No, we don't have the Isabelle doll yet, so don't pee yourself. ;-)
This post is designed for us to opine about how Isabelle is
GOTY 2010 Lanie with straight hair.
And her bangs have grown out.
Her stories live on!
And Lanie lives on as...
Isabelle!
Lanie's ballet-dancing split personality!
Like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, except one girl likes science
and the other one likes dancing!
Obviously Isabelle is the much stronger,
beast-like personality.
She even comes with her own set of restraints, like
Mr. Hyde in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
So yes, we are buying Isabelle.
We might even custom-order her some Jekyll and Hyde outfits.
But basically she feels like a cop-out by AG.
No diversity, but even worse in our opinion is no creativity.
We had to add our own layer of creativity to make
Lanie/Isabelle have a split personality disorder.
AG didn't even come up with that one. ;-)
We have already ranted about how there
are many types of dolls that American Girl could be
making that they just are not making, see our post here:
They have a variety of face molds to chose from and
they go with the classic mold again.
Even two years in a row.
Ridiculous.
And she is a blonde doll.
Just like Lanie.
And green/hazel eyes.
Just like Lanie.
And the sketchy eyebrows.
Just like Lanie.
And the light skin tone.
Just like Lanie.
The only things that are different are straight hair, no bangs,
and the add-on pink-tipped hairpiece.
Which looks like a hula skirt in the stock photo.
And American Girl has an array of classic mold,
blonde dolls already available in the MyAG Line.
Eight in fact.
EIGHT.
Plus Caroline and Kit.
So that makes TEN other blonde, classic molds currently being sold.
Add on Isabelle and that makes ELEVEN.
Which I think is some sort of record.
Did American Girl
just assume
we wouldn't notice
Isabelle is blonde and classic mold?
We aren't idiots AG.
14 comments:
I'm not that bothered about the similarity to Lanie, since I wanted but couldn't get her, but I do wish that American Girl had tried a little harder to be creative and exciting this year with Isabelle. Maybe next year the doll will be really something.
I don't think AG really cares about diversity. They don't pay attention to us OLDER fans, so they don't know what we want. They just know that the younger buyers are going to want any type of doll, so they make the generic blond dolls because younger girls don't care.
Thank you for notice that, too! I thought I was the only one! People say she's going to be as popular as McKenna. I didn't like her and don't like this gal much either! I agree with Marisa AG. To Ag were chopped liver! But there's going to be a time when those little girls have too many blonde dolls!
"But basically she feels like a cop-out by AG.
No diversity, but even worse in our opinion is no creativity."
Ding ding ding! Thank you for summing up my disdain for Isabelle. The blond, the hazel, the classic mold, the dancing, the sewing machine...it all feels like the AG version of a Greatest Hits album. Nothing original or new, just retreads of the familiar. :/
While I don't think Lanie and Isabelle are the same - I actually agree with those that feel she is closer to McKenna - I do agree that 11 blonde classic mold dolls are too many.
I also agree that the company no longer cares about individuality and diversity, but let's not be so cold as to believe this is all AG...since Mattel took over the whole line has been slowly shifting into greater pinkness like their other best selling doll. Just dig out a catalog from 2000 or 2001 and compare it's offerings to the latest catalog.
Sadly, there is really nothing we can do since they "do not take unsolicted ideas from outside sources."
I still prefer AG to the other 18" dolls available (imho, they have the nicest faces and hair).
I didn't mind as I do like the classic face and the one thing I didn't like about Lanie was her bangs (I'm not a fan of the dolls with bangs), although I did like her curls. But, I would like to see some more variety such as a short, curly haired red head with blue eyes (yes, I want one that looks like me).
Lanie was one of my favorites, so I don't mind that Isabelle looks almost exactly like her. However, I think AG could definitely put more creativity into their dolls.
I had really hoped for the Josefina mold, long dark curly hair and dark brown eyes so she would look like my Isabella who is a dancer. She still wants her of course, but I just wished she looked like her.
I think the classic mold is fine. After all, the original dolls all had classic molds and no one complained. People love Molly and she has a classic mold like all the other original dolls by Pleasant company.
Yes, but at the time there was only, what, 3 original dolls total? It's hard to complain about all faces being the same when there are only 3 dolls. or 4 dolls. I think by the time they hit about 5(?) some of the dolls had different face molds, even if it was just the dolls of color.
I think it's a much more valid complaint now that AG has... how many dolls available atm? I lose track of how many are currently retired. is 11 blonde dolls really a lot with all the other dolls AG sells? how many brunettes are there? Redheads? the number of blondes doesn't mean much to me unless I also have the amount of brunettes/other hair colors to compare it to.
* takes a deep breath * I missed reading this blog, but now I'm back! I enjoyed this post so much (especially when you mentioned Isabelle's set of restraints, lol!) It's so good! I'm going to be annoying and say that would have added the strawberry BLONDES too. ;)
I have to agree; the lack of creativity is what disappoints the most, though as former ballet dancer; I love Isabelle's mix and match pieces.
Yeah, but some girls today would've been too young when Lanie was around. For example, if a child is ten (10) now, they would have been only seven (7) when Lanie was around, and american girls for people 8+. Not that I don't agree with you.
I don't want to be rude, but I don't agree with this post at all. At first glance, they might look alike, but again, you'll see that Isabelle's hair and eyes are darker. Also, some girls were too young to get Lanie when she was Girl of the Year, just like Saige and Nicki.
I think they should have a black Girl Of The Year! They haven't had any black GOTY dolls yet! :/
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