Sweet Cousins: A MyAG 29 and Kanani Comparison

Welcome Noelle!

Yesterday my younger sister brought home a new girl from AGPSF. Noelle, her new MyAG 29, agreed to a photoshoot with her cousin (my own Kanani).

The girls, Kanani left and Noelle right, are wearing the 2013 Brocade Holiday Dress.

Noelle, a MyAG 29, is a classic face mold in a medium skin tone. She has caramel brown straight layered hair, brown pinwheel eyes, and feathered eyebrows. 

In comparison, Kanani has her own unique "Kanani" face mold with hazel decal eyes.

Their hair color is definitely similar, though the MyAG 29 (on the right) has slightly darker hair. The main difference comes in the length and wave. Kanani's incredibly long hair feels extremely fine and easily is swept into long rolling waves. Noelle's hair is shorter, straighter, and falls in wide sweeps or flips.

Their skin tones are almost identical as well and I am hard pressed to guess if the difference is by deliberate design or just a variation in manufacturing. In many lighting situations, Noelle (right) seems lighter in skin  tone than Kanani, but just barely. The difference is perhaps more in the undertone as Noelle seems to have a more peachy-rose undertone and Kanani more towards a yellow undertone. But I could be convinced otherwise in other lighting.

While Noelle as a MyAG 29 lacks too many characteristics to be a strong !Kanani candidate, especially in terms of the different face mold, eye color and shape, in terms of coloring, they are very similar and I suspect would both be able to swap wardrobes and look great. (A !Dollname is a MyAG doll who can serve as a doppleganger or reasonable substitute for another doll, usually retired.)

I am enchanted by Noelle.  To be honest, I am surprised how much MyAG 29 escaped my notice--I simply had not noticed her in all my viewings of the AG website, my reading of AG related doll forums, and even all my visits the AGPSF this past year. Until my sister pointed her out as a possible Christmas girl to bring home, I am not sure I really had noticed her at all! And she is so darling!

A Vintage Holiday Review: 2009 Fancy Flower Outfit

It might only be November, but I am starting to bring out the holiday dresses and preparing my girls for the holiday season. The 2009 Fancy Flower Outfit is a very recent acquisition for my collection and I spent over a month scouring secondary marketplace sources to find the entire ensemble. How I absolutely adore this dress!

Lilja, otherwise known as the stunning #55, is modeling this dream of silver taffeta covered in ribbon embroidery.

The dress has a layered skirt and comes with a pair of matching embroidered taffeta shoes and a white fax-fur shrug (see below for shrug).

The ribbon embroidery is truly unique and the effect is breathtaking.

The shoes are also made of taffeta and this choice is wonderfully understated--quite different from the many faux patent leather or glittery shoes of the more recently released holiday dresses from American Girl. The shoes also have a velvety elastic band across the top.

The white faux-fur shrug is the final piece of the outfit and it adds a touch of holiday glam. I believe it is one of the more successful shrugs--it really enhances rather than distracts from the dress. In fact, I love the Fancy Flower ensemble both with and without the shrug, something I can not say for all of the recent holiday "dress + faux-fur shrug" offerings.

The only downside to this ensemble is that it more delicate than many other AG holiday dresses and may not hold up to play by young hands. The workmanship is marvelous and every detail crafted and sewn with precision, however the materials of the outfit require some extra care in use and in storage. The fabric (taffeta) shoes are wonderful, but need to be stored so that they hold their shape when not worn. The fabric flower on the faux-fur shrug is prone to ruinous fraying on the edges. And the dress itself shows wrinkles easily and the ribbon embroidery easily crushed. 

But I can not be swayed from my love of this dress. The extra care and fuss is worth it and I am satisfied to know that while this dress will likely age quicker than other AG holiday dresses, that it will likely age with grace with just a little bit of extra care.

I may have a difficult time getting Lilja to wear anything else but the Fancy Flower dress between now and the holidays! This dress was well worth the long search. It is already a classic and sure to be a perennial favorite here during the holidays.

Grade: A+ 

Waiting for Grace: Grand Tour = Grand Price Tag?

The January 1st launch of GOTY 2015: Grace Thomas is assured to be a grand event at all the American Girl Place store locations. My sister and I already have a date to be in line at AGPSF at the opening of the store on New Year's Day. Why a picture of cupcakes? Well, just around the corner from AGPSF in the Stanford Mall is my favorite cupcake store, Sprinkles, which will be visited as well that brisk morning! But it seems increasingly plausible that our Grace will be a baker, and perhaps a baker of cupcakes.

It should be a grand morning with a grand reveal--but will the final price tag of Grace's whole world including doll, clothing, and accessories finally tip over the one grand mark?

Final price tags for purchasing "whole worlds" (either as individual items or when available, as a "whole world" deal) of each of the previous GOTY dolls has trended sharply upwards. (Note that these total prices do not include mini dolls, dvds, or some of the additional volumes of their stories.)

Lindsey's Whole World - $150 ($135 as a WW deal)

Kailey's Whole World - $166 ($145 as a WW deal)

Marisol's Whole World - $260 ($249 as a WW deal)

Jess's Whole World - $298 ($265 as a WW deal)

Nicki's Whole World - $366 ($325 as a WW deal)

Mia's Whole World - $504 ($459 as a WW deal)

Chrissa's Whole World - $663 (includes friend dolls Sonali and Gwen)

Lanie's Whole World - $660 

Kanani's Whole World - $525 ($479 as a WW deal)

McKenna's Whole World - $695

Saige's Whole World - $700

Isabelle's Whole World - $856

Grace's Whole World - ????

If Grace's ultimate Big Ticket Item (BTI) is priced over $300, I believe her whole world collection could easily brush the $1,000 mark. A bakery themed/cupcake selling food truck (as I speculate about in the last post) could easily push the total collection price over the grand mark. However, a more modest bakery counter or storefront item could also be produced at much more price-point friendly $95 - $115. 

Will AG go for a "wow" BTI and a price tag to match or try to nab a larger piece of the consumer audience through a more modest offering? The overall trend has been for offering bigger and bigger BTIs:

Lanie's Scooter - $34

Kailey's Boogie Board - $20

Marisol's Performance Trunk - $49

Jess' Motor Scooter - $65

Nicki's Jackson the Horse - $65 (plus Tack Box - $34)

Mia's Bedroom Furniture - $125 (plus Accessories - $30)

Chrissa's Party Table $75 (plus Party Treats - $32)

Lanie's Camper - $295

Kanani's Shaved Ice Stand - $115

McKenna's Loft Bed - $225

Saige's Hot Air Balloon $150

Isabelle's Studio $275

Grace's BTI - ???

Perhaps 2015 will not be a block buster BTI, but GOTY is hyped as something truly unique and special. Without a breakthrough item for little girls to dream about (though few possess), the GOTY may fail to excite enough hype. AG is selling dolls, but also the dream of something perhaps not quite attainable. 

I predict a low of $115 and and a high of $349 for this year's BTI. Samantha's Ice Cream Parlor is $300 and the Winter Carriage is $275. Surely GOTY 2015: Grace Thomas will have a BTI worthy of a wow and the price tag to match. 

Waiting for Grace: "Sweet" Accessories?

My anticipation for more news on GOTY 2015: Grace Thomas only grows. What will be her major accessories? We know quite a few of her passions and activities from her book descriptions. We can probably expect...

* A puppy! Pets are now a near obligatory GOTY accessory. I am betting an adorable  black and white French bulldog.

* Travel accessories for her trip Paris. Maybe a darling vintage suitcase in one of the anticipated colors for this spring such as Pantone's delicious Strawberry Ice?

* A baking business and oodles of baking accessories. Perhaps a kitchen with a stove and oven, or maybe a bakery counter?

How will AG match the "wow" factor of a hot air balloon or a sewing studio of previous GOTY big ticket items? Grace wants to save her grandparents' failing business--how about a bakery business (cupcakes, please!) on wheels ala the new gourmet food truck trend? 

A bakery themed food truck would combine the fun of a camper on wheels (GOTY Lanie's Camper) with the high playability factor of a shop (GOTY Kanani's Shaved Ice Stand) while avoiding being too much of a repeat of newly available Ice Cream Shop (BeForever Samantha).

What do you want to see offered for Grace's bakery business?

Poppet Poses: A Winter White Outfit Review

My favorite season is winter and my favorite poppet outfits are almost inevitably wintertime inspired!

Today's poppet model is Solveig (originally known as GOTY 2014 Saige), who is modeling AG's new Winter White Outfit, a fantastic fantasy of faux fur and subtle winter sparkles.

What really sets this outfit up for success is the surprising mix of textures. The playful chop of the faux fur on the vest highlights the plush puffed fur on the cuffs and boots. Similarly, the smooth and simple cotton jersey of the shirt and leggings is set off by the woven pattern of the cable knit shorts. 

The outfit doesn't miss out on a chance at some glittery glam. The faux fur vest features a shimmering rosette in a winter ice color on one shoulder.

And the cable knit shorts are trimmed on one leg with sequins.

The plush trimming on the boots (the same material as the cuffs on the shirt sleeves) is particularly soft and luxurious.

On practical matters, each piece appeared to be well made and I had no difficulties fitting the clothing and boots on my model. The boots have a velcro back and slipped easily on her feet and the plush fur cuffs of her shirt slid easily over her hands. The vest comes with attached silvery blue ribbons to tie the vest closed in front, though I believe Solveig will opt to loosely tie them behind the vest.

Solveig is ready for a day of shopping in Aspen or just lounging around in a luxury cabin retreat. This outfit has the right mix of glam and comfort, a whimsical outfit just perfect for the winter holidays.

Overall grade: A