Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Lammily Doll: Opinion Post

My long awaited Lammily doll arrived today. Her name is Lily Nickols, for no other reason than because I enjoy coming up with names that relate to a doll's given name and/or origin. I knew from order tracking that the parcel was out for delivery this morning, but I was a bit worried when I didn’t see a box on the doorstep upon pulling into the driveway this evening. I was surprised to find that she was packaged in a box small enough to fit in the mail box. That was the first positive thing- No wasted materials in shipping. Upon opening the box, I saw that she was heftier than I expected. 


Videos of coached second graders aside, here are the initial reactions of my six year old daughter:
Upon seeing the picture on the outside of the box: “Is she a girl scout?” Perhaps she thought the suitcase stickers were badges?
Upon seeing the doll inside the box: “She looks big.”
Me: What do you mean?
Mara lifts the dolls shirt and points, “Her tummy is big. She’s pretty.”
Upon spotting the pamphlet that was inside the box: “Can I read the book?”
Upon finishing her out loud reading of the pamphlet: “She’s been in Toronto, Australia, and Paris. Doesn’t that sound like an adventure?”

The second positive thing was that the packaging was mostly frustration-free. All I had to do was loosen two twist ties, cut two plastic thingies, and remove the plastic holding her hair in place.


Lily’s hair is soft and two shades of brown. Her head is bigger than a collector Barbie doll’s head, but smaller if not the same size as most playline dolls and smaller than the Kenya dolls.


I photographed Lily with some of my curvier ladies for comparison before undressing her. 


She has molded panties and a smaller bust than I expected. But, do you really expect me to believe that the average nineteen year old has this much junk in the trunk? She has click knees and elbows with articulated wrists and ankles. And now for the first negative, and it’s a big one: Her range of motion is surprisingly limited. As you can see, she cannot open her legs very much, much less sit like a lady. She has individual toes, but her ankles are her greatest weakness. They can’t support her weight at all. She can’t even come close to standing on her own. In fact she flopped forward or backward on her ankle joints each time I tried.




I attempted a clothing swap. Here Emerald models Lily’s denim shirt while Lena attempts to hold up Lily’s shorts which are WAY too big for her. Lily, on the other hand, has found a LittleMissMatched outfit that fits her well. In the last photo, Lily wears a friendly smile and a colorful top- perfect for her part-time job in the toddler room at Happy Hearts Child Care Center.




Bottom line: Am I happy to have her in our collection? Yes! Would I buy another without some major improvements? No.


In other exciting news: My Pink Friday Barbie Collector Order is scheduled to be delivered tomorrow. That's the fastest I've ever received anything from BC.com! The box contains new clothes for some existing residents, an articulated body for Jessie, and a new male resident.

22 comments:

  1. Hi Jewell, thank you for the review. The package is great, it's nice to see that she isn't attached with a thousand plastic things to uncut :-). It's a pity she can't stand on her own and has such limited articulation. I do have hopes the next generation of these doll will have improvements, since this is the very first that's on the market. Despite her flaws, it's great that you have her in your collection, congratulations :-)!

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    1. Thanks, Night Owl! I had high hopes for the articulation. I give them credit for trying, but there's a lot of room for improvement.

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  2. Highly informative!

    Yeah, looking at your photos, I'm feeling like I ought to like her more than I do. I like how she looks like a normal young woman when clothed... but darn, the lack of useful articulation...

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    1. Thanks! I commend their efforts, but I'm really puzzled by those weak ankles. I wonder if mine is defective...

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    2. I just got her today. Mine has weak ankles, too. I am also a little diappointed in her articulation.

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    3. Congrats on getting her! My disappointment with the articulation is a major reason I won't be purchasing the second doll in the series (now available for preorder).

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  3. Congrats on getting Lammily. Pity about the limited articulation. And her not being able to stand on her own. Tsk.

    She does have a pleasant face. Thanks for this helpful review and comparison. It's good to see her with other dolls.

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    1. Thanks! "Pleasant" is the exact word that has come to mind each time I've looked at her face. And like Smaller Paces, I like that she looks like a typical young woman when dressed.

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  4. Thanks so much for showing her and doing a comparison. I really dislike articulated ankles but if they are going to be done, they shouldn't be flopping about, so a shame about that.

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    1. I agree, Muff. Articulated ankles are one of those things that I just don't get.

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  5. Hi Jewell! Finally we can see her in person.I think is a nice addition to any photostory community. It's always nice to have new faces around. The articulation is disappointing!

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    1. Yes, she is a nice addition to our community. Diversity is always welcome in our dolly world. Too bad Lamm didn't have better guidance with the articulation.

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  6. Thanks for the review. Hopefully, mine will arrive soon. Do you remember when you placed your order? My order was placed in April. How did you get the tracking info? I haven't heard anything since that email they sent that said they would start shipping on November 28. Thanks again.

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    1. We didn't start collecting until May, so I think I placed my order in June. I found the tracking info in my junk mail inbox, so check yours. It was from "Customer Service" instead of Lammily.

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  7. Hello from Spain: Great purchase. She is a real woman. Great review. Keep in touch

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  8. Love your review! So clear and thoughtful.
    Well all pioneers were called odd at first. Outside the comfort zone maybe. I hope she makes friends with your other dolls. C

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    1. Thanks! And yes, she is already making friends. I'd like for her to start dating soon, but there aren't enough single guys in Dollton. I guess it's time to add some more.

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  9. Hiya. The main reason for articulated ankles is so you can put their pants on more easily. Many dolls with flat (not high-heeled) feet have this feature, so you can essentially point their toes in order to pull the pants over their feet. Just thought I'd mention this. Nice review, by the way.

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    1. Aha, well that makes sense! I don't have any flat-footed ladies, and since I don't redress my guys that often I hadn't realized how useful those bendy ankles are when I do need to get their pants on and off. Thanks, Sydney!

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  10. Thanks so much for your review of Lammily. I had been hearing about this doll for a while, and I'm glad that she has finally been produced and that people have their dolls in hand. Thanks also for showing comparison shots with other dolls.

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