Because of Courtney, Liz, and Mindy, I present

[throwingpens]

THE AMERICAN GIRL DOLL POLL

Poll

Apparently there are more dolls/books now? But Kit was BRAND NEW when I was 9 and I thought it was super cool that she had freckles like me.

Please rant about how great your favorite character is below.

Comments

[lizinstereo]

Samantha was my first doll. I saw her in the catalog and I just fell in love. Neither of my parents had qualms about buying me an expensive white doll (I'm black) because a) I loved her and my parents remembered what it was like to love a toy and b) honest to God, it doesn't matter what color the doll is. It's a doll

[lizinstereo]

I forgot to mention that the little girls I gave the dolls to call them their "angels." I kid you not.

[saucydiva]

That's really interesting, that they have switched the black dolls's hair. Is Addy still made with the more natural hair?

I remember reading Addy's books, and have clear memories of reading a short story in the AG magazine about her getting medicine for her mom and having to take a streetcar, I think. Good times.

I wonder if people write AG fic. Don't let me look this up.

[lizinstereo]

I remember the magazine! I loved getting it in the mail.

Yes, Addy still has natural-esque hair. The new black doll, Cecile, has big glossy curls.

[throwingpens]

THEY HAD PAPER DOLLS IN THE MAGAZINE RIGHT? DOES ANYONE ELSE REMEMBER THIS

[lizinstereo]

I loved the paper dolls. Loved them.

You had to know a ton about your family to be made into one.

[throwingpens]

I remember some of the girls traced back to their, like, 17th great-grandmothers or something and I was like, "That's not a thing."

[lizinstereo]

I believe there is Felicity/Ben porn. Don't quote me on that.

No, I did not read it. God.

[throwingpens]

I think it's really interesting we're all talking about the catalog--I LIVED for that thing, and obviously other people did too.

SO YOU WERE LIKE MY FRIEND LEAH. Leah had all the American Girl Things and I was SOOOO jealous. She had a travel trunk! And a DOLL HORSE!

I always really liked the juxtaposition between Addy and Kirsten. Their stories are only 10 years apart but their lives were...SO different. I hope potential Liz! kids can appreciate it in the way you did. My mom has Kit and Molly in her closet--when their friends' daughters come over, they play with them.

They make a couple with vaguely natural hair, I think? I could be totes wrong on that one, but I think there was at least one that did (the last time I went to AG place, at least).

I LOVE IT WHEN DOLLS LESSONS COME WITH BONUS ETHNIC HAIR LESSONS THANKS LIZ!!!!!!!!!!!!! (i think other lessons have come with bonus ethnic hair lessons, too. but with my straight, super fine, white girl hair, I appreciate them.)

[lizinstereo]

My sister had the horse. I did not get to play with the horse. I had more doll furniture, though.

They have two "textured hair" dolls: one with medium skin, one with dark. I just looked it up.

A story: The year Mattel bought the company, I only needed one last item - Addy's wooden sled. When I got it for Christmas, it was plastic.

I kid you not, my mother called AG the next day because we were both sad. They didn't have any more wooden sleds.

I played with it, but I was pissed because it wasn't made of wood. When you read catalogs closely, you remember things.

[throwingpens]

Wait. Wait. Wait. The wooden sled was PLASTIC?!

NO.

[lizinstereo]

My dad didn't understand why I was sad; I did get the toy, after all. It was a weird day.