Dolly Market Forum

I was speaking to a gentleman from the UK just yesterday, and he was wearing a "California" t-shirt with "California" written in similar rainbow hues.
Two examples should be enough to suggest a stereotype of all British people having a weird obsession with "progressive" California culture, right?
What's up with this?

There was a time when California meant "motion pictures" and "Hollywood." Then it came to be represented by "car culture," hot rods and the like. Then it became known for "surf culture." Then there came the "Summer of Love" and everybody went to San Francisco with flowers in their hair.

I guess nowadays everybody in the UK thinks of California as being some kind of liberal, progressive, high-tech 21st-Century version of a giant hippie commune. Except, the hippies are all rich and drive Tesla cars and live in glass mansions overlooking the ocean while espousing a "carbon neutral" lifestyle.



If neon_jellyfish had not pointed it out, I probably would also have assumed with a glance that Bette was wearing a Narnia shirt. That looks like a lion on the front, and at first glance it's the letters "... nia" that stand out.

I like that word: "Califonarnia." You could probably make some money designing logos and emblems and such... and putting them on t-shirts... and selling them to people from the UK.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Cell Phone, more like.

Not to quash your British-people-being-obsessed-with-California right off the bat, but I'm pretty sure the doll is wearing this Barbie shirt/ dress: https://www.ebay.com/itm/2018-BARBIE-CUR...Sw1jpb56a2

Barbie brand IS obsessed with California. If you're going to dress any of your dolls in Barbie/ Ken clothes (as many of us do), you're probably going to end up with at least a couple California or Malibu shirts!

(08-23-2019, 04:30 AM)dargosmydaddy Wrote: [ -> ]Not to quash your British-people-being-obsessed-with-California right off the bat, but I'm pretty sure the doll is wearing this Barbie shirt/ dress:  

Okay, I am genuinely impressed by that quick I.D. of the specific clothing item!

Barbie is the quintessential California Girl, originating in Hawthorn, California. Mattel actually used to make many of their products in California. Back before, y'know, California became all ultra-whatever-it-is and pretty much banned all forms of manufacturing and started requiring a "This Product Causes Cancer" warning label on every single thing that is made or sold there.

Califonarnia, though... I really want to see that now.

Wait... now I'm confused. Isn't Bette a larger scale figure? How could that Barbie top fit her?

Anyway, out of a million different Barbie outfits, Bette is choosing to wear a Barbie top with "California" written in rainbow lettering, just like the lettering on the shirt the British guy I was talking to yesterday was wearing. So I stand by my stereotypical mischaracterization. (The guy wearing the t-shirt was not wearing a bowler hat, which I found disappointing.   )

That shirt is fantastic, and she’s very intent on whatever is happing on the phone.

And the rainbow dress/top is very cute too. And shiny & sparkly- just the thing for a well-dressed cat to be noticed in

Who doesn't need a sparkly rainbow-y outfit?

(08-23-2019, 02:01 AM)neon_jellyfish Wrote: [ -> ]At first I thought it was a Narnia t-shirt. Califonarnia? The Lion, the Witch and the ...Bookshelf?

... I could probably find stuff to make that a picture series. Also Califonarnia sounds like a place where it is eternally the summer holidays.

(08-23-2019, 04:09 AM)davidd Wrote: [ -> ]I was speaking to a gentleman from the UK just yesterday, and he was wearing a "California" t-shirt with "California" written in similar rainbow hues.
Two examples should be enough to suggest a stereotype of all British people having a weird obsession with "progressive" California culture, right?
What's up with this?

[snip for length]

   

If neon_jellyfish had not pointed it out, I probably would also have assumed with a glance that Bette was wearing a Narnia shirt. That looks like a lion on the front, and at first glance it's the letters "... nia" that stand out.

I like that word: "Califonarnia." You could probably make some money designing logos and emblems and such... and putting them on t-shirts... and selling them to people from the UK.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Cell Phone, more like.

Honestly, my image of California is too much sun, and everything being ridiculously overpriced. But I think you're not wrong in your estimation, actually. There is a big thing about the idea of it being a progressively liberal place. And... I say that being from a country that is known to be quite progressive and liberal, especially when compared to our nearest neighbours. 

Bette finds herself stuck in Califonarnia. She meets neither the Lion nor the Witch because she has a great roaming plan on her phone, and is able to find the way home quickly. ... Well, it's a subversion of a tale. 

(08-23-2019, 04:52 AM)davidd Wrote: [ -> ]

(08-23-2019, 04:30 AM)dargosmydaddy Wrote: [ -> ]Not to quash your British-people-being-obsessed-with-California right off the bat, but I'm pretty sure the doll is wearing this Barbie shirt/ dress:  

Okay, I am genuinely impressed by that quick I.D. of the specific clothing item!

Wait... now I'm confused. Isn't Bette a larger scale figure? How could that Barbie top fit her?

dargo is right, the shirt is from a Barbie fashion pack. Since Barbie has introduced different body shapes, it's a bit easier to find things to fit Bette. While she is a larger 1/6 scale figure (33cm to the average 27cm of a fashion doll, and thicker), I've found that items for the curvy and tall Barbies can fit her quite nicely. I'll take some pics and make a thread: What Fits Bette? In case anyone comes across the figure and wants to get one for themselves and is looking for quick clothing options.

(08-23-2019, 07:44 AM)Lejays17 Wrote: [ -> ]That shirt is fantastic, and she’s very intent on whatever is happing on the phone.

And the rainbow dress/top is very cute too.  And shiny & sparkly- just the thing for a well-dressed cat to be noticed in 

I believe she was playing a game. Or possibly reading.

Victoria says thank you! She's added the white striped leggings she arrived here dressed in underneath. It looks really nice.

(08-23-2019, 11:32 AM)Alliecat Wrote: [ -> ]Who doesn't need a sparkly rainbow-y outfit?

Clearly, we all do. Because sparkly rainbow-y outfits just make people smile. 

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235: Doom Buggy

The hitchiking ghosts have found a new way to get around...

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the original Haunted Mansion attraction at the Disney Parks. As such, there's been a ton of merchandise released, some of which is even making it's way to the shopDisney UK website! This is part of their ornaments range, and I actually picked it up in store when I was there the other week. It'll be able to sit out, year round, on my bookshevles and just be a cool display piece.

Here's the unfiltered photo, for those curious:

They look like a delightful bunch of chaps. Do they glow in the dark? Your Haunted Mansion collection is quite big, isn't it?

(08-23-2019, 11:07 PM)neon_jellyfish Wrote: [ -> ]They look like a delightful bunch of chaps. Do they glow in the dark? Your Haunted Mansion collection is quite big, isn't it?

They do not glow in the dark, though they are painted as if they should. My collection of Haunted Mansion related stuff is quite small - tsums, books, and the doll, which is really only a few items. That being said, I've never been to the parks so with that considered, that I have anything is amazing.

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236: 1/4 Scale Height Comparison

Mostly just taken to satisfy my own curiosity here. Wanted to see how these girls were comparable height wise as I've never actually checked. I know Matilda's hat piece (I can't remember the actual name of it) makes her look taller, but she is only the second tallest. 

But yeah. There we go.

Hayley and Matilda look like they're taking the photo-session seriously, Maudsie looks bored to death and China seems to be thinking about something yummy... Reminds me of mandatory class group photos in elementary school. I was always either bored or thinking about something yummy...

Interesting comparison. They're all of a suitable size to play together...

You've never been to a Disney theme park? I did not know that, and it comes as a bit of a surprise seeing as how you are a fan of many (but not all) things Disney.

I found this article about the five different Haunted Mansion attractions interesting: Ranking the Haunted Mansions. According to this, Walt Disney had begun planning the Haunted Mansion before Disneyland had been built, but he did not live to see it finally open.

Do you have a Donny Osmond action figure among your Haunted Mansion memorabilia?

Maudlynne looks so wonderfully not-wanting-to-be-here in today's photo! 

I’ve been lucky enough to go to 2 Disney parks, and I’ve done Disneyworld twice.

It’s always interesting to see the “same” sized dolls aren’t really the same.

Matilda looks very elegant.

ETA: a quick image search thinks the headpiece is a French Tudor Hood - there’s a few variations of the style. A couple I saw were from The Tudors (tv) and The Other Boleyn Girl, so May or may not be actually correct

(08-25-2019, 01:55 AM)neon_jellyfish Wrote: [ -> ]Hayley and Matilda look like they're taking the photo-session seriously, Maudsie looks bored to death and China seems to be thinking about something yummy... Reminds me of mandatory class group photos in elementary school. I was always either bored or thinking about something yummy...

Matilda takes everything seriously, and I think Hayley was just trying to be nice by agreeing with her. Mauds hates having her photo taken and China is just so easily distracted. Now that you mention it, I was always bored during those photos as well...

(08-25-2019, 02:43 AM)Alliecat Wrote: [ -> ]Interesting comparison.  They're all of a suitable size to play together...

Which is very useful for pic-fics! 

(08-25-2019, 03:00 AM)davidd Wrote: [ -> ]You've never been to a Disney theme park? I did not know that, and it comes as a bit of a surprise seeing as how you are a fan of many (but not all) things Disney.

I found this article about the five different Haunted Mansion attractions interesting: Ranking the Haunted Mansions. According to this, Walt Disney had begun planning the Haunted Mansion before Disneyland had been built, but he did not live to see it finally open.

Do you have a Donny Osmond action figure among your Haunted Mansion memorabilia?

Maudlynne looks so wonderfully not-wanting-to-be-here in today's photo! 

I was meant to go to Disney Paris following graduating from university with my parents and brother. A present, for having made it through. The day we were due to travel, I ended up in hospital having suffered such a big panic attack they legitimately thought I was having a heart attack. I wasn't, thankfully, but was advised against any traveling. We did get a full refund from Disney due to the circumstances. 

Oh yeah, one of the stories about it was that he had been wanting to do a haunted house type attraction for years, having greatly enjoyed visiting those types himself. The article is a really interesting read, thank you - I love finding out the differences between the attractions in the different parks.

Lol I do not. Nor did I know that video existed. 

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Mauds just hates having to pose and get her picture taken. 

(08-25-2019, 10:44 AM)Elfy Wrote: [ -> ]I’ve been lucky enough to go to 2 Disney parks, and I’ve done Disneyworld twice.

Oh, wow, that is so lucky! I would love to get the chance to go. I will keep hoping. 

(08-25-2019, 10:52 AM)Lejays17 Wrote: [ -> ]It’s  always interesting to see the “same” sized dolls aren’t really the same.

Matilda looks very elegant.

ETA: a quick image search thinks the headpiece is a French Tudor Hood - there’s a few variations of the style.  A couple I saw were from The Tudors (tv) and The Other Boleyn Girl, so May or may not be actually correct  

Matilda is the first doll of the A Girl For All Time line, sort of the British equivalent of American Girls. She's elegant as - per her story - she's the young cousin of Katherine Howard and has been brought to court to keep her company. It means a whole new wardrobe to fit in with the fashions of the courtiers. For the doll, the outfit is multiple pieces, made out of really good quality fabrics. She's well worth her cost, and I was fortunate to pick her up ridiculously cheap.

Actually, from my own searching and checking, I think you are exactly right. The French styles were oddly in fashion during the reign of Henry VIII, despite his continously trying to start a war with them. 

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237: Model Behaviour

Momoko was delighted with the chance to model some Lolita fashions. This is that same Parabox dress that Sidra has claimed. Told you it tended to suit a lot of different dolls. Though, it is Sidra's now.

I love Loli fashions, especially on dolls! I myself could never pull that look off, but I really enjoy it on the little plastic people. Momoko's hairstyle is perfect for this look!