Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Law Students Blogs -> Legally Blonde Ambition

OR PHONE (866) 635-1838 for Bankruptcy Help, (866) 635-6190 for Divorce,
(866) 635-2689 for Personal Injury or (866) 635-9402 for Criminal Defense

Find a Local Lawyer

Bankruptcy (866) 635-1838
Divorce (866) 635-6190
Personal Injury (866) 635-2689
Criminal Defense (866) 635-9402

Law Students

: Legally Blonde Ambition

American Girl

By "Daisy Duke"

ADVERTISEMENTS

When my family moved from Europe back to the United States we received a catalog from my Grandmother. Inside the catalog was a collection of dolls, three to be exact, by a company known as Pleasant Company, named after the founder, Pleasant T. Rowland. The dolls were charming & historical, they were made to play and change their clothes, they came with books that were also historical. They were well-made. They had the official Grandmother-Stamp-of-Approval & then my parents. They were...divine. They were expensive. And I coveted Samantha Parkington, in all of her Victorian-era glory. Her dresses & her doll & her beautiful brass bed. So my parents told me that based on my meager savings I was $52 away from the purchase price, which was around $82. My allowance was 50 cents a week.

You do the math.

And so, for 104 weeks I saved my quarters in my piggy bank. Starting in first grade I saved those quarters for two years. No candy, no My Little Pony, no Barbies. I was saving for my very own American Girl doll. And finally, when I had enough money (my parents spotted me shipping & handling, but not before explaining it to me & having me burst into tears because, OH MY GOODNESS THAT IS 12 MORE WEEKS!) And so Samantha was mine. She was perfect. I didn't have enough money (seriously, 50 cents a week for my allowance???) to order any additional outfits for her, but my Mom's friend had a doll pattern and made me some dresses for her. I played with her every day. I loved her.

In 1991, Pleasant Company/American Girl added Felicity Merriman to the line-up & my Grandmother, somehow, scored tickets to a tea introducing Felicity in colonial Williamsburg. My cousins came up from Florida (with Molly & Kirsten dolls) and we dressed up and, OMG, we MET PLEASANT T. ROWLAND the founder!! And we got to be the very first people to see Felicity. The memories of that wonderful afternoon are firmly etched in my head. Pleasant gave a speech and made my Mom cry. Our dolls were served their very own tea cups. A few weeks later Pleasant sent thank-you notes to all the little girls who came to her tea party, with a crisp $1 bill inside, with a note to our Mama's saying that "all little girls love to get mail." That year for Christmas Felicity was under the tree. Oh my goodness, was I a happy camper. Now my doll had a best friend.

In 1993, the company added Addy Walker to line-up, in all of her Civil War history glory. By this point my allowance was $1 a week and I saved up my crumpled bills & bought Addy. Over the years for Christmas & birthdays I received outfits, and my Mom found two antique suitcases that she relined for me, that all of my dolls & their clothes fit into perfectly. I dressed them, and redressed them, and took them on vacations. Me and mah girls.

In 1998, Pleasant Company sold out to Mattel. Shortly the boom started, the American Girl stores, the idiotic Doll of Today (there is no history in the Doll of Today!!) and movies and plays, and blah blah blah blah. The old memories still shine through sometimes though, in 2005 my youngest girl cousin (age 8) got to go on her first "grown up trip" and flew out to Chicago to spend a weekend with me. I took her to the store, and watched her face light up. I gave her $30 to spend, and watched her agonize over what to bring home & show her friend from the real, live American Girl Store! We spent two hours in the store, looking at every doll & accessory & book and had a great time.

But? Yesterday? Mattel announced they are discontinuing Samantha.

And all I have to say is, Mattel, you are dead to me. Me & my original doll are going home and you are not invited to our birthday party.

Full post as published by Legally Blonde Ambition on October 15, 2008 (boomark / email).