WWOG: Early Retirement or Late Restocking?

MONDAY UPDATE:  AG website was updated this morning and so far all the items seem to be available again! The rumors still persist, including the French Bakery going into backorder status soon but for now all is well in Graceland!

Hang onto your Christmas stocking those of you who have made plans to pick up some of Grace's items closer to the end of the year because Grace's Welcome Gifts, her pink Opening Night Outfit, the classic Baking Outfit, and even her new Sightseeing Outfit are all listed as "no longer available" on AG's website!

We've seen website glitches and misleading stock information on AG's website before, so perhaps Monday morning the site will update and we will see these items back in stock or at least with a backorder date. However, a few small rumors have begun to surface about Grace's collection, such as AG stores not planning to restock certain Grace items once they run out and a rumor that Grace's French Bakery may go on backorder status soon.

With BF Maryellen debuting next week and a GOTY 2016 around the corner, will AG let the stock of Grace's quite large and expanded collection slowly move into sell out status? At this point AG is probably heavily invested in making sure Maryellen does well and is merely riding out the last quarter of Grace's reign. I can imagine the Grace doll and a core of her items being deliberately made available until mid-December, but if it is the case that the four items above do not return, it will be anyone's guess what will still be available to buy late in the holiday season.

Thoughts? I will keep an eye on AG's website--will need to add a retraction come Monday morning?

Waiting for Grace: A First Look!

This has been the moment I have been waiting for--out first photograph hint of Grace Thomas! Her mini doll version was spotted for sale on Taobao.com.

She has long dark brown hair with side bangs and what appears to be blue eyes. She has freckles and her face mold is most likely to be the Josefina mold, but that is hard to confirm from the mini doll's face.

Her meet outfit seems to consist of a flared raspberry skirt with a dark blue bow, the cutest ankle boots with side tassels, and a white tshirt with an Eiffel tower decal. While the mini doll appears to have her hair pulled back into a pony tail, the small book cover shows her with long hair. The book cover also shows her wearing a beret with a heart detail--I bet we see this item in her accessories.

It seems from the book's cover that indeed, as a I predicted, Grace will have a black and white French bulldog. And that red chair set sure seems to be seated outside of a bistro or bakery!

Her Meet Outfit does not have any hint of the 2015 color of the year, the earthy wine tone Marsala. However, pale Aquamarine is hinted at in her tshirt decal and Classic Blue seems to be an anchor for her outfit as seen in her boots and the bow on her skirt. I predict that the blue hues will be featured in the rest of her wardrobe. Not to mention that Grace's blue eyes really sparkle. But what about that bright raspberry skirt?

Could her raspberry skirt be a throwback to the 2014 color of the year Radiant Orchid? It sure seems close, but the other blue hues of the 2014, Dazzling Blue and Placid Blue, lack the punch of the updated 2015 blues.

More than likely the raspberry skirt color was selected as a complementary knockout color to contrast again the blues in the new 2015 color fashion report line up. While the prominence of the raspberry does not bode well for Marsala showing up in her wardrobe, that is not entirely unexpected considering this line of clothing is for kids and their dolls.

I still need to wait and see the full sized 18" version of Grace Thomas before making any real judgements on what I think of her, but so far, I am pleasantly pleased by her design. While being distinctive looking, her overall design (both doll features and wardrobe) does not appear to radically break away from previous GOTY dolls. 

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?