American Girl Dolls were the brainchild of a doll maker named Pleasant T. Rowland. Rowland saw the need for dolls that just “let girls be girls” instead of dolls that influenced girls to role-play as mothers or other adults. The doll maker combined this idea with portions of our country’s history, and then the entire concept of the doll was complete. If you or a special girl in your life collects these dolls, you’ll need to learn how to choose and buy American Girl Dolls.
The American Girl Doll company was started in 1986. The first-edition dolls contained just three, eighteen-inch collectible dolls. Their names were Kirsten Larson from Sweden; Molly McIntire, who hailed from the Midwest during World War II; and Samantha Parkington who was from the early 20th century. Each doll was designed to be a nine-year-old girl who has its own detailed, personal background which was written in book form. By reading the books that came with their dolls, girls could find out about the story behind the girl as well as about a part of American history.
Each doll also wore an outfit and had accessories that represented her background and her place in time. Because collectors only had three American Girl Dolls to choose from at that time, and the dolls could only be ordered from mail-order catalogs, they could be rather scarce if you didn’t know where to look.
The success of the original three dolls spurred Rowland and her American Girl Doll company to add five more dolls to their line-up in the next several years.
As of this writing, there have been many more American Girl Dolls produced, including Addy, Felicity, Josefina, Kailey, Kaya, Kit, Lindsey, Marisol and Nellie. Not all of the dolls are historical anymore, including the “American Girl of Today” Doll line. Instead of being designed by the company, these dolls are designed specially by their buyers. The buyers can choose the color of the hair, eyes and skin color. Then, the doll can be dressed in clothing and accessories that are also picked by the buyer.
Before you choose the American Girl Dolls you want to buy, you should visit the company’s website and look at the dolls that are currently available. The American Girl Doll store has a “Character Doll Match” to help you choose the right doll for a special little girl. If you’re purchasing a doll for yourself, just look to that little girl who lives inside of you to help make your selection.
Remember that looks aren’t everything. You may also choose an American Girl Doll based on the period of history she comes from or her background. You may connect with one or more of the American Girl Dolls because of their lives. Samantha Parkington, for example, is a wealthy girl who lives in the early 20th century.
Also, keep in mind that, if you want your doll to be complete, you’ll need to continue to purchase outfits, accessories and, maybe even books. Swedish Kirsten Larson is the only doll whose personal background story hasn’t changed…yet.
The company retires old items when new items roll off the production line and replace them. To buy retired American Girl Doll items, you’ll need to turn to an online auction site like eBay®. You can also perform a search on the Internet to find what you need to complete/update your doll, but be careful with whom you deal with. Make sure the company is reputable, and has a secure ordering form on their website before you buy. Check out the costs of shipping and handling to make sure they’re reasonable before you place your order. And, check out their “Return Policy” in case you don’t like your purchase.
Reference:
- American Girl
