Most girls who outgrow playing with dolls feel a little loss While little girls can''t wait to grow up, giving up some of those childhood hobbies can be a bit sad
Most girls who outgrow playing with dolls feel a little loss. While little girls can''t wait to grow up, giving up some of those childhood hobbies can be a bit sad. Collecting dolls allows a way to reconnect with childhood, as an adult. 18 inch dolls are a very popular size to collect. They are perfect for the beginning collector, but sophisticated enough for serious doll hobbyists.
An 18 inch doll is categorized by size. All the dolls in this collecting genre are exactly 18 inches tall. Most are hard bodied and are child like dolls, though there are a few that are baby dolls. The most commonly recognizable 18 inch doll is made by the American Girl company. These dolls are often designed around a historic period and come with books, full wardrobes and plenty of accessories. They can even be made to look like your favorite child. While this company is the most well known, there are dozens of other 18 inch dolls on the market, much of which are less expensive. These are better for a beginning or young collector. Clothing is also generally sold with each doll collection.
There are several things that draw collectors to 18 inch dolls. One is the sheer amount of clothing and accessories on the market. Most 18 inch dolls are compatible between brands, so you can buy clothing from any line and it should fit on another doll. This makes it extremely easy to customize your collection. Besides the commercially available clothing and accessories, there are also plenty of boutique designers that specialize in 18 inch dolls. There are even dozens of patterns and books on the market if you are interested in making your own clothing and accessories. In addition, for a truly customized doll, you can actually buy a 18 inch doll kit and build her from scratch.
Collectors each have their own unique way to organizing their dolls. Some focus on historical clothing, researching the time periods which their dolls represent. Other people are more interested in the style of the clothing and accessories. Many people like to recreate a complete scene in their doll''s display. There are also several characters that are available in the 18 inch format, including literary stars like Madeline, Fancy Nancy and Raggedy Ann. These are generally soft bodied dolls.
The quality of different dolls vary greatly. You can often tell what to expect by paying attention to price and warranty. More expensive dolls such as American Girl sell for around a hundred dollars, while department store dolls are generally under $20. Starting with a cheaper doll is nothing to be worried about, however. You can begin on the cheap and build your collection as you get more familiar with the market and quality that is available. It''s also easy to buy a cheaper doll and splurge on nicer clothes. You''ll eventually get a feel for what makes you the happiest.
Collecting dolls is an age old hobby. 18 inch dolls provide an easy and enjoyable way to get into doll collecting. Do your research before making your first purchase. However, ultimately, doll collecting is about what makes you smile, so there''s really no wrong way to go about it.
Description
Most girls who outgrow playing with dolls feel a little loss. While little girls can''t wait to grow up, giving up some of those childhood hobbies can be a bit sad. Collecting dolls allows a way to reconnect with childhood, as an adult. 18 inch dolls are a very popular size to collect. They are perfect for the beginning collector, but sophisticated enough for serious doll hobbyists.
Carpatina is dedicated to offering high-quality fashion and collectible dolls with a stylish, romantic flavor. All dolls come with dress, shoes, and underwear. Carpatina Dolls and the Girlfriends Collection are available online and at select specialty retailers nationwide. This article powered by SEO 2.0 Services
Back in late November, we invited our readers to log on and take a short poll we were sponsoring about dolls doll collectors and in general the relationship between little girls and their dolls. We closed the poll and totaled the results and are about to report them to you today. First let me say, there weren't any big surprises. 92.1% of those responding said that they played with dolls as a child. We don't know how many of our respondents have a sister but 43.4 % said that their sister played wit dolls as well. Now to look at the generations that follow, we see some differences. Only 34% said that their daughters played with dolls. Also the same number 45% said that their granddaughters play with dolls.
The final qustion we asked had to do with what the doll industry is missing with today's girls. The major complaint that we recieved was that dolls today miss the mark at being a cuddly baby doll. Too many are aimed at the body image of older girls and leave little to the imagination. Many were critical of materials and quality of today's dolls, while American Girl dolls and Madam alexander dolls get "great" grades from our readers. It appears that the need they see is for dolls that stimulate a girls imagination. They don't have to be so interactive and automated, a childs imagination will take care of that just fine. As one responder put it "Todays dolls are just too glitzy!. One thing for sure, as long as there are little girls, there will be a need to good quality, cuddly, loveable dolls.
