American Girl Dolls - History:

The American Girl product line was first introduced in 1986 when they released their first catalog. The company motto is to "celebrate girls" and their products have allowed girls of all ages to thrive from preschool age up to teens. American Girl books, dolls, clothes, toys and accessories have become a staple in homes across America. The first product American Girl brought to market were the historical characters - Kaya, Felicity, Josefina, Kirsten, Addy, Samantha, Kit, and Molly. These characters came as 18 inch dolls and were featured in books. The historical dolls help teach young girls about the trials and tribulations of pioneer/colonial life and how things used to be. The American Girl Magazine was launched in 1992 as an ad free publication that had goals of shaping young girls with increased self-esteem through positive articles and stories. The magazine has flourished and has over 650K subscribers. In the mid 1990's, the Just Like You line of 18-inch dolls was introduced to "represent the individuality and diversity of today’s American girls". For girls aged 3-6, American Girl came up with huggable baby dolls called Bitty Baby to "encourage nurturing behavior". The American Girl dolls are sold both online and in retail shops like American Girl Place.

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The one thing we found beneficial to the American Girl doll collectors out there is that the 18-inch dolls have plenty of clothing options since manufacturers make 18" doll clothing that fits them. If you are going to be buying American Girl merchandise online, then use an American Girl Coupon that can be found at http://www.monkeybargains.com/merchants/americangirl.htm. With the popularity of the American Girl dolls, plenty of websites have popped up online in support of the dolls and people collecting them. We really like the site located at Curtdanhauser.com/AG_Collecting/Main.html with information on special items, all the latest dolls, on trading cards, and there are plenty of photo galleries on each doll. Since collection these dolls is what many people end up doing, we suggest that you start on Ebay and find out what other American Girl enthusiasts are offering up. It will give you a good idea of how much you can expect to spend even on used American Girl dolls and clothing. As we will mention later i this article, the price of a doll and an outfit is close to $80, that is much higher than Barbie dolls products and similar dolls.

American Girl Doll Clothes - Dolls:

To find what consumers are buying online with the American Girl dolls, we went to Amazon.com and browsed their inventory. The top selling items are the 18" American Girl Limited Ed "Marisol Doll" ($165), Josefina Mini Doll (American Girls Collection Mini Dolls), "Periwinkle Dress & Hat" for 18" American Girl Doll ($80), "Ice Blue Outfit" for 18" American Girl Doll ($60), "Winter Magic Outfit & Accessories" for 18" American Girl Doll, "Spa Robe & Slippers" for 18" American Girl Doll, "Fly Fishing Outfit" for 18" American Girl Doll ($75), "Weekend Fun Outfit" for 18" American Girl Doll, "Baking Accessories" for 18" American Girl Doll ($70), "Josefina's Harvest Outfit" for 18" American Girl Doll, "Play Outfits" for 15" Bitty Twins Dolls, and the "Talent Show Accessories" for 18" American Girl Doll ($70). The one thing that turned me off a bit is how expensive these dolls are and although the clothing is perfectly detailed, the pricetag seems pretty high. I did do some research and found that these dolls hold their value pretty well and that girls collect the American Girl dolls. You can do more shopping online for American Girl dolls at http://store.americangirl.com/shop/home.php. There you can find authentic clothing, dolls, books, party supplies, bath and body care products and much more. Plus you can order the movies mentioned in the next section below. Another good site to check out is TheGiftHouse.net - they offer a variety of furniture, clothing, and accessories for 18" dolls like American Girl, and they've been online since 1996! We also like DollsClothes-EmilyRose.com for a smaller business that specializes in American Girl products, including clothing and accessories. They have a nice selection of reasonably priced clothing -- and how can you go wrong buying from a company named after their daughter!

Another good small site is TheQueenTreasures.com. They offer American Girl clothing that ranges from around $10-$15, with a few extras like miniature tea sets and furniture. Check them out.

American Girl Movies:

The American Girl movies that are made for tv have been a huge success and you can now order Felicity - An American Girl Adventure and Samantha - An American Girl Holiday on DVD for $19.95. The latest movie from the American Girl series will be Molly - An American Girl on the Home Front and will debut in November 2006 on the Disney Channel. With each movie there are dolls, books, and accessories. You can watch a teaser trailer online for Molly's Movie and see photos from behind the scenes. These movies make great Christmas gifts for daughters or nieces since they inspire girls to believe in themselves and shows them can do anything. Keep checking with the official American Girl website for details on other movie releases.

American Girl Website:

My daughter owns lots of kids dolls like Barbies, Polly Pockets, and Bratz, but I have yet to introduce her to the American Girl dolls. After doing this research project on the American Girl dolls for work, I have come to realize how much more wholesome these girls are and that they represent a better lifestyle for kids (girls especially). The Americangirl.com is well done with lots of educational content for girls of all ages. There are some excellent sections dedicated to the "historical characters" with games, wallpaper, and complete bios on each girls world. The Girl of the Year section has Jess who travels to rainforests in Central America. The website offers wallpaper, games, and activities for Jess. The American Girl's pets are Licorice and Coconut and on the website you can get wallpaper images, send e-cards, meet Licorice or Coconut with facts and details, or play games. The official American Girl site also has details on the American Girl Place shopping stores located in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New YOrk. The online store offers the American Girls Collection of dolls with the historical girls, Bitty Baby, Bitty Twins, the Just Like You series, Jess, and lots of clothing and outfits.

Do you have a quality site or product that belongs in this guide? We are always happy to evaluate or review new products and websites. Feel free to contact us at the email address below and let us know about you. If you have a demo product you'd like us to look at, please contact us before sending anything. Thank you.

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