Simply Fresh "Kylie": the dollar store collab

 

Stoically, Kylie awaits her fate.

A couple months ago, when I decided to re-enter the world of fashion dolls, I was wandering the internet and discovered Simply Fresh, the collaboration between The Fresh Dolls and Family Dollar. There were three of these gals, intended to make Black dolls of reasonable quality, with natural hair options, available at a very low price point, in rural places where the dollar store is your major department store.

Stock photo from Family Dollar site.

By the time I discovered them, they were largely out of stock. Now, nobody even remembers they existed, which is part of the reason I'm' putting some pics and content on a site that actually shows up in Google search results *cough* Tumblr why don't you? *cough*.

My crappy nearby FD had none, but the bigger one downtown had exactly one Simply Fresh doll, Kylie. I nabbed her.

Am I disappointed that I didn't get a curly-haired girl? Yes. But this means that the curly-haired stock was most likely bought by parents for actual children, many of whom will get more out of owning a natural-hair doll than I will.

Back of the box.

Here she is, out of the box and with her skirt off. The molded bodice is impressively detailed enough to get me past my dislike of molded bodices. Kylie is surprisingly heavy for a clone.

I feel a little vulnerable.

Unsurprisingly, her range of motion is limited. At least she can sit with her legs together. I'm not eager to rebody her for articulation because part of my interest in this doll line was the concept as a whole. This may change in a couple years, though.

Can I get a hallelujah!

Her face-up is really pretty. Like seemingly every Black fashion doll lately, her lipstick's a little on the pale side. Her tilted eyes and straight hair make a case for Kylie being Afro-Asian. Her hair came out of the box a little stiff from product, but because it was straight, I had no hesitation about gently washing and conditioning it, and it came out great.

Bonjour!

Rooting is pretty good for a clone. 

Midway through washing.

Since I like changing the clothes on dolls, obviously it's important to know whether Barbie-esque clothing fits Kylie.

The short answer is "not really." While she looks slender, her actual fit is closest to Curvy. Only the loosest Barbie or clone outfits work.

Kylie does not see herself as a romper type.

This loose soft coat looks amazing on her, but over only her bustier, it's a little too kink-scene. I do want to make her a nice simple dress to go under it, when I find the right fabric.

This is more like it!

By the time I finished trying on Barbie outfits, I'd managed to temporarily lose the red satin skirt, so I figured I'd run to Joann, get a remnant of thin two-way stretch knit, and whip together a quick no-sew outfit.

The number of thin, two-way-stretch knits in a small pattern at Joann was zero. Since I was out, I tried the sock aisle of 99 Cents Only, which never used to disappoint me. Never say never.

So I came home, pulled a worn-out black T-shirt out of the rag pile, and made Kylie the world's simplest skirt. It doesn't do anything special for her, but it preserves her modesty so she can socialize with the other fashion dolls.

Can't go wrong with wardrobe basics.

Here, she's settled in nicely with Ruby (Sparkle Girlz Mini) and Emma (Family Dollar "Career Doll" musician in her original body -- Emma later got rebodied onto a MTM Curvy).