Friday, September 16, 2016

My Life As Mini School Girl



My Life As School Girl Mini

Prior to checking locally, I found the school girl and other My Life As (MLA) mini dolls available at Walmart online.


In addition to the mini school girl, other MLA minis available include:  Baker, Outdoorsy Girl, and Cowgirl.

To avoid incurring shipping charges or having to spend $50 to qualify for free shipping, I made a trip to Walmart before ordering online.  I am very happy I visited the store when I did because the one I purchased was the only mini school girl there.


Mini School Girl, is the 7-inch, all-vinyl version of the 18-inch MLA School Girl.  The 18-inch version, which used to be manufactured by Madame Alexander, is now produced by Cititoy as a Walmart exclusive.   The brand now includes two school boys:  one with a curly 'fro and a straight-haired brunette.   There have been several different 18-inch MLA school girls.  One was featured in a Walmart Christmas commercial last year.  Their 18-inch size has prohibited the larger dolls from entering my collection, but there's always room for a 7-inch or under mini.


Box attachment looks like pieces of a train track.

Because she was rubber band attached to two train track-looking plastic holders on the back of the box, it was a snap to free her.

She wears a cute school girl outfit of white short-sleeved shirt with black ribbon bow at neck and blue/red/yellow plaid skirt made of a wool-like material and black knee-high boots.

Brief comparisons with American Girl mini Melody and Madame Alexander's Travel Friends Kenya are shared below:

Comparison with Melody:

School Girl stands a half inch taller than Melody.  They both are all vinyl and wear removable white undies.   Melody has white knee-high socks.  School Girl has none.  School Girl has brown stationary eyes with painted upper and lower eyelashes.  Melody's brown eyes are painted.  Both have closely rooted hair.  I like the curly texture of School Girl's hair which is worn up in a puff held back with a black headband.  Melody has straight rooted hair with bangs and flipped ends.



Can they borrow clothing and shoes? was a question I wanted answered:



As illustrated in the above two photos, these two can borrow shoes if School Girl wears Melody's shoes without socks.  I wouldn't try allowing School Girl to borrow Melody's dress because it is a "stretch" to get the Velcro closed in back and pulling and tugging on the material to do so may stretch or weaken some of the woven tweed-like fibers of Melody's dress.  Melody can wear School Girl's clothes, but the waist of the skirt is a little big.  (She can pull it off, however.)

Comparison with Travel Friends Kenya


Like Kenya, School Girl is all vinyl.  School Girl's vinyl is more supple than Kenya's.  School Girl is not jointed, whereas Kenya is.  Kenya has white painted-on undies.  Kenya's brown eyes, like Melody's, are painted.  There is a close-up of their faces below, but first let's look at them together side-by-side, and then back-to-back.




Height comparison:  Both dolls are described as 7-inches tall.  School Girl's hair might give her an appearance of being slightly taller, but it's just an illusion.


They tried each other's shoes on for size.  As you can see in the photo above, School Girl's heel hangs off the back of Kenya's red flats.  Kenya, however, can wear School Girls black boots.


School Girl can wear Kenya's shirt and skirt, but not her leggings or shoes.  Kenya can wear School Girl's complete outfit.  Like it was on Melody, the waist of the skirt is a little big on Kenya.


Before returning to their own clothes, these two took one final close-up photo.  School Girl has a sweet face and I like her acrylic eyes much better than the painted-on or decaled eyes used for Kenya and Melody.  School Girl's short curly hair is a refreshing look, too.  For $9.88, I am quite pleased with her.  Here's hoping extra clothes will be added for the MLA minis soon.

Check out another blogger's review of School Girl and and a comparison with other dolls here.

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Speaking of doll clothes, while at Walmart I was hoping to find a few extra Sparkle Girlz 11-1/2-inch doll fashions.  Of the few that were available, I only found two interesting enough to purchase.  The one on the far left is my favorite (a black floral sleeveless blouse and houndstooth pencil skirt).  If I am not mistaken, the fabric used for the pink and black striped tunic was used a couple of years ago on a different Sparkle Girlz fashion that I already have, but for $1.97, I thought a dress alike day with a couple of dolls might work using the newer fashion and the older.







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Check out my eBay listings here.

11 comments:

  1. Great post! You got me real excited this morning, but my excitement waned when I realized she is still too big for the doll stories. I enjoyed the comparisons and the fashion show. You just can't beat the price, either.

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    1. If her head wasn't over sized, she might be a good fit for you, Vanessa. Unfortunately, though... I think she is otherwise cute and no, I couldn't resist the price.

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  2. Thanks for this review and the comparisons in bodies and clothes. I like that these big 18inch dolls are also available in these smaller versions. Big dolls are lovely and can be like little friends for their owner but they also take up space so it's not always a decision made lightly to get some. These look like they'd fit in very well and easily everywhere. Aside from their theme do they come with playsets like a classroom for this schoolgirl?

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    1. You're welcome, Maricha. The smaller dolls work much better here. I don't have to try to create space for them like I would have to do with the 18-inch dolls.

      I didn't see any extra accessories or playsets for the minis at Walmart, but the 18-inch dolls do have lots of extra accessories beyond clothing. There are charms and bracelets for girls based on each mini doll's theme, which can be seen under the Charms link here.

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    2. Thanks for the link. Those bracelets would be cute for a girl with its doll.
      So many choices for Christmas :D

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  3. Love the acrylic eyes! I have a few of the Travel Friends because of their articulation, but School Girl's face is much more expressive and realistic.

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    1. I like the acrylic eyes too, Gini. I agree that she has a sweet face.

      I was not impressed by the Travel Friends' articulation. I was hoping for more movement. They tried.

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  4. Thanks for the info. I was not aware that they made ML mini dolls. It is too bad that they can't be used in 1/6 world. Very cute dolls!

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    1. You're welcome, GG. Her big head interferes in 1/6 world.

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  5. Ohhhh, I hope I can find her as well as some new fashions. I enjoy see your Mini Melody too, both are such cute dolls.

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