Choppy Waters Ahead

I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like what’s been happening with American Girl lately. The ship has a new captain and I feel like she’s more concerned with charging full steam ahead than taking notice of the conditions around her.

After my last post, I saw the perma-pantied #55 that’s been making the rounds on social media – lumpy butt, squishable vinyl, and all (just check out American Girl’s visitor posts on Facebook if you haven’t seen it yet). Had the new permanent underwear been the same build as the current doll butts (with the horizontal seam), I probably would’ve come around in time, but the new doll butt looks like it can easily lose shape – and in the case of the unfortunate #55, can instead look like she’s packin’ a poop.

It was the squishable vinyl that  really got me worried. It’s one thing to avoid the dolls that will be getting perma-pantied – Maryellen, Melody, Julie, the TrulyMe’s and future contemporary dolls – but it’s another to avoid something universal like vinyl type.

Sienna stares off into the horizon, wondering which direction AG’s senses went.

Tonight I ordered what may end up being my final doll purchase directly from American Girl. I recently got a gift card that I was hoping to hold onto for awhile and put towards either furniture or clothing for my dolls, but instead I decided to get one more Josefina mold doll – just in case the vinyl change is permanent or worse changes surface in the future. I got Rebecca, with plans to turn her into another custom (that is, as long as I end up with a version that has the good vinyl – otherwise, she’s getting sent back).

It’s sad, though. I never thought I’d be ordering a doll just to make sure I didn’t end up with a bad one later. For me, the sense of urgency comes from watching my first favorite 18″ doll line, Magic Attic Club, go downhill in a hurry after Marie Osmond bought it. The Allison doll I bought after she’d altered the line was definitely not the same quality of the original Magic Attic Club line. I don’t want to end up in a similar situation with American Girl.

I’m hoping at some point American Girl will come to their senses and prioritize maintaining the quality their customers have come to expect, but judging from their responses on social media – including blaming a customer for a doll that AG’s quality control team missed – I feel like it’s going to be awhile.