Sparkle Girlz Fashions: How Many [Are] You Buying For?

Sparkle Girlz fashion display box and $1.97 fashions at Walmart (please excuse the phone camera photos).

I went to Walmart to see if the Sparkle Girlz playscale fashions by Funville were in stock.  I almost left the store empty-handed until I went back down the aisle where I had seen the mini Sparkle Girlz dolls the first time.  On double-checking, there they were, right next to the minis where I had completely overlooked them initially.  Who knew they would be in a box and not hung from a rack?

Relieved, I removed the fashions from the display box to see how many different ones were available before separating them into groups onto an empty shelf to photograph.  I wanted to capture all that were available since I knew I was not going to purchase one of each even though I came pretty close.  There were a total of 24.  Mattel has never offered this much variety in Barbie fashions at one given time.

Below are the poorer and poor quality photos I took with my phone camera before deciding on which fashions I would purchase.

I purchased the fashion with the tartan plaid skirt, 2nd row, 2nd from left  There is a better photo of this fashion later.

The first group photo above is the worst of the in-store photos.  The others are better, but not much.  All except one of the fashions in the above blurry photo were left behind.

 I selected several from this second picture, above, and even more from the final in-store photo below. 

Since there were so many fashions from which to choose, I had to use a process of elimination.  I knew I wanted fashions that came with shoes.  I did not want any made from shimmery fabric.  I also wanted to keep those with writing on the fabric to a minimum.

I selected a total of 16.  Some are duplicates that will be sent to my niece.  I wanted to also purchase a Black Sparkle Girlz fashion doll for her but there were only blondes available.  After carting the fashions, I noticed two Walmart associates at the end of the aisle.  I asked one about the doll's availability.

Me to 1st Woman:  Excuse me, do you know if there are any more African American Sparkle Girlz in stock?

1st Woman to the 2nd:  Do you know, (then turning to me) what kind of doll?

Me to the 2nd Woman:  African American Sparkle Girlz, the Barbie size.

2nd Woman:  You mean the ones in the cone?  [Their boxes are cone shaped.]

Me:  Yes.

2nd Woman:  To be honest, yes, but they are on a pallet and I have about 20 pallets to stock.  So I can't tell you when they will be on the shelf.  (She then looks at my Sparkle Girlz fashion-lined cart, not realizing it was mine and said to the first woman.)  Look, we have fashions for the doll she wants.

Me:  That's why I want the doll.  These are mine.

2nd Woman:  How many you buying for?

Me:  Um... caught completely off guard and not really wanting to confess that most are for me, I blurted out, two!  (Well, I was buying them for two people, my niece and myself.)

2nd Woman:  [Staring at me strangely, probably still wondering why I was purchasing as many for two "girls."]

Me:  Trying to explain; yet I know I really didn't have to.  I usually buy high-end dolls for my niece that my sister won't allow her to play with [true], so I want to buy the Sparkle Girlz doll and clothes for her.  I know my sister will let her play with this.

2nd Woman:  Oh.  Yeah, she needs to be able to play with her dolls.

1st Woman:  But the others are collectible.

Me:  Yes, they are, but I still want her to be able to play with her dolls, whether they are collectible or not.  

2nd Woman:  Check back later in the week.  The dolls should be out by then.

Me:  Okay, I will.  Thanks!

***

At home, I took additional group photos of the fashions I purchased.

This photo illustrates the fashions purchased from the first two in-store photos.  Remember the blurry tartan plaid fashion I mentioned in the first group photo?  That's it on the top row.  The remaining five fashions were in the second group photo.

The fashions above are the ones I purchased that appear in the third in-store photo.  The two with purses do not have shoes.  All others in this image have shoes.

Each fashion card has an image of one of the Sparkle Girlz as seen in the next photo of randomly selected fashions to illustrate this fact. 

I have seen four different playscale Sparkle Girlz dolls.  Funville has used one of the four dolls on the fashion cards, which I think is quite admirable.  Usually the blonde is the chosen one, but not in this case.

The following are duplicates that will be sent to my niece along with an African American Sparkle Girlz doll (as soon as one becomes available).

These are duplicates that my niece will receive.

I will probably send my niece a couple of the other fashions that I have singles of, which ones will be determined later.

The quality of the fashions appears to be comparable to that of the $4 to $6 Barbie fashions and most of those do not come with shoes.  Beyond Sparkle Girlz, I am not sure which other dolls can wear the shoes since they appear a little on the small side.   My overall assessment is:  For those who enjoy dressing and redressing playscale dolls, for a mere $1.97, you cannot go wrong investing in a few of these Sparkle Girlz fashion (and maybe even a doll or two).



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