Kanani in Review

A Kanani has come to live with us! 

Kanani was 2011 Girl of the Year and since then she has become a very popular doll on the secondary market. My Kanani was a NRFB find, and she certainly lives up to her billing. I was specifically looking for a fairly symmetrical face, especially her eyes, because I had seen and heard several reviewers complain about how their Kanani's left eye was significantly smaller than the other. While I looked closely at all the pictures before buying her, I knew the real test would have to happen in person. My first glimpse of her was a happy one and I am very satisfied with the shape of her face and eyes!

Her flower is such a simple touch but nicely done. It can be removed and replaced easily.

Kanani looks sweet even with her hair still bunched up in a net. Her coloring--from her hair to her skin to her meet outfit--is gorgeously balanced. Her green eyes are warm and inviting.

If I were to criticize anything about Kanani out of the box, it would  be her sandals. The leatherette ruffles show a lot of the white underside for an overall sloppy effect. Additionally, Kanani arrived with clear plastic bands around the sandals. Upon inspecting the shoes it became clear the sandals were too large for her feet and the bands were included to keep them secured to her feet while in transit. I have seen these clear bands in other Kanani unboxing videos, so this seems a common issue with this doll. She stands fine in her shoes, but they are very loose.

Kanani's hair feels particularly silky, especially when compared with my other long haired dolls (Saige and Caroline). Her hair has only a slight wave, but because it is so incredibly long, it does tangle easily. Patience is the key. This is her hair after about five minutes of fussing.

I love the tilt of her head to the right. The tilt seems more jaunty and pronounced than any of my other dolls. I am uncertain if this is a Kanani thing or just the doll to doll variation in all the lines, so I will have to investigate this further.

Kanani might be a 2011 GOTY, but she still seems fresh and relevant today in 2014.