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I understand as I was disappointed myself. I have been really looking forward to this ever since I heard they were bringing back some of Felicity's things. Unfortunately, what I have seen so far looks more like it is for Barbie than for a Colonial girl.
I agree with mary.
I havent gotten dolls for awhile. But she really is more barbie than my other girls. She's taller, thinner..
not sure if I'm going to buy her collection or not. It looks to "frilly"
<font color="#051E50" size="1">[ August 09, 2005 02:40 PM: Message edited by: RNseamstress ]</font>
I don't think it looks Barbie, as pink was a very popular color back then, it's only accurate.
as much as I absolutely hate the new riding habit, Elle is right. Elizabeth's collection is accurate. Everything else is beautiful, and even if it's not what I expected, I still love it all. I know it's hard to appreciate something when it is so different from expectations, but sometimes you just have to embrace the differences.
I agree with Elle.
I agree that the pink was historically accurate. I do agree that the collection is definately VERY frilly, and is definately not what I expected. But why did they make the riding habit pink? surely that isn't practical- IT would easily get dirty if on a real horse.
I can always appreciate new things even if they aren't my style. My disappointment in the newest items really has nothing to do with them and everything to do with the fact that AG is not bringing back all of the retired Felcity things.
I loved the Town Fair outfit and the Work Dress. I was really hoping to see those two come back. I was also disappointed in the new clothes press and the new tea set. Once again, I was hoping they would bring back the original items. (I was really hoping for the matching child tea cups and tea pot that were once sold in Williamsburg.)
I appreciate that they brought back the guitar and I still have high hopes that the dressing table and the Noah's Ark set will be like the originals.
I actually like the yellow dress for Felicity and I would definitely buy Elizabeth's gown and cape if I thoguht they would fit my PM Felicity. I really hate that Mattel is making the newer dolls so thin. I think the plump huggability of the PM dolls was one of their best traits.
Actually, every carriage I have seen in WIlliamsburg is painted...exactly like the carriage is. They always seem to have yellow painted wheels too. The carriage also has curtains that look to be velvet, and the set is as well, just not "plush." The carriage is pretty expensive as it is, I am sure cost was a factor.
We far as the rest of the collection goes, I really like it and so does my DD. The only thing i do agree with is that Elizabeth's riding habit is not "practical." DD just loves the other clothes though.
Shelly
I have to admit to being very disappointed in some of my favorite Lissie items being brought back, and while I do love the my Elizabeth doll, I ahven't really brought her out to "play" since getting her.
Actually, to be honest, the more I think of it, I better like the idea of Mari in Elizabeth's dress, maybe not so much as being a Brown-haired Elizabeth... though that has been a thought... but perhaps as a new friend. Say a settler moving into the area from the Spanish Settlements?
Translation, I think Elizabeth is beautiful, but I'm not sure I will collect her whole collection either. It's rather expensive! Maybe just a few pieces for Felicity to wear.
As for the riding habit... maybe playing devil's advocate, but wasn't pale clothing a sign of wealth and privledge? After all, no one else could afford to keep it clean or easily replace it?
Though it's probably more to make it frilly and contrast with Felicity's habit. I think Navy, or even a dark, dark mauve would have been a better choice.
The pink wasn't the part that made me think of Barbie. It was the plastic appearance of the food, the little horse, the carriage, and even Felicity's yellow dress. Maybe they look better in real life - I hope.
I have been to Williamsburg many times and I visited a colonial camp this past weekend. The most striking thing to me was the absence of plastic. This was also the first thing that sold me on AG. It was such a joy to find doll sized items made of wood, metal, china, and glass. The way that things feel is very important to me. Of course we wouldn't have the dolls if it wasn't for vinyl, but I still have a hard time seeing the heavier, higher quality AG accessories replaced with plastic that looks and feels cheap.
Actually, I believe strongly colored clothes were the sign of wealth in those days. I love Elizabeth's riding habit, but you all are right, she would have to be wealthy to have it cleaned! [img]wink.gif[/img] I wish they made a side saddle for the dolls...it would have been hard to keep them on though!
Shelly
Have you guys got your NEW catolaugs yet??? [img]eek.gif[/img] The fall one?????
Well, I must admit I'm not impressed. Although they did a nice job, I am still not happy. I Imagined the carriage elegant with cloth covering, and not painting on it. I imagined the seats to be made of fine velvet. I imagined elizabeth's riding habit not to be PINK!!!! The pink is not practical either, who would wear something pretty and WHITE on a horse, a horse which probably wasn't washed and groomed every day. THe horse would be dirty, right? I would assume elizabeth's habit to be Navy Blue, because felicity's is a dark tone, too.
Patriot is kinda off.
OK... I must admit also that I love the nightgown- not the cap- but the nightgown itself, although it reminds me of jose's night shift w/ embroidery on it.
Polly is cute, but her dress is PINK. Shouldn't it be white and lacy like a baptising/christening gown???
Her cradle should be carved and not solid wood. A different wood would have looked better, considering the cradle looks like plastic.
The cradle is quite modern, too. Looks like something from the 60's.
I am sorry about my negativity. I am just so upset.
[img]frown.gif[/img]
Katya [img]graemlins/wilted.gif[/img]
Felicity's Town Fair outfit was SPEFICALLY issued as a Limited Edition outfit available for ONLY one year. It was advertised as such, and only in the catalog for one year. It will NEVER come back, no matter how much fans complain and beg. Molly's tennis outfit won't be back, Kirsten's skating outfit won't be back. Addy's outfit won't be back. Their outfits didn't sell like Samantha's did, so they have no reason in their eyes to go back on what they said they were going to do.
The new stuff for Elizabeth and Felicity is some of the BEST stuff they have ever produced in regards to being historically accurate. And it's two dozen times better than any of the Samantha stuff from last year.
The food and stuff is fine too, IMO. Things often had a "fake" look to them, and were just as outlandish as the clothing.
The concept of "practical" clothing DID NOT EXIST for the upper classes in the colonial period. Marie Antoinette set fashion in France, England and the Colonies. The more outlandish it was, the better she liked it. The gaudy gosh-awful prints they've used on Lissie's tea gown and Elizabeth's ball gown are PERFECT for the period. Prints like that were all the rage, the gaudier and uglier the better people liked it. These people did not have what we term "fashion sense". Color co-ordination didn't exist either. Some of the outfits that these people would wear in public were HIDEOUS by modern standards. By colonial standards, they were the height of fashion. To me, they're so ugly they're pretty and AG really did their homework this time.
Lissie's dresses are very plain and simple, reflecting her social status. Elizabeth's are more elegant and refined, reflecting her social status. Clothing was a big indicator of where one stood on the social heirarchy. Dark colors were easier to achieve and cheaper to produce. Light colors, like Elizabeth's pink riding habit and light blue tea dress, were more expensive because of the more complicated process of dying the material.
The Cole family was well enough off that "practical" had nothing to do with anything. The more outlandish and impractical, the better people of that class liked it. And they didn't wash clothes that often anyway, so the riding habit would be dirty all the time regardless of whether Elizabeth actually got on a horse in it. And riding sidesaddle, none of the white even touches the horse, and because of the way the saddle is made, very little of the pink part would have touched the horse. Any horse Elizabeth would have rode would have been impeccably cared for and most likely a racehorse.
Polly's gown is just fine. Christening gowns were worn once. For christening. Then it was put away for the next child. Her cradle is also fine. Carved cradles were expensive, and the Merrimans weren't rich. Lace and frills were unheard of in every day wear for a baby.
Grapedy,
You know what would be wonderful? If AG would include in the pamplets that come with these new outfits explanations such as yours as to WHY the outfits and colors were selected based on historical aspects.
That would be very nice indeed.
Laurie
Ok, Grabedy,
Thank you for your opinion.
You are mostly right.
But in the books, did it say anywhere that Elizabeth was wealthy?
I disagree with you on Samantha's collection. I absoulutely love her stuff!!
And what we meant by fake is that American girl didn't make the food look very realistic.
Not like in real life history...
[img]wink.gif[/img]
Polly's gown is PINK, a light pink. Shouldn't it be dark, as you said those fabrics were easier to obtain? I do not understand.
Polly's cradle shouldn't look like plastic..
[img]wink.gif[/img]
[img]graemlins/hmmm.gif[/img] Katya
Yes We in fact will be getting some of the items . In fact we have preordered Felicitys Yelllow tea dress My DD and I love it and think it is just like photos that we have seen. I also like the ridding outfits pink or not as the carigage goes I have no where for it and couldnt part with the money with out being killed by DH [img]mad.gif[/img] But we still would love to see more of the older items come back [img]biggrin.gif[/img] Diane
Thanks, Grapedy, it was wonderful to read what you wrote, and see that the items are all very historically acurate,
I was wondering when someone was going to mention that the Town Fair Outfit was LE, and most likely not going to come back. Even if they decide to someday, they'll have to change it at least a little, like they did Samantha's, and, personally, I still don't find that fair to the people who bought it (or any of the other LE outfits in 1997) thinking it would be available for ONE year. I will be dissapointed with the company if they start regularly bringing the LE outfits back, even in a slightly-moderately changed fashion. That's simply unfair to the people who bought them originally.
I'm not too fond of all the outfits. I love some of them, Felicity's Tea Gown, Elizabeth's Ball Gown and Riding Habit. I don't, however, like how they managed to get PINK on EVERYTHING. I could stand pink on somethings, it's gorgeous on Felicity's Tea Gown because it doesn't overwhelm the yellow. It's ok on Elizbeth's Tea Gown until you think about how they just shoved it on to get more pink >_< !
I'm happy to see that it's all historically acurate, even if it is too pink [img]wink.gif[/img]
I agree that it's not made very clear that the Cole family is WEALTHY. It's made clear they had a governess in England, that Mrs. Cole has a bunch of wigs, and that Annabelle thinks quite highly of herself. Doesn't really sound like they've got a whole lot more than Grandfather does. At all. I haven't read the Elizabeth book, but I'm betting they make it pretty clear in there that Elizabeth has more wealth than Felicity does.
Grapedy, maybe you can answer my question: Are there ANY other hairstyles a girl Felicty and Elizabeth's age would have used to style her hair? Would they have even braided their hair?
I'm thinking the "wealth" factor is more of just an attitude of "refinement", meaning "we're from England, and you're not, you're just a miserable Colonist, put here to do our bidding and send your taxes back to the Motherland" kind of thing.
Especially on Annabelle's part.
Laurie
I am still torn on this. DD wants the doll, but I don't want an 18 inch Barbie. I know she will be excited when the movie comes out, but I am hoping to talk her into getting some of the new items for Elizabeth and use them for Felicity. Such as E's Christmas gown instead of the blue one.
Everybody is complaining about all the 'Barbie pink'. While I was at the toy shop this evening, I had a good look at all the Barbies there. Ok the boxes are all pink, but dress-wise the current in-color is definitely lilac. There were maybe two Barbies in pink.
Actually I rather have a pink Barbie than one of these Bratz - but that's my just my opinion.
Luckily, tastes and smacks are different - the world would be pretty boring if we all liked exactly the same things.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">LOL! No, Elizabeth would not have ridden a racehorse! Ladies rode very sedate steeds as a rule.Quote:
Originally posted by Grapedy1982:
Any horse Elizabeth would have rode would have been impeccably cared for and most likely a racehorse.
While there were horse races in Colonial times, I'm not sure the Thoroughbred was a recognized breed at the time of the Revolution.
The Colonists had several types of horses and ponies available to them.
Lori, Felicity, Willow Jade and now Elizabeth
I haven't been very happy with much from AG lately.
I agree...Felicity and Elizabeth's things are accurate. But they still stink of Barbie...accurate or not. And...I have not been happy with quality for some time.
I love some of Fel's new things, and abhor others.
I have actually been thinking about selling most of my collection, and moving on. American
Girl is not the Pleasant Company that I once loved....
Grapeddy...I always appreciate your historical info. Thanks for sharing so much with us.
I love pink but not so much of it. Definitely not as a riding habit. [img]frown.gif[/img] And I wish the carriage was some other color, not yellow.
I do hope to get the whole Elizabeth collection someday though. As with other AG items, the longer I see them, the more they grow on me. When Samantha's sleigh first came out, I was really disappointed it was red. But I'm glad I got it afterall and it really does look sweet with the dolls in it. I'll bet the carriage will be the same way. I can just picture the dolls sitting in the carriage, placed in my backyard, imagining the dolls going down some shady lane somewhere. The adventure and photo possibilities will be fun.
Julia
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Jenny, I'm sorry to hear this! I can understand how you feel. I donated all of my AGT collection (two dolls and various outfits) some time ago. I thought it was one of those things I would "live to regret," but I didn't regret it at all, and still don't. The only things keeping me holding on to some of the other dolls are the outfits my mom lovingly created for me when I was young. That makes them so special.Quote:
Originally posted by Ponydreamer:
I have actually been thinking about selling most of my collection, and moving on. American
Girl is not the Pleasant Company that I once loved....
The magazine has changed, the dolls have changed, so much has changed. The only items I have purchased from American Girl in about a year's time are their historical AG books. When I was younger I got an AG doll each year for Christmas and supported all the doll lines (Bitty Baby, Angelina, AGT, and AG). Now I'm no longer "stuck" on the AG brand and prefer to ask for different things for Christmas. And it's not that I've finally abandoned dolls--I still collect them. It's just that I'm finding other ones outside of the AG brand, or sewing my own (which is really fun!).
I agree with you that the brand has changed so much. It's not that it's a bad brand--it's just that those of us who have been customers for a long time can see that drastic changes have been made in recent years. I'm glad AG is still around for girls, but the AG around now is not the AG that was around when I was a girl. It's not necessarily a good or bad thing, but changes aren't always accepted with open arms by longtime customers . . . and I'm one of the few from the '80s!
<font color="#051E50" size="1">[ August 12, 2005 11:55 AM: Message edited by: Melissa ]</font>
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">LOL -- that's Bananabelle all right.Quote:
Originally posted by dianasmama:
I'm thinking the "wealth" factor is more of just an attitude of "refinement", meaning "we're from England, and you're not, you're just a miserable Colonist, put here to do our bidding and send your taxes back to the Motherland" kind of thing.
Especially on Annabelle's part.
_Very Funny, Elizabeth_ makes it very clear that the Coles *are* wealthy, and that they have social contacts among the nobility in England.
I got the impression that they had lots of servants (although we're never introduced to them the way we were in Felicity's books). Compare the illustrations in Elizabeth's book with those in _Meet Felicity_ and you can see how much simpler the Merrimans lifestyle is...
Lori, Felicity, Willow Jade and Elizabeth