Editing Note On The Editing Note: I think I phrased what I was trying to say incorrectly (It was 2 am!). If I remember correctly, Samantha liked to climb trees and a pink, dainty and lacy dress wouldn't allow for that. All of her be forever outfits were more dainty and didn't suit Samantha's personality
i still can’t believe that caroline was retired because she “wasn’t popular”, i was young at the time but all of my friends were obsessed with her and my younger sister got her. i feel like she was pretty popular at the time though?? i’m so glad that i got cecile when they announced her retirement and i need to get a marie-grace!
I was shocked about Caroline’s retirement back in 2015. Luckily, I got one of the last dolls that were available on the American Girl website. I’m glad Caroline was one of the only historical dolls to not have a new meet outfit in the Beforever lineup. She has the prettiest hair and eyes compared to the blonde haired dolls that were released after her retirement.
for kaya i would probably change the fact that her horse is 115 dollars. she goes everywhere with it and it just seems mean to make it so much money lol. as for kit, like samantha she had lots of pink and girly clothes in her collection even though that didn’t match her personality.
I've heard Native Americans on insta saying she shouldn't have a drum because a lot of tribes women don't play drum. She's supposed to be Nez Perce, I'm unsure if that's well known or if women of that tribe play drum. Interesting debate!
Kirsten's collection is one of my absolute favourites so the only thing I'd want to change about it would be to add to it - a best friend doll, Singing Bird from her books! It'd also be an opportunity for AG to show another Native American doll, since there are so many unique tribes all across the country, she wouldn't be the same as Kaya at all. For Mary-Ellen, I'd want her to have been disabled from polio. It'd be a unique opportunity for kids to see how far medicine has come since then! And while it's been eradicated, the effects are still with us - my husband's father has a withered arm from polio when he was a child. It could have been neat if she had, say, a leg brace that she had to wear, and they could show how she can still wear cute outfits and be pretty even with this visible disability. I'd change Elizabeth back to being the brunette that she was in the books, and that her otherwise very pretty dress wasn't such a super bright pink, which feels very out of place for her time period!
A Singing Bird doll would have been a great idea! I also think that for Molly's best friend, they should have made dolls of Linda and Susan instead of Emily. I mean, nothing against Emily, but I wouldn't say she was Molly's best friend. She just stayed with the McIntyre family for a period of time (I think she was only even in the Happy Birthday book but none of the others) and she and Molly did become friends. But Molly, Linda, and Susan were clearly inseparable and did everything together, in every single book.
I agree that Felicity's re-release dress missed the mark. I think Maryellen would've been cute with freckles. Also agree that it's a shame that a lot of them don't have collections any more. It would be nice if more dolls came with glasses, we've only ever had Molly that wore glasses.
Kaya needs a canoe. Most of the beach dolls have a a little boat. I wish they would bring back the pieces from their original collections for a lot of their dolls. Cute video.❤️
Maryellen: I wish AG made her disabled. She had polio and they could have had her be disabled, to teach girls that maybe there are some things that they can't do, but there are so many other things that they can. Ivy: I would have liked to see them take the same approach to Ivy and Julie as they did with Cecile and Marie-Grace. We need an Asian historical who isn't just a best friend.
I agree about Ivy! Since Polio has been eradicated, it may be hard for kids to understand what it was and why their doll has a disability, but yes ag needs more disabled dolls
In Maryellen's books, one of her legs is shorter than the other, making it difficult for her to walk. Obviously American Girl can't really portray that on a doll, but she could have at least come with a leg brace, like the one she has in her stories.
great video! i hate the 'cubing' of the dolls, so disappointing as a collector who loves their historical collections. and caroline, MG and cecile alllll deserved better. AG needs to bring back some of the old historicals and new collections - they used so many of the good eras !
At Boise's state museum (way cool place) I saw a whole section on Nez Perce. There were several historic clothing pieces. One was a beautiful, beaded white wedding dress (like in Dances with Wolves). Kaya's white trading dress is very similar.
Josefina and Addy and their stories represent such valuable, underrepresented cultural identities and experiences, they absolutely deserve collections! And the collections they had were SO cool. It's great that the dolls are still available and that kids can see themselves in them (because representation is incredibly important) but it's so wrong that they can't even buy a single outfit for them and their time period.
I was introduced to American Girl in 1997 when I was 29 years old. I have a 97 Josefina and her whole collection from 97-2010. For the original 6 historical dolls, they do have larger collections on the second hand market. However, it can be very expensive to buy retired items! Their original collections can still be enjoyed in the earlier catalogs. What I would change about the AG historical line is to return to Pleasant Rowland’s intention of education. There is also a diversity of people and cultural life experiences beyond the more affluent/middle/upper class communities that have been the focus for their dolls. I would like to see more history in a variety of cultural communities and experiences.
the way ag is treating all the dolls of color by giving them a small collection... as a mexican i was overjoyed to see josefina, and i love her with all my heart but ag has to genuinely keeps forgetting that we deserve to see ourselves in history, with more then 1 outfit + we should give dolls native noses. josefina should get a hooked nose bc i think it's important for girls to see that button noses aren't the only option thats beautiful.
I wish Courtney was a throwback to the original three dolls, for her story and collection to follow the format with still an 80s theme. That kinda feels like that would sell.
Kaya: I wish that she was given a best friend doll - based on her story it would've been her sister. Felicity: I wish her Elizabeth looked more like the OG book illustrations. Caroline: I wish that her collection as a whole would've been less pink, or even just differently (a more historical hue) pink. Josefina: I wish that she'd been given a best friend doll - based on her story, either her sister Clara, or their Puebla friend she'd made. Oh, and also an herbal medicine set. MG & Cecile: I wish their book illustrations hadn't been so BAD. And that they'd been around longer. I really like how they were equal characters and I wish all of AG's other dolls had been similar, truth be told. Kirsten: I wish that she didn't have bangs (they are not historically accurate). Addy: I wish that they'd made her Sarah and Harriet. If they made only one, Harriet would at least give an excuse for very fancy dresses. Sam: I was never really into Sam, and at one point her collection was just SO bloated, I couldn't imagine wanting to get her. So I guess that she's a good example of me wishing that the company had stuck to the original formula of, like, meet outfit, hobbies outfit and accessories, birthday outfit and accessories, pet, etc - and nothing more, nothing less. Rebecca: I wish that they'd made her Ana. Kit: Stirling. And also, as her collection stretched on, wow did they ever get away from the whole "Kit hates girly stuff" thing. Also, why on earth did it take them so long to make a chicken-keeping themed anything, and why was it so pathetic? We could've had a coop! Nanea: Not sure what to change about her, love her as is and have never read her story. I'm sure she could use a friend. Molly: Her meet shoes are terrible. She should've had Linda and Susan as best friends - or her books should've been rewritten to include more about Emily. MaryEllen: It would've been SO easy to give her a little leg brace so that she was visibly disabled, and it would make such a BIG difference. Melody: Again, I've got nothing. Julie: Julie really should've been Ivy, let's be honest. Courtney: Why wasn't she wasn't Japanese-American, and based loosely on Claudia Kishi is utterly beyond me. Or, I dunno, Rudy Huxable. So much potential diversity could've been added here.
Thank goodness I wasn’t the only one who thought Felicity’s blue dress is Atrocious. Her dress historically probably would be shorter until she was of age and her hems would be let out. But….. I don’t think the silhouette is accurate based on what I know of fashion of the time period.
I think her original dress was the most accurate, if they changed the gathering of the waist on the skirt a little more. The biggest thing with making an outfit look like a particular time period is the silhouette and a lot of Felicity's outfits are off in that regard. Not to even get into the color choices
I agree, but since Julie has been around way longer then Courtney, she feels like she fits the line better to me. The original illustration style she had etc
Yes to a lot of things people are saying in the comments, and I agree that they've really pink-washed all of the historical dolls. I'm especially salty about Kit because she was my first doll and I looked like her at the time- I donated my hair every couple years so I had her bob and I was also very much a tomboy who liked to play sports and climb trees. It was disappointing to see them rerelease the dolls as glossier versions of their gritty historical stories
Kaya’s collection is quite difficult to add to in that a lot of indigenous culture is protected to outsiders. I could possibly think of items as a half indigenous person (Iroquois, Ojibwa, Lakota) although I am not Nimiipuu but can offer just a little insight. A beading kit or beaded hair accessories would be life (much like Josefina’s flower hair accessories. Because the original ones Kaya has are kind of lack luster) It is a large part of indigenous culture, beauty and is medicine. Perhaps some braided sage with a medicine kit for smudging and a pamphlet on what smudging is. A canoe would be cute and similar accessories paired with it can be baskets with some fish and a spear. Or a proper fishing lure because they did have those Blankets are an integral part to indigenous culture because they are considered the home we carry on our backs, what we grow in, our first clothing and are reminding of family. Tanning is how Hide is made to make dresses, it would work much like Josefina’s Navajo weaving kit. It is hide held apart on an amateur and shaved, brushed, washed. A drum. Be it hand or a barrel one with a mallet. It is the heart beat and rhythm to our songs and dancing. It could be paired with her pow wow dresses. We also had sign language in our day that was use universally with trading. Kaya used it in one of her books, incorrectly, yet it shed some light on prior to colonization ways is speaking. A little pamphlet on hand signals for birds, water or animals Would be neat. Lacrosse is also a game that’s been played here for centuries and other team games were common. For something modern to show indigenous people are still here, A ribbon skirt. Ribbon skirts are our remembrance of MMIW. They are beautiful, cultural, and incorporated into modern jingle dresses and non-traditional regalia (meaning leathers and hides) preferred in fabric dresses and outfits. Edit: also from a Jewish prospective. I would’ve adored if Rebecca’s accessories included other Jewish holidays. Hanukkah is our biggest one known to the public. I do wish she had items like a a grogger for Purim, a Seder dinner set (as far as I’m aware she doesn’t have one). Or something for Sukkot like a Sukkah, lulav and etrog. I haven’t read her books so my criticism stops there.
American Girl actually sold a modern jingle dress for Kaya in the 90s, but sadly Mattel scrapped it when they took over. I like your ideas for her collection though! I really wish Kaya was given more love in the AG fandom
I've heard Native Americans on Instagram saying Kaya should not have a drum as women don't play it in their tribe, which to me says there should be more Native dolls
Very true! As a collector coming back after a very very long time, I’m disappointed that some dolls don’t have a lot of new clothes or accessories. Nanea is my faveeeee!!!! Going to pick her up next weekend ❤️!
Kit has shorter her, because the original did have longer hair, but because of the style the hair would get caught in the eyelash, causing retracted eyelashes. I made an old video on repairing it. I'm a new subscriber
Great video!! I agree with most of these!! I really really wish Caroline, marie grace ect which are very unique dolls we're out longer but then ag keeps out julie and samatha who have been out for ages who are honestly pretty basic!!!!!
I would love to see Marrie grace brought back she’s a dream doll of mine . And I agree if dolls are cubed you might as well retire them it gets annoying
i would definitely change the way ag PROMOTES these dolls, rebecca should get a big ticket item that is a theater stage,kaya,kit,samantha,addy and josefina all need collections and julie should be retired to make space for another girl. I would also want ag to put more EFFORT into these dolls collections. i want more items to put my dolls in AG hasn’t put or added any new stuff in their collections like they used to do. I would want them to change the beforever outfits since they revamped the historical line. it doesn’t make sense for them to switch back to historical from beforever if they aren’t gonna change anything except the boxes
Marie-Grace looks so good in this video love her clothes! Also im thinking about getting a new doll and i was wondering if you had any recommendations?
I was never able to find a doll with brown hair and blue eyes (even the truly me’s at that point only made blonde hair/blue eyes or brown hair/brown eyes), so when Marie-Grace came out, as a kindergartner, I was overjoyed. I just wish they didn’t retire her 😢
This is so unrelated but Rosie in this makes me want to get a second MG to modernize! I love this idea and forgot you did this with the GOTYS (which I love) this concept is so creative!
Just watched the video. As always it is amazing.😘😃One thing I would change is that all of the history girl dolls have their best friends back. For example Nelie.
I really enjoyed this video! Julie was my first doll and I will stand by her forever, but I agree about her new meet outfit; it seems very stereotypical "hippy" like with all the peace signs in your face. Just an idea for a video, what about "Things AG should bring back"? I wish more dolls had their companions for sale like Julie and Ivy or Carissa, Sonali, and Gwen
I definitely wish Courtney was a doll of colour. Back then AG was really releasing white doll after white doll. Also, a problem i have with the historical line is that the dolls are always white when the storyline isn't mainly focused on a race-related historical event. I think this limits the design of the dolls
Here is what I would change about Rebecca: 1. A sukkah playset 2. A Passover set 3. Bring back her original collections 4. Bring back her original books
I totally get this video! I recently posted one about my AG dislikes, and one point I made was about the historical dolls and their collections. I wish that some dolls had bigger collections, such as Josefina, and Addy. GREAT VIDEO, I love all your AG content!!!🌸👍 ~Sofie~💚🦋🍄
I have Kit. I’m more into the fashion of the dolls, in which I dress Kit preppy. Therefore, I bought Kit’s preppiest outfits, but also she wears a couple of Molly’s outfits, a couple of Melody’s outfits, a couple of Isabel’s outfits, so what I would have changed about Courtney is making her a preppier character since in the 80s we had a rise in the preppy fashion.
I agree about Elizabeth's dresses. I recently bought her Tea Dress on eBay and it is gorgeous, even without the fichu and cap. Mine actually came with Josefina's original camisa (long white top) and it looks amazing under the Tea Dress. Great video! Thanks for sharing!
Yeah ... I love Kaya! In fact Kaya is the only American Girl doll I do like. I've been contemplating getting it for quite some time. What I would change about all eighteen inch dolls, is the big over-sized heads and the cloth bodies. I hate that about ANY doll really!
See as an 18 inch doll collector, it’s what I’m used to. I do understand why people who mainly collect 10-12 inch dolls would not be into 18inch dolls though
For me, I love Courtney. She’s super cute, and she’s into the challenger like me. I own her and Maryellen. I love making them twin sisters while playing with them.
Me personally there is not a single thing I would change about any of these dolls. Absolutely nothing. Now I do agree with adding more outfits for those who like to change their dolls. To me every single doll is special and I see them all unique in their own way. Mary Ellen and Courtney don’t look that much a like like people say, in my opinion. One super Curly hair, different color, different color eyes etc. love your videos and all the different opinions. Thank you so much for sharing.
About Samantha's pink stuff, I don't remember that the it says she doesn't like pink?Just that she's not a girly girl? And as far as I've learnt from a gender course, pink was a color for boys in Samantha's time period so maybe giving her pink stuff is to show her tomboy side..
I corrected myself in the comments because I realized right before posting I phrased it wrong, but in the original books she loved to climb trees and get messy, and when the beforever version of Samantha released people were upset that her dress was so dainty
American girl wants people to have dolls that look like the kids that buy them and a lot of people have brown hair and brown eyes. Also so many have blond hair and these were just the first dolls. No hate just giving my opinion love your vids
Trust me I have brown hair and brown eyes, and my mini me has that too. It’s more so that Molly and Samantha have the exact same wig, especially in the same color
I would change Kaya’s hair because they shaved the back of her head and it’s a frizzy nightmare to work with, I would give Kirsten a Beforever rebrand, I would make Rebecca look less like Samantha and I would change Julie’s story to be less protesty.
You can’t be mad at Kirsten for being basic because she wasn’t just the first but also a Swedish immigrant, so like of course she’s blonde and blue eyed😂
Kaya not showing her teeth is important to her story though, in her culture they aren’t supposed to show their teeth hence why the Kaya mold was created
I'm not super versed in the AG community, I collect Bratz dolls more myself. But why is Kaya dislike? The first time I ever saw her I wanted her, and then when I learned how much research went into making her. I really wanted her, so I'm surprised to hear she is not liked 😔
That’s cool that you’re a bratz collector! I forget exactly what part of the video you are referring to but I don’t think Kaya is disliked by the community (I love mine) but AG doesn’t release new items for her anymore. A lot of historicals barely have a collection anymore and it sucks
@@AllycatlovesAG Thank You for responding, I came from your Collab video with Darling Dollz and I am bing watching your videos as I want to get familiar with AG dolls. Yes, I'm a Bratz collector but love to learn about different dolls out on the market
Mah, I agree that the dresses of Felicity, with the "fat effect" are not very cute and I don't appreciate very much Courtney's haircut, which gives her a "rebel teenage" look; Anyway I suppose that this was the fashion of their Times (the A.G. dolls are designed to be faithful to their real characters); I instead like very much the others you have listed, overall Rebecca and Samantha, which I consider two little masterpieces: I simply l😍ve them (I have a Rebecca and for nothing in world I'd dare to trade her).
im a year late BUT I AM (kinda) A HISTORIAN!! specifically a fashion historian and i can tell you, without a doubt, they did not care with felicity. that is a godawful attempt at a tudor gown, and note: the tudor dynasty died when elizabeth the first died almost 200 years before felicity's time; and not only that, america wasnt even really a *thought* in the minds of europeans. her old collection and outfits were 10x more accurate to what someone would wear, even though its very... adult? kids would just wear what the adults wore, especially if they were lower class. more beef i have with her outfit: - colors are not very accurate - sleeves usually would not be elbow length - i cannot express enough how ugly these fabrics are together - if they were separate id wear them on an ugly button up but this is on a GIRL FROM THE LATE 1700s!!! bad. - honestly the hair isnt bad, kids wouldnt usually put their hair up unless it got in the way of housework but besides that its fine. - the sewn in front panel makes me wanna fight, the 'panels' are entirely different garments worn underneath the main skirt. the highest skirt would mostly be roughly half a circle or more worn ontop, think catherine of aragon or katherine howard's costumes from six the musical, but longer. thats all the things i can think of right now, sorry for the infodump of the century
Yeah, the new Felicity doll's dress made her butt look big and I didn't like it. Do they sell Josefina's goat Sombrita? And Josefina is one of the most beautiful Historical dolls! I think it's pronounced "Keer-sten" (Kirsten), but I get it was 2 am, so you get a pass for that. Yeah, what she was saying about Courtney looking too similar to Maryellen, I have the same problem with Kira Girl of the Year 2021 because she looks too similar to Julie, and when I heard that they were going to have an Australian Girl of the Year, I was hoping that she would be Aboriginal.
I have josefina and she a special doll to me because my aunt gave her to me after me leaving the hospital even though it was a gift for her I means a lot but I wish they never took out josefina collection I wanted her bed her goat and of course her clothes
I've been a major Samantha fan since I was a kid in the early 90s. I know her stories well, & nope, there's nothing in there about her disliking the color pink. I don't know who started that rumor. Samantha was very much a girly girl. Kit however, was a tomboy & was upset with her mother for painting her bedroom pink.
@@AllycatlovesAG Sorry, I didn't see that. Yes, in the first chapter of Meet Samantha she had climbed a tree & was wearing her play dress & pinafore. One of my favorites of her dresses! 🙂
@@AllycatlovesAG I understand. I wasn't picking on ya. I've just heard so many people say Samantha hated pink, & I'm just perplexed by it because she wanted the Nutcracker doll in the pink dress for Christmas. Then in her birthday story she wants to have a frilly tea party with her friends. Of course she enjoys the outdoors as well! Her personality is a good mix of what's prim & proper for a girl of her time & also what's fun for kids throughout all time. If you ever decide to read her stories, just make sure it isn't the abridged versions. I don't know what AG was thinking when they did that with all the books.
@@gotzBearhugz See most historical books I have are the abridged ones because of when I got into American Girl. I don’t own any of Samantha’s books though, so I’ll be sure to get the originals
Samantha definitely had a terrible collection in the rerun for her personality. Her original line up is so much better. I am very lucky and my aunt had an original 1990s Samantha doll in good condition that she gave to me with some of the original outfits and lineup, so I can actually say that for certainty too. Kits new lineup, to me, also doesn't suit her and her time period. Yes, it's a cute outfit that I think is adorable, but it's not right for her. Also I have the complete opposite opinion of her haircut, but I'm a sucker for short, straight hair so what can I say...
I feel like for Kirsten she is obviously mentally unstable and omg her wooden spoon she should be retired those poor dolls that suffered through her attacks, let’s not forget that 😂
BeForever ruined the historical dolls. Kit was fabulous before. What is this green dress? Its not a depression era dress. When Pleasant Roland did the history it was accurate. Matel strips it down until its a farse almost. Look at Elizabeth vs. Felicity. Elizabeths dress color would not have been achievable in that era. Also, it feels cheap. The undergarments that felicity got were amazing. Elizabeths were a joke. They need to do a better job with the history, thats the whole point. And I think if you would have read all the books you would get a better feel for the girl the doll is supposed to portray.
Editing Note On The Editing Note: I think I phrased what I was trying to say incorrectly (It was 2 am!). If I remember correctly, Samantha liked to climb trees and a pink, dainty and lacy dress wouldn't allow for that. All of her be forever outfits were more dainty and didn't suit Samantha's personality
Yeah I remember that part in the Samantha movie and meet Samantha book with climbing tree
imagine courtney with dark skin and an afro, I feel like that’s very 80’s but also more ethnically diverse.
Yes!!! And when people saw the silhouette they got all excited due to the curls and then another white doll popped out
Put. ...put Claudie in-- PUT CLAUDIE IN COURTNEY'S CLOTHES!!!!!! 😱😱😱😍😍😍
i still can’t believe that caroline was retired because she “wasn’t popular”, i was young at the time but all of my friends were obsessed with her and my younger sister got her. i feel like she was pretty popular at the time though?? i’m so glad that i got cecile when they announced her retirement and i need to get a marie-grace!
I remember hearing that the Caroline doll sold really well, but her collection didn't, which ultimately led to her being retired :(
I was shocked about Caroline’s retirement back in 2015. Luckily, I got one of the last dolls that were available on the American Girl website. I’m glad Caroline was one of the only historical dolls to not have a new meet outfit in the Beforever lineup. She has the prettiest hair and eyes compared to the blonde haired dolls that were released after her retirement.
for kaya i would probably change the fact that her horse is 115 dollars. she goes everywhere with it and it just seems mean to make it so much money lol. as for kit, like samantha she had lots of pink and girly clothes in her collection even though that didn’t match her personality.
I’m used to the ridiculous prices of ag horses. Honestly get an OG horse and save money
For sure it should be more affordable
I've heard Native Americans on insta saying she shouldn't have a drum because a lot of tribes women don't play drum. She's supposed to be Nez Perce, I'm unsure if that's well known or if women of that tribe play drum. Interesting debate!
Kirsten's collection is one of my absolute favourites so the only thing I'd want to change about it would be to add to it - a best friend doll, Singing Bird from her books! It'd also be an opportunity for AG to show another Native American doll, since there are so many unique tribes all across the country, she wouldn't be the same as Kaya at all.
For Mary-Ellen, I'd want her to have been disabled from polio. It'd be a unique opportunity for kids to see how far medicine has come since then! And while it's been eradicated, the effects are still with us - my husband's father has a withered arm from polio when he was a child. It could have been neat if she had, say, a leg brace that she had to wear, and they could show how she can still wear cute outfits and be pretty even with this visible disability.
I'd change Elizabeth back to being the brunette that she was in the books, and that her otherwise very pretty dress wasn't such a super bright pink, which feels very out of place for her time period!
I had no idea Elizabeth was supposed to be a brunette! I love your ideas about making a Singing Bird doll and the moral for Maryellen
A Singing Bird doll would have been a great idea! I also think that for Molly's best friend, they should have made dolls of Linda and Susan instead of Emily. I mean, nothing against Emily, but I wouldn't say she was Molly's best friend. She just stayed with the McIntyre family for a period of time (I think she was only even in the Happy Birthday book but none of the others) and she and Molly did become friends. But Molly, Linda, and Susan were clearly inseparable and did everything together, in every single book.
I agree that Felicity's re-release dress missed the mark. I think Maryellen would've been cute with freckles. Also agree that it's a shame that a lot of them don't have collections any more. It would be nice if more dolls came with glasses, we've only ever had Molly that wore glasses.
Ooh yes! I would love a goty with glasses
Yes more glasses please!!!
@@AllycatlovesAG I want you have joesfina
Kaya needs a canoe. Most of the beach dolls have a a little boat. I wish they would bring back the pieces from their original collections for a lot of their dolls. Cute video.❤️
I'm not super familiar with the Nez Perce but they are pacific northwestern so it would make sense to explore that as a product
@@cheyennepetersen3417I studied native Americans but forgot all their history oops
Actually there should be way more tribe dolls
Maryellen: I wish AG made her disabled. She had polio and they could have had her be disabled, to teach girls that maybe there are some things that they can't do, but there are so many other things that they can.
Ivy: I would have liked to see them take the same approach to Ivy and Julie as they did with Cecile and Marie-Grace. We need an Asian historical who isn't just a best friend.
I agree about Ivy! Since Polio has been eradicated, it may be hard for kids to understand what it was and why their doll has a disability, but yes ag needs more disabled dolls
@AllycatlovesAG: Polio is not eradicated. It’s still exist.in Afganistan and Pakistan.
But it makes sense for Mary Ellen to would be disabled since if u do have polio u can get paralyzed
In Maryellen's books, one of her legs is shorter than the other, making it difficult for her to walk. Obviously American Girl can't really portray that on a doll, but she could have at least come with a leg brace, like the one she has in her stories.
@@margui6224I think she means in America cause most people in America buy American girl dolls
I would get rid of Kirsten's bangs to make her more historically accurate.
great video! i hate the 'cubing' of the dolls, so disappointing as a collector who loves their historical collections. and caroline, MG and cecile alllll deserved better. AG needs to bring back some of the old historicals and new collections - they used so many of the good eras !
I agree! I really want American Girl to expand Josefina’s collection. So many dolls have her face mold so I guess there’s that. ❤️❤️
American Girl needs to watch this video! They need to produce more outfits & accessories for all the historical dolls.
Yes!
At Boise's state museum (way cool place) I saw a whole section on Nez Perce. There were several historic clothing pieces. One was a beautiful, beaded white wedding dress (like in Dances with Wolves). Kaya's white trading dress is very similar.
i’ve heard the dolls with bangs were so common in the pleasant company days because the company that provided the wigs only came with bangs.
I know, but I’m sure they could have found another manufacturer who could make other styles of wigs. I just wish they weren’t the exact same color
Josefina and Addy and their stories represent such valuable, underrepresented cultural identities and experiences, they absolutely deserve collections! And the collections they had were SO cool. It's great that the dolls are still available and that kids can see themselves in them (because representation is incredibly important) but it's so wrong that they can't even buy a single outfit for them and their time period.
I was introduced to American Girl in 1997 when I was 29 years old. I have a 97 Josefina and her whole collection from 97-2010.
For the original 6 historical dolls, they do have larger collections on the second hand market. However, it can be very expensive to buy retired items! Their original collections can still be enjoyed in the earlier catalogs.
What I would change about the AG historical line is to return to Pleasant Rowland’s intention of education.
There is also a diversity of people and cultural life experiences beyond the more affluent/middle/upper class communities that have been the focus for their dolls. I would like to see more history in a variety of cultural communities and experiences.
the way ag is treating all the dolls of color by giving them a small collection... as a mexican i was overjoyed to see josefina, and i love her with all my heart but ag has to genuinely keeps forgetting that we deserve to see ourselves in history, with more then 1 outfit
+ we should give dolls native noses. josefina should get a hooked nose bc i think it's important for girls to see that button noses aren't the only option thats beautiful.
It’s weird I feel Ag dolls really have the same noses nothing different really just button nosees
@@softsage112 this omg!! i have a hooked nose and i really wish other dolls could have similar features
I wish Courtney was a throwback to the original three dolls, for her story and collection to follow the format with still an 80s theme. That kinda feels like that would sell.
Kaya: I wish that she was given a best friend doll - based on her story it would've been her sister.
Felicity: I wish her Elizabeth looked more like the OG book illustrations.
Caroline: I wish that her collection as a whole would've been less pink, or even just differently (a more historical hue) pink.
Josefina: I wish that she'd been given a best friend doll - based on her story, either her sister Clara, or their Puebla friend she'd made. Oh, and also an herbal medicine set.
MG & Cecile: I wish their book illustrations hadn't been so BAD. And that they'd been around longer. I really like how they were equal characters and I wish all of AG's other dolls had been similar, truth be told.
Kirsten: I wish that she didn't have bangs (they are not historically accurate).
Addy: I wish that they'd made her Sarah and Harriet. If they made only one, Harriet would at least give an excuse for very fancy dresses.
Sam: I was never really into Sam, and at one point her collection was just SO bloated, I couldn't imagine wanting to get her. So I guess that she's a good example of me wishing that the company had stuck to the original formula of, like, meet outfit, hobbies outfit and accessories, birthday outfit and accessories, pet, etc - and nothing more, nothing less.
Rebecca: I wish that they'd made her Ana.
Kit: Stirling. And also, as her collection stretched on, wow did they ever get away from the whole "Kit hates girly stuff" thing. Also, why on earth did it take them so long to make a chicken-keeping themed anything, and why was it so pathetic? We could've had a coop!
Nanea: Not sure what to change about her, love her as is and have never read her story. I'm sure she could use a friend.
Molly: Her meet shoes are terrible. She should've had Linda and Susan as best friends - or her books should've been rewritten to include more about Emily.
MaryEllen: It would've been SO easy to give her a little leg brace so that she was visibly disabled, and it would make such a BIG difference.
Melody: Again, I've got nothing.
Julie: Julie really should've been Ivy, let's be honest.
Courtney: Why wasn't she wasn't Japanese-American, and based loosely on Claudia Kishi is utterly beyond me. Or, I dunno, Rudy Huxable. So much potential diversity could've been added here.
Thank goodness I wasn’t the only one who thought Felicity’s blue dress is Atrocious. Her dress historically probably would be shorter until she was of age and her hems would be let out. But….. I don’t think the silhouette is accurate based on what I know of fashion of the time period.
I think her original dress was the most accurate, if they changed the gathering of the waist on the skirt a little more. The biggest thing with making an outfit look like a particular time period is the silhouette and a lot of Felicity's outfits are off in that regard. Not to even get into the color choices
Julie's time period seems like too early in the time line same with Courtney, I also wish Nellie came back and I want lizzies riding outfit
I agree, but since Julie has been around way longer then Courtney, she feels like she fits the line better to me. The original illustration style she had etc
I don't know... as someone who started collecting AG in 1992, the release of a 70s doll felt SUPER weird to me.
Yes to a lot of things people are saying in the comments, and I agree that they've really pink-washed all of the historical dolls. I'm especially salty about Kit because she was my first doll and I looked like her at the time- I donated my hair every couple years so I had her bob and I was also very much a tomboy who liked to play sports and climb trees. It was disappointing to see them rerelease the dolls as glossier versions of their gritty historical stories
Kaya’s collection is quite difficult to add to in that a lot of indigenous culture is protected to outsiders. I could possibly think of items as a half indigenous person (Iroquois, Ojibwa, Lakota) although I am not Nimiipuu but can offer just a little insight.
A beading kit or beaded hair accessories would be life (much like Josefina’s flower hair accessories. Because the original ones Kaya has are kind of lack luster)
It is a large part of indigenous culture, beauty and is medicine.
Perhaps some braided sage with a medicine kit for smudging and a pamphlet on what smudging is.
A canoe would be cute and similar accessories paired with it can be baskets with some fish and a spear.
Or a proper fishing lure because they did have those
Blankets are an integral part to indigenous culture because they are considered the home we carry on our backs, what we grow in, our first clothing and are reminding of family.
Tanning is how Hide is made to make dresses, it would work much like Josefina’s Navajo weaving kit. It is hide held apart on an amateur and shaved, brushed, washed.
A drum. Be it hand or a barrel one with a mallet. It is the heart beat and rhythm to our songs and dancing. It could be paired with her pow wow dresses.
We also had sign language in our day that was use universally with trading. Kaya used it in one of her books, incorrectly, yet it shed some light on prior to colonization ways is speaking. A little pamphlet on hand signals for birds, water or animals Would be neat.
Lacrosse is also a game that’s been played here for centuries and other team games were common.
For something modern to show indigenous people are still here, A ribbon skirt. Ribbon skirts are our remembrance of MMIW. They are beautiful, cultural, and incorporated into modern jingle dresses and non-traditional regalia (meaning leathers and hides) preferred in fabric dresses and outfits.
Edit: also from a Jewish prospective. I would’ve adored if Rebecca’s accessories included other Jewish holidays. Hanukkah is our biggest one known to the public. I do wish she had items like a a grogger for Purim, a Seder dinner set (as far as I’m aware she doesn’t have one).
Or something for Sukkot like a Sukkah, lulav and etrog.
I haven’t read her books so my criticism stops there.
Passover would have been a great set to include (also great ideas for Kaya)
American Girl actually sold a modern jingle dress for Kaya in the 90s, but sadly Mattel scrapped it when they took over. I like your ideas for her collection though! I really wish Kaya was given more love in the AG fandom
I've heard Native Americans on Instagram saying Kaya should not have a drum as women don't play it in their tribe, which to me says there should be more Native dolls
If I could change one thing about Kaya I would change about how expensive her collection is!
Very true! As a collector coming back after a very very long time, I’m disappointed that some dolls don’t have a lot of new clothes or accessories.
Nanea is my faveeeee!!!! Going to pick her up next weekend ❤️!
I love this channel you are funny inspire me so much to buy American Girl dolls. Keep it up!
Is inspiring you to buy American girl dolls really a good thing? Or am I inspiring you to spend all of your money on expensive pieces of Vinyl haha
Kit has shorter her, because the original did have longer hair, but because of the style the hair would get caught in the eyelash, causing retracted eyelashes. I made an old video on repairing it. I'm a new subscriber
at this point whenever i hear your intro it makes me so happy bc i watch ur vids every day 😭💗
I agree with you about liking to do your dolls hair, but personally I still love Kit and her story and hope to find one and restore her.
Great video!! I agree with most of these!! I really really wish Caroline, marie grace ect which are very unique dolls we're out longer but then ag keeps out julie and samatha who have been out for ages who are honestly pretty basic!!!!!
I would love to see Marrie grace brought back she’s a dream doll of mine . And I agree if dolls are cubed you might as well retire them it gets annoying
i would definitely change the way ag PROMOTES these dolls, rebecca should get a big ticket item that is a theater stage,kaya,kit,samantha,addy and josefina all need collections and julie should be retired to make space for another girl. I would also want ag to put more EFFORT into these dolls collections. i want more items to put my dolls in AG hasn’t put or added any new stuff in their collections like they used to do. I would want them to change the beforever outfits since they revamped the historical line. it doesn’t make sense for them to switch back to historical from beforever if they aren’t gonna change anything except the boxes
I agree! I remember every few months each historical would get a new outfit or accessory but now they only focus on one doll at a time
Marie-Grace looks so good in this video love her clothes! Also im thinking about getting a new doll and i was wondering if you had any recommendations?
Corinne is really cute, and she’s really popular right now being the new girl of the year
I was never able to find a doll with brown hair and blue eyes (even the truly me’s at that point only made blonde hair/blue eyes or brown hair/brown eyes), so when Marie-Grace came out, as a kindergartner, I was overjoyed. I just wish they didn’t retire her 😢
#23?
This is so unrelated but Rosie in this makes me want to get a second MG to modernize!
I love this idea and forgot you did this with the GOTYS (which I love) this concept is so creative!
(Do it!!)
I agree with lots of your opinions about what you would change about the historical line! Also Marie Grace looked to cute in this video!
Aww thank you! She’s been in that outfit for almost a month because it’s so cute
For Kaya I’d personally want her to have a best friend doll like I always thought it’d be so cool if we had a speaking rain doll yet we never got one
Just watched the video. As always it is amazing.😘😃One thing I would change is that all of the history girl dolls have their best friends back. For example Nelie.
I really enjoyed this video! Julie was my first doll and I will stand by her forever, but I agree about her new meet outfit; it seems very stereotypical "hippy" like with all the peace signs in your face. Just an idea for a video, what about "Things AG should bring back"? I wish more dolls had their companions for sale like Julie and Ivy or Carissa, Sonali, and Gwen
lololol The Dynamic Duo!!
I'm guessing Marie is Batman? I'm kind of partial.
I know nothing about superhero’s lol
@@AllycatlovesAG Whaaaaaat - to quote Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man 2
@@AnastasiaProduction Peter Parker is my great grandpa… shhh
@@AllycatlovesAG No worries... I will keep your secret. For with great responsibility comes great power.
I definitely wish Courtney was a doll of colour. Back then AG was really releasing white doll after white doll. Also, a problem i have with the historical line is that the dolls are always white when the storyline isn't mainly focused on a race-related historical event. I think this limits the design of the dolls
Yes yes!!!
Here is what I would change about Rebecca:
1. A sukkah playset
2. A Passover set
3. Bring back her original collections
4. Bring back her original books
Yes!! I feel like brands only care about Chanukah cause it’s the most commercial! It isn’t even the most holy
I agree more about the dolls that should stayed around more.
I totally get this video! I recently posted one about my AG dislikes, and one point I made was about the historical dolls and their collections. I wish that some dolls had bigger collections, such as Josefina, and Addy. GREAT VIDEO, I love all your AG content!!!🌸👍
~Sofie~💚🦋🍄
Yes! Equal rights for the best friends!! I agree with all of this. Great vid!
If I could change anything from the historical line it would be bring back the best friend line.
I have Kit. I’m more into the fashion of the dolls, in which I dress Kit preppy. Therefore, I bought Kit’s preppiest outfits, but also she wears a couple of Molly’s outfits, a couple of Melody’s outfits, a couple of Isabel’s outfits, so what I would have changed about Courtney is making her a preppier character since in the 80s we had a rise in the preppy fashion.
I would change the fact that original kirstens eyes would become silver
Why did I forget about that!!!
I feel so fortunate to have gotten a Marie-Grace doll before she was retired😅
Kaya is my favorite doll! She was my very first one when I was a kid
I have Felicitys beforever meet dress. It looks a lot better in person and it is such high quality
Her:Kristen stays in her time period when people make movies with her
The person who made trip though time: well I did not.
I agree about Elizabeth's dresses. I recently bought her Tea Dress on eBay and it is gorgeous, even without the fichu and cap. Mine actually came with Josefina's original camisa (long white top) and it looks amazing under the Tea Dress. Great video! Thanks for sharing!
Yeah ... I love Kaya! In fact Kaya is the only American Girl doll I do like. I've been contemplating getting it for quite some time. What I would change about all eighteen inch dolls, is the big over-sized heads and the cloth bodies. I hate that about ANY doll really!
See as an 18 inch doll collector, it’s what I’m used to. I do understand why people who mainly collect 10-12 inch dolls would not be into 18inch dolls though
Hey girl I truly enjoy watching this video and absolutely love it ☺️☺️😍
For me, I love Courtney. She’s super cute, and she’s into the challenger like me. I own her and Maryellen. I love making them twin sisters while playing with them.
First, I’ve never clicked on a notification this fast XD
same!!!
Disregard my earlier question about the identity of your profile doll. You did a wonderful restoration on Marie Grace.
We need a middle eastern American girl doll
Love this video it was very entertaining
This was really interesting, I’m just wondering what your favourite felicity meet outfit? Mine is the purple one.
Same here. The original is just very bland in terms of colouring, and the new one is too in your face and a weird silhouette
Please don’t retire Addy or Josefina, or retire them and replace with new historical Black and Latina dolls.
Me personally there is not a single thing I would change about any of these dolls.
Absolutely nothing.
Now I do agree with adding more outfits for those who like to change their dolls.
To me every single doll is special and I see them all unique in their own way.
Mary Ellen and Courtney don’t look that much a like like people say, in my opinion.
One super Curly hair, different color, different color eyes etc.
love your videos and all the different opinions. Thank you so much for sharing.
Your video profile doll is so cute! Is she a Create Your Own?
About Samantha's pink stuff, I don't remember that the it says she doesn't like pink?Just that she's not a girly girl? And as far as I've learnt from a gender course, pink was a color for boys in Samantha's time period so maybe giving her pink stuff is to show her tomboy side..
I corrected myself in the comments because I realized right before posting I phrased it wrong, but in the original books she loved to climb trees and get messy, and when the beforever version of Samantha released people were upset that her dress was so dainty
@@AllycatlovesAG maybe her aunt made her wear it🤣 letting her choose pink is the maximum they would allow🤣
@@agogspoileddolliefam6766 But even other items in her beforever collection like her ice cream parlour involved pink heavily
American girl wants people to have dolls that look like the kids that buy them and a lot of people have brown hair and brown eyes. Also so many have blond hair and these were just the first dolls. No hate just giving my opinion love your vids
Trust me I have brown hair and brown eyes, and my mini me has that too. It’s more so that Molly and Samantha have the exact same wig, especially in the same color
@@AllycatlovesAG yeah that’s a good point though
I loved watching this
I feel Ike melody isn’t giving 60s like maybe like give her more 60s fashion
Maryellen should’ve had a physical indication that she’s disabled. Like, would a leg brace or forearm crutches really be that hard, ag?
I love the Chanel so much
I would change Kaya’s hair because they shaved the back of her head and it’s a frizzy nightmare to work with, I would give Kirsten a Beforever rebrand, I would make Rebecca look less like Samantha and I would change Julie’s story to be less protesty.
You can’t be mad at Kirsten for being basic because she wasn’t just the first but also a Swedish immigrant, so like of course she’s blonde and blue eyed😂
I would give kaya a smile 🥺
Kaya not showing her teeth is important to her story though, in her culture they aren’t supposed to show their teeth hence why the Kaya mold was created
I LOVE KAYA
I love addy walker and I have Beforever but I would love if she had more collection
I'm not super versed in the AG community, I collect Bratz dolls more myself. But why is Kaya dislike? The first time I ever saw her I wanted her, and then when I learned how much research went into making her. I really wanted her, so I'm surprised to hear she is not liked 😔
That’s cool that you’re a bratz collector! I forget exactly what part of the video you are referring to but I don’t think Kaya is disliked by the community (I love mine) but AG doesn’t release new items for her anymore. A lot of historicals barely have a collection anymore and it sucks
@@AllycatlovesAG Thank You for responding, I came from your Collab video with Darling Dollz and I am bing watching your videos as I want to get familiar with AG dolls. Yes, I'm a Bratz collector but love to learn about different dolls out on the market
Mah, I agree that the dresses of Felicity, with the "fat effect" are not very cute and I don't appreciate very much Courtney's haircut, which gives her a "rebel teenage" look; Anyway I suppose that this was the fashion of their Times (the A.G. dolls are designed to be faithful to their real characters); I instead like very much the others you have listed, overall Rebecca and Samantha, which I consider two little masterpieces: I simply l😍ve them (I have a Rebecca and for nothing in world I'd dare to trade her).
Can I do this video with my own opinions and credit you for the idea?
Sure
Name of the doll are in the left I have one but I don't know the name is exactly
I want Caroline! Re Release her AG!!
I would change the amount of modern outdits she has, she is not a modern girl, the other historicals are historicals, she should be too.
im a year late BUT I AM (kinda) A HISTORIAN!! specifically a fashion historian and i can tell you, without a doubt, they did not care with felicity. that is a godawful attempt at a tudor gown, and note: the tudor dynasty died when elizabeth the first died almost 200 years before felicity's time; and not only that, america wasnt even really a *thought* in the minds of europeans. her old collection and outfits were 10x more accurate to what someone would wear, even though its very... adult? kids would just wear what the adults wore, especially if they were lower class.
more beef i have with her outfit:
- colors are not very accurate
- sleeves usually would not be elbow length
- i cannot express enough how ugly these fabrics are together
- if they were separate id wear them on an ugly button up but this is on a GIRL FROM THE LATE 1700s!!! bad.
- honestly the hair isnt bad, kids wouldnt usually put their hair up unless it got in the way of housework but besides that its fine.
- the sewn in front panel makes me wanna fight, the 'panels' are entirely different garments worn underneath the main skirt. the highest skirt would mostly be roughly half a circle or more worn ontop, think catherine of aragon or katherine howard's costumes from six the musical, but longer.
thats all the things i can think of right now, sorry for the infodump of the century
I would change MaryEllen's bangs. They look weird, not natural.
I’ve grown to love them, but yes side bangs aren’t that common
Yeah, the new Felicity doll's dress made her butt look big and I didn't like it. Do they sell Josefina's goat Sombrita? And Josefina is one of the most beautiful Historical dolls! I think it's pronounced "Keer-sten" (Kirsten), but I get it was 2 am, so you get a pass for that. Yeah, what she was saying about Courtney looking too similar to Maryellen, I have the same problem with Kira Girl of the Year 2021 because she looks too similar to Julie, and when I heard that they were going to have an Australian Girl of the Year, I was hoping that she would be Aboriginal.
A food collection of kaya time
I want more doll food!!
I have josefina and she a special doll to me because my aunt gave her to me after me leaving the hospital even though it was a gift for her I means a lot but I wish they never took out josefina collection I wanted her bed her goat and of course her clothes
I've been a major Samantha fan since I was a kid in the early 90s. I know her stories well, & nope, there's nothing in there about her disliking the color pink. I don't know who started that rumor. Samantha was very much a girly girl. Kit however, was a tomboy & was upset with her mother for painting her bedroom pink.
I corrected the pink statement in the comments, but I believe she climbed trees and her lacy pink beforever dress wasn’t good for that
@@AllycatlovesAG Sorry, I didn't see that. Yes, in the first chapter of Meet Samantha she had climbed a tree & was wearing her play dress & pinafore. One of my favorites of her dresses! 🙂
@@gotzBearhugz All good! Videos take so long for me to upload at home, I didn’t have time to correct it within the video itself
@@AllycatlovesAG I understand. I wasn't picking on ya. I've just heard so many people say Samantha hated pink, & I'm just perplexed by it because she wanted the Nutcracker doll in the pink dress for Christmas. Then in her birthday story she wants to have a frilly tea party with her friends. Of course she enjoys the outdoors as well! Her personality is a good mix of what's prim & proper for a girl of her time & also what's fun for kids throughout all time. If you ever decide to read her stories, just make sure it isn't the abridged versions. I don't know what AG was thinking when they did that with all the books.
@@gotzBearhugz See most historical books I have are the abridged ones because of when I got into American Girl. I don’t own any of Samantha’s books though, so I’ll be sure to get the originals
Samantha definitely had a terrible collection in the rerun for her personality. Her original line up is so much better. I am very lucky and my aunt had an original 1990s Samantha doll in good condition that she gave to me with some of the original outfits and lineup, so I can actually say that for certainty too.
Kits new lineup, to me, also doesn't suit her and her time period. Yes, it's a cute outfit that I think is adorable, but it's not right for her. Also I have the complete opposite opinion of her haircut, but I'm a sucker for short, straight hair so what can I say...
My mom has 2 real ones and I have 3 fake one's
Fake ones? Do you mean off-brand?
Kirsten is pronounced keer-sten, not kur- sten.
I feel like for Kirsten she is obviously mentally unstable and omg her wooden spoon she should be retired those poor dolls that suffered through her attacks, let’s not forget that 😂
BeForever ruined the historical dolls. Kit was fabulous before. What is this green dress? Its not a depression era dress. When Pleasant Roland did the history it was accurate. Matel strips it down until its a farse almost. Look at Elizabeth vs. Felicity. Elizabeths dress color would not have been achievable in that era. Also, it feels cheap. The undergarments that felicity got were amazing. Elizabeths were a joke. They need to do a better job with the history, thats the whole point. And I think if you would have read all the books you would get a better feel for the girl the doll is supposed to portray.
Maryellen is childish
Earlyyyyy
American girl stop making creepy music videos!!
Have you seen the thumbnail to their upcoming premiere? They changed the animation style and it’s even worse