Fashion Dolls 101

  The Byer’s Choice Christmas Carolers are a whimsical way to decorate for the holidays. With a vast assortment of Carolers to choose from, you can find just the right little face or two to add to your displays.  With prices that seem to hover around $80, they aren’t inexpensive, but they also are not easily found at most retail stores, making them a relatively unique addition to your Christmas decor.  This display was photographed at Katy’s Hallmark in Belle Meade, but the quaint holiday figures can also be found at  https://www.byerschoice.com/ Related Articles: 2022 Dollar Tree Elfs

  Dollar Tree has soft cloth elves for sale, and lots of them! The little boy elves are decked out in green, red and white with candy-cane striped leggings.  Dollar Tree also has boy and girl elves of color in similar attire with skirts for the girls.  There are even Santas and other soft cloth characters to go with your elves, all for $1.25.  Stop by Dollar Tree for your last-minute stocking stuffers and soft cloth Elf dolls. For $1.25, you can’t beat them.  Related Articles: The Elves of Christmas 2022 Celebrate  the Holidays

  The Christmas season is here! The plush and soft-bodied little elves have been waiting all year to come out and help decorate the tree.  From left to right we have two plush Elf on the Shelf dolls , a Dollar Tree elf, plush Mariah Carey “All I Want for Christmas, ” a generic Walmart Elf, and two dolls sold on EBay as Elf on the Shelf that I suspect might be knock offs.  I still dressed the possible knockoff girl elf in an authentic Elf on the Shelf outfit so she matches the plush Elf on the Shelf doll.  The Legend of the Elf The elf legend seems to have come from Norse mythology which mentions the “hidden folk.” This Norse character combined with other Scandinavian and Celtic legends about elves, wee folk and other mythical creatures became today’s elf. L-R lower: Walmart elf, Target elf, different Walmart elf. L-R upper: unknown elf, Elf on the Shelf girl (possible fake), Elvie from Kroger.  If all you want for Christmas is an elf doll, check Walmart, Michael...

 A recent trip to Target turned up a treasure trove of soft cloth rag dolls. One collection was in the Girl’s clothing area. Two other collections were in the Infants department.  The first collection, from the Girl’s department, was made in India and featured several darker completed dolls with Indian characteristics as well as a couple of Caucasian dolls, including a boy doll. Listed as Pillowfort Decorative Pillows for $15 on the price tags, the cute dolls also had Radiaant Expovision tags sewn on them.  In the Babies section I found more cute cloth dolls. These sweet little dolls, priced at $16.99, came in four styles including a boy doll.  And these little $9.99 pastel fairies might have been the cutest of all! So stop by Target and check out their nice selection of soft-bodied dolls. With several styles to choose from, they will be a hit under the Christmas tree in 2022

🌽  The Jackie Evancho doll had a Happy Thanksgiving and hopes you did, too! 🌽   The Jackie Evancho doll liked her festive Halloween ensemble so much that she altered it slightly and wore it again for Thanksgiving.  With pumpkins and fall bounty, Jackie is remembering the Pilgrims and their courage in crossing the ocean to come to a New World where they could worship God and raise their families without government persecution. She thinks back on the early Plymouth Colony, and the brave people that lost half their number that first hard year, but then the next year, gave thanks to God for a bountiful harvest.  Jackie Evancho (doll) is thankful this Thanksgiving, and we should be, too. Happy Thanksgiving! Related Articles: President George Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamati on William Bradford’s ‘A Call to Thanksgiving’

Happy Halloween from Jackie Evancho!  It’s Halloween, so Jackie Evancho is celebrating everything Autumn! Wearing a hand-made fall-color plaid skirt and a matching brown top with orange graphic she borrowed from another doll, the 14” fashion doll looks quite festive with her pumpkins and her own Halloween doll.  The doll is well-made, pretty, and very possible, but unfortunately, she didn’t come with a wardrobe other than the white dress and purple cape she wore in the box. Fortunately, she can borrow many wardrobe items from the Moxie Teenz, and some Ken-sized boy-doll clothes will fit her, too. Here Jackie wears a different fall skirt from the same fabric as she stands next to Jackie repaint and Jackie original   Related Articles:  Cheekwood Hosts Pooch Party, Pumpkin Village Fun Fall Fests to Enjoy in 20 22 Cheekwood Harvest 2020 Is Ablaze with Color Halloween Dolls & Halloween Doll Displays

  Happy Holidays 2022 from Barbie! Just in time for your early Christmas shopping, the 2022 Holiday Barbie is now in stores, retailing at Walmart for $39.94.  Ravishing in red, the festive color of her long, petal gown goes well with her light tan skin tone and brunette hair.  2022 Holiday Barbie doll’s  seasonal,  scarlet dress is a gorgeous poinsettia-inspired gown  with satin petals over a full tulle under-skirt. The  neckline features an off-center poinsettia made of French netting. Her red stiletto shoes match the gown. Pearl earrings complete the ensemble.  The doll also comes in blonde, Asian and black versions that were not on the shelf when I took these photos. 

  Barbie Club Chelsea 6-inch Beach Doll  Barbie’s youngest sister has gone through many changes.  Chelsea was introduced to Barbie fans in 2011 with mixed reactions. This was because with the appearance of Chelsea, another beloved sister of Barbie was retired.  Chelsea Replaces Kelley  The new doll replaced the adorable line of toddler Kelley dolls who changed into a slightly older doll. Apparently in Europe, Kelley was Shelley, and Mattel decided to make them into one sister, Chelsea . Where Kelley was first a toddler and then a very young child, Chelsea is listed some places as six years old, other places as seven Chelsea is 6 inches tall. So she is about an inch taller than later issues of Kelley.  Club Chelsea with Larger Eyes The Club Chelsea dolls were introduced in 2017  with seven different dolls. Chelsea also has larger eyes now. Painted Tops & Swimsuits The beach dolls have their entire swimsuit painted on, and most Chelsea dolls come wit...

  The Dream Seekers dolls are   "Ragdoll" inspired fashion dolls with wings like fairies and soft material bodies with posable long arms and legs.   The cute fabric dolls are $14.88 at Walmart, and there were just two styles the day I was there.  They are dressed in pretty fashions and come with hair clips and a comb. They have wings, so they must be fairies, but they are standard plush doll size, so they are not small.  I will try to check them out and learn more about the Dream Seekers dolls. 

  Glitter Baddiez Plush Dolls The newest plush fashion dolls out are the Glitter Baddiez. Made in China, the dolls are $9.99 at Walgreens and come in six different looks.  "Express yourself with one-of-a-kind plush dolls that looks just like you!” says the back of the box. And six hair colors and outfits do provide a little variety. The art on the back of the box for the dolls is very cute. The dolls are cute, too, but not as cute as the graphics. Still, if your  Mariah Carey  plush doll needs some company, these dolls would make good companions.  For $9.99, the Glitter Baddiez are a decent deal.  Related Articles: Mariah Carey Plush Doll Is All I Want For Christmas Plush Mermaid Dolls Showing Up Everywhere! Ty Girls Soft-Bodied Dolls a Fun Spin Off of Rag Dolls

Fun with dolls for the 4th of July Weekend  Happy 4th of July weekend from the Moxie Teenz, Liv, and Jackie Evancho dolls. The dolls have gotten all dressed up for the 4th of July weekend, and they look darling or as we say, “dolling.”  Wearing mix and match from the Moxie Teenz wardrobe spiced up with homemade clothes, and wigs and pieces from other dolls, the 14” girls are showing why July is their Pride Month and wearing their patriotic red, white and blue pride colors. Gavin has even donned a patriotic hat just for the occasion. The hybrid Liv on a Jackie Evancho body is wearing a curly red Snapstar wig. Moxie Teenz Melrose has a festive, red, white and blue hair clip that is the same length has her blonde hair. The pretty maple bench they are enjoying was handcrafted in Barton, VT. The girls were having so much fun, even #JackThePap had to get in on the action! Happy 4th of July Weekend from all the dolls, including #JackThePap! Related Articles: 4th of July 2022: Events,...

Regular patrons of the Tennessee Renaissance Festival in Arrington, Tennessee, every May are familiar with the antics of Looney Lucy. The ribald member of Celtic Hats music group is known as much for her off-color humor as she is for beating the Celtic drum. Always dressed in rags, with missing teeth, she is a fixture at the Tenn Ren Fest.  Just when you thought Looney Lucy had already done it all, she came out with her own rag dolls this year. Dressed in burnt-orange tops with olive green skirts, and a cord rope around their waist, the $5 rag dolls may not be things of beauty, but they are cute. If you like whimsical, homey, maybe even slightly homely dolls, a Looney Lucy doll might be just what you are looking for! Find them at the 36the Annual Tennessee Renaissance Festival every weekend in May   Related Articles:  36th Annual TN Ren Fest Going on Now   Everyone Loves Holly Hobbie Dolls--a Piece of Americana