Is there a favorite American Girl Doll?

Platinum Member Joined: Oct 14 2009 Posts: 5893

A relative wants to buy DD an American Girl Doll for when she's older, but she wants to buy it now (DD is 1 y/o). She asked me to choose one.

When I was a kid, Samantha was the one almost everyone wanted, she seemed to be the all-around favorite. I guess she had good hair, her clothes were classy, and she had pretty accessories. So I would have gotten that one but alas, she is discontinued.

I think when Rebecca came out a lot of girls I know (nieces and their friends) were into her because she was the first "Jewish" American Girl Doll. Her hairstyle and clothes don't turn me on at all, though, but maybe that's just me? Do girls think of her and her clothes as pretty?

Marie-Grace seems kind of pretty and has long hair for girls who like to do things with long hair.

I could go for the nameless kind and just choose one with DD's coloring, but then you don't get the historical aspect, which is the thing I always liked about American Girls.

I know tastes could change over the next eight years or so by the time DD gets old enough to appreciate it, but I'm wondering what the trend is. There were definitely trends when I was growing up so I figure moms of kids the right age might have some insight. So, what are girls into? Is there an all-around favorite character? Do they like having one who has their coloring? I would love to just wait and let DD have the excitement of choosing it herself (it's not like we can offer her many fancy toys, this is a special gift) but the relative is elderly and wants us to get this now in case she's not around to buy it when DD is older.

Platinum Member Joined: Nov 04 2008 Posts: 7927

Is Felicity still around or did they discontinue her?

I like both Cecile and Marie-Grace...
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Platinum Member Joined: Oct 14 2009 Posts: 5893

Oh I loved Felicity! Tied with Samantha, maybe a drop behind because Samantha was so popular. But she's also gone Sad

It feels like the whole world has changed since I was a kid, lol.

Moderator Joined: Aug 14 2005 Posts: 4546 Location: Ohio

I don't think there is any way to predict. Kids have such different tastes, and their own tastes change.

Kit has been a favorite all along. My DD has two. One she saved her own money to buy and one was a birthday present. The one she saved for, she got Josefina. The one for her birthday, she picked Rebecca. By both of them, she went back and forth for months beforehand of which one she wanted. She changed her mind once a week at least.
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Executive Member Joined: Dec 21 2008 Posts: 310

I think they let u exchange it!

Kids often like dolls that look different than they do...kids with brown eyes like blue-eyed dolls, kids with curly hair like straight-haired dolls, and vice versa. Not always, but I've seen this with lots of kids.

What about a gift card? Not as personal, but then she can pick out what she wants in several years. Would a gift card expire over such a long period?
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Moderator Joined: Aug 14 2005 Posts: 4546 Location: Ohio

AFAIK, you cannot exchange a doll that is bought many years ago.

Diamond Member Joined: Oct 08 2009 Posts: 4018

I know many people that returned dolls over and over again.
They have a very good return policy.

I would buy the doll of the year, which goes up in value, and then when she is ready to play with it if she doesnt love it, I would sell it on ebay for double or triple the price (especially if it is new in the box) and then buy her a current doll with lots of accessories that she chooses....

Or just buy your current favorite, any doll is worth a lot more 8 years later.

Diamond Member Joined: May 10 2010 Posts: 3006

I had Samantha. (Ok, I still do Embarassed

) She is so pretty and classy I am waiting for dd to get a little older to pass her on. I don't know much about the current dolls but my sister has Kit and she is pretty cute also.

Platinum Member Joined: Oct 14 2009 Posts: 5893

Kit is cute but her hair is so short you really can't do anything with it, I know the girls who have these dolls like to play with the hair... seems like a waste.

Do the dolls really rise in value so much? Certainly if it doesn't get discontinued I imagine it won't rise at all, any idea how frequently they discontinue? This year's "Doll of the Year" is pretty cute, if she's not interested in 7 years or so, people will still want the "Doll of 2012" on Ebay? That's actually a pretty good idea if it'll work. Of course I'd keep it NIB until DD is old enough to do the choosing.

Gold Member Joined: Jul 25 2011 Posts: 1520

I was really into Kirsten for some reason. She was one of the first dolls.
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Platinum Member Joined: Oct 14 2009 Posts: 5893

She's gone too! It's crazy, I loved looking through the catalogs at those historical characters and their period accessories, why are they killing them all off?!

I looked on ebay and there really doesn't seem to be much market for previous "Girl of the year" dolls. A little more market for NIB discontinued ones, but still a lot seem to go unsold. I wonder if there's any way to predict who they're going to discontinue... Maybe Kit or Molly, because they seem to be trending towards multicultural characters, and those are about as plain-white-American as they come?

Platinum Member Joined: Feb 20 2009 Posts: 7625

Platinum Member Joined: Oct 14 2009 Posts: 5893

I don't think anyone makes anything more durable these days, sorry! Molly's hair probably didn't fare well because it comes in braids, so it probably gets stuck in that shape and doesn't respond well to brushing (similar to curls, dolls with curls - don't brush!) Straight-haired dolls generally are more favorable to hair styling.

Active Poster Joined: Mar 12 2008 Posts: 58

My older DD wants Molly. She likes the glasses and the braids. My younger DD is only 3. I promised they could get an American Girl doll once they learn some basic sewing. That way, they can learn to sew by making doll clothes.

Gold Member Joined: Feb 13 2007 Posts: 1263

Rebecca and Marie-Grace are the favorites with my daughters and their friends. I would probably choose Marie-Grace just because she has fancier clothes, which is really the whole point of those type of dolls.

Platinum Member Joined: Oct 14 2009 Posts: 5893

Sewing doll clothes, I love that! I wonder if DD could learn how even if her mom is all thumbs!

So I got a reply email from the company that said they would indeed accept NIB returns even several years later. So if I get something that DD would like to trade in and it doesn't have ebay value, that option remains open. So that makes the decision a lot easier. I've been thinking either Rebecca or Marie-Grace, I wonder if Rebecca has potentially higher resale value if she gets discontinued because she's the only "Jewish" doll ever - not sure anyone has any strong feelings about Marie-Grace that way, I notice there are definitely more and less popular retired dolls. I wonder if there's any way to predict who's getting discontinued.

I was also thinking Marie-Grace just because of the fancy clothes and accessories (she comes with a necklace and a fan; Rebecca comes with a shawl and a shapeless hat. I mean, no offense to early Russian immigrants, but...)

I can't believe I'm 20+ years old and still shvitzing over dolls as if I were 10 :roll Laughing

Gold Member Joined: May 09 2010 Posts: 2118

Honestly, it would be a much more meaningful gift if DD was allowed to choose which one she wanted. I got a Kirsten when I was 8 (it was a HUGE deal, grandparents got together and got me and my sister each the doll we wanted), but my sister chose Samantha, and I had close friend who chose Addy and Felicity respectively. It had nothing to do with having something different than our friend, we each wanted those dolls in particular. I would have been far less thrilled with the gift if I'd gotten a doll other than Kirsten, even knowing how big a deal it was to get one at all.
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Platinum Member Joined: Oct 14 2009 Posts: 5893

Assuming the company is still around when she's old enough, I would definitely give DD the choice at the time, since they've said they'll exchange even years later. The issue is that the relative who wants to give the gift, wants to give this specific gift, and she is old and not so healthy so she's worried she won't have the chance to give it to DD personally so she wants it bought now. She knows we're not the luxury toy purchasing type so she's actually right to insist that it be bought now and not trust us to just do it, whatever money she gives us for DD is more likely to go towards her education or other serious future expenses. But I do appreciate the gift and I think it will be nice for DD to have the chance to have something fancy even though her parents are boring practical sorts Smile

Beginner Joined: Sep 27 2008 Posts: 5 Location: Brooklyn

We have Elizabeth and Felicity , they are both beautiful!!