Yep, I am old. The new historical character from American Girl is

[mommyoffive]

Courtney from 1986!

[Lori D.]

23 minutes ago, Plum said:

Aww so my kids can learn what it was like back when I was a kid?! 
 

dd just turned 13 and cleared out her room of any remaining AG paraphernalia. Even the doll of the year that shared her name. I said she should at least keep that. Nope. Well I’ll just set that one aside for own sentimental value. 

She is going to be SOOO happy 20 years from now when you pull that out to give to her! I really appreciate and treasure (now) the books that my mom saved from my childhood -- at the time I was a kid I "knew" I would never want them again... So glad mom knew best! 😉 

[Matryoshka]

37 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Courtney from 1986!

'Scuse me, I'm Julie's age (AG from 1976)!  And yes, I felt ancient when she was introduced!  

And omg, I was a senior in college in 1986! You youngster! 😄

Edited September 15, 2020 by Matryoshka

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, Lori D. said:

She is going to be SOOO happy 20 years from now when you pull that out to give to her! I really appreciate and treasure (now) the books that my mom saved from my childhood -- at the time I was a kid I "knew" I would never want them again... So glad mom knew best! 😉 

Yup. I salvaged homeschool co-op yearbooks from dd’s throw away pile. You’re probably gonna want these, girlie...her (now) bf was like 7 years old in those pictures. 

[happi duck]

What age are the dolls in the year they represent?  Like when was the 1976 doll born?

[Guest]

I can imagine the playsets that go with Courtney...”Courtney makes mixed tapes, which she plays in her Walkman while she does step aerobics lead by Jane Fonda on VHS.” 

[hippiemamato3]

Quote

 

4 minutes ago, happi duck said:

What age are the dolls in the year they represent?  Like when was the 1976 doll born?

 

They are always about 10 years old.

Edited September 15, 2020 by hippiemamato3

[Matryoshka]

8 minutes ago, Plum said:

That's how I think of it. While I would be more the same age as Julie than Courtney, I could probably relate more to whatever Courtney has going on in her room. 😎

This is true for me too. I was not yet hip to any pop culture when I was 11 at all... the 70s passed me completely by other than some ugly pants, lol. The 80's are much more my decade!

[Matryoshka]

12 minutes ago, hippiemamato3 said:

They are always 10!

Actually 10 turning 11 - there's always a book where they have their 11th birthday! 

Edited September 15, 2020 by Matryoshka

I saw this today in my email.  I might be the only one with a 17yo who still loves American Girl dolls.  I haven’t read it, but I think it might be part of her common app essay.

[hippiemamato3]

An 

44 minutes ago, Matryoshka said:

Actually 10 turning 11 - there's always a book where they have their 11th birthday! 

Heh...I thought "about 10" was close enough! I was 8 in 1986 when I got my Molly doll! 

[historically accurate]

Eek! She has a Caboodle and a Walkman. My girls have outgrown AG (they get their hair done and clothes changed only about 2x a year now). 

[MercyA]

Oh my goodness. Not only a Caboodle (with a banana clip in it, no less) and a Walkman, but an acid-washed jean jacket and skirt, lace gloves, a "paint splatter" dress, Lisa Frank-esque school supplies (including puffy stickers!), mix tapes, a paper "cootie catcher" / fortune teller, a Pacman arcade game, jelly bracelets, scrunchies, a Swatch-style watch, a Care Bears sleeping bag, hairspray, high tops....

Best.American.Girl.Ever.

They know the moms are going to want it.

Edited September 15, 2020 by MercyA

[JustEm]

I was born in 1986!

[Matryoshka]

1 hour ago, hippiemamato3 said:

An 

Heh...I thought "about 10" was close enough! I was 8 in 1986 when I got my Molly doll! 

Sigh... by the time American Girls even existed I was to old for them... and I was a kid who played with dolls longer than average!  I didn't even hear of their existence till I had kids of my own...

Edited September 16, 2020 by Matryoshka

[Matryoshka]

 

24 minutes ago, hjffkj said:

I was born in 1986!

So... technically I'm old enough to be your mother... 😬 😂

[Terabith]

This is seriously messing with my head.  I was 10 years old in 1986.  

[MrsMommy]

2 hours ago, Mom2mthj said:

I saw this today in my email.  I might be the only one with a 17yo who still loves American Girl dolls.  I haven’t read it, but I think it might be part of her common app essay.

My 16-year-old still loves hers...she has a half dozen of them! Of course, I also love mine...the one I got when I was 10 or 11, and the one my children gave me for my birthday a few years ago. And I'm sure I'll also love Courtney, who I ordered this evening because I need to relive my childhood. 🙂

[Momto6inIN]

1 hour ago, MercyA said:

Oh my goodness. Not only a Caboodle (with a banana clip in it, no less) and a Walkman, but an acid-washed jean jacket and skirt, lace gloves, a "paint splatter" dress, Lisa Frank-esque school supplies (including puffy stickers!), mix tapes, a paper "cootie catcher" / fortune teller, a Pacman arcade game, jelly bracelets, scrunchies, a Swatch-style watch, a Care Bears sleeping bag, hairspray, high tops....

Best.American.Girl.Ever.

They know the moms are going to want it.

That description for sure makes me want one 😊😊😊

[Jaybee]

You bunch of babies! I had my first child in 1986. 😜  And I was NOT a teenaged mom. So yeah, I'm old...(it's not all bad).

[Junie]

I was just telling my little girls a few days ago that they should make an AG historical doll from the 80s.  And here she is! :)

[Guest]

1 hour ago, MercyA said:

Oh my goodness. Not only a Caboodle (with a banana clip in it, no less) and a Walkman, but an acid-washed jean jacket and skirt, lace gloves, a "paint splatter" dress, Lisa Frank-esque school supplies (including puffy stickers!), mix tapes, a paper "cootie catcher" / fortune teller, a Pacman arcade game, jelly bracelets, scrunchies, a Swatch-style watch, a Care Bears sleeping bag, hairspray, high tops....

Best.American.Girl.Ever.

They know the moms are going to want it.

Called it! 

[Karen A]

Has it been mentioned that one can buy an AG doll (Molly) for Courtney to play with. Comes in a little box, with a little book and catalog...

[Guest]

I'm torn between feeling ancient and wanting her (I have my Molly (which I bought on Ebay when DD got her first AG )and DD's Kaya put away. I was a high school freshman, so Courtney's clothes and accessories are super familiar. Although she needs a trapper keeper....

[Katy]

2 minutes ago, dmmetler said:

I'm torn between feeling ancient and wanting her (I have my Molly (which I bought on Ebay when DD got her first AG )and DD's Kaya put away. I was a high school freshman, so Courtney's clothes and accessories are super familiar. Although she needs a trapper keeper....

She totally needs a trapper keeper!

[MercyA]

19 minutes ago, Katy said:

She totally needs a trapper keeper!

I LOVED mine. It was either a Critter Sitters one or a Shirt Tales one. Anyone remember those? 🙂 

[MercyA]

Oh, and she has a PacMan lunch box with a matching thermos!!! I can almost smell what my lunch box smelled like when I opened it at lunch. Peanut butter and starting-to-get-warm milk. 🙂

Edited September 16, 2020 by MercyA

[Junie]

Legwarmers, people.  She needs legwarmers.

[Susan in TX]

3 hours ago, Jaybee said:

You bunch of babies! I had my first child in 1986. 😜  And I was NOT a teenaged mom. So yeah, I'm old...(it's not all bad).

I'm right behind you. My first was born in 1989. (And the 80s are not "historical". If I was alive and I remember it, then it isn't "historical".)

 

Susan in TX

(A 20 year old trapped in a 52 year old body)

 

 

[kiwik]

6 hours ago, Matryoshka said:

'Scuse me, I'm Julie's age (AG from 1976)!  And yes, I felt ancient when she was introduced!  

And omg, I was a senior in college in 1986! You youngster! 😄

I am older than that.  Was there a 1969?  Not in the US.

[MrsMommy]

8 hours ago, Junie said:

Legwarmers, people.  She needs legwarmers.

I agree that there should be more options, but they did have a free with purchase of a pair of hot pink legwarmers for their rewards members!

[vonfirmath]

15 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

Courtney from 1986!

And her best friend's name is Sarah!

 

I'm so happy

[vonfirmath]

I am older than that.  Was there a 1969?  Not in the US.

They had Melody in 1964.

https://www.americangirl.com/shop/c/melody

Edited September 16, 2020 by vonfirmath

[vonfirmath]

11 hours ago, Karen A said:

Has it been mentioned that one can buy an AG doll (Molly) for Courtney to play with. Comes in a little box, with a little book and catalog...

American Girl came out in 1986 and I believe Molly was one of their first dolls

 

ETA: Which probably explains why Courney is 1986 and not 1984

Edited September 16, 2020 by vonfirmath

[vonfirmath]

Quill, she DOES have mix tapes. And a 'Boombox" that can really play them

And a Walkman

[Guest]

10 hours ago, Junie said:

Legwarmers, people.  She needs legwarmers.

There's an extra clothes set that has them. And you know there will be a bunch of authentic 1980's outfits on Etsy as the designers who lived through the decade get on it 🙂 

[mom2scouts]

Um, I was already married in 1986. 

I will say that I love that Pacman arcade game. I spent too much of my high school years in video arcades.

[RootAnn]

I think 10-going-on-11 was too young for a Trapper-Keeper. 

Source: I was 10-turning-11 in 1986. Trapper Keepers were for middle school, which was 6th-8th or junior high 7th-8th/7th-9th back then.

[Paige]

I had trapper keepers in elementary school. I'm a little younger than you but we loved our trapper keepers. In middle school we were using normal binders.

I love her kaboodle but I think the Care Bears nightgown (that I swear I had!) is grossly overpriced. 

[vonfirmath]

28 minutes ago, RootAnn said:

I think 10-going-on-11 was too young for a Trapper-Keeper. 

Source: I was 10-turning-11 in 1986. Trapper Keepers were for middle school, which was 6th-8th or junior high 7th-8th/7th-9th back then.

Does anyone know where Courtney hails from?

In my district there were 5th grade schools that we went to for just that year and that's when I got my Trapper Keeper.

[SounderChick]

Ugh I was only 3 but she looks exactly like my older sister.  

[Guest]

2 hours ago, RootAnn said:

I think 10-going-on-11 was too young for a Trapper-Keeper. 

Source: I was 10-turning-11 in 1986. Trapper Keepers were for middle school, which was 6th-8th or junior high 7th-8th/7th-9th back then.

Trapper keepers wouldn't fit in the lockers at the Junior-Senior high, so pretty much all the kids had them in about 4th-6th grade :)

 

[MrsMommy]

2 hours ago, vonfirmath said:

Does anyone know where Courtney hails from?

In my district there were 5th grade schools that we went to for just that year and that's when I got my Trapper Keeper.

I think I read she's from the San Fernando Valley.

[cintinative]

There is a shocking lack of jelly bracelets. And her bangs are all wrong. They should be at least three inches above her head. LOL.

 

[vonfirmath]

2 minutes ago, cintinative said:

There is a shocking lack of jelly bracelets. And her bangs are all wrong. They should be at least three inches above her head. LOL.

 

Actually there are jelly bracelets.

You can see them in the picture of her with her Walk-man in front of the Pac-man machine

https://www.americangirl.com/shop/p/courtneys-accessories-grn42

[Katy]

4 hours ago, RootAnn said:

I think 10-going-on-11 was too young for a Trapper-Keeper. 

Source: I was 10-turning-11 in 1986. Trapper Keepers were for middle school, which was 6th-8th or junior high 7th-8th/7th-9th back then.

I was 6 and more than half of my first grade class had them.  By 2nd grade they were banned because they didn't fit into the school desks well.

[Terabith]

I’m pretty sure I had that Care Bears nightgown, too! And the Lisa Frank school supplies.  

[Jentrovert]

I just can't get over the fact that a time that I clearly remember is being called "historical" . . . that word should be reserved for times I wasn't alive, or at the very least, times I was too young to remember! 😐

Reminds me of the first time I heard the radio refer to songs, that I remember the release of, as "classics". 

I don't even know how to feel. 😂 Dh (almost a decade my junior) will have a field day with the jokes.

P.s. The jokes are a mutual thing. Despite his youth, he acts like an old man and people often think we're the same age.

[Jentrovert]

So, are any keepsakes we have from this period historical artifacts now? 😫😂

[cintinative]

I just saw an article on FB that said banana clips are coming back into style. LOL!