Any mom or little girl who is familiar with the American Girl doll series knows about the dolls (which run about eighty to one hundred dollars apiece) and their various outfits. Thankfully, the company that makes these period pieces and and the dolls has given the okay to pattern companies to release patterns to make clothes for these dolls. So, what do you do? Buy the patterns and cloth and learn to sew American Girl doll clothing or buy the clothes from a place like Doll Her Up? Pros and cons follow.

Buying the Clothing

Pros

If you buy the doll clothing, it is complete. No sewing is needed. It comes to you ready to pull out of the shipping box and wrapping and ready to play. Plus, it is authentic to the brand and tailored to match the time period that your doll is supposedly from.

Cons

It can be expensive. The cheapest clothing items may not be a full outfit. Usually, the pajamas are the cheapest items. If you want matching outfits for your little girl AND her doll, expect to double that price. Even if you take advantage of special sales offers, your doll is not going to have the vast wardrobe you would expect.

Making Your Own Clothes for the Doll

Pros

You can buy a pattern for around ten dollars; less if you buy it on sale. You can select any type of cloth that the pattern recommends, as well as any color and any pattern that is available. As for buttons, zippers and snaps, you can also select these clothing fasteners and decorative details too. When you make your own doll clothes, you can style them according to your own likes and dislikes. Best of all, you can make two to four outfits for what it would cost to buy a single authentic outfit direct from the company.

Cons

If you cannot sew, you are in quite a pickle. Either you will have to learn (which is not easy when you decide that the first things you want to sew are doll clothes!), or you will have to hire someone who knows how to sew. If your intent is to reproduce the authentic clothing items sold by the company, you are also out of luck. The patterns sold to make clothing for these eighteen-inch dolls do not copy the clothing items already sold by the company.