American Girl Doll Alternative : Madame Alexander Dolls

What little girl wouldn't love to receive an American Girl doll under the tree? And what parent wouldn't like to save a little money rather than spending $199 - or more - on a single doll? Fear not, frugal parents ... there are alternatives to the wildly priced American Girl dolls!

Both dolls have:

Soft, cuddly bodies with hard vinyl arms, legs, and head.

Articulated joints at neck, shoulders, & hips.

Long hair that can be styled.

Eyes that open and close.

Complete clothing outfit included.

Extra clothing and accessories that fit both 18" dolls equally well.

DIFFERENCES:

MA doll's soft body starts under breastbone so doll can wear tank tops or swimwear.

AG doll's soft body start higher, so the cloth line shows with lower-cut tops.

MA hair is slightly less full, AG has wig-style hair.

MA Party Perfect doll: $39.00 ~ AG Chrissa Doll: $269.99

Is the name worth $100 or $200 - or MORE - difference in price?

American Girl began as a book series.

The first American Girl catalog was published in 1986, debuting a line of historical dolls that came with book-length stories. According to the AG website, "The 9-year-old fictional heroines live during important times in America's past, providing "girl-sized" views of significant events that helped shape our country, and they bring history alive for millions of children." Each historical doll has a series of books that delve into the fictional life of that doll. The company has expanded its doll line since then, but the historical dolls and the stories that come with them are still the backbone of the company's popularity.

Fortunately, since American Girl dolls and Madame Alexander dolls are compatible in size, a Madame Alexander doll with similar features can be purchased as a go-along for the book series, and the clothing and accessories for that historical doll can be purchased separately from American Girl.

New AG dolls are expensive; retired AG dolls are exorbitant!

New American Girl dolls run from over $100 to over $200. But the dolls are not kept in circulation; they are retired after a period of time. The price then goes up to $300, $400, or over $500! Perhaps you could afford a current doll, but what if your daughter wants a specific specific historical doll that is no longer being made? That is an ideal time to find a well-made doll, such as a similarly featured Madame Alexander doll, and outfit it with the historical doll's AG outfits. I would not recommend trying to do this sneakily, but be honest with your daughter about why this is a better use of your family's hard-earned money. That is a lesson that she will carry with her just as much as any historical lesson learned from the doll and books.

If your doll's hair gets the frizzies, try this tip.

If your doll's hair begins to snarl or to fray on the ends, try this tip: put a TINY dollop of conditioner in your hands and rub it around, then lightly massage into the doll's hair. Gently towel the conditioner out, then comb with a wig comb.

This video is in four parts. Only the first is linked on this page.