Friday, May 1, 2009

Smartees Review




I have deboxed the Smartees dolls. Here are some photos and comments.

Overall Reaction

Plus: I like this series. The career-focus makes these fashion dolls slightly different. Think, fashion dolls = glamour. Most Smartees dolls have straight hair, kept off the face. Their makeup is subtle. Glamourous, the Smartees are NOT. But there is something appealing about them although they are worlds apart from Integrity's Fashion Royalty dolls or R&D's Susie doll. The Smartees are clean pretty. Each doll has a storybook that includes a glossary of career jargon, a resume abstract, and school diplomas for the doll's profession.

Minus: cheap clothes, dolls cannot stand alone, inexpensive playline quality


Vinyl/Plastic Doll

* Same face/head mold used for all dolls

* Complexions range from very pale to light brown

* Face paint varies enough to distinguish one doll from another

* Articulated arms, click bend knees, twist waists

* Tiny feet - most shoes don't stay on the feet if the doll has on stockings


Photos

Amanda the Architect (red suit), Ashley the Attorney (red-black houndstooth) back row
Taylor the Teacher (pink sweater), Emily the Entrepreneur (navy suit), and Jessica the Journalist (taupe trenchcoat) are in this first photo.




Caitlin the Chef (white toque), Destiny the Doctor (mint scrubs) back row
Nicole the Nurse (pastel scrubs) and Vicky the Veterinarian (white lab coat) front row

10 comments:

aprilGRAY said...

would you be willing to part with Amanda the Architect?

D7ana said...

Thanks for your interest and welcome to my blog, aprilGRAY!

No, I am not selling any of the Smartees; I've deboxed them all. I appreciate your inquiry though.

aprilGRAY said...

thanks for your reply! this is the first time i've actually seen the Amanda doll photographed so that i could see the entire box of accessories [i looked at your other photos of the Smartees, too]. i just had to ask--- hopefully, i'll come across an Amanda that's for sale someday [i believe there were only 2,500 produced]. i love your collection, by the way.

D7ana said...

You're welcome. I do appreciate your asking. (I have to reduce my collection, I really do. Thanks for the compliment; I love my stuff, too. Just need to reduce it a little. So I can bring in more LOL) Amanda and Nicole took longer to find than some of the others. I found most of them on eBay or from other collectors on Yahoo Groups.

Good luck with your search. I found an Amanda; I believe that you will find one, too.

Will your blog be doll-related? If so, let me know when it is up: I would love to see your collection and hear about your dolls.

aprilGRAY said...

thanks for the tips on how to find an Amanda! i've only been looking for about 2 months and hope i will find one--- it'll just take some time.

my blog will not be doll-related. when it comes to dolls, i am such an admirer but i move too much to be much of a collector right now (i have just a few being stored).

my in interest in Amanda in particular, though, is that architecture is my profession. Amanda is the only doll i know of that represents a woman architect. although, from what i understand, the next Barbie could be an architect [there was an online vote... not sure which profession won].

i would like to collect all the Smartees, though, when i get settled in somewhere.

thanks again!

D7ana said...

Your welcome, April. I like to see happy endings where collectors get the dolls they want ;-D

Two months is NO time spent seeking Amanda; I didn't get mine for several months. I can't think of another female architect doll or action figure. Barbie's new careers are Computer Engineer and News Anchor.

If you search on eBay, you can save your search and have the eBay system send you messages whenever any Smartees dolls are up.

I've got a new mini post about the Smartees, too. Hope you enjoy it ;-)

Wendy said...

Hi there:

Any chance you know where I could get a Caitlin the Chef doll. Been searching for about a month for one with little success. Stumbled onto this link in a search. Thank you for your time.

D7ana said...

Hi Wendy! Sorry I did not get back to you sooner. Sometimes eBay has Smartees dolls. I don't see Caitlin there now, but you might find her there. The downside of Smartees doll collecting is that they can be hard to find. However, the themed backdrop and the accessories make them worth the effort.

I'll ask around some doll groups on Facebook. Do you want her NRFB, mint with accessories, or just the doll?

Maureen Riley said...

I have had an Alexis the Artist on a display shelf. When I removed her from the box recently and straightened her hat, her hair fell off in clumps (this is Nov. 2018). It had been applied in the cheapest possible way with glue. Very sloppy production. If you want to compete with Barbie don't use cheapa glue to keep the hair on (temporarilty). Maureen Riley, London, Ontario

D7ana said...

Hi, Maureen Riley! Wow, I had NO idea Alexa's hair was so poorly attached to her head. Now I'm glad that I did not get her. Although, I mostly liked the accessories that came with the Smartees dolls ... shrug.