While Poppets & Posies took a very long hiatus, my personal poppet collection continued to grow in new and unexpected ways. One of my new obsessions is the Ruby Red Fashion Friends line of 14.5" tall poppets that debuted in late November 2019.
What strikes me most about the RRFF dolls are their faces, many of which are based on a sculpt by renowned doll artist Dianna Effner. The blonde haired Charlotte, pictured above in a darling black-and-white houndstooth dress, is an Effner sculpt.
Charlotte is a Limited Edition of just 150 dolls and is currently in pre-sales with an August debut date. I put my order in for Charlotte on day one and eagerly await her arrival. She is not my first RRFF either! More intro posts to come.
The RRFF dolls are jointed, in particular their elbows and knees bend which means they can be posed sitting with knees bent! This is a posing feature I never knew I missed out on during 20+ years of primarily collecting my stiff-kneed American Girl 18" dolls and Wellie Wishers (WW) 14.5" dolls. Now I'm hooked on sitting my new RRFFs here, there and everywhere!
The natural comparison for me as a collector is RRFF poppets versus WW poppets since both are 14.5" in height. My first impression is that overall the RRFFs appear more delicate than the WW because of small details - painted nails, more delicate eyelashes, more details in the faceups, etc. The RRFF doll is sturdy, but it is not pre-school age friendly like the WW doll. Many of the RRFF hairstyles would not survive a day of vigorous play and their outfits are full of tucks and ruffles and buttons that would be better suited for a 10+ year old who understands how to care for a doll.
RRFFs can wear some WW outfits but it is not a perfect fit because RRFFs have slightly longer arms and legs and end up looking like they just outgrew the WW outfit a half season ago. The RRFF feet are also slimmer and longer than WW feet, so only the roomier WW boots or slippers tend to fit so be prepared to go shoe hunting.
In the end, the biggest difference that will drive customers to one line or the other is price. While a Wellie Wisher doll is still a modest investment of $60, a Ruby Red Fashion Friend doll starts at $120-130 on average. Watch for sales and specials through the various dealers! I purchased my first RRFF through FAO Schwarz last Christmas for $100 plus free shipping.
So what's next for Poppets & Posies?
I anticipate still being focused on American Girl dolls and their Wellie Wisher friends. But I also plan to create posts and info pages here for a few other doll lines, especially those in the 14" range -- Ruby Red Fashion Friends, Gorjuss Doll, etc.
Looking forward to sharing more doll days and poppet adventures with you all!
