How would you respond if someone were to ask you, “What’s an American Girl doll?”
At least, that’s how you might remember it.
These dolls were not cheap
American Girl dolls were never cheap.
Sure, they were quality-made and, as already discussed, magnificent!
But, there were certainly always cheaper much, much cheaper alternatives on the market.
Are the dolls worth it?
To me, it’s definitely worth the investment in the dolls themselves."
With outfits also came accessories.
Maybe don’t tell people just how bad your addiction was to these dolls.
Still, parents are buying them.
“There are very positive messages.
“The only regret is that kids can get so wrapped up with everything.”
Specialty items, including your cherished American Girl dolls, had to be mail-ordered.
Can you remember rummaging through your American Girl doll catalog as soon as it arrived?
Nowadays, American Girl dolls can be bought online or purchased at one of20 retail stores.
Perhaps the addendum to that would be, “and an American Girl doll.”
Okay, maybe that’s a bit much, but the books that accompanied the dolls were quite good.
No, they weren’tNew York Times Bestsellersbut they served a noble purpose.
According to Tripp, the dolls are an allegory or metaphor for what was going on at the time.
Tailoring those subjects to young readers is a challenging task that sometimes takes as long as three years.
“I love the letters.
According toSlate, Addy was the only doll representative of young black girls for nearly two decades.
Still, the making of the doll persisted.
Generations of lives were lost in the slave trade.
Why would this subject matter ever be considered entertaining?”
However, not everyone agreed.
Porter added, “Children are more ready to talk about these things than some adults are.”
Agree or disagree, Addy Walker has not yet been retired.
What about other races and cultures?
Referring to American Girl dolls of the ’90s,Slatelabeled the brand “overwhelmingly white.”
It could be argued, though, that the brand continued this way for even longer.
That means most of us didn’t have the option for an Asian-American doll throughout our childhood.
Sadly, this excitement was relatively short-lived.
In 2014, American Girl made another controversial decision, which was to discontinue the Ivy Ling doll.
“I don’t see the benefit of taking away their only Asian-American doll.
It seems like it’s limiting our children’s choices and diminishing the Asian-American voice.”
Perhaps better late than never.
Did they forget about the boys?
Are dolls just for girls?
“Healthy people know how to balance all of these traits.
In 2017, American Girl did make a stride toward inclusivity by introducing male doll Logan Everett.
The site explains that each face shape is sculpted by hand!
Additionally, American Girl wants their dolls to look realistic.
American Girl also curls the eyelashes of the dolls by hand.
There’s no doubting the impressive craftsmanship of these dolls.
Say cheese!
One of the most interesting things about American Girl dolls are their smiles.
Unlike many dolls, you actually get to see their toothy grins.
In doing so, they learned that showing teeth is considered an act of aggression in their culture.
Therefore, Kaya would have never shown her teeth in that manner.
Instead, it is more like a warehouse.
Thanks to an exclusive all-access tour forOprah, you cantake a peek.
The method of returning the doll is much the same as it was in the ’90s.
Your doll will come back with a certificate of good health and an adorable hospital gown and bracelet.
Generations of young children will go on believing the hospital is real and, why not?
So, what are they worth?
If you dare to sell your old American Girl dolls, you could stand to make some money.
According toBuzzFeed, the most valuable dolls are the ones that have been retired or “achieved.”
Molly, Felicity, Kirsten, and Samantha would probably get you the most bang for your buck.
Depending on condition, you could likely recoup whatyouyour parents paid.
But, seller beware: You should probably keep some Kleenex nearby while you box them up.
