I took Josefina's braid out...

[Felicity Merriman]

Well...I did it. My beautiful pre-Mattel Josefina's perfect, factory fresh braid has been unraveled; and im starting to really regret doing so! For someone who has vowed never, ever to take any American Girl dolls hair out of its original do, I've been a very bad promise-keeper. Everyone of my American Girl dolls that have come with braids have had thier hair taken out. It's official. And all have been taken out for the reason that hairs started sticking out of the braid. I foolishly decided to cuddle to sleep with my Josefina, and...her hair didn't survive the night so well. So, her braid has been taken out. I was going to take a spray bottle, and mist her hair, and tuck the hairs sticking out into place. But I couldin't find a water-bottle anywhere, and I got really impatient...I've tried re-braiding her hair a dozen times, but im no good at it. Her hair looks awful! I may bring her to AGP Chicago's hair salon, but I have no idea when im going there next...So, does anyone have any tips or suggestions as to how I can get her braid to look at least decent again?

[QNPoohBear]

Take each section of her hair, mist it lightly and then brush gently and then rebraid it loosely and it should be OK.

[dolldreamer]

this has been our major dilema since we got josefina. I can't get her braid to be long like it was and the ends are not the same length that it's hard to really do a decent braid again!
I have been thinking of steaming her hair and trying that way, I think if her hair were straight to begin with it would be easier to find the sections that AG used when they made the braid.
I have also been thinking of getting her hair cut to make her hair even. I am really bothered by the obviouse choppiness of her hair loose. But I know cutting a dolls haor is a bad thing so I haven't taken that leap yet.
Could AGP really do the braid like it was? I am a very good braider and can't find the sections. If they could do it then that's awsome!

[dianasmama]

FM:

Don't be so hard on yourself. You wanted to cuddle with your doll, and messed her hair, so what? I know it's always been important to you, but you can't keep these dolls hair looking pristine unless you are willing to just let them sit and languish on a shelf. The dolls were made to be played with and loved, just like real people!

Think of it this way, Josefina is probably much happier to have had that cuddle and she doesn't even care that her hair is now not "perfect". Besides, a ten year old would not have a perfect braid anyway.

Laurie

[lieu2]

I can sort of relate. I never intend to take Kaya's braids out. But mostly because Kaya is really just a display doll for me. I don't really consider her a play doll. But I agree with Laurie, if she is not a display doll for you. Just enjoy her.

[mominwestlake2002]

I find Josephina's hair very hard to do. Maybe it's because she has no bangs plus her hair gets stuck int he earrings. But I need to remember they are meant to be played with and not look perfect all the time! May take her and Kirsten to the hair salon at AGP NY. Megan

[rolloverrover]

I don't like using a squirt bottle because it usually squirts where you want it to and everywhere else that you don't want it to.

What I do is get some paper towel really soggy and then squeeze it just until it's not dripping. Then you can wrap the wet paper towel around the doll's hair and get the same, if not better, effect of a squirt bottle. It keeps all those little stray hairs where you want them. When the hair dries it looks perfect.

[EmilyMarie]

Try the above suggestion to slightly dampen the hair. Gently using your wire wig brush, comb it out & separate the hair into 3 sections. Use the different lengths of hair as your guide. They're supposed to be that way so the finished braid should have ends similar in length. Then braid as you usually would. Secure with an elastic or silicone band.

We've never taken Kaya's braids out as we've heard it's super hard to get them looking like new again. Actually, I thought there was a slip of paper in with her that suggested the hair not be played with for that reason. Sure don't know why there's accessories for her braids with her outfits then...

[HansenPC]

I have Addy and am always redoing her hair. I pretty much have to to tame loose ends. When her hair is down the ends are never even. It occurred to me that perhaps the end of the doll's braids are cut after their hair is braided to even out the ends which makes it uneven when it is down.

Pattie [img]graemlins/rose.gif[/img]

[kmbe1]

I think the reason the doll's hair is longer on the sides, than in the middle when down, is because when you separate the hair into three sections to braid, the outside sections have to wrap around the sides of her head, whereas the middle back section doesn't. It would make sense for the sides to be longer than the middle section. But it does cause problems for us amateur beauticians (LOL!). And it doesn't look nice when we let our doll's hair down. But if AG had the doll's hair all one length, you would end up with a braid that would be uneven.