Exciting Goodreau Doll update!

Modern Doll Souvenir Doll
Photo property of Goodreau Dolls, LLC.

I found this probably older announcement on the AmericanBJD Yahoo group message board this morning, from Paulette Goodreau, regarding Goodreau Dolls:

We have decided to end all manufacturing under the label of Goodreau Doll, and move it to our new company. I will head the design team in the new company, but there will be other designers. If you would like a Goodreau Doll, designed by me, they are still available on www.goodreaudollstore.com also at a few of our retailers. We received our last resin shipment this month, and our last doll will be the banquet doll at Modern Doll collectors convention in San Antonio fall 2011. You can witness the birth of the next generation of dolls in July 2011, as we debut our first line from our new company!! 

Also, please save the date: September 14-17, 2011. You'll want to attend the Modern Doll Collectors Convention in San Antonio Texas. Registration is open, and costs $295, which includes the souvenir doll, the last doll created by Goodreau Dolls. She looks gorgeous! Unfortunately, no absentee packages are available for this event.

Additionally, all convention registrants (who register before July 1, 2011) will be entered into a drawing for the last 25" resin BJD Aimee doll, donated by Goodreau Dolls. The drawing will be held at the Saturday night banquet at the convention.

That alone makes me want to attend!

Two New Offerings from Randall Craig

Surprise Sheath fits a wide variety of fashion dolls.

Authorized dealers began taking pre-orders today for two new offerings from Randall Craig. The first is called Surprise Sheath. Why? Because you won't know the fabric design of the dress until you open it! Apparently the way the dresses are packaged, even the dealers won't know. Surprise Sheath is a basic sheath done in a cotton print, no accessories are included. There are over 12 different fabric prints available which include fabrics used in other outfits, vintage fabrics, or even fabrics from Randall's own personal stash. What fun! The dress is fitted to Monogram dolls, but can also fit Silkstone Barbie, Model Muse Barbie, Fashion Royalty NuFace, Poppy Parker, or Dynamite Girls. Their suggested retail is $20. At that price, I'm buying several. I can always give duplicates as gifts or take them to a dolly convention to trade with others.

My Romance done in teal.

The next item is My Romance which looks to be a color variant on the 2010 IFDC Exclusive My Romance. Last year's sold out outfit was done in red and was limited to 50 pieces. This year's outfit is done in teal and is an LE 100.  Included with the dress are a floppy brimmed felt hat, black drop earrings, black patent "leather" clutch, and black pumps. There is even a little brooch attached to the dress. This outfit is designed to fit standard Fashion Royalty dolls and will retail around $60.


Visit Randall Craig RTW for a complete list of authorized dealers.

All photos property of Randall Craig RTW.

Tonner 2011 Pre-Toy Fair Release

Damon Salvatore
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Tonner has released some new dolls today, some of which are will be ready to ship in mid January. I'm excited about a few of them, and have already added them to my wish list.

One new line has been added to the current Tonner collection: The Vampire Diaries™! For this release, a limited edition of 1000 dolls has been created and is available for pre-order. Damon Salvatore (hooray!) makes his debut has a new head sculpt in the likeness of actor Ian Somerhalder on a 17" Matt O'Neill Body. He has blue eyes, wigged brunette hair and uses the cameo skin tone. I dig his leather jacket! $159.99 retail, ship date TBD.

To the current lines, these are some exciting new additions:

Cami Wigged Basic in Play on Words
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Cami & Jon: I've been patiently waiting to add Cami to my collection, and I see the one I "need." It's will be the Wigged Basic with inset blue eyes. She's a limited edition of 500 dolls (not made-to-order) with the cameo skin tone. $109.99 retail. In this photo, she's shown wearing Play on Words, LE 500, $99.99, shipping early February.

Additionally, two more painted-eye Cami basics (redhead and brunette) and one brunette Jonquil will be available for $89.99, three additional long wigs ($29.99 each), and an elegant black column dress outfit called City Nights ($79.99) has also been previewed.

Io from Clash of the Titans
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Clash of the Titans: I have to be the first to admit, I'm not a huge fan of this movie, but I adore this new face, if it's anything like the promo photo. The new addition to this line is Io, who assists Perseus in his quest to defeat Medusa. She's a limited edition of 500, comes with blended brunette hair, brown eyes, and a cameo 16" convertible BW body, and her sculpt is based on acrtress Gemma Arterton. $164.99, shipping mid February.

Bye-Bye Baby DeeAnna Denton
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DeeAnna Denton: Oh my--she's adorable with her short blonde 'do. Oh no! Bye-Bye Baby gives us a bombshell blonde, brown-eyed DeeAnna in a gorgeous black velvet dress with chiffon shirring, and gold and rhinestone jewelry. $209.99 retail. Shipping date is still TBD.

Mrs. Charles Hamilton
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Disney Princess: If my girls see this doll, I'm dead. The image is still pending licensor approval, but Tonner grabbed Rapunzel while she's still hot. Oh, how cute! I hope she's close to this. Sweet, but not too smiley, this girl is a new Rapunzel head sculpt on (get this!) the bloom Ellowyne Wilde flat-footed body. She's wigged--can you imagine the fun? And a limited edition of 1000 for a retail of $189.99.

Gone with the Wind: Two new additions to this line... Strength from Tara is a 8" Tonner head and body with green inset eyes and brunette wigged hair with molded shoes, and a gorgeous white organza gown with green accents, and a green vest. Adorable! $99.99, LE300. Mrs. Charles Hamilton is a non-widow's peak Scarlet, retail $224.99, LE300. She's dressed head to toe in black.

Basic Diane Evans
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Gowns by Anne Harper: OK, I was blown away by my recent purchase of A Sensible Notion. Now--I see the new line, and I see someone at the Tonner Doll Company is having a little too much fun and freedom designing costumes through one of his doll's eyes! Wow! Where do I start?

First the new dolls: I'll start with the basics. There is something for everyone. The Basic dolls are adorable. In 1940s style polka-dot swim suits, Anne Harper (shipping early February), Carol Barrie (shipping mid January) and Patricia Holt (a new sculpt) are wigged, and Diane Evans (Friday Foster head sculpt--just gorgeous--and shipping late February) is rooted, I think. All retail for $109.99 (comparable to the wigged Antoinette/Cami/Tyler dolls) and are LE500.

Patricia Holt
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There are also a few dressed dolls available:

• Red, White and You is a dressed brunette Carol Basic, who really reminds me of a slightly crabbier Betty Ann. (This entire collection is a nice reminder of the clothing from the Brenda Starr line from years back.) She's LE500, $199.99, and shipping late February.
• Diana Evans -- I know she's going to make it to my house somehow -- is also available dressed in a black cocktail dress with a sequined bodice and tiered skirt. LE500 $189.99, shipping early February.
• No photo of the Anne Harper dressed doll, Feather in her Hat, yet. She's limited to 500 and retails at $199.99. She's dressed in a suit, trimmed with satin and fur, and a pegged tweed skirt. Of course, she's wearing a feather-trimmed hat. Red hair with green eyes. Shipping late February.
• Merli Stimple is a new 9.5" Kripplebrush Kids body with blue eyes and brunette hair and pale skin tone. A new fussy little starlet with, well, Shirley Temple curls. ;)
• Patricia Holt -- and oh, I must have that dress. $224.99, LE 300, of course. She's dressed in a white scalloped tiered gown. She's also a brunette with green eyes. I think she's quite cute!
• James Collins. A handsome man, and new face sculpt. Nice suit, too. Except he needs blue eyes to look a little more like Clark Kent. He's $189.99 and LE500.

The Capulet's Daughter
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Plus, three new dangerous outfits are available. Oh no for me! (Seriously, the outfit I have was so worth the investment!)

• The Capulet's Daughter is coming home with me. LE to only 150 pieces, includes the wig and a gorgeous Juliet outfit. I must have it. $134.99. Shipping mid February.
• Something Extravagant is another gorgeous outfit for $109.99 LE500. It's orange and black with a bell skirt, with a huge feathered hat--oh my! Shipping mid February.
• And one last one, without a photo, is called All About Carol. LE500, retail $99.99, this is a chiffon gown with plaid cuffs and a bow sash. I can't wait to see it!

Harry Potter: A new 12" Hermione Granger is also available for preorder. She's a good likeness, and she's a limited edition of 5000, retail $99.99.

Devil in White Joan Crawford
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Hollywood Glamour: Three new dressed actresses have been released.

• Devil in White is a dressed raven Joan Crawford in a white trumpet-skirt gown with a black faux fur caplet. I love her short hair. LE500, $189.99. Shipping late February.
• Stardust is platinum hair Bette Davis (no photo yet) in a gown with matching braided trim. LE500, $189.99.
• Heart's Ablaze is a brunette Ava Gardner in a ruby red bell-skirted dress of lace and tulle, finished with a satin belt with rhinestone buckle. LE500, $189.99.

Evening Twirl Monica Merrill
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Miss Piggy: Two new dolls - Wild Frogs (LE500 $69.99) and Hog Wild (LE300 $199.99, shipping early February) are new additions to the collection, great for the motorcycle lover in you--or for those hogs who walk on the wild side.

Monica Merrill: Another basic wigged Monica ($99.99 LE500), though she doesn't have convertible feet, includes an adorable blonde flipped wig and gorgeous pink lingerie, and Evening Twirl, as seen in this month's Dolls Magazine. She's a platinum dressed bombshell, in a black and pink cocktail dress, and shipping in mid February. $189.99 LE500.

Prince of Persia: Princess in Disguise is another Tamina headsculpt (this is also Gemma Arterton, so this makes me want to see Io in person now) in elaborate royal Persian costume. $189.99, LE200, shipping late February.

Tea Party Crasher
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Um from Umbridge
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Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland: This is the most dangerous. And I confess, I am still typing this blog post because I had to take a break and pre-order some of these items. (I'm so ashamed, dear readers! Will you forgive me? I even told you I was tired of Alice!) Here's the new line-up:

• Um from Umbridge: Alice as a 22" American Model body, in her gorgeous black, white and red chabby chic costume at the Red Queen's palace. I'm sure it will fit my SD-sized dolls, but if the Mia Wasikowska head is as good scaled up as it is in 16" size, I can't wait. $299.99 retail, LE250, shipping mid February.
• Tea Party Crasher: My favorite dress in the movie, this is the girl is a scaled down version of Alice on a Tiny Kitty BW body. How cute! $149.99 LE500. And yes, she's official. She's shipping mid-January. Update: I ordered this doll, and you can see real-life photos of here. I LOVE her!
• Futterwacken: LE300, $249.99. Tarrant in a new outfit--if it's as elaborate as the first, we're all in for a treat. Love the bright blue of his jacket.
• Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum: LE100 $274.99. For the set of the Queen's "Boys," I'd love to see these two in real life. Shipping early February.
• Voyage of Wonder: LE200 $199.99. Will I admit it to you? I can't decide. I already have the original Alice. Why do I need another? Just look at this outfit? Why can't it just be the outfit?? Oh my!

Voyage of Wonder
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Futterwacken
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All dolls are ready for pre-order from your favorite Tonner dealer. Remember, some dealers (like Dreamcastle) will allow you to order the dolls or outfits as splits, if you get your order in early. Many dealers will also give you an unadvertised lower-than-retail price on non-licenced merchandise, as they often get a better deal for these items. It pays to ask, and to remain a good customer!

All photos are property of Tonner Doll Company. More can be seen at Tonner's website.

Jolie

Jolie, originally uploaded by alington.

Antoinette Jolie. Her outfit reminds me of a 1920s inspired fashion, and I think her face sculpt wears this era pretty well. Her outfit is a mauve chiffon layered gown, paired with a taupe taffeta jacket trimmed with "fur" and accented with sparkling jewelry.

Her shoes are over the ankle buckled sandals, almost like retro-looking open boots, if there were such a thing.

And how could I forget the hat--it's oversized and pink fur, trimmed with sparkling beads and topped with a feather. It makes the outfit, but covers a lot of her hair. Just lovely! I see it on her and pinned onto a larger SD-sized BJD as well. Gorgeous!

I was afraid I wouldn't like her hair, but it's actually quite lovely--not a huge rats' nest like I was dreading. I changed my order from the outfit only to the doll at the last minute, and I'm really glad I did.

I have a lot of other photos of this doll, in full regalia, on my Flickr photostream. Come check them out.

Fashion Era: The 1980s

While my late teens and early twenties were all about disco suits and platform shoes, my style really came into its own in the 1980s.  Let’s take a look back at some of those trends that we loved then and love to make fun of now.

In the 1970s, fashion silhouettes tended to be characterized by close fitting tops with wider,  looser clothes on the bottom, in the 1980s this trend completely reversed itself as both men and women began to wear looser shirts and tops with tight, close-fitting pants. Men began wearing power suits and the trend for people to display their wealth began. The brand name became increasingly important, making household names of Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein.

New Romance

The New Romantic trend was a New Wave fashion movement that occurred primarily in British and Irish nightclubs. Most of the fashions of this new period were taken and modified right from punk fashion, the black streaky eyeliner, spiked hair, etc. that was worn by most early 80s synth New Romantic groups. New romanticism emerged in the UK music scene as a direct backlash against the punk movement. Where punk railed against upper middle class life, the New Romantics celebrated glamour. Make-up was streaky and bold.  An early designer of the romantic look was Vivienne Westwood who designed clothing specifically for bands, such as Adam and the Ants and later developed the "pirate look." The pirate look featured full-sleeved, frilled "buccaneer" shirts often made of expensive fabrics. Hussar-style jackets with gold-braiding were worn with the shirts as well as high-waisted, baggy trousers which tapered at the ankle. One element of this trend that went mainstream and remained popular for most of the decade were short shirt collars worn unfolded against the neck (popped collars) with the top one or two buttons unfastened.. The short, tight Lycra mini skirt became a popular fashion item for young women in the second half of the 1980s and leggings were also very popular.  Occasion wear included a return of cocktail dresses and evening suits with flared basque jackets, or Chanel line brocade jackets and just above knee short straight skirts, paired with heels.  The early designers of the new romantic look were Vivienne Westwood, Colin Swift, Stevie Stewart and David Holah.