Remember the days of American Girl dolls? If you’re like me, you had your favorite picked out, and – whether you owned that doll or just wished you did – your choice probably reflected your personality.
To help you get in touch with your inner child, our latest series takes fashion inspiration from these elementary school favorites, using them to inspire real-life-wearable outfits you can rock today. (In case you missed them, see our posts on American Girl Felicity and American Girl Molly.)
American Girl doll Samantha Parkington lived a life of luxury with her grandmother in the Victorian period. For fans of the books, Samantha’s heartwarming stories could always relieve a bad mood. Samantha was also one of my favorites because her outfits were always so elegant looking, with intricate detailing and girly touches.Of course, no outfit was complete without her signature bow!
While the days of tea parties with your Samantha doll may have passed, you can turn her polished look into sine wearable, everyday outfits. Below, I’ve created a few outfits inspired by Samantha. Scroll down to view them all!
Table of Contents
Victorian Chic
Product Information: Dress – ASOS, Shoes – ASOS, Bag – Forever21, Belt – ASOS, Bow – Etsy, Necklace – Forever21
Steal Samantha’s signature checked ensemble with a tartan print skater dress and a pair of ballet flats. Belt the dress with a burgundy skinny belt, and grab a bright pink clutch for a trendy twist. For accessories, wear a cute bow in your hair and add a charm necklace to complete the look!
Perfectly Pink
Product Information: Dress – Forever21, Flats – ASOS, Belt – LOFT, Earrings – ASOS, Hair Clips – Forever21
Samantha looked perfectly pink in her birthday party outfit! (Do you guys remember it?) Update her festive look with a blush pink dress and ballet flats. Wear with a skinny belt, flower hair clips, and mismatched earrings for a fun twist!
Bonus Look: Nellie O’Malley
Samantha’s best friend Nellie O’Malley was another childhood favorite of many. Though Nelly may not come from the same circumstances as Samantha does, she maintains a determined, sweet, and caring personality (and adorable clothes, too!).
Product Information: Dress – Forever21, Shoes – American Eagle Outfitters, Sash – American Apparel, Bow – Forever21, Necklace – Forever21
For a modern spin on Nellie’s classic look, wear a blue lace dress with a dark blue sash belt and black ballet flats. Accessorize the outfit with a dainty charm necklace, and a cute (though optional) hair bow.
What do you think?
Was Samantha your favorite American Girl doll? Would you wear any of the outfits above? Which look is your favorite? Would you like to see more posts like these in the future? Let me know in the comments!
Samantha was my favorite American Girl doll. I thought it be hard to dress Victorian without looking like wearing a costume.
OMG I remember I got one of these when I was little and it was like the best present ever!!
Can’t even begin to say how excited I am about this series! 🙂
Seriously? So cute! But I am so sad because I thought of doing this idea with my blog about 3 weeks ago and have been planning and researching it all…now I feel stupid..guess I should get ideas out quicker ay? Great job though! i may still do it as I love the dolls and their histories. Love seeing your take on it!
Addy was free in Philadelphia most of the time, not at a plantation. The options for her should be fine.
I love all these outfits! Is it sad to say my style reflects that of a doll sometimes? haha
Hi everyone!
I will be doing ALL of the dolls eventually, please be patient 🙂 Just because I haven’t done a doll doesn’t mean I’m not doing a post on her at all! I’m so happy that you all are enjoying these posts. I know I was a big fan of American Girl when I was younger, so it’s exciting to see that so many of you were too.
Just to clarify, I am not ignoring any of the dolls nor forgetting any of them – I can only do one at a time 🙂 Stay tuned!
I agree that you should do Addy, I don’t see why it would be awkward. Also, I would love to see Josephina.
I always loved Samantha’s clothes 🙂 Nellie was one of my favorites! I was so sad when they got discontinued 🙁
I think Kit might have some interesting looks, if you did her!
The dresses are all soooo pretty! Can’t decide which one I like best!
Shelby, can you be my stylist? 😉
That blue dress is so perfect.
Why shouldn’t they do Addy? Stop trying to sweep our history under the rug! Addy knew slavery was immoral and she expressed that clearly in the series. She was smart and brave. Also eventually free, thank God and Lincoln.
I love this series so please continue it! Samantha was one of my favorite characters and the first look is spot on
YAY! I was so looking forward to Samantha
Great post!!!! I absolutely love it 🙂 🙂 I literally gasped in excitement when I logged on today and saw this post on top 🙂 You are doing a great job, Shelby. I am loving how you blend the nostalgia of these dolls with our present day love for fashion. A great blend. I especially love the first outfit because it really well replicates Samantha’s outfit with cute, actually wearable pieces. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, props, girl!