's.
Kit's Skirt for Girls: I adore this skirt! It's just like Kit's, I think the print is the same size on both but I'll have to eye-to-eye compare. The pleats are nice and swingy, it seems a bit fuller than the doll's, and it fastens with a zipper and large hook&eye in the back. It's also lined, which is nice. At $12 on sale, I got a great deal. You can buy an extremely less-quality skirt for the same amount at Wal-Mart.
Together, the entire outfit would have cost me $77. I got it for $37 (not including shipping). I say if it's on sale, go for it! Or if you're willing to pay a bit more, still go for it! Check the size chart carefully and measure your child before buying--we all know how AG runs big.
All in all, a very nice, good-quality set that mimics the doll's outfit very well. I give it an A (no + because it's too expensive, and the undershirt is sleeveless).
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Jun 30, 2010 16:55:51 GMT -5
Comparing them with other silky PJs that my little sister has (from Target) I don't think the quality on these (at least on ours) is that fantastic. They're certainly nice, but nothing spectacular. We found them at Goodwill for $5. They're really pretty (I didn't realize that the stripes were pink) but they're HUGE! Ours are a size M and they look like they could easily be a 14/16 in girl's clothing sizes, if not bigger.
I like the red piping but was a bit disappointed in the quality, again. But I have to say, when I see an AG product I expect superior quality. Still nice to have though. Little sis adores them!
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Jun 9, 2010 18:23:04 GMT -5
I found my Addy in a Goodwill today and she was missing her drawers and stockings; however, her dress and boots were in excellent condition (I cannot say the same for her hair . Her dress is made of super-soft pink cotton with the white stripes woven in. It has velcro at the sleeve ends (I was surprised at that, because this dress has no cuffs). Mine has a label that says "Made in China for Pleasant Company, 1993". The dress is excellent quality. However, as a living historian, I have to say I'm a bit disappointed that they put buttons up the front of her dress. Girls didn't wear front-fastening dresses until they reached the later teen years, because front-fastenings were a sign of adult clothing. So the historical inaccuracy docks this dress to an A-. The boots are wonderful. They're made of what feels like real leather, with thin soles and soft shoestrings. The ones that came with mine look brand-new, even after all these years. A+
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Jun 9, 2010 18:18:56 GMT -5
I found an Addy today at Goodwill and I was so happy! Her neck was stamped "Pleasant Company" and her dress has a tag inside that says, "Made in China for Pleasant Company, 1993". She's quite pretty (I was surprised) and I love her soft vinyl and squishy body. She also seems quite plump, much larger than my 2000 AGOT #19 (who is a very chubby girl). Her eyelashes are soft brown, and her earrings still look like new. The only quabble I have is with her hair. Someone had cut it but it was still in bad condition, quite dry and she sheds. If AG had given her better hair I would give Addy an A+. (I do love styling the textured hair though! I've never had a doll with textured hair.) As it stands, she gets an A.
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Feb 21, 2010 21:49:20 GMT -5
I have Molly's. I never really played with it but it was really great quality, it had two different scenes (the McIntires' kitchen and Miss Campbell's classroom) and came with the Molly doll and several props (a school desk and dog, I believe) all printed on strong cardboard. I really liked the fact that the stands were nice hard plastic, very durable (although somewhat hard to see as they were clear). The stickers are nice too, although somewhat permanent.
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Feb 5, 2010 20:57:05 GMT -5
(Finally!) Here are the little "autographs" from each character.
Molly: I'll always be loyal to the red, white and blue and to a friend as true as you!
Kit: EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all about it! Friendship is in, especially ours!
Samantha: Friendship is a cup of tea, a visit just for two. And friendships like the ones we have are shared by very few.
Addy: Riddle me this: What treasure can't be bought or sold, just given free? The sweet, warmhearted friendship shared by you and me!
Kirsten: Sunny as a buttercup whose heart is purest gold, you're a friend I'll treasure even after we've grown old.
Josefina: There is no such thing as too many flowers or too many friends.
Felicity: There is no greater blessing than a friend who's loyal and true--the very special kind of friend that I have found in you.
Kaya: Our friendship warms my heart like sunlight warms the morning.
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Dec 31, 2009 16:04:59 GMT -5
The autograph book coordinates with the scrapbook (see my other review) but is much, much smaller. It has creamy thick pages inside with various "signatures" from the Historical characters scattered throughout the book. Very pretty, although I repurposed mine into a quote book and decoupaged the cover, so I can't post pics of the original one.
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Dec 31, 2009 16:02:46 GMT -5
I recieved this scrapbook as a Christmas present a few years ago. It has a burgundy cover with illustrations from Kaya, Felicity, Josefina, Kirsten, Addy, Samantha, Kit, and Molly's books. The scrapbook is divided into sections inside (like Family, Friends, Vacations, etc.) and each section has questions and lines to write answers on, as well as space for posting pictures. Each one of the dividers for the sections is a big pocket for storing things in that can't fit on the page. (I put birthday cards in mine.) The scrapbook came with several pages of stickers and borders, a stencil, and screws for making the whole thing bigger. Very nice quality--much nicer than most scrapbooks.
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Dec 31, 2009 15:57:29 GMT -5
The bookmark is fabric-covered cardstock. The little quote on the front from the books is printed on cardboard and covered in white tulle (or very thinly netted fabric). I had a Samantha bookmark--it was a stocking stuffer when I was eight or something and I loved it. I took very good care of it. The fabric was real taffeta and there was a plated charm shaped like Samantha's symbol dangling from the end of it. I loved it--I always thought it was beautiful and well worth the price.
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Dec 26, 2009 14:26:59 GMT -5
My little sister, who is in a wheelchair, got this for her doll for Christmas. She loves it, and I think it's great!
The frame is sturdy gray plastic, the wheels are real rubber and the front wheels swivel like a real chair. The chair is scaled to fit the doll, just like my little sis's chair is scaled to fit her. She loves that the big wheels have rims just like her own chair, so the doll can push herself. There are also handles on the back of the chair; ours weren't flimsy at all. I was really pleased with the brakes--they don't actually stop the wheels from moving but you can push them back and forth--the little brake handles are very sturdy and well-made.
I was really pleased with the footplates as well. They rotate just like a real chair's and you can make them go any way you want--however, you have to keep them at a certain slant for the doll to actually have her feet in them while sitting in the chair.
The doll fits very nicely in the chair and it's great that she can actually put her feet on the plates, since AG dolls aren't articulated. I have only one qualm about it--the seat! The back and the seat of the chair are made of plastic fabric that velcroes around the frame--but they're totally unsupportive, especially the seat. The back of the seat is attached to the frame but the front isn't, which means it doesn't support anything. The little pocket is cute, great for holding doll books or mini mags (not much else, though).
If this were a real chair for a disabled little girl (such as my sister), the seat and back would need to be made of hard, sturdy material and the arms would be able to flip up out of the way. It would also likely come with a tray that attaches to the arms. And, the footplates would swivel out away from the chair so the doll could back up to it in a standing position and then sit. Oh, and there would be a seat belt!
Despite these inaccuracies, my little sister is greatly pleased with her doll's chair and I think it's adorable. I see no need for it to fold up--it would be too complicated for little hands and serves no purpose (the chair is small enough to take places without having to fold it up). One thing I just thought of, if it were for a disabled girl the frame would be available in a color and the seat would likely be black, not the other way around! Apparently that's one thing the first doll chair got right.
Grade: A- for the wheelchair (minus for the flimsy seat and lack of a seat belt) C if you're expecting an accurate reproduction of a wheelchair for the permanently disabled
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Dec 26, 2009 14:10:20 GMT -5
We receieved this hairbrush in late 2007 and it looked great.
It broke less than six months later.
The entire pad of bristles came unglued and fell out--rubber included. I was so angry and disappointed--what a piece of junk!
I have a wire wig brush from the dollar store that I got about nine years ago--it's still going strong and I've used it countless times on my dolls. Wouldn't waste my money on this piece of crap--especially if you order it, you'll have to pay shipping and it's not worth it. Go to the dollar store.
Grade: F
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Dec 26, 2009 14:00:30 GMT -5
My little sis got Kit for Christmas and I was impressed with her meet outfit. No qualms about quality with this one--it's super nice. The Sweater Set: the lavender sweater is very pretty and has a nice feel, no acrylic here. It looks warm and actually buttons up the front with little white plastic buttons. The sweater blouse underneath is short-sleeved and fastens with metal snaps all the way up the back, no velcro! Yay! The Skirt: the skirt is made from a thick weave cotton in a cute floral print. The pleats are pressed, not sewn. Our Kit's pleats were a little messed up from lying in the box, I'm going to have to re-press them. The skirt fastens with a metal zipper and a hook & eye at the top. The only thing I don't like about this skirt is that it seems too short--it hits a little above the knee, which I know was sometimes period correct to save on fabric back then--but it makes the skirt seem a little skimpy. Oh well, I can pretend Kit had a growth spurt and Mother doesn't have money for new clothes. The Sandals: very nice canvas sandals! The soles are rubbery and have a "gravel print" on the bottoms, like non-slip stuff on human shoes. The sandals have little metal buckles that don't work--they close with velcro, which is easier and less breakable for little hands. The Barrette: made from thick plastic, seems quite sturdy. Still afraid it might break though. I really wish it was made from metal, but it still holds hair quite well. The Undies: very nondescript, white cotton with elastic waist. They look like mini bloomers. Not sure how period correct these are, or if she would've worn anything else under her dresses (I think she would've). Overall: A+ from me for quality and aesthetics, as well as mix-&-match value!
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Dec 26, 2009 13:50:30 GMT -5
Kit is gorgeous--little sis got her for Christmas and I'm in love with her! Her hair is SO cute and silky, extremely shiny, and easy to keep neat (just a quick brush through, and you're done!) It obviously wasn't meant for many hairstyles though, the short little hairs covering her wig cap look awful when you put her hair in pigtails or something. The left side of her wig *is* longer than the right--but that's so it'll curl around her chin and look really cute. It's easy to fix it that way.
Her eyes are beautiful--a deep blue, much prettier than AG's regular blue eyes. Her lashes are hard black plastic, which was disappointing, but her freckles are so adorable they make up for it.
I can't say much more about the doll, except she looks gorgeous in virtually any outfit! My review of her meet outfit is posted in the Meet Outfit thread.
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Dec 16, 2009 0:10:57 GMT -5
My Felicity's dress was a little oddly made so it makes her look fat. But anyway...I bought her in late 2005/early 2006 (can't remember).
The Doll: Her hair is very soft; it looks more brown than red though. A white ribbon ties around the ponytail and she has a few little curls. The wispies around her face are really stiff, like they've been saturated in hair gel. Oh, and one of her legs is shorter than the other.
The Dress: I wasn't a big fan of this new meet dress, and I like the mini version even less. The fabric is my main complaint. It seems really slick and cheap, not like taffeta at all. The flowers are printed on. It's trimmed with tiny tucks around the sleeves (which really should be longer), the bodice front, and the hem. The sleeves and neck are edged in TINY lace.
The Shoes: the shoes are ADORABLE! Black pleather, to be sure, but they have what seems like real metal buckles, extremely tiny, and fit my Felicity very well.
The Stockings: nice quality, off-white knee socks.
The Shift: thin cotton, velcroes up the back. A pleasant surprise to find it on the mini doll.
The Book: nice quality, I must say the new AG book covers look great. Hardbound like the rest of the books; comes with a book jacket.
All in all, I was pretty satisfied with Felicity; I just wish her hair was a little more red and less brown.
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Nov 12, 2009 11:09:35 GMT -5
The Snowboard Gear consists of a helmet, goggles, snowboard, & lip balm necklace. My friend recently got the snowboard outfit and it came with the helmet & goggles.
The helmet: It's made of a rather iridescent plastic which scratches easily. I can't say I was impressed with the quality of the plastic, although the helmet does fit quite easily and goes over both the doll's head and the fleece snowboard hat very well. The straps are made from black elastic and there's a little black plastic buckle to fasten under the chin. It took me about fifteen minutes of finagling before I could undo the buckle. Little hands might be able to undo it better.
The goggles: The goggles are molded to fit the doll's face very well. The green rim is cheap molded plastic, and the lenses are thin. It fastens with elastic straps that velcro together around the back of the head. The elastic straps are wide and say "American Girl" on them--nice quality. However, the velcro was a mistake--it snags the hair SO easily, you can't ever put on just the goggles; you have to fasten them over the fleece hat that comes with the snowboard outfit. Which seems like what it was intended to do originally, because the elastic fits quite easily over the hat.
Overall: I definitely wouldn't buy this set just for the helmet & goggles, as they're of rather inferior quality and are hard to manage. They do look cute on the dolls, though. I've never seen the snowboard so I don't know if the set is worth getting just for that. C for lack of quality materials, the helmet buckle, and velcro on the goggles.
ETA: I forgot to mention, there's always the possibility of little fingers getting pinched by that helmet buckle.
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Nov 12, 2009 10:59:17 GMT -5
A friend recently got Nicki and she is absolutely gorgeous! One of the prettiest dolls I've seen. Her hair is a lovely golden brown color, caramel. And her eyes aren't quite blue--they have a gray touch to them that makes me think "slate blue". (I compared her eyes w/ AGOT#7's and Nicki's are definitely grayer in tone.) Her freckles are to die for! The only nitpick I have is her wig seems a little thin on top and her hair is high-maintenance.
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Nov 12, 2009 10:56:40 GMT -5
A friend found the outfit at Goodwill and I looked it over carefully so I could review it.
The outfit includes a ski jacket, snow pants, boots, mittens, and a fleecy hat. My friend didn't have the mittens.
Ski Jacket: the ski jacket is made out of the same fabric as real ones. It's a pretty lavender color with lime green trim. It seems a little thin, but the inside of the coat is quilted (the sleeves are not). It has elastic at the wrists and a zipper that really works.
Snow Pants: I loved the pants! They are thicker than the jacket & really reminded me of the pants I used to wear in the snow as a kid. Made of good material, with an almost "suede" feel to it. They velcro shut.
Boots: The boots are absolutely adorable! They have real metal hooks over which you slip loops of lime green elastic to close. I wish I could've gotten a picture. The toe area is reinforced with vinyl, and the soles are actually rubbery. One of the elastic loops on my friend's shoes had come out, though, and I had a little trouble trying not to scratch myself on the metal hooks while fastening the shoes.
Hat: The hat is made of nice fleecy material, fits great over the doll's head of hair. It has a cute little thread tassel, too.
Overall: The outfit is adorable & really seems like the kind of thing a girl would wear in the snow. It's very versatile too, because a girl could use it not only as a snowboard outfit, but a ski outfit, playing-in-the-snow outfit, or just a jacket. The only thing I'm wary about are the shoes--the fastenings are great for adult collectors, but kids might hurt themselves on them.
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Nov 1, 2009 14:17:39 GMT -5
Just a quick note on historical accuracy here, the chemise style IS accurate to the time (although a lower neck could've been used) and girls in the 1800s did not generally wear corsets until they began to develop a "figure" (thus the lack of corsets in the 1800s undie sets). Corded stays (soft and pliable) could've been worn to give the wearer a "landing place" for petticoats and such so they would not fall off the wearer's hips.
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Jul 10, 2009 21:29:25 GMT -5
My doll arrived wearing this outfit. At the time I thought it was a little ugly, but over the years, it's grown on me. Hoodie: The hoodie is made from nice quality, soft cotton fabric. There are tiny blue, red, and gray stripes running throughout the fabric. The hood doesn't exactly fit over your doll's head of hair...it might work on Kit. The shirt slips over the head easily. I have three nitpicks with this shirt: the snaps don't stay together very well, they fall off easily, and the shirt itself seems too short. Skirt: This skirt is made from rather thick, quality rip-stop fabric. It has a hidden zipper in the back which is rather hard to close all the way; but the front pockets are cute. Vest: The vest is quilted, reversible, and made of soft, suede-like waterproof fabric (not exactly sure what it's called). The zippers are metal and easy to use. The vest doesn't really look good turned dark blue; I keep mine on the red side all the time. Shoes: The Mary Jane shoes are dark blue suede with thick soles that make it easier to stand your doll up in them. The velcro straps work fine. These shoes have a LOT of mix-n-match potential...I've used them with tons of other outfits. The suede is not the best quality, though...after nine years, it's rubbed off in spots and now the shoes look ratty. Socks: very good quality, will go with lots of things...I really like these. Unfortunately, I lost one of them.... Undies: The undies that come with the meet outfit are good quality cotton, nice elastic waist, and they come up to the doll's waist all the way (no bikini-style here!). Very basic. Quality Grade: meh....B- Cuteness/style of outfit: A Overall Grade: B+ ETA: Four Months Later: after being taken out of the closet, the shoes have once again been played with and the suede is almost all rubbed off, which makes me sad. They're starting to leave little grayish-blue marks on my doll's feet when I put them on. The straps have not broken, though, after many years of tugging.
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Post by daughterofthedryad on Apr 28, 2009 12:17:51 GMT -5
I saw this dress on a young friend's doll and instantly fell in love with it! The amount of detailing makes it really special and utterly gorgeous. It is a bit snug on the Mattel doll's body; those of you with PM dolls may have trouble putting it on. I thought the dress fabric was of very nice quality. The bodice is lined with a silky material and there is a beautiful silky brown ribbon around the waist. The flower trimming on the waistband is a bit flimsy, so it may not do for younger children who are apt to be rough. I thought the cap sleeves were a bit skimpy as well. The embroidery is beautiful and so is the delicate lace trimming the hem of the dress. Overall, a gorgeous outfit, but probably not one for very young children. Looks ravishing on Josefina!! A+ from me.
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