Journey Girls Swimsuit

Kelsey Models the new Japan Line Swimsuit

Through out the years, Journey Girls has released a few different swimsuits.  This one is by far the most interesting fabric design, although the design of the suit is very straight forward.  Along with the suit comes a cover up, sandals, and a bag.  This outfit is one of two outfits released with the Japan line.  At $14.99, the set has a decent amount of items with it.  Is it worth the price?

Swimsuits are a strange outfit set, because most of the outfit can not be used with other pieces, and accessories are usually very minimal.   Also, a swimsuit seems a bit strange for a Japan release, compared to if it had been released with the Australia line that also had a beach hut and paddleboard released at the same time.  

The one-piece sports suit is mainly white colorful orange, red, pink, purple and brown shapes with different animal prints on them.  Leopard and zebra are the most common prints interspearsed with a few cheetah prints.  A strap of white stretch fabric runs around the back shoulder blade area of the suit, comes under the arms, then goes around the neck where it gets tied.  The suit fits really well.

Included with the set is a cover-up.  The plain white terry cloth cover-up has a pink fringe arounf the bottom and the arm holes.  Little pom-poms hang from the fringe.  The cover-up looks like it has an  empirical waist, created by elastic.   Velcro in the back makes the cover-up easier to get on and off, rather than having to go over Kelsey's head.  Unfortunately the cover-up seems short to me.  It seems like it barely covers her bottom.

A small beach bag made of faux leather is a great addition to the set, but I wish it was a little bigger.   It can not hold much in it, although there is nothing extra in this set to go in the bag anyways.  The pink, purple, and yellow of the bag match the colors on the suit.  Brown leather straps barely fit around Kelsey's shoulders.  The look of the bag is adorable, it just needs to be a bit larger.

Finally, gold sandals keep Kelsey's feet protected from the hot sand.  These sandals are very similar to many others in other sets.   A strap goes across her toes, and another goes around the ankle.   That's it.  A very simple sandal.  They look a little fancy for beach sandals, but they work.

All ratings are out of 10

Value 6 – Although the suit and bag are made really well, the pullover is okay as are the sandals.   As with most swimsuit sets there isn't much to it.  It would be awesome to see some sunglasses or a towel with the set.  It's still a good set.

Fit 8 – The suit fits perfectly, which matters the most.  The cover-up seems short, but maybe it is supposed to be that way.  And as I mentioned before the bag is small.  Way too small for a beach bag.

Versatility 5 – Maybe the cover-up can be used for other outfits, but it is still going to look like a cover-up.  The gold sandals would work really well with fancier outfits.  And the bag should work well with some casual outfits.

Cuteness 8 – I go back and forth on how much I like the actual swimsuit.  It is cute, but it is kind of busy. The cover-up is really cute.  I like the little pom-poms adorning the hem lines.

Overall 7 – Although it's not a perfect set, it is a good set.  If you have a swimsuit already, I would say skip this one.  However, if you don't have a swimsuit and want one that fits well on your Journey Girls dolls, this is a perfect swimsuit.  Check it out on Amazon.com.

Journey Girl's Pink Top and White Jeans

Giovanna Tries Out a New Outfit

One of the new outfits released in September was this beautiful pink top with white jeans, gold sandals, and a floral purse.  Like most of the Japan line, this outfit is very unique.

Of all the pieces, the bright pink top is the most unique.  The gathered neckline is almost an off the shoulder design with a little bit of gathering at the neckline. 

Each sleeve is gathered at the end with a tiny bow on the outside. 

On the bottom of the outfit is a flower lace flair.

It's simple and cute, with great design.

As unique as the top is, the pants are just as plain.  Don't get me wrong, they work really well with top, they just aren't anything special.   The plain white jeans have a cuff on each leg, halfway up the calf.

They are like many jeans as far as design, the white makes them unique and a great edition to the Journey Girls line.

Shoes are interesting with Journey Girls.  Toys R Us has come a long way from the all plastic, small healed shoes that came with almost every outfit.  Still, there isn't a huge amount of variety in the shoes.   These gold shoes are based off of tall sandals that we have seen before. 

As most of the newer shoes have, these ones have the flat plastic bottoms.   A strap across the toes has a green "flower" on it.  At the heal of the shoes are straps that go around the ankles and two that go up the calf with Velcro in the back.

A pretty shoe, that is close in design to some of the other ones already out.

Another piece that is unique is the purse.    It has a gold braided handle that is long enough to slide the purse on Giovanna's shoulder.

Designed like a sack, the white fabric has painted watercolor roses printed on it.   The pinks of the flowers tie in nicely to the top.   It's definitely not fancy, but it is very pretty, and it goes great with this outfit.

All ratings are out of 10

Value 8 – With more pieces to this outfit than the blue dress, but the same quality, this outfit scores a little higher.   I still wish there were some other little accessories, like Our Generation outfits, but the quality of the outfits released this round have been really good!

Fit 8 – The top is a little loose and the jeans can be a little stubborn when trying to pull them on.  Overall thought, everything fits well.

Versatility 9 – All of the pieces of this outfit can be used with other outfits.  The top will look great with a skirt, jeans, or shorts.   The white jeans have a ton of versatility, going with virtually any type of top.  Because of the flower on the shoes, there may be some colors that don't go with them, but most things should.

Cuteness 9 – What a cute outfit! The top has a really unique design with the beautiful lace bottom.  The white jeans go perfectly with the top.  And even though the sandals are just a redesign, they are still cute.  I would have loved a different design for the purse too, but I love the fabric it is made of.

Overall 8 – Another well made, cute outfit from the Japan line.  As with the others, there are just a few little things that could be improved to make it a really good outfit.  Out of the three outfits I have reviewed for this release, this one has the most versatility.  It is worth the $14.99 that Amazon is charging.

Amazon Exclusive Journey Girls Outfit

Megan Wearing a Blue Dress

As Toys R Us is still figuring out their online presence they have begun distributing items through Amazon.  Besides the Japan line of dolls, they have released four outfits to go along with the dolls.  Over the next month I will review all four of the outfits.

The first of these four is a royal blue, knee length dress, silver sandals, and a silver handbag.  This outfit, along with the other outfits released this round, have some interesting qualities that we will look at.

Although the dress stops around the knees, the sleeves go to Megan's wrist, with open shoulders and a high neckline.  The blue fabric has a slightly lighter blue, lace overlay.

On the back of the dress is Velcro to help get the dress on and off easily.  Thin fabric hems the sleeves, neckline and hemline of the dress.

Made of really good quality materials, this dress feels very high quality.   The strange thing is it does not feel like the dress is made for the Journey Girls dolls.  Megan looks like she is swimming in this outfit.  The waist is much larger than normal for a Journey Girls outfit, as are the sleeves.  In years past the Journey Girls outfits have fit snugly on the dolls, making it a challenge for the clothes to fit American Girl dolls and Our Generation dolls.  This dress is much looser and fits the American Girls much better.

Not sure if that just happened, or if it is purposeful.  As happy as I am for the versatility to now use the outfit with AG dolls, I am a little disappointed that the outfit doesn't really fit the doll it was originally designed for.

Shoes can make or break an outfit, or in some cases just be there.  These shoes are similar to other sandals/shoes released with other outfits.  The silver leather wraps around Megan's toes, goes up to her ankle as a single large strap, wraps around her ankle, and goes down her heal.

There is Velcro on the back to make it easier to get the sandals on and off.  Unfortunately the sandals are a little difficult to get on.  You really have to shove the doll's toes into the sandal to get the Velcro to close.  Personally, I am not fond of the bottoms of the sandals, as they are so smooth the dolls slide on almost all surfaces.   Maybe only a big deal to people like me that pose the dolls, rather than play with them.

Matching the silver sandals, the handbag is made of the same silver "leather" that the shoes are.  On the flap of the purse are three lines formed by the leather being pinched, giving a little design to the purse.

Also on the flap is a small piece of Velcro to keep Megan's valuables safe inside.  The wrist strap made of a rope like material is a perfect size; big enough to get the purse on Megan's wrist easily, but not big enough that it falls off.  It's a simple, cute purse.

All ratings are out of 10

Value 7 – Although the $14.99 price is less than the normal TRU cost of $19.99, there isn't much to this outfit. The value is really in how well the dress is made, as well as the handbag.  It would be nice to get another accessory.  Maybe a necklace, or a headband or even tights.

Fitment 7 – Megan looks as though she is swimming in this dress, which is strange for an outfit specifically designed for the Journey Girls. My guess is that TRU decided to make the dress fit other types of dolls better.   Even the sandals, which will not fit other dolls, are difficult to get on Megan's feet.

Versatility 6 – The dress doesn't have a lot of options for different uses.  The sandals and purse can be used with many different outfits.   Maybe if you add other accessories you can use the dress in different situations.

Cuteness 6 – This was my least favorite of the four outfits that can be found on Amazon right now.   The fabric is really beautiful, but the design just doesn't lend itself to the Journey Girls.  I still like it, but it's lower on the list than any of the other outfits available from the Japan line.

Overall 7 – Such a well made dress should have a higher score, but the design of the dress just isn't great.  Along with the issues with the fit, and the lack of much in the way of accessories, this outfit is just okay.  If you love the design of the dress than it is worth the $15.  If you don't love the design, I think the outfit is worth closer to $10.  I do really like this outfit on dolls with blue eyes (Meredith, Dana, Kara Rose, Mikaella, and Giovanna) as it brings out their eyes.

As Toys R Us (or TRU Kids) starts the process of redefining themselves, it would be wonderful to see them spend some time with the Journey Girls.   I have been very happy to see their social media presence expand (go follow their Instagram account @journeygirlsofficial or check out their web page - www.journeygirls.com) but the product is still the same.  The Journey Girls have always been travelers (maybe that is going to change).  It would be awesome to see accessories that better fit the girl's stories and personalities.  Personally, I would love to have accessories other than purses. One of the things that I love about Our Generation outfits is that many of them come with little accessories like a necklace, a camera, or a drawing pad.   It would be great if there were accessories for the different doll's personalities. Such as a book about animals, or a ticket or map from the local zoo for Dana.  Or some local treats for Mikaella (the baker).  We'll have to see what TRU decides to do.

Journey Girl's Sequin Pop-Star Dress

Chavonne Shows Off her Inner Pop Star with Journey Girl's New Outfit

New outfits for the Journey Girls were released back in September...and I am finally getting around to reviewing the outfits.   One of the most interesting outfits that was released was the Sequin Pop-Star dress.  It includes a one piece top and skirt, knee-high boots, cat ears headband, and a fabric microphone.  A very different outfit from what has been released in the past.  Let's take a look at the outfit.

Since the top and skirt are attached, we will look at that first.  The skirt is a simple black material with tulle over it.  Stopping just above the knees, the skirt flares out at the waist.  It would be nice if the skirt was separate from the top, but it makes sense that it was made this way.  Separating the skirt from the top is a black ribbon. 

Similar to the skirt, the top is made of two layers.  The underneath layer is a white material, similar to the material we see on the inside of many of the Journey Girls outfits to help with color transfer, with a black fishnet material over it.  Attached to the material are gold and rainbow colored sequins.  Arranged in a few different designs, the gold sequins are in vertically lines, flower shapes, and curled lines. 

Between the gold designs are curled designs of multi colored sequins in a rainbow pattern.  Filling the front and back, the sequins go all around the top.  Like most outfits this one has Velcro up but the length is different.the back to make it simple to get on and off.  Even though the skirt and top are not separate, this is still a really nice outfit.

New shoes are always nice.  These boots are similar to some of the boots that have been released in the past, but the length is different.  These are the first that I know of that go to the knees, or just above the knees. 

The normal plastic style of shoe/boot will not work with this style of boot, so Journey Girls made the boot out of fabric.  Like most of the new shoes, these have the slippery plastic soles.  Attached to the soles is a black semi stretchy material that makes up the boot.  To me the material makes the boot feel more like a sock than a boot, but it does make it easier to get on than a stiffer material would.  At the top of the of the boot are strings to tighten the boot and keep it up on Chavonne's legs. 

I think the little bow at the back of the boot is cute.  The best thing about these boots is that they are the perfect match to the top.  They really pull this outfit together!

Often times hair accessories are elastic with something on them...a bow, a flower, some sequins.  Little cat ears have not been done before.  And glitter cat ears at that!  That's right, atop the ribbon and elastic headband, two little fuchsia cat ears stand up at attention. 

The fuchsia matches the color in the top.   A very cute and creative addition to an original style outfit.

Probably the most interesting part of this outfit is the microphone, for many reasons.  First, it is an accessory with a story.  Purses and headbands can be for anything.  A pink sparkly microphone can only be for a pop star.  Okay, maybe not only for a pop star, but it does say confidence and awesomeness if you do anything with a pink microphone.  Second, the microphone is made of fabric.  An interesting choice for an object that is normally made of plastic or metal.   It is kind of like it's supposed to be a fun pillow rather than an actual microphone. 

Third, it's a new and thoughtful accessory, in my mind, made especially for Chavonne.  Why Chavonne?  When the Journey Girls were originally introduced they each had a story and personality. 

The Japan line mentions each girl's interests on their boxes, but not to the degree that the original stories were fleshed out.  Originally, Chavonne was the singer of the group.  It is awesome to see accessories that go along with the girl's personalities.  Two complaints with the microphone (both minor).  One; is that this microphone is huge and does not fit in Chavonne's hand very well.  And two; the tag on it is larger than the microphone.  

You can't even tuck it anywhere.  Spare yourself the frustration, just cut it off. Other than that...I love it!  A plastic one just couldn't get the glitter and look of this fabric one.

All ratings are out of 10

Value 8 – It would be awesome to have the skirt separate from the top, but it also makes sense that it is not.  There are a couple of new accessories in this set, plus new boots, which help the value.  Like most of the Japan line, this outfit is well made.

Fitment 9 – Besides the microphone, everything fits well.   The boots can be a little bit of a challenge getting over the foot, but then they slip on easily.  As with the blue outfit, this one is a baggier than Journey Girls outfits of the past.   It still fits and looks good, it's just loose compared to past outfits.

Versatility 7 – More versatility would have been available if the skirt was separate from the top, but even with them attached there is some versatility to the outfit.   This could be a fancier outfit if paired with the right shoes and maybe a scarf or sweater.  The boots are the most versatile part of the outfit.  Cat ear headbands have some versatility...but can't be used for every outfit.   And although I would love to have a pink glitter microphone to speak into at all times, it's probably not usefully for everyday outfits.

Cuteness 9 – I love the colored sequins on the top.  The skirt is a simple but cute design.  And the boots really help make the outfit.   I can't forget about the cutest part of the outfit...the glitter cat ears.  Just saying "glitter cat ears" is cute.  This is a very fun outfit that fits Chavonne's personality perfectly.

Overall 8 – This is a strong 8.  The outfit is made really well, it is very cute, and it has some great new accessories.  There are no real issues, just small things that can be improved on.  This is definitely an outfit that you should pick up.  It is well worth the $14.99.  Find it on Amazon.

Australian Paddle Board

"Exclusive" Paddle Board

Another “Bankruptcy find” was this paddle board set.  Originally released in Australia and Canada, "exclusively" for the Australian Journey Girls line, this set has shown up in many Toys R Us stores as the bankruptcy liquidation has begun.  Probably just a coincident to the liquidation, as this set was probably going to be released in the US at this time anyways.  

Here’s what comes with the set, which was retailing at $29.99; a paddle board, a paddle, a wet suit, goggles, snorkel, fins, a towel, a bag to hold the items, a water bottle, and sunscreen.  That's a lot of pieces for the price, especially compared to the normal outfit sets.

Let’s first look at the outfit that comes in this set.  The three colored wet suit looks like it is two pieces, due to an interesting hem on the bottom of the shirt, but it is in fact one piece.  

A large majority of the suit is black, including the legs, and a large part of the top, and the collar.  The sleeves and above the black on the shirt are a bright pink.  Swatches of white under the arms round out the colors of the outfit.  

Like most swimwear, this outfit is made of the stretchy nylon/spandex material. There is Velcro in the back to make it easier to get the doll in and out of the suit.  

My suit's Velcro doesn't quite match up on both side.  

Luckily the longer section is the loop part of the Velcro, so it doesn't snag the material.  Be Careful.  This suit stains the doll if it gets wet.  Soak the outfit or wash it so that there is no color transfer.  

You can see on my Meredith where the color transferred to the vinyl.  The suit was not on her for more than a day.   

Besides the color transfer (which is preventable if you soak the suit - I forgot to this time) a great piece of swimwear that matches this set very well.

Close to the actual shape of a real paddle board, the Journey Girl's paddle board is round at the top, flares out like a surf board and the taper to a rounded point on the back.

Made of a hollow teal plastic, the board has a slight curve to it from front to back.

Unlike Our Generation's surf board or American Girl's sail board, this paddle board is hollow, making it thicker than either of those two items, similar to a real life paddle board.  A pink and white Hawaiian curled design, accented with hibiscus flowers adorns the deck of the board.

There are no fins on the bottom, probably so that it can slide across the carpet easier, but there is a slot where the leash is attached.

Made of a thing rope, connected to a nylon strap, that is connected by another piece of thin rope to a rubber braided cord, attached to yet another piece of rope, that is finally attached to the ankle strap.

It's lovely to have this little piece of authenticity on the paddle board.  The length of the cord is probably longer than it needs to be, but it makes it easier to pose the doll that way.  Lovely piece!

Similar in color to the board, the teal paddle has a rectangular handle for Meredith to slide her hand through and a grip at the top of the shaft for her other hand.

The blade is thin and scooped out like a spoon.  It feels very chintzy compared to the shaft of the paddle.

On the front of the blade a hibiscus and the words "Journey Girls" is designed in white, tying it into the board.

Even though the box shows Ilee easily holding the paddle with her hand through the handle and her other hand on the grip, do not be deceived, it is an exercise in patience to get this to happen.

As you can see from my photos I had Meredith just hold the paddle without using the handle, which was much easier to do than having her hand through the handle, like in the outdoor shots (I ended up using double sided tape to hold the grip in her hand!)

I don't know why the handle isn't further down the shaft of the paddle anyways.  It is much too high to be usable there.

It's interesting that the snorkel, mask, and fins are included in this set, as they seem to be a separate activity than the paddle board.  Glad to have them though.  The fins (or flippers) are a bright pink  flexible rubber.

They easily slip on to Meredith's feet, but still hold well and don't fall off.  The design on these is awesome.  They look very realistic and feel the same way.  Really a great piece...even if they don't go with a paddle board.

The goggles frames match the bright pink of the fins, but the majority of the goggles are a transparent blue.  A little bump below the glasses makes room for Meredith's nose.  Although the goggles have a curve to them that mimics the curve of the dolls face, there is still a gap between the goggles and Meredith's face.

So water would get in if she was actually swimming.  Just an observation, not really a criticism. A pink band of soft plastic wraps around the back of Meredith's head and can be tightened by pulling on the notched ends.

On the left side of the goggles there is a clip that the snorkel fits in.

The snorkel itself is made of a softer plastic similar to the fins, and the same bright pink color.  At the top end, the mostly solid tube has a very short opening to give the illusion that the snorkel is hollow. At the other end is a clear blue mouth piece.

Instead of a realistic piece that would go in the mouth, this one covers the lips on the outside.  It looks realistic and fits perfectly!

If you go out into the water, you have to have something to dry off with, so this set has a great towel. It's white with aqua blue stripes a little darker then the blue of the paddle board. The alternating stripes start with a thick aqua blue stripe then two thin ones then another thick one. 

This is a normal size beach towel which means it's not quite big enough for Meredith to lay on but she can definitely sit on it with no problem. 

This soft cotton beach towel is similar to other Journey Girls beach towels, feeling softer than some of the Our Generation towels. 

Two small accessories come with this set; a water bottle and a sunscreen bottle. 

Both are perfect size for the Journey Girls to hold onto and Meredith has no issue holding either of these. The water bottle looks similar to a Fuji water bottle.  It is square and clear and has a Journey Girls sticker wrapped around it. The sticker has "JG" and then a colored hibiscus underneath of it, similar to a Fuji bottle. 

To the right side of that, it says "Journey Girls" and has the nutritional facts on it, which is kind of cute. The back and the left side of the sticker are identical.  

They're blue with water droplets on the bottom half. The square shape does make it a little difficult for Meredith to hold, not hard, you just have to figure out how to fit it in her hand and then it'll stay. One thing that I don't like about the sticker is that as it goes around the outside of the bottle it stops on a corner. 

Making it very easy for it to come off as you're playing with the bottle. Otherwise very cute.

The sunscreen comes in a white bottle with an orange top.  A sticker on the front with the Journey Girls emblem, a hibiscus and the SPF of the sunscreen.   

The sticker fades from pink to orange.   Very simple, but cute and kind of promotes that we need to be careful of the sun.

Most Journey Girls outfits come with a purse, however since this is a beach set it comes with a beach bag. The bag is white with yellow stripes and is made of a thicker rougher fabric similar to what a beach bag would normally be made of.   

On the front there is a purple "JG" with a hibiscus flower on it. The handles are made out of yellow ribbon and go from the bottom of the bag up to the top and then form a handle. A couple of great things about this bag: one it's big enough to fit everything including the blanket into it, which is awesome, that's exactly what you want for a beach bag. 

It's a little tough to get the fins in there but they will fit with everything else. The other thing that's awesome is that the handles are long enough to put it over Meredith's shoulder so she can actually carry. Meredith is not able to carry the bag with the fins in it.  

She can fit the mask and snorkel in there if you position them correctly.  The fins are just too tall and will not fit with the bag on Meredith's arm. This is a great little bag though and I'm really glad the Journey Girls decided to include it.

Rating
All ratings are out of 10

Playability 9 – With more than just the paddle board, this set has a good amount of playability.  Although it was a little disappointing to see that the paddle board didn't have fins, it makes it much easier to play with.  As it can slide across the floor with no problem.  Meredith easily stands on the board.  With the addition of the snorkel, fins, and other beach items, this set becomes much more rounded as a set.  Meredith can go paddle boarding, snorkeling, or sit on the beach.  Although I'm not sure that many people would lay on their beach towel in a wet suit.  Still it's awesome to have all of the different items with this set.

Value 9 –  The amount of items that you get in the set for the price is awesome.  There are so many pieces.  This set really could have been just the paddle board, the paddle, and the wet suit, which makes it nice to have the other items.

Quality 9 – Most everything is made really well.  The water bottle's sticker is not perfectly designed.  The paddle board is not solid (which makes it more buoyant...if you put it in water like me).  The paddle is a bit flimsy.  But there is nothing that is made poorly, just not the best design. 

Overall 9 -  This is a great set, with lots of items to play with.  Everything is made well.  There are some small design issues, but nothing enough to make the set not worth buying.  If you are in Canada, pick this set up!  It is well worth the cost.

AG note

I thought because the fins looked a little bit bigger that they would easily be able to fit an American Girl doll's feet.

Unlike all the other shoes that Journey Girls makes, these fins do fit on the American Girl dolls, but just barely, and they look a little wonky.

 Most Journey Girls outfits fit fine on the American Girls, but are a little bit snug.  

The wet suit is tight but Olivia can move her arms and legs just fine with no issues.  

The only problem is the Velcro on the back is tight.  

Other than that, the outfit fits perfectly. All the accessories worked great with the American Girl dolls. 

The paddle is actually easier to put in  Olivia's hand then it was to put in Meredith's hand. 

Because Olivia's hand is more open, she can hold onto the water bottle better also. The one piece that surprised me was that the paddle board cannot be Velcroed to the American girl dolls leg. 

The ankle strap isn't quite long enough to go around Olivia's ankle, but a slight modification makes it work . 

Overall I would say that this is a great outfit and set to have for both dolls.   Only a few things are snug on the American Girl doll and those are really just accessories that don't make or break the set.  If you can find it for a good price...or you live in Canada...scoop this set up!