Mimm Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 I know Target has a doll the same size and general look as American girl dolls as well as a bunch of accessories. My daughter is about to turn 4 and a doll is the only thing she's asked for for her birthday. But I'm curious... Are American Girl dolls really all that much better than the off brands? Can I get specifics on what exactly is better about them? I can't imagine buying a four year old a $100+ doll, not to mention all the accessories seem wildly overpriced. What makes them better? Are they worth it? Are you just paying for a brand name? Or is there a significant quality difference that justifies more than 5x the price? Is it five times as good? Or at least twice as good? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 The dolls and their hair are a lot nicer. But we use lots of etsy and off brand accessories! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 For me, it depends on the kid. My oldest was sooo delicate and gentle. Her AG dolls were pampered, dressed for the occasion, carefully loved. She has 3 and they are still beautiful. My younger girls are...not gentle. They walk their dolls around by the hair, they "fix" the dolls hair, etc. They have the Target brand dolls and aren't allowed to touch big sister's dolls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 The dolls and their hair are a lot nicer. But we use lots of etsy and off brand accessories! Yeah this. The hair doesn’t really compare, but off-brand accessories, no problem! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth86 Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 I dont know. I had 2 growing up. They sent me a catalog recently and it seems they have gone away from the historic dolls and are putting a bigger emphasis ofbthe girls of today. Boo. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 I vote for a real one, unless your dd is particularly destructive or has a penchant for cutting hair... ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 Half of what you are paying for is brand name. Years ago when they were still Pleasant Company instead of made by Mattel the quality and customer service was better. Now, I wouldn't give a 4yo a doll that expensive, no. I'd buy a cheaper one and possibly spring for an AG brand around age 6 or 7. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frugalmamatx Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 I'd splurge for the doll, but go walmart / target for clothes and accessories. They really do hold up MUCH better than the store brand ones. Ebay is a good place to look for a starter doll too. Get one that needs a little tlc - most of the repairs are very easy to learn to do. I've rehabbed dolls we got that were covered in ink and the hair was completely matted. It's not that hard. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 We have both at our house. The quality of the hair on the American Girl doll is much, much better. My girls are really into doing their dolls hair every day and changing their outfits, so it matters. If your budget can't stomach a $100 doll, I think a Target doll is still a much better choice than the other generic AG dolls. We chose to get the AG doll for my 8yo, but buy Target accessories for everything else. My 4 yo wanted her own AG doll; we went to Target and picked up an Our Generation doll instead. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athomeontheprairie Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 We have several AG dolls. I really didn't want to spend the money. So I bought the off brand... They just didn't hold up. We now have the real thing and they are so much nicer. The hair, the body. But also the stories that go along with them. Also, AG has the BEST customer service I've seen anywhere. Hands down. We do however buy accessories and clothes either used or as an off brand or homemade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawthorne44 Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 My mother bought my daughter a Madame Alexander of the same size. Daughter really loves it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 At 4 I'd go with the target doll. My DD got hers at 5 and is almost 20. The hair didn't stay nice. She was well played with. DD did get AG dolls starting at 6 and loved them too. Most of the clothes are packed away, but she still has the dolls displayed in her room. The Target is displayed with them. She watched YouTube and learned about doll wigs and has replaced the target doll's hair twice in recent years. We waited a year on the AG doll so DD could learn to handle hair better and have some reading ability so she could incorporate the AG stories into having those dolls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 If you MUST get an actual AG doll for a 4 year old, I recommend Kit -- the short hair is harder to mess up. Usually, I'd recommend waiting until the child was a bit older to get an actual AG doll. They do have Wellie Wishers for younger kids -- smaller dolls, smaller price points. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elastimom Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 We have Our Generation doll from Target that we got several years ago. It's a good doll, but you cannot comb or style the hair. We tried all the tricks to get the hair nice and smooth, but none of them worked. We got another 18" doll from Toysrus called Journey Girls doll last Christmas and the hair is so very soft, and you can actually comb and style the hair. It still looking as beautiful as the day we got it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimm Posted October 2, 2017 Author Share Posted October 2, 2017 Thank you for all the other doll recommendations, I am looking into them all. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 You might want to check Craigslist to see if anyone is selling a gently used AG doll. I know someone who bought a doll for her dd on Craigslist and it came with a bunch of outfits and accessories. :) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 We own: 2 real AG dolls, 1 Madame Alexander from Kohls, and 1 Walmart knock off. The real AG dolls are a lot nicer! It's still a $120 doll though which is absolutely crazy. My daughter was gifted one and bought the other with her own money. If your girl just likes changing the clothes, the generic ones are great. If she is into braiding or styling the hair, you want the real deal. Definitely go with generics for the accessories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 Yes, Craigslist can be a good source. Especially look around July/August after the big warehouse sale. People will buy several of the 2nds and sell them on Craigslist, I've seen them for around $80. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 They're generally pretty cheap at Costco pretty soon. Like still $100, but comes with an extra outfit or something. Haven't been to Costco in a few months, so I don't know if they're out yet, but if not they should be soon. They do sell out fast though, so if you see one, get it immediately. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 AG suggests age 8 as the minimum for their dolls, with Bitty Baby being suitable for younger kids. We went second-hand first, to gauge interest, which I think was a good approach, then one new some years later. Whatever you get, choose something with compatible clothes, because you'll have more options to mix-and-match later on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimm Posted October 2, 2017 Author Share Posted October 2, 2017 We live nowhere near a Costco. :) And I'm absolutely uninterested in attempting to rehabilitate a used doll at this point. Some day maybe. :) Glad to know people are generally happy with generic accessories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 There are amazing outfits/accessories on Etsy (and several boardies that make and sell them). You can often get a much, much nicer outfit of any given type from Etsy than from AG as far as quality (although the AG store is a repository of "cute little stuff"-although the Target Our Generation line is pretty good there as well) for a similar price point. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 I would not buy an AG doll for a 4yo, but if I did, it would be a recycled gently-loved AG doll. At an older age, I might buy a new one if I believed my child would love it and take good care of it. Though, would she really know at that point that the "gently-loved" doll had not been bought new? My kids are almost 11 and I think I've managed to avoid the whole AG thing all together. :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historically accurate Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 We have all sorts of AG, Target, Walmart, & Toys R Us dolls. The AG dolls are definitely a much better made doll; there's no contest regarding their hair. For a 4 year old, I would look at Wellie Wishers or Bitty Baby or a generic 18" doll. Bitty Twins are a Bitty Baby with hair but you can only buy them second-hand now. I recommend Target's brand over TRU or Walmart. Accessories can be bought at Walmart or Target and are just fine. Clothing can be bought at those stores too, but they won't necessarily fit the older AG dolls (they were a little chunkier). Ebay or Craigslist has good prices on AG dolls especially over the summer. If you do choose an AG full-size doll, I recommend Kit as a good first one because the hair is short and straight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xixstar Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 I bought the generic doll - I think the one at JoAnns and then purchased a quality replacement wig online. I replaced the poor quality wigs with the better one. On one of the dolls, I also took the body apart and added more stuffing so that it had a firmer body. They've held up very well and seem close in quality to the AG dolls while still clearly being different. Less work that rehabbing a doll in rough shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheres Toto Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 Oldest had 2 AG dolls and 1 Magic Attic doll. My mother loves to sew so we also have a ton of fancy clothes, in addition to every dance accessory made. We handed her dolls down to youngest dd for Christmas when she was 7 or 8. She had absolutely no interest in them at all so they are back in storage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4Kiddos Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 (edited) If you are interested in other brands of dolls, there is a wonderful British online store called Petalina Dolls: www.petalinadolls.co.uk and she has wonderful descriptions of each doll and has such a variety. I purchased two baby dolls from her last year even though I am in the US and they are just of amazing quality and are just beautiful. Her prices were really great and shipping was not that much for both dolls. Anyway, I thought I would mention it as she has such lovely items and they are all high quality. She has this page on her website too: http://www.petalinadolls.co.uk/buyers-guide/other-information/my-daughter-would-like-an-american-girl-doll_1.htm Edited October 2, 2017 by 4Kiddos 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebcoola Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 I'm sure AG dolls are better but my kids have been perfectly happy with Target dolls and I have never had to worry about how they were being cared for. Though they are all at least 5 yrs old and doing just fine despite rough play. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamaraby Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 My girls have one AG doll they got as a gift and one they earned by selling Girl Scout cookies. They also have a few of the OG dolls frm Target. imo, I see no difference in the hair. We really likethe OG accessories from Target as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 I got my niece an American Girl Doll at 4 because it has her name. I thought we might have to re-wig her at some point, and I was absolutely willing to do that. However, we took the fool to the American Girl Doll hair salon, and her hair was a good as new. (And we learned how to fix her hair.) my niece is now 10, and the doll is holding up just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 I told dd only Bitty Babies until she could read the books . That bought us a few minutes. Her AG dolls are still on her shelf because "Mom, you don't sell your children." :D They held up well but she played quietly with them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 We had an issue with shoes. The AG dolls had wide feet and other shoes didn't fit, but that was several years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 My niece bought an American Girl doll for her daughter but buys the Target clothes and accessories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopskipjump Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 In our experience the genuine American Girl dolls were signifigantly higher in quality vs other brands. Their hair is better, their eyes work better, and we had an off brand doll's skin change to a greenish hue after a year or so. The accessories and clothes are also incredibly well made, although we also had plenty of off-brand stuff for those as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopskipjump Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 Also remembered - the weight/balance of the AG dolls was better. They are heavier and felt... right. I don't know how else to explain it. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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