cin Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 DH and I have noticed that dd7 is much more into dressing up and playing with her dolls lately. Gramma is VERY generous at Christmas, and we have tossed around a doll like the AG, with some of the clothes adn stuff, but we REALLY HATE to spend THAT much money, even if it isn't ours. :001_unsure: Are there some cute dolls out there that hare somewhat similar, with clothes and stuff? TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 Most of the clothes for 18" dolls are interchangeable. I have found that feet and hands tend to be the biggest difference (we have cooking mitts that only fit only one brand, ditto to a couple pairs of shoes.) Target and Toys R Us both used to carry 18" brand dolls. We own so many that I haven't looked at them in a while. The younger girls strictly inherit from the older ones now. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 There are some that *look* similar (from a distance at least) -- like the Our Generation dolls at Target -- but there's a *huge* difference in quality. My AG doll (from about 1989) is still around, and my sister's dolls (from the 90s) as well... So we had no qualms about spending the money for dd to have one -- it's a toy we expect to be around for many years to come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 There are some that *look* similar (from a distance at least) -- like the Our Generation dolls at Target -- but there's a *huge* difference in quality. My AG doll (from about 1989) is still around, and my sister's dolls (from the 90s) as well... So we had no qualms about spending the money for dd to have one -- it's a toy we expect to be around for many years to come. I agree about the quality, especially re:hair. Clothing and accessories.......many of the dresses from AG are spectacular. My girls have a few very special outfits from them. But they own lots of store brand clothes/shoes/etc.....I might be able to tell the difference, but they can't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 Agreeing w/ the others. You're paying for a quality difference. My dd has one of the Target Our Generation dolls and a few American Girl dolls. The hair on the Target doll is pretty much a matted mess & my dd is not hard/harsh on her dolls. Her oldest AG doll is from 3.5 years ago & the doll still looks great. AG also has a doll hospital (that you pay for) where they will repair/clean the doll if needed. It really is considered to be a toy that lasts & can be played with for many years to come. The AG dolls have been the big Christmas gift each of the past few years. The accessories (clothing, various accessories) have been gifts (most of the time) from relatives & friends who want a list for birthdays and Christmas. Also, as already mentioned, the hands/feet are slightly different sizes/shapes/angles so that may affect how accessories are held by the doll, how gloves, etc... fit. If your dd really loves dolls, I think the AG doll is worth it. (AG's customer service has been top-notch too, imo.) If it's more of a passing fancy & she's not likely to continue playing w/ dolls very long, I'd go w/ a cheaper version. We were actually just at the American Girl store today. It is definitely a fun place to look around & see the neat things! (Though I'm kind of put out to be a 'historical' doll myself -- hmph! :glare: I don't feel that old yet! Julie, girl of the 70s, has many of the same things I did: the Barbie styling head, Jiffy Pop popcorn, Tang, and a funky terrarium. LOL!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 You can do a search on Amazon for "Gotz 18" doll". They are just like American Girl dolls. They run about $65 each. If you Google the phrase, you will find sellers besides those at Amazon, and I'm pretty sure you'll find Gotz dolls on eBay, too. "In fact, Gotz was the company who designed, and originally made, American Girl dolls for Pleasant Company. That's right, American Girl dolls were actually a Gotz creation (and made by Gotz for quite a while). So, by picking a doll from the Precious Day Girl Collection you can get a terrific American Girl type doll at a fraction of the cost! " "AWARD WINNER - Precious Day Girl Collection dolls received the Oppenheim Best Toy Award. " http://www.liveandlearn.com/gotz/jessica.html This quote is true. I researched Gotz dolls years ago and found this information out from a very reputable source (perhaps the doll company itself, I don't recall exactly). I bought my DD an 18" Gotz doll from T J Maxx for $20 many years ago. Later, DD got an American Girl doll. They were exactly the same in quality and the AG clothes fit both dolls. HTH, RC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 I bought my DD an 18" Gotz doll from T J Maxx for $20 many years ago. Later, DD got an American Girl doll. They were exactly the same in quality and the AG clothes fit both dolls. Is the hair the same? Our old Pleasant Co-era AG dolls definitely didn't have as nice hair as the newer (Mattel) ones... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 I was going to recommend the dolls from Vision Forum, except I just noticed their $89. Whichever doll you do go with, check out the historical outfits at Vision Forum. They're adorable. I also have to put in a good word for the American Girl dolls. I have one that my mom bought me - very good quality. My daughter is going to get one of the Bitty Babies for Christmas this year! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cin Posted August 23, 2008 Author Share Posted August 23, 2008 You can do a search on Amazon for "Gotz 18" doll". They are just like American Girl dolls. They run about $65 each. If you Google the phrase, you will find sellers besides those at Amazon, and I'm pretty sure you'll find Gotz dolls on eBay, too. "In fact, Gotz was the company who designed, and originally made, American Girl dolls for Pleasant Company. That's right, American Girl dolls were actually a Gotz creation (and made by Gotz for quite a while). So, by picking a doll from the Precious Day Girl Collection you can get a terrific American Girl type doll at a fraction of the cost! " "AWARD WINNER - Precious Day Girl Collection dolls received the Oppenheim Best Toy Award. " http://www.liveandlearn.com/gotz/jessica.html This quote is true. I researched Gotz dolls years ago and found this information out from a very reputable source (perhaps the doll company itself, I don't recall exactly). I bought my DD an 18" Gotz doll from T J Maxx for $20 many years ago. Later, DD got an American Girl doll. They were exactly the same in quality and the AG clothes fit both dolls. HTH, RC I've seen things like this at TJ Maxx, I'll have to keep my eye open :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EarleneW Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 The AG dolls are definatly worth the money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 The hair is the same on DD's Gotz doll and on her AG doll (a Mattel one). I'm not sure if hers is from the Gotz Precious Day collection, because I can't find a similarly dressed doll available now and I don't remember her doll's original name. What I am sure about is that the face molds were the same for DD's Gotz and DD's AG dolls and in all respects they are identical (except for hair and eye color). I didn't do this research until after I bought the Gotz doll, which I picked up because I wanted to see if DD would take care of an AG doll by using this much cheaper one as the guinea pig. It was pure luck that the doll turned out to be just like the AG dolls. I only did the research because Gotz is a German doll company and I was interested because I am half German and love dolls. Is the hair the same? Our old Pleasant Co-era AG dolls definitely didn't have as nice hair as the newer (Mattel) ones... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niffercoo Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 DH and I have noticed that dd7 is much more into dressing up and playing with her dolls lately. Gramma is VERY generous at Christmas, and we have tossed around a doll like the AG, with some of the clothes adn stuff, but we REALLY HATE to spend THAT much money, even if it isn't ours. :001_unsure: Are there some cute dolls out there that hare somewhat similar, with clothes and stuff? TIA We have an exceptionally generous Nana here, too. She has given a number of AG dolls, and one year Riley wanted a Vision Forum doll and clothes, so Nana obliged, especially at the price. The quality difference was astounding. The packaging was terrible and smelly. The clothes looked and felt cheap. Compared to the AG dolls and accessories, there was a significant lack of attention to detail. Nana was very displeased and felt she had wasted her money. She won't purchase from them again. We do have 2 of the Target dolls, but they are for Reece who wants to be like big sister but cannot be expected to take care of such an expensive doll. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E_Edgerton Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 www.magiccabin.com has some beautiful dolls. I am not sure if they are less expensive though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 We have an exceptionally generous Nana here, too. She has given a number of AG dolls, and one year Riley wanted a Vision Forum doll and clothes, so Nana obliged, especially at the price. The quality difference was astounding. The packaging was terrible and smelly. The clothes looked and felt cheap. Compared to the AG dolls and accessories, there was a significant lack of attention to detail. Nana was very displeased and felt she had wasted her money. She won't purchase from them again. This is a bummer. I thought their historical outfits were so cute. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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