Una chica nueva por Hispanic Heritage Month

Well. Look who's here, just in time for Hispanic Heritage Month!

Quince Nicole is ready for her big entrance.

Back in mid-August, I'd braved temperatures hotter than the surface of the sun to check out the big Toys R Us on Bell Road, mostly aiming for a look at new Bratz. (Spoiler: I don't like new Bratz. Not bratty enough.)

On my third or fourth circuit of the fashion-doll section, I did a little digging toward the back of the clearance items and hit a stash of Quinceñera Nicole, who originally retailed for $25 at TRU and $20 at CVS. When I'd had my in-person encounter with Nicole back in October 2014, I hadn't been impressed with the cartoonish features or the sloppy rooting, and I'd sworn the doll needed to drop in price a lot before I'd reconsider.


I'd say that $10 for the super-premium doll qualifies as "price dropped a lot." So the theme of August is Failed Fashion Doll Month continued as Nicole came home.

Todo lo que para esto.

The back of the box explains the three levels of Nicole: Everyday, Salsa, and Quince. None of this matters any more. But she did come out of the box so easily that I don't really remember the process.

Before deboxing her, though, I checked on the one thing that mattered. Her elbows were visible articulated. What about the knees?

Pawing under a girl's dress is rude!

Yes. Articulated knees.

Out she comes. Nicole is leaning against the refrigerator, as she wears high heels and my kitchen counter is about as level as a brick path, one of which she no doubt wobbled her way across to get her quince photos done.

No longer a little girl!

Dancing in that skirt is going to require some maneuvering, since it drags the ground. The construction is rather cool, though.

Spirals!

Each "leaf" of tulle is cut in a spiral, so it makes the petal edges as it hangs. I wouldn't tackle this in any fabric that requires hemming, but in tulle (or, for a winter coat, in faux suede), it's worth remembering.

I'm leaving her tiara on for the moment, due to fear.

What, ANOTHER fitting?

Nicole's plastic looks a little on the cheap-and-hollow side, but not egregiously so. She has eleven points of articulation: knees, hips, wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck.

Her hip joints make back-to-front splits a breeze, but side-to-side splits unthinkable. Shoulder movement goes nicely out to the side, though.

I'm ready for cheerleading squad tryouts!

She can sit almost like a lady.

Next, I'll be made to curtsy. Please don't make me curtsy!

However, she can't quite touch her own face.

I can't feel my face when I'm with you... or, really, any time at all.

Whom did I bring up for body comparisons? Oh -- Rebecca Essenath Chavez, who's on an African-American Fashionista body. The bodies are similar, but not identical: Nicole's waist is at a different spot and there's no gap between her breasts.

Are your hips a little bigger than mine, Nicole? Or is it an illusion?

Here's Nicole with Liv Daniela, who is a completely different shade of Latina. Daniela definitely has a slighter body. They can share clothes adequately, but it's not exciting.

Dani, I was feeling insecure about my head size after those Barbies...
but now I think it's okay.

Nicole's hair is up in a sort of double bun.

It took work at the salon to get the bleached streaks placed just so!

When I took out the rubber bands, it stayed "up."

Yo prefiero un updo.

I boil-washed her hair. It still wouldn't like down. So I put it back up and dressed her for daytime in a spare Sparkle Girlz dress.

Here, Nicole explains the magic of womanhood to her ultra-large-headed young cousins, Vi and Va. As usual, they look terrified.

And then the bird says to the bee...

Nicole's face-up has grown on me. Yes, she's a little cartoonish. But she's so cheerful. Nicole can handle with a smile anything the world throws at her. She makes most of the Four Teresas look downright cynical.

Let's make popcorn and watch telenovelas!