The Flickr Girloftheyear2005Marisolluna Image Generatr

This was one of the first videos I filmed for my channel back in 2016. Shortly after I made this, I acquired my Lindsey doll at the local flea market. So of course I ended up redoing the entire video to include her (and Jess) a few months later. Since I'm planning to replace my eleven year old computer sometime this year, I've been going through all the old footage I have leftover from the past. It's pretty cool looking back and seeing how much my collection has changed over the past nine years (especially with my Kirsten, who hadn't been to the doll hospital yet for her eye replacement when I filmed this). I hope you enjoy this little peak into the past, where it all began for my channel! A little side note...this photo is from 2025, since I no longer have the photo I took for the original video (ergo, why dollies are wearing much newer outfits!).

Video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wjNSG-ufWw

Things I made this summer for my dollies!

Video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukTuK9-GmQY

There is a stark contrast between part 1 of my Girl of the Year collection, shown here, and the second half. These ladies, with the exception of Marisol, were all purchased in used condition (varying from totally trashed, to gently played with but just old). The girls in my other photo are all pretty much mint, even the ones I technically bought secondhand (they were from collectors, so nothing like what the dolls here experienced). I was fortunate, however, that most of these ladies all had parts of their original outfits when I got them, excluding Kanani (who sported only her birthday suit) and McKenna (who was in JLY pajamas). Their books were mostly salvaged from places like Savers and the Salvation Army. Lindsey is the only doll who is still missing hers. I do not have all the dolls produced from 2001 to 2013. I'm missing Kailey from 2003, Nicki from 2007, and Mia from 2008. Ironically, I do have pieces to ALL of them, and I have encountered them all in the wild (just not for the right price in the right condition).

I love how accessible these earlier GOTYs have become in recent years. I recall when Marisol first retired, I browsed eBay to see what her fashions were going for (since all her stuff had pretty much sold out when Dad ordered my doll). I was floored by the ridiculous prices. I thought I'd NEVER get any of her other outfits, let alone dolls like Lindsey who had already retired. Each one of these delightful girlies has a special place in my heart, and a story of how I acquired her. Chrissa and Lanie were gifts who needed some work. Others like Saige and Jess were handpicked off of eBay as an adult collector (Jess being my unofficial favorite...I'm sort of obsessed with her). Kanani, Lindsey, and McKenna were all rescues from the same flea market, but years apart. And of course Marisol is my lone childhood doll--my one and only GOTY and the last doll I got as a kid. Remarkably, some of these gals I never thought I would want in my collection. Take Lanie and Lindsey--I found them rather dull and forgettable. But when they were in my presence for the first time, I had a major change of heart (they are some of my favorites to dress). None of them, except Mari, are perfect. They all have scars from their former lives--like little badges of honor that tell the story of where they came from and how they survived. I adore all their little flaws, because they remind me of all the work and love I put into them. Each doll has her own name bracelet, earrings, and sometimes hair accessories I crafted to adorn their "meet" clothes.

Dolls in photo (from left to right):
-Girl of the Year 2001 Lindsey Bergman
-Girl of the Year 2005 Marisol Luna
-Girl of the Year 2006 Jess McConnell
-Girl of the Year 2009 Chrissa Maxwell
-Girl of the Year 2010 Lanie Holland
-Girl of the Year 2011 Kanani Akina
-Girl of the Year 2012 McKenna Brooks
-Girl of the Year 2013 Saige Copeland

Technically speaking, these "performance" outfits weren't meant to correspond or be in a line together. But after acquiring several different Girl of the Year dolls with time, my sister and I realized that a handful of them were marketed with some sort of Performance outfit. Three of these ladies are dancers, so it's no surprise they'd have an ensemble for a showcase of sorts. McKenna is the lone gymnast, but we couldn't help but include her too! All these outfits, except Isabelle's were from eBay. On the other hand, I bought Izzy's directly from the American Girl Store while it was still open in our state. I purchased it the same day I picked out my doll because it was on sale! Obviously, it's the most sentimental piece in this photo for that reason. Aesthetically though, I am going to have to give Gabby the win. I love the three dimensional butterflies on her shirt. Plus, this lime green and deep pink color combo looks FABULOUS on her skin tone. I was most surprised by McKenna's leotard, however. I put off getting it for well over a year after procuring my doll at the local flea market. I didn't think I'd reach for it much on display, since I'm not inclined toward gymnast clothes. But when I found a steal for this on eBay with the Team Gear included, I pounced. Now that I own it, I am obsessed! I think these colors are so fun on Kenna...plus the leotard would look fabulous on other dollies like Gabriella. As for Marisol's, I went through the most trouble to track her Performance Trunk outfit down. Technically, I'm missing the trunk, although I do have a few of the fixings that were sold with it. The first attempt we made to purchase it off eBay resulted in a shady seller who took our $15 and then cancelled the order. Luckily, Paypal resolved the issue in less than 45 minutes and our money was refunded. It worked out though because a $12 listing with additional boas popped up a few days/weeks later. This outfit was worth all the hassle because the glitzy shine does wonders for Marisol. Although all four of these getups were marketed separately, I think the dolls look well coordinated together in a photo! You'd never know that Marisol's was more than ten year's older than Gabby's outfit!

Dolls & outfits in photo (from left to right):
-Girl of the Year 2014 Isabelle Palmer in Performance Set
-Girl of the Year 2005 Marisol Luna in Performance Trunk "Jazz Outfit"
-Girl of the Year 2017 Gabriela McBride in Take Flight Performance Outfit
-Girl of the Year 2012 McKenna Brooks in Performance Set