American Girl "Meet" Samantha
Samantha was always the face of the American Girl brand in my eyes. Perhaps it's because it was her sillhouette that was utilized on the packaging for so long. Her original "meet" ensemble, shown on the left, will always have a special place in my heart. I opted to model my 80s Samantha (with white body) for this photo. Her lighter hair and eyes contrast with my 2004 Samantha's darker features. Their differences accentuate the two "meet" dresses. I will say that I always found Sam's purple "meet" dress to be a little cheap, even as a kid. I recall the ribbon belt frayed a bit on my first Samantha's dress. The shoes were identical to Molly's "meet" ones, which made them less exciting. But, they did match a variety of things. Her coordinating accessories set, on the other hand, is LUXURIOUS! I was blown away by her hat especially, when I got it for my birthday in 2004. My Samantha doll was my seventh birthday gift, back in 1998. So by that point the outfit itself had seen better days. I'm grateful that I have several of these dresses as an adult, because I was able to pick a super nice one for this photo (I believe it was the one sold with my 2004 doll). The hat and purse are both velvety soft. I love all the little ribbon hangings that are tied around the band of the hat. It seems impractical, but adds so much flavor to the outfit. And of course that fabulous embroidered handkerchief needs a mention too. It sticks out of the purse splendidly!
Initially I was thrown by the Beforever getup, shown on the right. It seemed too pink...too modern, to be Sammy's. But it grew on me after some time. I mainly bought it right away because it came with undies. I needed them at the time for Nellie, a commando flea market rescue I purchased in 2014 (she since got another pair from a thrift store). I never bothered buying the accessory set since it comes with a headband, which is cute, but doesn't add much to the ensemble. I rarely buy the accessory sets unless I feel they bring the outfit to the next level. I love the Mary Jane style shoes, which have velcro closures. They are so similar to the ones sold with Samantha's Socks and Shoes Set. The more I look at this, the more I think it is wonderful. It's also superb quality (the tights are lackluster, but the dress is stunning craftsmanship). I like how this color scheme pops with Samantha's dark hair, without overpowering her.
American Girl "Meet" Samantha
Samantha was always the face of the American Girl brand in my eyes. Perhaps it's because it was her sillhouette that was utilized on the packaging for so long. Her original "meet" ensemble, shown on the left, will always have a special place in my heart. I opted to model my 80s Samantha (with white body) for this photo. Her lighter hair and eyes contrast with my 2004 Samantha's darker features. Their differences accentuate the two "meet" dresses. I will say that I always found Sam's purple "meet" dress to be a little cheap, even as a kid. I recall the ribbon belt frayed a bit on my first Samantha's dress. The shoes were identical to Molly's "meet" ones, which made them less exciting. But, they did match a variety of things. Her coordinating accessories set, on the other hand, is LUXURIOUS! I was blown away by her hat especially, when I got it for my birthday in 2004. My Samantha doll was my seventh birthday gift, back in 1998. So by that point the outfit itself had seen better days. I'm grateful that I have several of these dresses as an adult, because I was able to pick a super nice one for this photo (I believe it was the one sold with my 2004 doll). The hat and purse are both velvety soft. I love all the little ribbon hangings that are tied around the band of the hat. It seems impractical, but adds so much flavor to the outfit. And of course that fabulous embroidered handkerchief needs a mention too. It sticks out of the purse splendidly!
Initially I was thrown by the Beforever getup, shown on the right. It seemed too pink...too modern, to be Sammy's. But it grew on me after some time. I mainly bought it right away because it came with undies. I needed them at the time for Nellie, a commando flea market rescue I purchased in 2014 (she since got another pair from a thrift store). I never bothered buying the accessory set since it comes with a headband, which is cute, but doesn't add much to the ensemble. I rarely buy the accessory sets unless I feel they bring the outfit to the next level. I love the Mary Jane style shoes, which have velcro closures. They are so similar to the ones sold with Samantha's Socks and Shoes Set. The more I look at this, the more I think it is wonderful. It's also superb quality (the tights are lackluster, but the dress is stunning craftsmanship). I like how this color scheme pops with Samantha's dark hair, without overpowering her.