Tonner City Girls Taxi Billy Doll Review

I scored a new doll a couple of weeks ago with free shipping and a percent off coupon, from the Tonner website.  After a bit of debate, I decided to snap up one of Tonner's new City Girl dolls, Taxi Billy.  All of the line are lovely, but I'm a sucker for dark haired dolls with green eyes.  Plus, the black and yellow outfit looked a bit retro 80's to me, with the black tights, big sunglasses, and big black belt, so I gave in to my wave of nostalgia, and Taxi Billy was on her way to me!

After an agonizing wait for the UPS truck, she arrived yesterday!  In my excitement to get a look at her, I failed to get "box opening" shots.  She arrived in a clear tube with nice graphics on the cardboard she was tied to.  She definitely was not going to shift during shipment!  I opened the tube from the top, belatedly realizing I could have just opened the bottom with ease.   That was me being too hasty, and not paying attention.

After spending several minutes detaching her hair, wrists, ankles, and pretty much every loose piece away from the packaging, and then a few more finding all the extra places her clothes and accessories were tacked down, she was finally out and ready to examine more closely.  The doll is aimed at younger collectors, five and above, but an adult is definitely going to need to be the one to remove the doll from the package.  As an adult, I did start feeling a bit "stabby" by the end of it all.  The knit on the yellow tunic got pulled a bit by the plastic attachments, but not so much that I think it will be an issue.  I would highly recommend any future buyers to be extra, extra careful and gentle when looking for, and removing, all the ties.  Just when I thought I had them all, I'd find another.  You really need to completely remove the doll's outfit first to make sure you find them all.  I'm not sure I would classify this as a legitimate complaint on my part, because it definitely made certain the doll arrived safe and sound.  I just got frustrated.  I could see someone else being frustrated too, especially if this is an Xmas present, and you have an anxious new collector wanting their doll, and wanting her now.

Taxi Billy comes with awesome oversized sunglasses, big tote bag you could jam with lots of props, yellow tunic, big black belt, short jacket, black tights, and cute black boots.  The yellow tunic closes in the back with Velcro, like you'd expect for a doll aimed at younger collectors.  The boots are a little "sticky" getting on and off unless you hit just the right angle.  That could cause frustration for younger hands, and even older ones, but it just takes practice.  The short coat surprisingly is sewn shut, instead of closing with snaps or Velcro.  You have to pull it down her shoulders, arms, and then off over her legs.  I could see someone popping those stitches by accident, expecting the coat to open easily.  I don't think that would cause any damage, but it could be a source of disappointment and frustration to a new collector.  The coat not opening to allow easy removal is the only real issue I would say I have with the doll or her accessories.

Taxi Billy comes with white panties painted on.  It's just another reminder that this isn't a doll targeted specifically for adult collectors.  It doesn't bother me at all, and the paint shouldn't show through on any outfit I decide to put her in.

Taxi Billy is 15.75 inches tall according to the website, so she's very close to Ellowyne Wilde and other Tonner dolls, like Nu Mood Sydney.  But Billy is definitely slimmer.  Swapping clothes is possible, but it will take trial and error.  I've already seen some Ellowyne dolls wearing the City Girl clothes, which doesn't surprise me.  Shoes will definitely not be swappable, though.  Billy has a very high arch, so if I want more shoes for her, it will be much less of a headache to just buy the other fashion packs.

Billy could easily be another muse for me, because she definitely looks good in some of my favorite colors, including purple.  I put her into a hand knit sweater I made for Tonner's Antoinette, but it looks so good on Billy!  With her black tights and black boots, it gave her a new outfit immediately.  I have several knit fabrics that may become new tights for Billy, and lots of funky cotton prints she'd look lovely in.

For the retail price of $49.99, I think Taxi Billy is definitely worth it.  Her outfit is great, with plenty of details, including the big glasses, bag, and boots.  Her hair is thick, and easily takes a combing without strands coming loose.  She is extremely posable, and her face screen is lovely.  She's definitely not a doll you'd give to a child who is destructive to their toys for that price.  But if you have a budding, younger collector in your life, especially one who is interested in (and maybe coveting) your own dolls, I would be buying one of the City Girls for them for a gift without hesitation.  I like that the fashion packs available aren't that expensive.  At least they are in a reasonable price range compared to the doll (as opposed to almost as much as the doll itself!).  If the quality of the fashion packs are as good as the outfit on the doll, they'd be well worth the investment.

My doll budget probably won't allow me to get any of the other City Girl dolls, or fashion packs, anytime soon.  But I will be keeping my eye on this line, and will definitely be enjoying the one I have.  Other than the extra secure packaging that caused a couple of colorful metaphors by the end, and the surprise that the coat didn't open, City Girls Taxi Billy is a joy, and worth every penny.  I would have paid full price for her without any regrets.  (But coupon codes just increase the love!)

Be sure to check out all of the pictures of Taxi Billy in my Gallery!

Marilyn Monroe-Glamour Girl

It's hard to resist taking even more photos of Tonner's Marilyn Monroe.  This time she borrowed the outfit from Horsman Urban Vita's My Valentine.  The dress fits a bit more snugly around the hips, but because the fabric of the dress is stretchy I was able to get it on her without difficulty (or risk to the dress!).

I hope to start taking measurements between my 16 inch fashion dolls soon, and post a comparison chart.  This will be mostly for my use as I forge onward in my attempts to be a doll seamstress, but I figure it would be useful information for other folks, too.

Now to restore my dolls into their original outfits so I don't have any fights on my hands.  And perhaps I should have more coffee, since the dolls seem more anthromorphized than usual to me...  :D

Tonner Marilyn Monroe As Pola Debevoise Doll Review

I received my lovely Tonner Marilyn Monroe as Pola Debevoise doll last Wednesday, and just now have finally had time to write up a proper review and take some pictures.  I ordered mine through the wonderful Gigi's Dolls, who offer layaway, even on pre-orders.  I highly recommend them!

Upon opening the box I found her well packed, including her diamond earnings and fun red strappy shoes.  Her hair is styled solidly, and held up well during shipment.  This is not a doll I plan to restyle at all, so I don't mind the heavy gel in her hair to maintain her trademark look.

She is in a red swimsuit with lots of detailing.  The back doesn't close as snugly as I would have hoped for, but otherwise it is very well made.   The stretchy fabric would have needed either a zipper, or twice as many snaps to not gape in the back, but then it would have been too bulky.  I'm sure the designers beat their heads against the wall with this, and a little part of them died to compromise.  But you're not going to look at her from the back very often, so this is very, very  minor.

The shoes are awesome!  At least they're awesome now that I figured out how to get them on her feet.  It was definitely trial and error, and some nervous tugging at the tiny straps praying for no breakage, but once they're on, they look fantastic!

Unlike my Horsman Vita doll, I didn't have to punch my own earrning holes.  One ear wasn't quite punched all the way through, but it was at least started so I didn't feel like I was having to take a hammer to get the earrings in.  They're sparkly and dangly, and very glamourous.  Definitely the right touch!

As for her face paint and sculpt, I know she's not a perfect match to the real Marilyn Monroe, but I still love it.  It would have been nice if they could have made her with more of her dazzling smile, but it probably would have ended up looking goofy or even creepy.  I think her eye makeup is done just right, and while her mouth could be a bit better, this doll still looks like Marilyn Monroe to me.

This doll has nice articulation, although still not as much as the ball joint dolls I've been spoiled by.  She can sit and nearly cross her legs without it looking ridiculous, but she can't quite touch her cheek with her perfectly manicured hand.  It's still a lot of poseability to work with, and each doll edition will just get better, I'm certain.

Casual pictures like the ones I took as I was opening the box and taking her out for the first time come out well, with good lighting.  But when you bring out an even slightly fancier backdrop and fuss with the lighting a little more, this doll shows how photogenic she can.  This is where I could have spent hours and still not gotten tired.  I swear she really did flirt with the camera!

I would love to purchase all of Tonner's beautiful outfits for my Marilyn Monroe doll, but my budget won't allow for that.  But that just means I'll be able to try out my sewing skills to see if I can do her justice.  There are a couple of outfits from Some Like It Hot that would be a blast to reproduce, as well as her other glamourous classics like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.  Even trying to capture Marilyn in a more casual outfit would be fun.  I'm picturing her in a crisp white shirt and capri pants, with a scarf to hide her hair and giant sunglasses.

For collectors of both Tonner and Marilyn Monroe dolls, I think this one is well worth the $124.99 price.  Again, I can't recommend Gigi's Dolls enough for the customer service and willingness to offer layaway.

Be sure to check out my gallery for a lot more photos of my Marilyn Monroe doll.

Now I am off to tackle some of those duties that keep me away from my doll collection.  I also need to find a suitable section of display space for my newest acquisition, and hope the Fashion Royalty dolls behave themselves around her.  They may be a bit jealous of the attention Marilyn can't help but receive.  :D

Horsman Urban Vita My Valentine Doll Review

This was a total splurge.  I ordered one of the very limited edition Horsman Urban Vita My Valentine dolls.  It took two months longer to get than I expected, which was good, since it gave me enough time to pony up the rest of the $200 retail price to complete the pre-order when it came in.  This was limited to 100 dolls produced, and at least according to the Horsman site, very small quantities may still be available.  I ordered mine from Angelic Dreamz.

I had heard about Horsman dolls for several years, and how they are one of the oldest doll makers in the United States.  I believe they made one of the first ball jointed vinyl dolls.  My Valentine has mechanical ball joints, and shows off all 19 points of articulation, allowing her to sit cross legged with ease, and even double jointed on the floor.  She can actually put her hands on her hips, and cup her chin in her hands, and look natural doing it.  She will give many of my resin BJDs a run for their money in this area.

The facepaint is stunning.  At first I wasn't sure I would like her, but in person those side glancing blue eyes are full of attitude.  She is extremely photogenic, looking great even with my cell phone camera.  Properly lighted and with a nice backdrop... Gorgeous!

Her curly blonde wig has cause for one of my three small issues with the doll.  The tag sticks out in the back, and makes putting the wig on a little fussier than I thought it should be.  The wig fits snugly, and doesn't move once you get it in position, but it took me several tries.  That tag ended up sticking out on her neck, sometimes popping out just when I thought I had it on right.  But once the wig is on properly, with the tag tucked up, you're in business.  It was a small annoyance that doesn't detract from the quality.  I did need to fluff up the curls a bit, since they got smooshed down during shipping, but that's to be expected.  I love the curls!  It makes her look very glamorous, like she could be starring in the upcoming Great Gatsby movie this winter.  It definitely is part of her awesome attitude!

The jewelry is very nice.  The glitzy bracelet fits her wrist perfectly, although I scraped her hand a bit getting it on.  Her fingers do bend a little, making it possible to get the bracelet on with such a snug fit.  Her hands are amazing, with each finger separated.  She doesn't have two or three fingers connected like a lot of vinyl dolls her size.  If I could make them that small, I could put tiny fingered gloves on her.  It's a challenge I may have to undertake in the future, because it would look so cool!

Her shoes will be a source of aggravation for me.  They are a pretty silver, and fit her foot well, but the buckles and strap feel so thin that I don't know if I can cinch the strap around her ankle without snapping it.  It looks funny on her foot because of it, and also lets the shoes pop off very easily as I move her around.  If I'm just posing her in one place, they'll be fine, except I'll know that strap isn't as tight as it should be.  Again, a very small annoyance, and this one is more because I'm afraid to be too aggressive with the part.

The dress.  Oh man, the dress!  It's a soft burgundy velvet-type fabric, clingy and slinky.  The back is cut low and sexy.  The shoulder straps have little buckles to add the right bit of sparkle.  The dress is floor length with a great drape.  But the fascinating part for me was the inner construction.  To prevent her joints from showing through the clingy fabric, they added what is basically a girdle.  Her legs slide into the swimsuit-type material, which makes the dress fit even more securely, and gives a smooth line.  Awesome!

The fur stole is great, too.  It is lined with soft pink fabric, with tabs added for sliding her arms into.  Again, it secures the item onto the doll.  The long silver fabric gives a ton of options for more styling.  You can leave it loose, or tie it into a bow in the back, or have it drape over her arms.

The only other issue I had with the doll was I had to punch my own earring holes.  I was surprised that these weren't pre-punched for me so she could wear her earrings.  The issue was easily solved with a thumb tack, but it was still a little unnerving to have to manhandle my brand new doll like that.  But now that it's done, it's done, and the earrings look great on her!

She also came with a box of chocolates.  It's a nice touch, and I liked that they had each chocolate secured to the box instead of a ton of loose pieces.  But I don't know how I could have her hold the box except like she's delivering a pizza.  The details are wonderful, though, and it will make a very nice prop for posing her with a table.  Especially if I can splurge on some of Horsman's other doll accessories, like the martini glass set!

Overall I am extremely pleased with the Horsman Urban Vita My Valentine, and think she is worth every penny.  Unlike other dolls I have purchased in the past, this one will remain complete for my personal collection.  Because she is the same height and roughly the same dimensions as my other fashion dolls, including my Tonner and Wilde Imagination collection, I anticipate a lot of new clothes for her in the future, especially some hand knits. 

I plan to do a sizing comparison between my 16 inch fashion dolls in the near future, and will post the results. The main differences I expect will be the bust line, hips, and waistline, but I think it won't be so drastic that clothing made out of knits and other stretchy fabric won't be able to cross fashion doll lines with ease.

Be sure to check out the full gallery of photos here!

Now it's time to make sure my newest doll is safely on a shelf, and well away from the curious paws of our three cats.  I will determinedly ignore the jealous looks my other dolls give My Valentine, as she lounges in her glamorous outfit and several of them still wait impatiently for a new gown.  Oh, the suffering of my dolls!

Tailor Fit Dress For Wilde Imagination Amber/Ellowyne

I had a pretty blue and white print cotton fabric that was just calling out to become a summery dress for one of my dolls. My Essential Amber graciously and patiently helped me draft a pattern, and sat through a few hours of fittings until it was just right.

Amber didn't realize she doesn't get to keep this dress, as it is now listed on eBay.  I'm sure she wants to tell me what she thinks about that, but is remaining silent in hopes of getting a new dress of her own soon.  :D

The auction listing is here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300762145176&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

The dress also turned out to fit well on Tonner's new Judy doll with the starlet body.  I was surprised by this, only because I expected the hips on Amber to be narrower than the hips on the starlet body.  But both fit along the bustline well, and draped on the hips the right way.

I had to keep adding snaps to the front bodice to prevent "wardrobe malfunctions", but in the end it just enhanced the fit.  I also gathered up the shoulder straps to enhance the bodice, especially the low scooping back.

I have to admit I'm proud of this dress, mostly because I did it without any pattern at all.  It also didn't take as long as I thought it would, so somewhere along the line I've started to get a better feel at doll dressmaking.  I will definitely be custom making more dresses for my various dolls in the near future!

Just don't tell the "models" that they probably won't get to keep their dresses, either... :D

Update on 2012-08-26 11:40 by Fashionable Figures

This little dress did sell on eBay, happily for more than my starting price.  I was asked about a pattern for it by the seller, and have heard interest expressed elsewhere for one. 

This is a dress I definitely want to make again, so next time I will make sure to write myself notes and take photos along the way.  I may not be able to make a draftable/sellable pattern because of the amount of tailoring on the doll I employ, but I can at least share my steps in the process (plus record them for my own records!).

Stay tuned!