I concur with your feelings on the doll and her collection. With everything going on with Mattel and them shutting down Etsy shops, I feel like I can’t support them right now.
OMG I want to make a video about AG shutting down the Etsy shops. It is just horrible and I also don’t know if I can continue to support a company that goes that low.
Just want to point out that this wording is incorrect. They are not "shutting down" Etsy businesses. They simply are unable to use their dolls and when businesses don't comply with these requests (after many/multiple warnings have you), they inevitably get shut down. in 2024 time, This is becoming expected. Disney has been doing this for years. Do you really think these businesses need to rely that heavily on 'big market' AG in order to survive? This is a bad attitude in itself about the strength of these businesses and the certainly of surviving independently because they most certainly will with such beautiful products. They simply need to use a dress form and/or other way. While we could dream of this "sunshiney" world with free support from a company, the world just doesn't operate that easily unfortunately.
It’s important to remember that this is a TH-cam video and this video is edited a certain way for entertainment purposes. This doll is for children, however I do not believe that excuses a weak design. Children deserve more intelligent, thoughtful designs that Summer just does not provide. We all have different opinions and that is okay. But let us remember to be respectful to everyone’s opinions, even those that may be negative.
‘Like Jojo Siwa and my life as threw up at a Justice’ Mother of the most high God I couldn’t think of a better description of Summer and her collection 😂. She definitely is giving ‘My Millennial parents let me dress however I want’ vibes.
One thing that does not make much sense to me is that they raised the price to $125 but lowered the age demographic of the dolls. Like I know this is a luxury brand, still it doesn't make sense for these dolls to be more expensive with no improved quality and if it's geared towards a younger demographic, if anything that should automatically lower their price.
I think too many kids are growing up way too quickly due to social media. They want make-up and clothes now instead of playing with toys. It's so sad. I think that's why AG is trying to cater more to a younger demographic that still likes dolls. But I believe they should still be giving tweens a wholesome product to learn and grow with! The historical collection was always my favorite growing up. The books were great!
EDIT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION: i am 32 and i wear onesies all the time. they're very comfy. :) just subscribed :) summer is a cute doll, but her collection looks SO CHEAP and poorly made. i wish they fully leaned into the rescue dog thing and gave her a pit bull or a doberman or a mixed breed dog, or a senior dog. instead they made a dog who looks so much like coconut, who already exists?! i'm literally a woman who owns a dog-themed business and dresses in bright rainbow colors every day - i should be in love with summer! but summer looks CHEAP - like what's differentiating her from the other 18-inch doll brands?! AG was here for top quality + literature, and we got none of that with summer.
I love how funny and kind of snarky you were with your review! I would also love to own all the GOTY but I think I will wait for her and Lila to be sold in the second hand market.
I am so so tired of them recycling hobbies! As plenty of people have pointed out on agig, outdoorsy/hiking/camping dolls, car lovers, sports lovers- there are sooo many hobbies unexplored by them for goty’s!! I also find it strange that all these 8 year old characters are “girlbosses” and “entrepreneurs.” I feel like they’re heading down the pipeline of goty’s being “influencers” next 😬 I definitely miss all the dolls’ stories being about strong yet still childlike girls being brave in the real world.
Also, it’s so hard to feel like the collection is worth the price tag when it literally looks like OG/My life as stuff. Also also, i really feel that if they had just made a BFF Daisy doll to go with her, there would be waayyyyy less complaints. They’d have a black/doc doll goty without risking losing profits bc they’d still have a white goty, they’d have a BFF which everyone loves, it would be such a win-win!!
Props to you for still investing in American Girl. I had two as a kid, and my parents and I often bought accessory products from separate brands because the American Girl branded accessories were just too expensive. Seeing you at the store now looking at a rag for 36 dollars is nuts! You’ve made noble sacrifice keeping up with all the GOTY dolls, especially buying this one.
LOL thank you, thank you. I honestly don’t know how much longer I can keep investing in AG, at least with the GOTY line. It’s just a constant disappointment and I don’t want to garner an entire collection of dolls I’m not satisfied with 😔
this is the first video i’ve seen by you and as a now college student, I’ve always wanted an AG doll growing up but my family would NEVER buy a doll that expensive. But just today i thrifted a brand new Saige for $10😱 and it’s rly interesting seeing someone my age(ish) react to AG after all these years ^^
I 100% feel the gradual lowering of the target age from American Girl. And yeah, as an adult, I know these things aren't made to necessarily appeal to me. But they don't seem to be made for the ORIGINAL target demographic, either. I LOVED having my more grown-up, luxurious, 18-inch dolls based on well-written characters that came with complete chapter books (full of great illustrations!) as an 8 to 12-year-old. Where are the dolls for those girls now? 11-year-old me would have been disappointed with Summer's collection (ESPECIALLY if comparing it to past collections-- though, I agree, the doll herself is cute). But 4 or 5-year-old me? Would have been all over it. (Granted, this is a personal view, and plenty of 11-year-olds probably adore her, but the ones who are more like how I was... don't) Also, your opinion is valid, whether you played it up for laughs or not. Children don't deserve to be pandered to with cheaply made, overpriced schlock dyed pink and purple just because. I don't think this collection is QUITE as extreme as that, but the signs are absolutely there, and the concept comes off as soulless to those who still think of GOTY as having the same audience as the historicals (like you and me). Great video. ❤
1000% agree with you. that’s why i loved ag so much growing up, and still to this day, was that their books and their collections reflected TASTE and had a sense of maturity about them whereas now it’s clearly appealing to 4 year olds instead of 8+ :(
I think AG needs to start contacting adult collectors to be a part of the quality control system and the design process. Then the $125 price range could be justified.
my headcanon is that courtney and julie also wear glasses. i put glasses on both of them in my displays. they're just characters who have the right vibe for glasses, ya know?
I❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ur cat! In making Summer AG be like: Q:"How can we make more money?" A:"Add rainbows and recycle old goty ideas?" She's cute but underwhelming.
I just got the doll in the mail yesterday and LOVE her. The hair is so soft and the glasses really make it for me. I agree about the prices, but otherwise I like it!
My daughter is 7 and collects GOTY every year for Christmas. And my daughter would wear summers hair styles but not the meet outfit, maybe when she was 4/5 so I'm glad you brought that up!
Yes!! Of course every child has different tastes and that’s okay. But I kept thinking about myself when I was younger and I would be so turned off from her!
I do think that the way childhood is changing has an impact on what age AG is marketing towards. When I was a kid (I'm older than you by about ten years, I think), it was totally normal to play with dolls to eleven or twelve (and then secretly play with dolls to thirteen or fourteen). But when I interact with nine and ten-year-olds today (which I do as part of my job), they've already aged out of dolls and have moved onto other things - they aren't really playing with toys at all by that age, not consistently. They're on tablets and interested in skin care (???). I have a lot of feelings about the way childhood has changed, but AG as a corporation isn't going to work to change childhood and ages; they're just going to shift the age demographic that they market towards so that people might still buy the dolls, since a lot of nine and ten-year-olds aren't asking for dolls anymore.
I think Summer is really cute. The collection and outfits aren’t all my style. However, she is a doll. You can change her story. You can change her clothes. You can buy off brand stuff that is less expensive. I bet she is selling well despite the negative talk from adult collectors. Also, collectors act like they weren’t opening all the boxes up even when they had windows 😂 I was never a fan of the windows. I wish they would go back to the pleasant company boxes with that beautiful ribbon.
Thank you so much!!!! It’s like I can understand that prices may need to increase due to inflation, but to have the quality also go DOWN at the same time??? it’s just mind blowing
This goty probably would've gotten a better reception if she didn't immediately follow Lila who had such a big and thoughtful collection. Everything is just so rushed looking.
I actually hate the direction American girl is going. I wonder what pleasant Rolland thinks. I always wanted the historical girls as a kid. I connected to them so much through the books and movies. I loved that there were well thought out stories and that they continued to add to the historicals collections. Now, it just feels like they’re letting them die out and switching to Disney all the way. When they re-rereleased OG addy Kirstin and Josefina, I was hopeful but they didn’t even add to those collections this year.
i don't know well what to say; as I see, I like this doll, she looks, as always, well made, but - I underline it - without the glasses! I believe that the idea is to teach to don't discriminate the girls who have to wear them, but a more charming glasses model (as the Molly's ones) could be very better. About the box, as I already wrote in other comments, I agree that remove the inspection window was a bad idea: it was a characteristic feature of this dolls family and now the box looks a simple package not to be kept; there's instead no problem about the book holder made by recycled material; about the books, I read (and liked a lot) some of them, and I am not a child. Endly, I believe that this Summer, without glasses, is a good doll, but the historical characters have another charme: no doubt about it.
I've been out of the AG world since becoming a mom a couple of years ago and having two boys lol. But I used to collect as a kid, teen, and young adult. The absolute quality and design nosedive they have taken is so heartbreaking. You are so so right, her whole collection looks like tacky Walmart clothes, specifically the Jojo Siwa ones. These dolls used to be so classy, so well designed. How did we get here? Also idk if this is an unpopular opinion or not but I hate this face mold. Reusing it on her seems like again a test for yassifying their design even further, thinner face and features, trying to have that barbie doll girly look rather than the round cheeks and features that are so much more charming. My absolute favorite face mold is the Jess/Ivy one and this could not be more opposite.
Summer is a hard pass for me. I have all the other GOTYs and i was thinking i would stip after 25 but forget it. She is a huge disappointment. Her clothes look like something 4-year olds would like. Oh well, it means i get to eave my money for a change.
I have Summer's pajamas for my truly me 24 Jodie, which she looks adorable in, but I've been mostly thrifting 1995-2010 outfits for my doll because of how rainbowified AG has come, like yeah it's cute but I liked when the outfits were cohesive and actually something a 9-12 year old girl would wear.
You seem so down on this doll(and I don't blame you). But why would you even buy her when there are others that are prettier ? Were her pets cute or were they made kind of squished? I feel Nanea's pet is like that, so I'm afraid to order one.
@@lindaf382 i explain why she was purchased at the end of the video. ☺️ her dog was posable, so he was very firm. however, her cat was squishy like Nanea’s dog!
@@leahchattlila is my favorite girl of the year i love that shes from Minnesota and i am sad that her time is almost up and some of her items i don’t like but most of them i do i love lila goes for gold book its amazing i love how they put mckenna as a gymnastics coach and i thinks summers book and story will be amazing its just i want to enjoy my favorite girl of the year 2024 lila i just feel thats its rushed when its only september and summers collection is disappointing there are not as many things that i like
Summer is definitely a beautiful doll! We all have our likes and dislikes. 😊 One of my favorite GOTYs is Kira from 2021 who a lot of people do not enjoy LOL
@@leahchattkira was not my favorite girl of the year who people actually loved and lea who people loved was not my favorite i love summer for next year and her story just not her outfits i don’t like that they doing girl of the dolls are out before 2025 especially this year my favorite girl of the year is lila shes a gymnast and from mineeaota where i am from and i loved how they put mckenna girl of the year in 2012 as lilas gymnastics coach i love lilas never give up attitude and lila is beautiful and i hope to get the lila doll for chirstmas shes beautiful and lila is my favorite girl of the year and a lot of people have so i actually love lila the girl of the year and shes pretty popular
Fun video. Thanks for sharing your opinions. I know there have been a lot of mixed feelings about this doll. I am not a fan of the box. I think the doll is pretty and I love the Nanea mold, which I mentioned to you before, I think looks like you. 😄 Her fashion is not my aesthetic but I love her hair and glasses. I collect historicals so luckily I don’t feel a strong urge to get her. I actually like the Disney Princess dolls and hope to get Ariel at some point. 🥰
It’s cos nowadays many like really many 8-11 years olds are into skincare. So I guess so few of them would like to have an AG. But 5-7 still want this kind of stuff
i think what i hate the most of the new direction ag has taken as it feels like jingling keys in front of a baby, if that makes any sense. to me summer just feels like its targeted towards kids who watch cocomelon and listen to jojo siwa LMAO. its all way too overstimulating and colorful, and i dont think they realize that it doesnt need to be that way. kids dont just love super bright colors. if anything, when i was younger i liked the older historical outfits and items available for dolls. back when they werent super oversaturated and vibrant. to me, most current day dolls and ag items have lost their appeal because of that. they need to reach back into their roots. i miss when they took kids seriously as a demographic. theyve majorly lost what made them stand out in the first place
I am above the age of 2 (25) and I sleep In a onesie in the winter but my house doesn’t have central heat so it’s more of a warmth thing a bunch are made with Sherpa and I can layer under it too. They aren’t particularly comfortable, no lol.
Why would you buy Summer if you don't like her? I could never do that. Isn't there a doll on the secondary market that you would rather spend your money on?
We all have different tastes and as adults we need to remember these dolls were designed to appeal to children 6 years old. My granddaughters loved this doll and her collection. I am older than 2 and love a cozy onesie (No Shame). I hope you find some joy in the doll you purchased.
@@nailahvenable7989 like I pointed out in my description, we all have different opinions and that’s okay! it’s important to remember that this is a video and I am 100% being dramatic for entertainment purposes. however, i do believe this is a weak doll and she does not get a pass simply because she is for children. i believe children deserve better and more intelligent, thoughtful designs - like the dolls before Summer. I am very happy with my purchase of Summer and am satisfied with my complete GOTY collection. ☺️
I don’t have a store near me and I also hate the box design tho. It’s so cheap looking. Removing the window and making it all the berry color would’ve been better than whatever this isn’t
Turning 34 in January and I'm going to the American girl store for the first time and I believe summer is going to be my first doll I absolutely love her she reminds me of me and I want her to heal my inner child ❤❤❤
I agree with you 100% it’s not what it used to be at all and they can definitely forward to keep the genuine touch the brand had before Mattel turned it all into cheap plastic.. I don’t think you were negative but I think you were completely honest but when you were in the store had me laughing out loud lol because I would’ve been doing the same exact thing lol and the boxes for the doll are horrible too I agree I agree I agree lol 💯💯😊 they pick quantity over quality edit don’t take a genius to see that lol!! But girls this generation are a lot younger and they like that justice/ vibe too bad they can’t experience American girl the way we all used to!!! The last time I purchased it I was when they released Molly again and I don’t know if I plan on buying another one
I agree . I rushed to American girl subreddit when I found out this girl was released. I knew she was gonna be torn apart. Her whole design and character seems just too stereotypical. Like yea sure every little girl just loves puppies, rainbows and cupcakes!!! It’s so basic. We want a girl with a real personality. Even Lila was weak with personality too. I also don’t like the Nanea face mold with blonde hair. I’ve been inspired to go buy a secondhand Isabelle.
I know she is intended for kids but like why does it actually look like (as you said) jojo siwa x walmart x justice??? the story isnt impressive either, just feels cheap and lazy to me
I think they’re marketing to 6 year olds because with the screen tec the older kids aren’t into dolls has much ! She’s cute but it’s a pass for me. And having to buy whatever amazon sells in Canada never new releases glad you can pick one out in store Should be girl every 6 months cause they keep coming out way too early mind has well released her in July since her name is summer
Honestly this is the most realistic type of dolls I’ve seen from ag, because Summer looks like she’s ten, because let’s be real what ten year old has a phone (referring to joss) or a van, she might not be the cutest or greatest doll out of the gotys but she’s definitely one of the more accurate ones, because I was wearing outfits like summer when I was 10.
That’s a great point! I definitely think I was more like Joss (in terms of style) when I was her age, but a lot of kids are more like Summer. I just wish more thought went into her pieces! She would’ve been soooooo cute with the preppy style that is popular now!
Almost all of the 10 year olds in my class have phones, and many have better phones than I do. 10 year olds are my 5th and 6 grade class, none of them dress like that. None of my third graders did either. They are more into cheer, dance and sports, and no longer play with dolls. Summer dresses like the kinder and first graders. Maybe it's a cultural thing, so your mileage many vary.
Almost all of the 10 year olds in my class have phones, and many have better phones than I do. 10 year olds are my 5th and 6 grade class, none of them dress like that. None of my third graders did either. They are more into cheer, dance and sports, and no longer play with dolls. Summer dresses like the kinder and first graders. Maybe it's a cultural thing, so your mileage many vary.
Omg you’re hilarious 🤣 “this is thick as a sock 🧦” 😂 New subscriber 👍🏻 I also collect AG dolls and I like Summer. Her meet outfit is too childish for me but I’m buying her because she’s cute and I collect the GOTY dolls. I actually sleep in a onesie during winter months 😂 I actually love the onesie pj’s it’s super cute and her crochet dog that comes with the sleeping bag is adorable 🥰 Anyway, you crack me up 🤣 and this video was fun to watch!! 🤩
My daughter is old enough that she has daughters that are old enough to enjoy playing with these. I asked her when she was going through everything for her move that when the girls were old enough that she not give them the original four. We got ours in 1989. And then continue to add an add and more girls of today but it’s $75 apiece for that particular time. It was a lot of money and $25-$30 with a lot of money but that’s what it cost and when I look at what’s out there today the entire project started compared to what the quality is I am really disappointed. Yes, this is definitely a play lined doll. There’s no question about it. It’s not meant for collectors. It’s meant to be played with and giving her the new trundle bed, which is what I call that and reusing the kitchen as her kitchen will certainly help reduce any overstock that they have due to the price of the kitchen. But I know this one is going to be a Christmas present to one of the girls and the new ballerina skater. I don’t know what she is will be a gift for the other just like my original children, my grandchildren one is Olive skin and the other is Irish white. And they tend to like their dolls to match them. Fortunately, I will be able to do that $38 for a dog is too much money but it’s part of her story and the way I make my decisions for what they’ll get is my own diabolical madness. But these are definitely Christmas presents and they will be well loved. I still search for older items during the time between when we paused in our collection and then as the girls got older, we returned to it I do like your snarky commentary, I appreciate your honesty. You and I both know that not for you but because you collect the girls of today you add her to your collection. And even if I am disappointed in the quality of the clothes slipping again. This isn’t the first time this is the third or the fourth time but seven-year-olds are seven-year-olds when they are done playing with these they will not be put lovingly away to be stored , for another generation, the clothing will not stand the test of time. I am disappointed in her and to be perfectly honest with you to introduce the job of last week of the summer and give her that name is marketing nonsense, but being a good American girl grandmother just like I was a good American girl mother, my granddaughters will get what they want. And because I had a moment of total madness, we also have Anna and Elsa, who will go to live in Texas. I am much more interested in the Janie and Jack collaboration that’s coming and those are probably the clothes that I will buy and as I’m typing this, what I would call the Tru me series is 20% off for the weekend. There’s one I’m looking at that I want to add and that one is for me and she will wear the more traditional more older collector items that I have. thank you for taking us on your trip. I appreciate, the hassle that it’s going to be with the sealed box or the lack of the plastic window in the box. Please don’t lie to us with recycling less plastic know what you’re doing is covering up the dolls when you know we are particular to how they look and your quality control continues to slip, I am old enough to remember Barbie. I am older than she is. So I had them from the very beginning and slowly, but surely the quality changed, especially on the clothes. Of course you couldn’t have those clothes today. It would cost a fortune to make them, but the clothes of the early 60s were amazing. No the gloves didn’t fit and the shoe split and there are all sorts of other things I could spend time complaining about, but they were beautiful and I have my favorites. When Barbie reentered our lives when my daughter was three and I guess the Barbie police just showed up and left the packages at the door because she was three. I couldn’t believe how horrible the quality had become and this was a relationship that would go on until I saw the little ad and it was a little maybe 2 x 3“ ad about if you were tired of dolls that weren’t truly appropriate for young girls to play with, the American girl dolls I got the catalog and I think they were there in a week. And Allison got them one at a time for different reasons, but I can honestly say she started a collecting boom around her friends that I should’ve been commissioned for now I know we can’t go backwards, but Mattel has done to American girl what they did to Barbie. It’s so sad to see it twice. Thank you again for your sense of humor and the sad thing is it was a sense of humor that was drawn out of poor product. Good luck with your new girl don’t put her in the corner, it’s not her fault that her manufacturer jacks up the price and jacks down the quality.
I know this is an unpopular opinion but I happen to love her and her collection and I’m 42 and I have two of her. Let’s remember we are all different and we like different things. I do feel that we need better quality control across-the-board.
Maybe this is because I never got to have an American Girl doll growing up, but I think summer is pretty cute. I do think AG is unnecessarily expensive and the outfits has lot of colors. I think I just like her because it’s my dream doll I never got
I feel like you put words to my thoughts when you mentioned the “indecisiveness” yes the rainbow theming looks all scattered imo like damn pick a palette !!
I concur with your feelings on the doll and her collection. With everything going on with Mattel and them shutting down Etsy shops, I feel like I can’t support them right now.
OMG I want to make a video about AG shutting down the Etsy shops. It is just horrible and I also don’t know if I can continue to support a company that goes that low.
@@leahchattthe TH-cam channel “Savy Writes Books” did a nice rant on the whole situation.
th-cam.com/video/0dxEnX2pgfc/w-d-xo.htmlsi=g9FSTtXKvywBk4Fq
Just want to point out that this wording is incorrect. They are not "shutting down" Etsy businesses. They simply are unable to use their dolls and when businesses don't comply with these requests (after many/multiple warnings have you), they inevitably get shut down. in 2024 time, This is becoming expected. Disney has been doing this for years. Do you really think these businesses need to rely that heavily on 'big market' AG in order to survive? This is a bad attitude in itself about the strength of these businesses and the certainly of surviving independently because they most certainly will with such beautiful products. They simply need to use a dress form and/or other way. While we could dream of this "sunshiney" world with free support from a company, the world just doesn't operate that easily unfortunately.
@@leahchatt do it :) i made a video on that topic last week and people are INTERESTED!
It’s important to remember that this is a TH-cam video and this video is edited a certain way for entertainment purposes. This doll is for children, however I do not believe that excuses a weak design. Children deserve more intelligent, thoughtful designs that Summer just does not provide. We all have different opinions and that is okay. But let us remember to be respectful to everyone’s opinions, even those that may be negative.
Summer looks like my as a second grader
‘Like Jojo Siwa and my life as threw up at a Justice’
Mother of the most high God I couldn’t think of a better description of Summer and her collection 😂. She definitely is giving ‘My Millennial parents let me dress however I want’ vibes.
One thing that does not make much sense to me is that they raised the price to $125 but lowered the age demographic of the dolls. Like I know this is a luxury brand, still it doesn't make sense for these dolls to be more expensive with no improved quality and if it's geared towards a younger demographic, if anything that should automatically lower their price.
I think too many kids are growing up way too quickly due to social media. They want make-up and clothes now instead of playing with toys. It's so sad. I think that's why AG is trying to cater more to a younger demographic that still likes dolls. But I believe they should still be giving tweens a wholesome product to learn and grow with! The historical collection was always my favorite growing up. The books were great!
lol summer wasn’t even born when Isabelle was the goty 😂
STOPPPPP I did not even realize this 😅😅😅😅
@@leahchatt yeah she was born in 2015 😳
36 dollars for a potholder or whatever that thing that’s supposed to be a pet bed is.😂
NOT THE POTHOLDER LOL
EDIT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION: i am 32 and i wear onesies all the time. they're very comfy. :)
just subscribed :) summer is a cute doll, but her collection looks SO CHEAP and poorly made. i wish they fully leaned into the rescue dog thing and gave her a pit bull or a doberman or a mixed breed dog, or a senior dog. instead they made a dog who looks so much like coconut, who already exists?! i'm literally a woman who owns a dog-themed business and dresses in bright rainbow colors every day - i should be in love with summer! but summer looks CHEAP - like what's differentiating her from the other 18-inch doll brands?! AG was here for top quality + literature, and we got none of that with summer.
Onesies are wonderful.
I’m 77 and wear onesies too. I’m a widow, though. 😅
I love how funny and kind of snarky you were with your review! I would also love to own all the GOTY but I think I will wait for her and Lila to be sold in the second hand market.
I am so so tired of them recycling hobbies! As plenty of people have pointed out on agig, outdoorsy/hiking/camping dolls, car lovers, sports lovers- there are sooo many hobbies unexplored by them for goty’s!! I also find it strange that all these 8 year old characters are “girlbosses” and “entrepreneurs.” I feel like they’re heading down the pipeline of goty’s being “influencers” next 😬 I definitely miss all the dolls’ stories being about strong yet still childlike girls being brave in the real world.
Also, it’s so hard to feel like the collection is worth the price tag when it literally looks like OG/My life as stuff. Also also, i really feel that if they had just made a BFF Daisy doll to go with her, there would be waayyyyy less complaints. They’d have a black/doc doll goty without risking losing profits bc they’d still have a white goty, they’d have a BFF which everyone loves, it would be such a win-win!!
Props to you for still investing in American Girl. I had two as a kid, and my parents and I often bought accessory products from separate brands because the American Girl branded accessories were just too expensive. Seeing you at the store now looking at a rag for 36 dollars is nuts! You’ve made noble sacrifice keeping up with all the GOTY dolls, especially buying this one.
LOL thank you, thank you. I honestly don’t know how much longer I can keep investing in AG, at least with the GOTY line. It’s just a constant disappointment and I don’t want to garner an entire collection of dolls I’m not satisfied with 😔
this is the first video i’ve seen by you and as a now college student, I’ve always wanted an AG doll growing up but my family would NEVER buy a doll that expensive. But just today i thrifted a brand new Saige for $10😱 and it’s rly interesting seeing someone my age(ish) react to AG after all these years ^^
I 100% feel the gradual lowering of the target age from American Girl. And yeah, as an adult, I know these things aren't made to necessarily appeal to me. But they don't seem to be made for the ORIGINAL target demographic, either. I LOVED having my more grown-up, luxurious, 18-inch dolls based on well-written characters that came with complete chapter books (full of great illustrations!) as an 8 to 12-year-old.
Where are the dolls for those girls now? 11-year-old me would have been disappointed with Summer's collection (ESPECIALLY if comparing it to past collections-- though, I agree, the doll herself is cute). But 4 or 5-year-old me? Would have been all over it. (Granted, this is a personal view, and plenty of 11-year-olds probably adore her, but the ones who are more like how I was... don't)
Also, your opinion is valid, whether you played it up for laughs or not. Children don't deserve to be pandered to with cheaply made, overpriced schlock dyed pink and purple just because. I don't think this collection is QUITE as extreme as that, but the signs are absolutely there, and the concept comes off as soulless to those who still think of GOTY as having the same audience as the historicals (like you and me).
Great video. ❤
100000%!!!!!!!! I love your thoughts on this, thank you so so much. ❤❤❤
1000% agree with you. that’s why i loved ag so much growing up, and still to this day, was that their books and their collections reflected TASTE and had a sense of maturity about them whereas now it’s clearly appealing to 4 year olds instead of 8+ :(
I laughed out loud several times! 😂 And I completely agree, children deserve more thought out dolls than this. This is so bad. AG can do better.
Thank you so much! And yes!!! AG HAS and CAN do better than this.
Summer is fighting back the tears as she leans in for a cuddle
Weird that she’s all about small business as AG is trying to shut down small businesses on Etsy.
Yes!!!!! The irony is palpable
Couldn’t have said it better myself! Literally a heinous collection. So disrespectful for the collectors. Mattel hasn’t given us anything good to say
Yes! It’s so frustrating being a collector lately LOL
@@leahchatt literally nothing to be excited about 😭
My opinion is I’m someone who loves colorful things and I’m so happy they made such a colorful doll. The pricing though is INSANE!!
I think AG needs to start contacting adult collectors to be a part of the quality control system and the design process. Then the $125 price range could be justified.
my headcanon is that courtney and julie also wear glasses. i put glasses on both of them in my displays. they're just characters who have the right vibe for glasses, ya know?
I❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ur cat! In making Summer AG be like: Q:"How can we make more money?" A:"Add rainbows and recycle old goty ideas?" She's cute but underwhelming.
This is my first time viewing your channel and I find you hilarious and entertaining 😭💀
I just got the doll in the mail yesterday and LOVE her. The hair is so soft and the glasses really make it for me. I agree about the prices, but otherwise I like it!
My daughter is 7 and collects GOTY every year for Christmas. And my daughter would wear summers hair styles but not the meet outfit, maybe when she was 4/5 so I'm glad you brought that up!
Yes!! Of course every child has different tastes and that’s okay. But I kept thinking about myself when I was younger and I would be so turned off from her!
I do think that the way childhood is changing has an impact on what age AG is marketing towards. When I was a kid (I'm older than you by about ten years, I think), it was totally normal to play with dolls to eleven or twelve (and then secretly play with dolls to thirteen or fourteen). But when I interact with nine and ten-year-olds today (which I do as part of my job), they've already aged out of dolls and have moved onto other things - they aren't really playing with toys at all by that age, not consistently. They're on tablets and interested in skin care (???). I have a lot of feelings about the way childhood has changed, but AG as a corporation isn't going to work to change childhood and ages; they're just going to shift the age demographic that they market towards so that people might still buy the dolls, since a lot of nine and ten-year-olds aren't asking for dolls anymore.
I think Summer is really cute. The collection and outfits aren’t all my style. However, she is a doll. You can change her story. You can change her clothes. You can buy off brand stuff that is less expensive. I bet she is selling well despite the negative talk from adult collectors.
Also, collectors act like they weren’t opening all the boxes up even when they had windows 😂
I was never a fan of the windows. I wish they would go back to the pleasant company boxes with that beautiful ribbon.
i love your videos so much , i agree with everything you said 😭 the prices vs the quality of this collection is sad
Thank you so much!!!! It’s like I can understand that prices may need to increase due to inflation, but to have the quality also go DOWN at the same time??? it’s just mind blowing
This goty probably would've gotten a better reception if she didn't immediately follow Lila who had such a big and thoughtful collection. Everything is just so rushed looking.
Yes 100%!
I actually hate the direction American girl is going. I wonder what pleasant Rolland thinks. I always wanted the historical girls as a kid. I connected to them so much through the books and movies. I loved that there were well thought out stories and that they continued to add to the historicals collections. Now, it just feels like they’re letting them die out and switching to Disney all the way. When they re-rereleased OG addy Kirstin and Josefina, I was hopeful but they didn’t even add to those collections this year.
Ok this channel is a vibe and I'm soooo smashing the subscribe button ✅
Thank you so much!! ❤
i don't know well what to say; as I see, I like this doll, she looks, as always, well made, but - I underline it - without the glasses! I believe that the idea is to teach to don't discriminate the girls who have to wear them, but a more charming glasses model (as the Molly's ones) could be very better.
About the box, as I already wrote in other comments, I agree that remove the inspection window was a bad idea: it was a characteristic feature of this dolls family and now the box looks a simple package not to be kept; there's instead no problem about the book holder made by recycled material; about the books, I read (and liked a lot) some of them, and I am not a child.
Endly, I believe that this Summer, without glasses, is a good doll, but the historical characters have another charme: no doubt about it.
I've been out of the AG world since becoming a mom a couple of years ago and having two boys lol. But I used to collect as a kid, teen, and young adult. The absolute quality and design nosedive they have taken is so heartbreaking. You are so so right, her whole collection looks like tacky Walmart clothes, specifically the Jojo Siwa ones. These dolls used to be so classy, so well designed. How did we get here?
Also idk if this is an unpopular opinion or not but I hate this face mold. Reusing it on her seems like again a test for yassifying their design even further, thinner face and features, trying to have that barbie doll girly look rather than the round cheeks and features that are so much more charming. My absolute favorite face mold is the Jess/Ivy one and this could not be more opposite.
Summer is a hard pass for me. I have all the other GOTYs and i was thinking i would stip after 25 but forget it. She is a huge disappointment. Her clothes look like something 4-year olds would like. Oh well, it means i get to eave my money for a change.
I have Summer's pajamas for my truly me 24 Jodie, which she looks adorable in, but I've been mostly thrifting 1995-2010 outfits for my doll because of how rainbowified AG has come, like yeah it's cute but I liked when the outfits were cohesive and actually something a 9-12 year old girl would wear.
You seem so down on this doll(and I don't blame you). But why would you even buy her when there are others that are prettier ? Were her pets cute or were they made kind of squished? I feel Nanea's pet is like that, so I'm afraid to order one.
@@lindaf382 i explain why she was purchased at the end of the video. ☺️ her dog was posable, so he was very firm. however, her cat was squishy like Nanea’s dog!
GOTY is out already? Why?
She is now the Girl of the Fiscal Year LOL
@@leahchattlila is my favorite girl of the year i love that shes from Minnesota and i am sad that her time is almost up and some of her items i don’t like but most of them i do i love lila goes for gold book its amazing i love how they put mckenna as a gymnastics coach and i thinks summers book and story will be amazing its just i want to enjoy my favorite girl of the year 2024 lila i just feel thats its rushed when its only september and summers collection is disappointing there are not as many things that i like
She is cute and needs the most grunge wardrobe a doll has ever had.
As an adult collector I think Summer is a beautiful doll and has an amazing collection.
Summer is definitely a beautiful doll! We all have our likes and dislikes. 😊 One of my favorite GOTYs is Kira from 2021 who a lot of people do not enjoy LOL
@@leahchattkira was not my favorite girl of the year who people actually loved and lea who people loved was not my favorite i love summer for next year and her story just not her outfits i don’t like that they doing girl of the dolls are out before 2025 especially this year my favorite girl of the year is lila shes a gymnast and from mineeaota where i am from and i loved how they put mckenna girl of the year in 2012 as lilas gymnastics coach i love lilas never give up attitude and lila is beautiful and i hope to get the lila doll for chirstmas shes beautiful and lila is my favorite girl of the year and a lot of people have so i actually love lila the girl of the year and shes pretty popular
Fun video. Thanks for sharing your opinions. I know there have been a lot of mixed feelings about this doll. I am not a fan of the box. I think the doll is pretty and I love the Nanea mold, which I mentioned to you before, I think looks like you. 😄 Her fashion is not my aesthetic but I love her hair and glasses. I collect historicals so luckily I don’t feel a strong urge to get her. I actually like the Disney Princess dolls and hope to get Ariel at some point. 🥰
It’s cos nowadays many like really many 8-11 years olds are into skincare. So I guess so few of them would like to have an AG. But 5-7 still want this kind of stuff
i think what i hate the most of the new direction ag has taken as it feels like jingling keys in front of a baby, if that makes any sense. to me summer just feels like its targeted towards kids who watch cocomelon and listen to jojo siwa LMAO. its all way too overstimulating and colorful, and i dont think they realize that it doesnt need to be that way. kids dont just love super bright colors. if anything, when i was younger i liked the older historical outfits and items available for dolls. back when they werent super oversaturated and vibrant. to me, most current day dolls and ag items have lost their appeal because of that. they need to reach back into their roots. i miss when they took kids seriously as a demographic. theyve majorly lost what made them stand out in the first place
There must be something wrong with me. I’m almost 77 and I think the doll, meet outfit, and sandals are so cute.
also the lana del rey shirt slays
Thanks for sharing!! I'm hoping I get another chance to get a Samantha and Felicity repro!
I am above the age of 2 (25) and I sleep In a onesie in the winter but my house doesn’t have central heat so it’s more of a warmth thing a bunch are made with Sherpa and I can layer under it too. They aren’t particularly comfortable, no lol.
Why would you buy Summer if you don't like her? I could never do that. Isn't there a doll on the secondary market that you would rather spend your money on?
@@lisbetsoda4874 I explained why I purchased her several times in the video. Even though I don’t love her, I enjoy collecting the GOTY dolls!
@@leahchatt I just don't follow that logic, but alright. To each her own.
We all have different tastes and as adults we need to remember these dolls were designed to appeal to children 6 years old. My granddaughters loved this doll and her collection. I am older than 2 and love a cozy onesie (No Shame). I hope you find some joy in the doll you purchased.
@@nailahvenable7989 like I pointed out in my description, we all have different opinions and that’s okay! it’s important to remember that this is a video and I am 100% being dramatic for entertainment purposes. however, i do believe this is a weak doll and she does not get a pass simply because she is for children. i believe children deserve better and more intelligent, thoughtful designs - like the dolls before Summer. I am very happy with my purchase of Summer and am satisfied with my complete GOTY collection. ☺️
I don’t have a store near me and I also hate the box design tho. It’s so cheap looking. Removing the window and making it all the berry color would’ve been better than whatever this isn’t
Turning 34 in January and I'm going to the American girl store for the first time and I believe summer is going to be my first doll I absolutely love her she reminds me of me and I want her to heal my inner child ❤❤❤
I AGREE 100 percent with you. The worst one... ever.. I want to sell all my GOTY instead of keep buying them when I don't like them at all!
Yes! I honestly think I need to draw the line soon bc I can’t keep buying dolls I don’t 100% love
I agree with you 100% it’s not what it used to be at all and they can definitely forward to keep the genuine touch the brand had before Mattel turned it all into cheap plastic.. I don’t think you were negative but I think you were completely honest but when you were in the store had me laughing out loud lol because I would’ve been doing the same exact thing lol and the boxes for the doll are horrible too I agree I agree I agree lol 💯💯😊 they pick quantity over quality edit don’t take a genius to see that lol!! But girls this generation are a lot younger and they like that justice/ vibe too bad they can’t experience American girl the way we all used to!!! The last time I purchased it I was when they released Molly again and I don’t know if I plan on buying another one
Was waiting for this🎉
I agree . I rushed to American girl subreddit when I found out this girl was released. I knew she was gonna be torn apart. Her whole design and character seems just too stereotypical. Like yea sure every little girl just loves puppies, rainbows and cupcakes!!! It’s so basic. We want a girl with a real personality. Even Lila was weak with personality too. I also don’t like the Nanea face mold with blonde hair. I’ve been inspired to go buy a secondhand Isabelle.
I know she is intended for kids but like why does it actually look like (as you said) jojo siwa x walmart x justice??? the story isnt impressive either, just feels cheap and lazy to me
No wonder Mattel keeps winning, ppl will buy all their 💩 regardless.
Attention Aunt Cindy please make sure that I get Summer😢
i hate summers squish mallow hyper rainbow vibe going on, i get it tho 10 year olds may like this vibe these days but like ugh it'll age so badly!
i love this content 😍😍😍😍😍
Is that your bf or gbf? I'm new.
I think they’re marketing to 6 year olds because with the screen tec the older kids aren’t into dolls has much ! She’s cute but it’s a pass for me.
And having to buy whatever amazon sells in Canada never new releases glad you can pick one out in store
Should be girl every 6 months cause they keep coming out way too early mind has well released her in July since her name is summer
The american girl dolls are looking more and more like the our generation dolls quality wise. They used to be so cute.
2:36 Coconut lives!!!
Not “taste colors” …Bah! Perfect for this doll!
she is certainly….. very colorful LOL
Age is a number top I have a 4 year old who plays nicely with dolls she's getting her first AG in January
Summer isn't bad
Omg you have the exact same cat I do
Yes is the worst doll and expensive they said is for children but who is paying for it parents and we need to like it too for that price 😢
Absolutely!
Everybody used to be able to enjoy American girl dolls, now they’re just for little kids smh
Honestly this is the most realistic type of dolls I’ve seen from ag, because Summer looks like she’s ten, because let’s be real what ten year old has a phone (referring to joss) or a van, she might not be the cutest or greatest doll out of the gotys but she’s definitely one of the more accurate ones, because I was wearing outfits like summer when I was 10.
That’s a great point! I definitely think I was more like Joss (in terms of style) when I was her age, but a lot of kids are more like Summer. I just wish more thought went into her pieces! She would’ve been soooooo cute with the preppy style that is popular now!
Almost all of the 10 year olds in my class have phones, and many have better phones than I do. 10 year olds are my 5th and 6 grade class, none of them dress like that. None of my third graders did either. They are more into cheer, dance and sports, and no longer play with dolls. Summer dresses like the kinder and first graders. Maybe it's a cultural thing, so your mileage many vary.
Almost all of the 10 year olds in my class have phones, and many have better phones than I do. 10 year olds are my 5th and 6 grade class, none of them dress like that. None of my third graders did either. They are more into cheer, dance and sports, and no longer play with dolls. Summer dresses like the kinder and first graders. Maybe it's a cultural thing, so your mileage many vary.
Reminds me of jojo siwa
Unpopular opinion...I LOVE Summer she's beautiful to me and I was so happy when I saw her.
I feel the same way. In fact I loved everything about her💕💕💕💕
fr
I love the meet dress! Really.
Omg you’re hilarious 🤣 “this is thick as a sock 🧦” 😂 New subscriber 👍🏻 I also collect AG dolls and I like Summer. Her meet outfit is too childish for me but I’m buying her because she’s cute and I collect the GOTY dolls. I actually sleep in a onesie during winter months 😂 I actually love the onesie pj’s it’s super cute and her crochet dog that comes with the sleeping bag is adorable 🥰 Anyway, you crack me up 🤣 and this video was fun to watch!! 🤩
the GOTYs are getting so boring these past years
My daughter is old enough that she has daughters that are old enough to enjoy playing with these. I asked her when she was going through everything for her move that when the girls were old enough that she not give them the original four. We got ours in 1989. And then continue to add an add and more girls of today but it’s $75 apiece for that particular time. It was a lot of money and $25-$30 with a lot of money but that’s what it cost and when I look at what’s out there today the entire project started compared to what the quality is I am really disappointed. Yes, this is definitely a play lined doll. There’s no question about it. It’s not meant for collectors. It’s meant to be played with and giving her the new trundle bed, which is what I call that and reusing the kitchen as her kitchen will certainly help reduce any overstock that they have due to the price of the kitchen. But I know this one is going to be a Christmas present to one of the girls and the new ballerina skater. I don’t know what she is will be a gift for the other just like my original children, my grandchildren one is Olive skin and the other is Irish white. And they tend to like their dolls to match them. Fortunately, I will be able to do that $38 for a dog is too much money but it’s part of her story and the way I make my decisions for what they’ll get is my own diabolical madness. But these are definitely Christmas presents and they will be well loved. I still search for older items during the time between when we paused in our collection and then as the girls got older, we returned to it I do like your snarky commentary, I appreciate your honesty. You and I both know that not for you but because you collect the girls of today you add her to your collection.
And even if I am disappointed in the quality of the clothes slipping again. This isn’t the first time this is the third or the fourth time but seven-year-olds are seven-year-olds when they are done playing with these they will not be put lovingly away to be stored , for another generation, the clothing will not stand the test of time. I am disappointed in her and to be perfectly honest with you to introduce the job of last week of the summer and give her that name is marketing nonsense, but being a good American girl grandmother just like I was a good American girl mother, my granddaughters will get what they want. And because I had a moment of total madness, we also have Anna and Elsa, who will go to live in Texas. I am much more interested in the Janie and Jack collaboration that’s coming and those are probably the clothes that I will buy and as I’m typing this, what I would call the Tru me series is 20% off for the weekend. There’s one I’m looking at that I want to add and that one is for me and she will wear the more traditional more older collector items that I have. thank you for taking us on your trip. I appreciate, the hassle that it’s going to be with the sealed box or the lack of the plastic window in the box. Please don’t lie to us with recycling less plastic know what you’re doing is covering up the dolls when you know we are particular to how they look and your quality control continues to slip, I am old enough to remember Barbie. I am older than she is. So I had them from the very beginning and slowly, but surely the quality changed, especially on the clothes. Of course you couldn’t have those clothes today. It would cost a fortune to make them, but the clothes of the early 60s were amazing. No the gloves didn’t fit and the shoe split and there are all sorts of other things I could spend time complaining about, but they were beautiful and I have my favorites. When Barbie reentered our lives when my daughter was three and I guess the Barbie police just showed up and left the packages at the door because she was three. I couldn’t believe how horrible the quality had become and this was a relationship that would go on until I saw the little ad and it was a little maybe 2 x 3“ ad about if you were tired of dolls that weren’t truly appropriate for young girls to play with, the American girl dolls I got the catalog and I think they were there in a week. And Allison got them one at a time for different reasons, but I can honestly say she started a collecting boom around her friends that I should’ve been commissioned for now I know we can’t go backwards, but Mattel has done to American girl what they did to Barbie. It’s so sad to see it twice. Thank you again for your sense of humor and the sad thing is it was a sense of humor that was drawn out of poor product. Good luck with your new girl don’t put her in the corner, it’s not her fault that her manufacturer jacks up the price and jacks down the quality.
Ya, padding on this one. She is really lame. So sick of the animal stuff too
I LOVE fettuccine
I know this is an unpopular opinion but I happen to love her and her collection and I’m 42 and I have two of her. Let’s remember we are all different and we like different things. I do feel that we need better quality control across-the-board.
This just proves what they say aboit opinions
Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion, babe! ☺️
Maybe this is because I never got to have an American Girl doll growing up, but I think summer is pretty cute. I do think AG is unnecessarily expensive and the outfits has lot of colors. I think I just like her because it’s my dream doll I never got
I feel like you put words to my thoughts when you mentioned the “indecisiveness” yes the rainbow theming looks all scattered imo like damn pick a palette !!