WHY did they have to do it!?!?!?

[iheartAG]

I know most of us are pretty upset with AG's decision of making Elizabeth's hair blonde. I read somewhere that AG thought that Elizabeth 'resembled Felicity too much' Now, I think that is bogus! I mean, a brunette Lizzie looks like Felicity as much as Emily looks like Molly!?!(I don't think they look alike, just saying brunette Lizzie looks nothing like Felicity!) So how come they did it? I just looked at my Felicity books (that are pre-Elizabeth making) and it looks like she has either dark blue eyes or light brown eyes. I've always thought they were blue, but looking closely they look brown. I think it's ok if they change the colors of the eyes, (I'm not saying it's good, just not the worst thing ever) but changing the hair makes a TOTALLY different doll. Does anyone half a clue why they did this?
I'm sorry if this sounds a little rough, I'm just upset.

[robin0850]

Many people WERE quite upset about Elizabeth's coloring being changed from the books--there were many posts on several threads in late summer and fall of 2005, when Elizabeth was first released. (LOTS of venting!)

Most of us are fairly well over most of our outrage by now; but you have my most sincere sympathy, since this appears to be fresh news and therefore a fresh tragedy to you (and injustice on the part of AG). [img]graemlins/whatever.gif[/img]

[iheartAG]

Yeah, this is probably 'old news' to you all, but I'm pretty new to this board (where it says I've been a member since September, that's not true! It's been since the end of October!) But I'm just really upset. [img]graemlins/whatever.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/grrr.gif[/img]

[agmama]

My guess is that they changed Elizabeth to a blond because if they had kept her as a brunette then she would've looked just like Josefina. They have the same face mold and long hair with no bangs.

[corybelle]

When i told my best friend that the real elizabeth is suppose to have dark brown hair, and brown eyes. They first thing she blurted out was"She would like Samantha then" and my best friend really isn't that into dolls. Even though their face molds are different, to the person with little american girl knowledge could confuse the two. Like my sister thought that Jess looked like marisol(long story) but anyway back on topic. So some may think lizzie is sammie. And sammie is ag top historical, so if there is another doll that looks just like then sales may drop

[horsemom]

A gazillion people have brown eyes and brown hair, and they all look different. I missed the "real" Elizabeth too, so I bought a Gotz Tess and rewigged her. She makes the perfect Lizzie to me- she is shy looking and so sweet, and she looks nothing like Samantha or Felicity.

My opinion is that AG should have made a new face mold for Elizabeth to make her look different from Sam and Josefina, and given her the original illustrated hair and eye color.

The Mattel Elizabeth is pretty, but just doesn't look like Elizabeth to me. I guess that's because I had the original illustrations from when I was a kid, and I wanted that Elizabeth, not the movie-version.

[*AG Star*]

This still bothers me, too. Molly and Emily have red and brown hair and look nothing alike, so why couldn't Felicity and Elizabeth!? [img]mad.gif[/img]

[AGBoard]

I have thought right along that AG / Mattel was looking for a doll that would attract attention and help them sell more things. Blonde and blue eyed dolls (or celebrities) really sell. I think they made Elizabeth blonde, with elegant hair, ear rings, and a fancy pink dress, entirely with a profit in mind.
I was disappointed, also. I think that they should have followed the story.
I especially think that if they had the children who read the stories in mind, they would have followed the book.
I do know many girls who wanted Elizabeth when she first came out, because of her appearance. Most of the children now reading the Felicity books and watching the Felicity movie, have never seen the Felicity doll ( since she was not in the catalog any more) . Many of the girls who I know that wanted Elizabeth, hadn't even read the stories. They just liked the doll. Thus, the company won . They sold more dolls. I think that was their motive!!!!!

<font color="#33CCCC" size="1">[ November 15, 2006 11:19 PM: Message edited by: 4PAWS4AG ]</font>

[craftycarol51]

Could it be because Felicity and Elizabeth have the same hairdo and Molly and Emily don't?

I personally found the illustrations of Emily quite mousy and wondered why they couldn't make the friends more attractive. Sort of like the principle - if you want to look thin hang around a fat friend, or if you want to look prettier hang around a plain person (I don't want to say ugly because I think every person is beautiful in their own way). I think it would have been better if they made the illustrations of Elizabeth better to begin with.

After saying that - may I add that I understand if that was the illustration you grew up with that I understand why you wanted the doll to look that way. When I was young I read Nancy Drew. In the 50's we only had the old illustrations on the cover. They were not as attractive as the illustrations they made in the 60s, but to me the old illustrations were Nancy Drew.

I think Elizabeth is the most attractive doll they have made (opinion only) - I love the face, the earrings, the hair color and eye color.

Maybe they will change the illustrations (if they already haven't) and the next generation will be used to Elizabeth just the way they made her.

[Pat B]

I wonder about the survey AG took about Elizabeth. When the prototype was shown was she identified as Elizabeth . Just because a doll is thought to be attractive it does not mean that she should replace a well established illustration.