How I Became a Historical Costumer // My History with American Girl

How did you first become interested in historical fashion? For me, it was through the American Girl dolls and their outfits and stories.

Many of you have been requesting a video going more in depth about American Girl and my collection, so this is that video!

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Lady Rebecca Fashions
PO Box 695
Auburn, WA 98071

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[LadyRebeccaFashions]

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[christiana_mandalynn]

This was a huge nostalgia trip for me!! I was about 6-7 years old when I started getting into American Girl (mid 90s). I was given a Kirsten doll. I loved her SO much. I’d take her outside, and pretend we were pioneers setting up a “campfire”. I was also given the book series over the course of the years, so even though I did not have the other dolls, I was able to read about Samantha, Molly, Felicity, and Addy. I later got Kaya & Josephina’s and Kit’s books at the library as they were released.
While I loved my Kirsten, my favorite doll that I longed for was Felicity. My friend had her and I thought she was the most beautiful doll in the world.
The American Girl series gave me a tremendous love for history, for historical fashion, and for reading historical fiction.

I am in the process of honoring my inner child, even though I am a mom of 3 boys and a little girl now, and my mom found my Kristen doll in storage (I always took very good care of her!) and sent her to me, and I have decided to look on eBay for some used dolls and handmade outfits and create my own American Girl Dolls. I will make myself a Nancy Drew (in 1930s style, like Kit) because I have LOVED Nancy Drew ever since I was young, including playing the HerInteractive games in the 1990s-2000s. I am also going to adapt a Felicity using a different doll (as Felicity is super hard to find and costs even more) and using the replica clothes made for Felicity.
Thank you for this video! I love the original dolls and their fashions as well. Felicity will always hold my heart. ❤

[bunnybandit]

I remember getting Josefina as a child was a BIG DEAL. I was only given her under the conditions that I turned 8 years old and I kept straight A’s for an entire school year, AND kept up on chores that whole time too. I managed to do it, and still have her!

[theresamarie]

I had a few American Girl dolls growing up. The funny thing is that my parents got me Kit and then a year or two later my aunt and uncle got me a Kit doll not knowing that I already had one. They also got me her baseball outfit and accessories. I ended up renaming the one Kit doll Katherine and I pretended that the two dolls were identical twins.

[AGANStudios]

The historicals hold a special place in my heart as my sister and I would oogle over the catalogues as kids. I'm also a history buff, so that helps😅

[MT-lkqt]

When I was growing up (circa 2010-2012), the dolls were about $110. My mom got me Kirsten off of eBay, and my first sewing ventures were modifying baby clothes to fit my Kirsten! The pipeline of American Girl enthusiasts to historical costumers is real, lol.

[katrinakatzenbach]

This brought back so many memories. They were actually good books - the stories are not only well researched, but they also focus on principles and ethics of their time period, which I found kind of rare in girls’ literature. I loved them!

[Flanuora]

That was a fun video! I started collecting AG when I was child too. I remember the PC coming to my school and putting the dolls up in the library. I was in love! I couldn’t stop reading the books. Samantha was also my first doll.

[shellylrobinson]

The American girl catalog was one of my favorite “books” to read :)

I had/have Addy, Josefina, and the doll to look like me. Addy watches me sew now. I want to make her Meet Addy dress sometime….

[marybull]

Being English I had never come across these dolls till your videos, the idea of historically accurate costumes and dolls along with the books is so good for learning about the history of your country. I would have loved something similar.

[roxiepoe]

I was no longer a child when American Girl emerged, but my daughter was. I so wanted her to want dolls! She did not. She played with Barbie, but that was because she could swim in the bathtub with her. I, however, would love/examine/study the advertising they published. (I was running a school's theater program and could justify my obsession by calling it costume research.) Thanks for the episode.

[misia]

I have heard if these doll as a child, but since I don't live in the US I never saw or had one as a child! I loved the idea of them, teaching history and historical fashion through the eyes of someone the child can relate to!
Honestly so happy for you that you are now letting your inner child enjoy and be happy with what you wanted to have back then. So cool!

[Diniecita]

I never even knew about these dolls growing up. I had a friend in HS who had a Felicity and I thought she was cool then. But, still didnt know much about them. And yeah I still played with dolls in HS.
I found an Addy in a thrift store ($10 old style cinnamon dress.) and she was my first doll. I love her.

[empressheraluna]

When these dolls came out in '86 I was a 21 year old cashed strapped college student studying voice and costume design at San Jose State. I didn't get an actual doll until I turned 45, my brother and his wife took me to the American Girl Store and bought me the Josefina doll. Like you I bought the paper dolls, I loved paper dolls! Also I bought the little ones, I have all of them! My love of historical costume came from my love of historical films, it was Norma Shearer's Marie Antoinette that did it for me! I learned to sew at the age of three, I loved sewing for my dolls! I love watching you, you're so fun!

[PepperReed]

I loved receiving the original Kirsten doll when I was about 9. As my family is Swedish, I really appreciated the connection, though much of my family came to American in the late 1800s. I still have my Kirsten and display her during the winter holidays in her St. Lucia outfit.

[sutarikun]

As a young gay boy I was always envious of my sister's Samantha doll and would pore over the American Girl catalogs as they came in.

Thank you for sharing your history with them!

[disneylandstudybuddy]

I know she's not as popular, but Molly was my GIRL! Started getting into the books around the time I got glasses. I don't remember it that was the exact reason I gravitated toward her, but it didn't hurt. Her stubbornness (as well as the good and the bad that came of it), and her willingness to roll up her sleeves and get things done resonated a lot with me. Mom even made me a matching "Meet Molly" dress.

[nataliestanchevski]

Yikes, $90! My parents would definitely not have been able to buy a doll that cost so much in the late 80's. Thankfully I hadn't heard of them until a few years ago, I believe it was a news story about inclusive toys. I'm so sorry about your job, I lost mine when the company I worked for moved overseas.

[anna]

I bought Kaya and Rebecca for my daughters at a local consignment shop for Christmas a couple years ago. Last school year I coordinated an American Girls club for my daughters and their friends. We did six weeks of lessons and activities about a character. We covered Kaya, Kirsten, and Felicity.

My younger sister had the Felicity books as a child. I was a bit older when my parents found out about them so I never had any myself. Since we have 2 daughters I have bought almost all the historical books for them including the more newer written one that are mysteries. I found some of the older sets of patterns online so I have sewn an Addy’s Christmas Dress, Kirsten’s school dress, a Josefina’s chemise, and Felicity’s dress and apron.

[Douliette]

The amount of details in the costumes is honestly mind blowing, i don't think i've ever seen something this advanced in French dolls clothing (fully boned stays??? Are you kidding me)
I think i had heard of the name before seeing them in your videos, but i don't think i knew they were an entire doll line, and teaching kids about history in a playful way!