Manufacturer: Haschel Toys
Series: Not applicable
Character Name: Olga Tañón
Box Year, if Noted: 2000
Why is Olga Tañón on the Top Ten list?
Her face. Okay, the doll is not traditionally pretty. Her nose is long; her mouth is wide. But just as Kajol stands out on a shelf, so, too, does Olga. I would say that none of my other dolls look like her, but one does: Mattel's Kate Jackson doll from the late 1970s. Shrug. Still, Olga provides ethnic variation. And she looks snarky-smart.
Why is Olga fourth on the List?
Limited articulation. She trumps Kajol a point because Olga's knees do bend, but otherwise, think standard Barbie twist and turn body. Since her torso is a little wider than Barbie's torso, Olga cannot wear many of the modern Barbie fashions. (The outfits do not completely close.) She may have to borrow Candi and Janay fashions. Or I might get unlazy enough to make her some outfits.
I bought Olga from Beautiful Dolls where she is available for $29.99.
Information about the human Puerto Rican singer Olga Tañón can be found on her website or on her Wikipedia page.
... she looks like a young Angelica Houston O_o
ReplyDeleteHmm ... yes. I hadn't considered that before. Thanks ;-)
ReplyDeleteOlga does look snarky-smart! She looks like the kind of girl it would be fun to go out for drinks with. :D
ReplyDeleteShe is an interesting doll. Thanks for posting a link to the actual singer. The real Olga seems to have more delicate features that seem more exaggerated on the doll. The mouth on the doll seems really wide. Still, she is pretty and I agree with Dolls of Color - she looks a bit like a young Angelica Huston to me, too.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that at least this doll has a thicker torso. There is a fascinating article in the Jan. issue of US Vogue about the fashion model Lara Stone. She is considered "fat" for a model because she is a size 4 and often doesn't fit the clothes sent for her to model on fashion shoots. I know there is a difference between dolls and reality, and I understand some of the practical reasons why dolls have unusual proportions, but a thicker torso is another type of diversity that I think should be reflected in dolls.
Bravo for such a great list!
Beebo, yes, it would be fun to see Olga in a bar. I pity the guy(s) who try cheap lines on her, LOL.
ReplyDeleteAilanthusAltissima, I'm glad that you enjoy the List. It's been fun to do. I get to savor again the feelings and thoughts experienced when I first encountered these figures.
Oh, yes, the human Olga has a much more delicate face than the doll has. And the doll Olga's mouth is wider and her head seems bonier than her human counterpart.
I like size variation in my figures, too. I appreciate that Momokos and Susies and Volks' WTGs are delicately built while CY Girls and Mixis and Get Set dolls are more solid. Scenes are more interesting when there is a variety of sizes and colors.