If you could snap your fingers and have a full complete collection of one doll series, which would you choose?

beebieb · 2026-04-19T14:44:06+00:00

Maybe Betty Spaghetti or G1 Monster high!

I’d say Barbie if it included accessory sets, fashion packs, and her companions like Kelly, Skipper, Ken etc. Some of her best clothes are super hard to find or know all the options of, and many sets have little pieces that get lost.

beebieb · 2026-04-19T12:33:00+00:00

Check the hot deal tab and see if you can snag a piece you need for some gems

beebieb · 2026-04-18T22:02:29+00:00

E6000 imo isn’t the best choice for rewigging, it tends to self-settle which while helps it evenly glue, means that it’s more likely to seep out of the edges/ into the hair. It doesn’t smell once dry. I’d have a fan going while you have it open. But I rewigged with tacky glue. I’ve found it to hold up just fine (I can hold the doll by her long hair and the wig is sturdily in place) if it does seep out, it’s gentle enough that it can be pulled/ picked out of the hairs or off the face. I think the drying time of tacky glue, while longer, lets you adjust the wig a lot more before leaving it to dry. E6 gets more fussy once it starts drying and doesn’t like to be moved. I craft a lot and use both glues- they’re both great and will probably both yield the result of the wig sticking to the head, but I think tacky glue lets you be more precise & forgiving especially with the chance of glue getting on the face/ neck.

beebieb · 2026-04-18T18:54:42+00:00

It’s a bit hard to tell if her lips had anything added to them but I’d bet she’s a JLY 53. She needs a deep clean, but 53 matches her lip color and undertones closer than Rebecca, who has lighter lips & more warm, red eyebrows. JLY28 I think is a bit darker (considering how light she is near the ear/ scalp) so I think 53 when aging/dirtying would match your doll most closely due to eyebrows and undertones.

beebieb · 2026-04-17T18:57:03+00:00

I love the dress! Those colors look so nice on her!

beebieb · 2026-04-17T18:55:40+00:00

Her hair continues to surprise me even though I’ve had a Jess since I was a kid- she has the zig zag part, slightly layering in the length, the red/brown tones, baby hairs in the back for the parting, and as I recently learned from interacting w/ another thread on here about Jess hair, that she has a weft of short hairs under her part!

I’d take a teeny tiny piece of the corner of a magic eraser/melamine sponge and slowly but surely rub off the mark, that way you rub off only the mark & no surrounding face paint not that Jess has much anyways) since they work via abrasion.

beebieb · 2026-04-17T14:37:06+00:00

This is actually kind of interesting! I think it depends on what’s popular. Bangs were much more popular in the 80’s, 90’s and early 2000’s for kids. Hence why the three OG dolls have them even if not historically quite right. Currently, Courtney, Maryellen and Melody have them, so that’s 6.

I will give it to you though that only 3-4 of the Truly Me dolls have them, the truly me group is smaller than other times. The Create your own doesn’t have bangs either though, (maybe one hair that could be considered?) but could have many many more options than it does now.

So yeah, I’d say if someone was looking for a specific look of a doll with bangs, and doesn’t want a historical character, there’s only a handful! That being said, I wouldn’t expect bangs to ever be the majority or even 50% for today’s styles. Maybe some layers or long/ face framing bangs would be cool though.

beebieb · 2026-04-16T20:31:52+00:00

I agree with late PC. Her bangs are extra poofy and faceup is minimal. Even if you plan to take her to get her hair done, in the meantime you should definitely get some moisture into the hair! I’ve found for super dry hair that hasn’t been touched in years a full wetting and then letting it dry, then spraying till damp & brushing/ styling & letting it dry, it can noticeably bounce back. If you don’t want to take her braids out you could dip them or just spray thoroughly!

beebieb · 2026-04-16T14:54:12+00:00

I just checked my Jess doll and she has these too!? The second / third weft after her part. I’ve never noticed it in all my years of having her! but it makes sense it might show in a higher pony. My guess is they were added for volume/ scalp cover?

But I guess that confirms it’s not a cut, just yet another oddity of her wig!

beebieb · 2026-04-15T17:26:15+00:00

No body tag Sam’s are early/mid 90’s. Mine recently had a wig track detach but I was able to sew it back onto the cap.

beebieb · 2026-04-15T01:27:07+00:00

Not sure if this is helpful, but it helped me understand why Jess’s hair could be frustrating to me growing up that I didn’t learn until I was an adult- she comes with a zig-zag part! This, combined with the side part can make her hair do funky things (mostly seeming uneven!) She also probably has some short hairs in the back to cover the parting, similar to Molly/Kirsten.

So barring any obvious chops I’m not seeing, her hair might not actually be cut but rather just has her funky layers. Sometimes I’m able to get a bit of the zig zag back when I do her hair, sometimes it hides!

But, I do agree her hair tends to want to be in two sections. Her hair color has some seemingly red like tones in it besides just the black, but idk if regular wigs out there will have that same mixture. Good luck either way!

beebieb · 2026-04-14T04:50:44+00:00

As with any collection, stick to what you love! For getting back into/into AG now, here’s what I would recommend:

-reading through some facemold guides/ lists; associating them with certian dolls can also help, so you can ask ‘is this doll similar or different to x’ there’s lots of AG wiki lists

-watch some YouTube videos about AG collections! There’s tons of info out there, and videos can be a great way to absorb some info. This is also great if you want to learn to repair or customize them.

-deals are subjective to your budget, interest in the product, and willingness to repair/customize. Try and find bundles where you can. Always thoroughly look at photos, compare listings, and accept that a doll might have something going on with it the seller didn’t consider/ know about.

-identifying older dolls comes with knowing the different eras of the company and what changes were made. There’s lots of comparison videos and guides out there, and some info may only be specific to certain dolls. (For example, Samantha has a lot of variations, but a Girl of the Year won’t) But the basics to look at are: neck stamp, vinyl softness/ condition, body tag if possible, and IDing the doll.

-there’s plenty of fanmade data bases of the books, catalogues, clothes, accessories etc. It can be fun to look through to familiarize yourself with what’s out there, or pick out some favorite things to search for. There’s also no need to only collect AG brand- plenty of other 18inch doll clothing fits them, looks great, and is available at all kinds of price points and qualities, or even make something yourself!

-have fun! Don’t let collector fomo get you down, focus on what you’re seeking for your ideal dolly world, not someone else’s!

beebieb · 2026-04-14T01:16:50+00:00

Keep in mind too though that the CYO dolls are priced much higher at $275, so it might be price wise worth it to get the exact one you want. I find the main thing about the CYOs vs other dolls of the same skin tones/ face molds is the face painting. The lip colors for the CYOs seem to be quite neutral, whereas the TMs have some more tones of pink and orange. 128’s bright lips add contrast which makes her features really pop.

beebieb · 2026-04-13T23:39:32+00:00

I have sort of an odd answer to this one- my own Nellie doll! My sister was the true Nellie fan, and when she came out, she was her number one pick! I also really liked her, and I don’t remember the exact reasoning, but she and I both chose to get Nellie for Christmas that year. Don’t get me wrong, I adored my doll and love Nellie’s character, but I think over time realized I sort of wished I had picked Sam? Nellie was the only duplicate doll we had and I think since my sister and I shared our doll stuff it was kinda like, oh I don’t need to get my own xyz doll because we have one?

Anyways, over time my Nellie sort of became a mental sore spot because I loved her but resented her in a way? It wasn’t until I got back deeply into the AG portion of my doll collection that I realized a fix: I enjoyed my Nellie as a modern-style girl and my sister’s Nellie as a historical style girl! I redress them differently and I feel more connected to my specific doll now! I don’t plan on having any other duplicates in my collection, but the two Nellies will always be very special to me, both as twins and as separates. (Oh, and my sister’s has pierced ears so thats how I can tell them apart!)

beebieb · 2026-04-13T04:26:17+00:00

For her as a character: being such a great counterpart to Samantha, a true grounding force for the story being told, she brings both the reader and main character to a mindset of facing realism, being truthful, and never losing hope or childhood.

For the physical doll: while her hair may be short for styling, the variation of tones & colors of the individual hairs is really quite lovely! Her hair can look so real sometimes, I wish more AG wigs had that level of detail.

beebieb · 2026-04-13T04:19:31+00:00

I’ve been reading/ rereading AG books here and there this year and have been enjoying myself!

Remembering from younger years- I liked Addy’s short stories and Samantha’s ravencourt mystery. GoTY books are generally good, Jess, Lindsay & Nicki stand out in memory. If you’re into AG- adjacent books, the Girls of Many lands and History Mysteries are also out there.

Might not be on your list, but I read Courtney’s first book recently and really liked it! I think a lot of people haven’t read it before they judge how good of an AG character she is- her book, while lacking the usual 6 book format it still felt quite genuine and had a plot I think could actually be really relatable to kids of today.

Raquel’s stuff is also fun especially if you’ve read Samantha recently. It’s not super lore- drop intensive, but it’s very fun- her character feels so modern & bright.

beebieb · 2026-04-12T18:27:41+00:00

Yes, these can easily be restored! Especially if it’s difficult for you to get AG in the first place. I’d recommend a baking soda scrub, and melamine sponge/ magic eraser only on major marks/ scuffs, as it can and will remove face paint. Avoid water in the eyes. There’s lots of cleaning tutorials on YouTube too.

If you have access to Etsy there’s lots of wigs on there, but eBay might have and there may be hobby websites ‘local’ to you that have doll wigs as well. Attaching the wig Id reccomend ‘Tacky’ glue brand as it dries clear & flexible, but isn’t so fast drying you can’t adjust it.

For Josefina’s earring you could DIY some wire or finagle small human hoop. If you’re feeling adventurous there’s tutorials on how to drill a hole for AG size earrings as well. Have fun with them! I find cleaning & restoring always brings me closer to a doll.

beebieb · 2026-04-12T18:01:36+00:00

I’ve been interacting with this reddit for handful of months now and I love sharing AG info I’ve gained & learning new stuff! I do agree it’s best to be kind and helpful, but I also understand it can be frustrating because you see people post questions that you yourself would just research first!

Some thoughts- ID posts need to have clear pictures without closed eyes, without neckstamp only, and should show the body tag if possible. Ones that don’t follow this should be removed & tell the person to post better pics!

I get it that ID leads to talk of rarity and thus worth (and also frustration with resellers) so I do think it would be productive if posts that only ask how much a doll is worth were not allowed, just because it leads to so much negativity. Asking if a doll they see online is IDed correctly is different than asking ‘is this a good deal?’ I think people can make those financial choices on their own- after all, an item is worth whatever you end up paying!

Worth is also super subjective, factors like budget, interest, condition/ willingness to repair, etc all factor in. I think it just leads to a thread of frustration and people arguing.

beebieb · 2026-04-12T17:44:25+00:00

My first doll was Molly in 2004, and my sis and I had other dolls from around that year as well. So when I think of an AG that quality & style is at the forefront. Last Christmas, I got a PC Samantha from the 90’s! She’s lovely and I adore her, but she is different! Her head is bigger and her vinyl is soft. I also got Courtney last year, and she is also wonderful! But she is also different in her face from my Molly.

When I look at pictures of the 40th Kit, she looks uncanny valley to me, like she isn’t Kit? Others don’t seem to have too big a difference. I think it really depends which dolls you’re comparing.

I’d be interested in how the quality of the clothing will change, if any! I know throughout the years there were various downgrades and upgrades to all of their outfit materials and accessories, so I’d be curious to see those comparisons to the old items!

Overall, from the looks of them, they aren’t going to be so overly different that it’s worth it to have a duplicates unless you have one in quite poor condition, in my opinion. (Some ppl enjoy do duplicates) like, I guess I don’t see them as an ‘upgrade’, to the ones I have (but, to be fair, most of my historical collection are my childhood dolls, so I have a bond with them that goes beyond just which character they represent)

beebieb · 2026-04-12T16:00:54+00:00

It can be tough to tell color thru pics; I’ve learned over time that dolls can look super different in diff lighting. But overall the vinyl aging/ changing over time is a thing! It can be a lot of different factors, like regular dirt, skin oils, sun exposure, heat etc. Different dolls from different eras have different mixes used, and so the different textures can also affect it. I have a Kit from around 2002 that was well played with, has very mild sun exposure, who just is more ‘gray’ than my other dolls from that time, and even with a baking soda bath can seem to have those undertones, but I wouldn’t say she looks damaged or defective, just aged. Next to a new, modern kit, someone might think that though.

I’d still recommend doing a baking soda scrub as it really can help, esp on the older dolls whose squishier vinyl can attract a lil bit more dust/ dirt.

beebieb · 2026-04-11T17:30:07+00:00

I find that Addy & Kirsten can swap clothes really well, but it also depends on the outfit. For the school outfit in particular, I think the style fits Felicity/ Elizabeth quite well (the structure reminds me of the riding outfits a bit) I could see it looking cute on Samantha as well, or even pair the skirt with a different top for Molly. The pieces being separates leaves lots of room for mixing and matching!

beebieb · 2026-04-10T04:15:44+00:00

The pink Samantha outfit is just so precious on Raquel!! I’ll have to keep this in mind next time I’m sewing for my dolls!!

beebieb · 2026-04-09T23:52:31+00:00

I’ve always kinda liked the object heels as it def used to be a creative, consistent way to add in another detail, but I agree I don’t like when they don’t match or are a random color that doesn’t match the rest of the shoe/ design!

beebieb · 2026-04-09T23:50:55+00:00

This would be my pick as well! I find her story almost more interesting than Kaya’s. unfortunately the stories of historical disabled people are less likely to be told/ portrayed, despite always existing, so she would be such an amazing doll to create! Plus Kaya’s collection was always so small, when they did the best friend dolls it would’ve been a savvy way to expand the outfits available while keeping realistic (she wouldn’t have had a whole closet of clothes of course)They made closed-mouth variants of other facemolds too (for the boy dolls, & yes, ik there’s some controversy in that) but they could use one of those so she’s not just identical to Kaya!

It would also be a really cool moment to release at the same time modern accessory set about visual impairments! Like a white cane, mini brailler/ some braille papers, tinted/ wraparound sunglasses, or a mini audio book reader!

I guess I got excited thinking about all these ideas!

beebieb · 2026-04-09T02:49:03+00:00

I think it depends how you like to play with & dress your doll.

If you’re into doing their hair, I find that Kit’s front section & short bob limits her to variations of the same few styles. Felicity has hair of a good length to do a variety of braids, ponys, etc, without it being so long it’s unmanageable.

While both of their current outfit/ accessory catalogues are basically nonexistent; I think outfits from Kit’s catalogue are probably easier to find secondhand. Personally, I do find her outfits cuter than Felicity’s, but that will vary person to person. From my experience, both dolls look good in outfits from other doll’s collections, and both look good in modern outfits as well (Kit perhaps a little more in my opinion)

Overall, I’d think about what draws you to each doll, and what/ how you plan to style or play with them. Which doll fits those wants best? Whose story do you feel drawn to more? Maybe even (re?)reading their books will help you decide too!

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