Product Review: Kirsten's Summer Outfit

Kirsten's Summer Outfit

This has to be one of my all time favorite outfits. I actually have a list in my head of the outfits for each doll that I love the most. Still, this is one of my all time favorites for all the dolls.

It's simple, but it's so pretty that it proves, once and for all, that clean basics have a beauty in and of themselves. I prefer the simple lines of Kirsten's summer dress than all the fancy flounces of Samantha's Edwardian era costumes.

So here's my review!



Dress:

First we start off with the dress. It is a simple dress with vertical blue and white stripes. The blue is very light. The style of dress is very simple. It's all made of one fabric-even the waistband isn't made of a contrasting color. It has short sleeves and five buttons going down the front.

Here's a close up of the fabric. The fabric is soft and has a cotton feel to it. It's breathable and perfect for warm summer days!

 

 

Here's a close up of the buttons. They are plain white buttons-there's nothing fancy going on here.

 

 



The hem has growth tucks, meaning the dress can be let down as Kirsten grows taller. It'll last her a lot longer that way. Other dolls have growth tucks in their dresses-Addy comes to mind. This was a way to save money.

Boots:

These red boots could be paired with the outfit (and also with the winter outfit). However, it is also accurate to the story to have Kirsten walk around barefoot. In that time, shoes were very expensive and so many people got new pairs of shoes in the winter, when shoes were NOT optional in cold places like Minnesota. Children, whose feet grow quickly, wouldn't have shoes that fit in the summer. If they did have shoes, they wouldn't want to wear them out.

Here's Kirsten with her dress and boots-sorry for the awful angle. Her braids are tied with her meet hair ribbons. However, she isn't wearing the hat. Kirsten gets the hat when her family brings things to trade in town over July 4. Partly because of the honey Kirsten found in the woods, the Larsons have enough left over for a few extra luxuries, including a hat for Kirsten.

Hat:

The hat is made of straw with a black ribbon around the brim. A cluster of berries with leaves is attached. If I remember correctly, Kirsten's mother choose the trim.

So why do I love this outfit so much? After all, with all the detailed things the collections have to offer, why am I so obsessed with a simple cotton dress?

Well, because the clean lines and soft fabric fit my sense of style better than the fancy laces and layers of some of the other collections. Also she looks comfortable in the book illustrations and she loved that hat.

The hat makes the outfit. It adds just the right dose of a tie in with the story, and I feel like Kirsten felt pretty in her dress and hat.

I can't wait to add her Fishing Set and Fourth of July Fun accessory sets to my Kirsten collection.

In other American Girl news, I heard a rumor that the BeForever bedding and nightwear sets will be revamped on the 24th of June. I highly doubt that includes Samantha since she just got a new nightgown and bed, but I guess we'll see. If you want any of the originals, I would suggest getting a move on.

Also Grace will have a new outfit and accessory set, there will be school supplies for girls, and some other stuff like a charm bracelet. Happy shopping!

P.S. There was also a Jill's Steals and Deals on some MAG stuff. I hope people don't act all butt hurt over it on the resale pages like they usually do. There seemed to be more than enough for everyone.