Dynamite Girls: Downtown Darling Jett

Thanks to my one of my doll club meets on Sunday, I got to see Carolyn's brand new Dynamite Girl, Downtown Darling Jett, from the Plastic Inevitable collection yesterday. I took a few photos of her, and you can check out the rest (and larger sizes) on Flickr.

I have this doll on order--I think mine is on its way via UPS ground--and I'm really excited. I pre-ordered her because I adore her overall look. She looks like a 1980s era Madonna wanna-be. In fact, the entire Plastic Inevitable collection looks 80s-inspired to me.

I know there was a little fuss about the price increase of the Dynamite Girls line--okay, a lot of fuss about the price increases of the entire Integrity Toys collection, if I'm going to be precise. I'm sure some of the increase was due to the performance of the dollar, the overseas production costs, and marketing strategy. But I'm going to go out on a limb and say that, in the case of the Dynamite Girls at least, I'm willing to pay it.

Compared to the 2010 collection--the basic dolls (Vintage Vinyl) were $40 and the limited edition (Chill Factor) $54.99 retail--this year the dolls have increased by $5 each: basics (Check Mate) retail at $44.99 and Plastic Inevitable are $59.99.

After seeing Downtown Darling in person, her quality is very good. She includes a multi-stand necklace and hoop earrings, a distressed denim skirt, hose, bustier, and jacket. Jett's facial screening, usually quite cartoony, is much more detailed than in past editions. This is fun and gorgeous doll--high quality, yet playable and still affordable.

I would pay an extra $5 just for the stand included with Jett. It's a new style with two holes, so you can display two dolls on a single stand if you wish. You have the option of a saddle style or a waist gripper, which screws onto the metal stand, which fits onto the base. It's sturdier. Plus, being able to display two dolls on a single stand is really going to de-clutter my display. I can't wait!

Compared to what else is on the market in the $45-60 range, I don't think you'll find many other 11-12" doll with this much articulation, this quality of clothing and accessories, and this type of versatility. They appeal to box-collectors and redressers (they are so easy to dress!) alike, and they are definitely affordable.

My one problem with this line is the edition size. Each doll was made in an edition of 300. Especially for the premier of boys to the Dynamite Girls line, 300 is not enough. In fact, I did a search on eBay this morning, and I saw three Auden dolls listed for between $450 and $550. That is simply crazy. And OMG--they are actually selling with an average price of $370. Congratulations to those of you making that kind of return on your purchases!