We discovered Blythe dolls a couple years ago, after being exposed to them through Gina Garan's book of Blythe photos, which I purchased here at Amazon. They are so sweet, but we cannot afford the remake, the minis, and especially not the Kenner originals, so these are a Higher-Being-send to us. Anyway, I wanted to add my two cents about these lovely sets as soon as possible, and try to help clear up certain issues. I have read and/or skimmed every review on these sets. Here goes:
1. I will agree that the cardboard pic of the wardrobe in the box is misleading, but I concluded that it was too good to be true. To verify this, I looked at pics of all the other sets and determined that it was indeed just a piece of cardboard. (If you look at the box in person, the wardrobe includes about seventeen pieces, and some are doubles...really weird that Hasbro didn't go all out for the photo.)
2. The price of this set is not bad at all, considering the quality and what you get.
3. The stand does indeed work well and is great for showing off the Blythes, but no kid is going to utilize it during playtime- a hand works just as well.
4. Somebody mentioned that the eyes move in a real mini Blythe- not correct; they only move in the full-size version.
5. The fact that she cannot bend her legs is not earth-shattering. Somehow, this makes her more charming.
6. Snort, don't get me started on lost accessories- I cannot understand why moms whine about this when: a)you know that they are contained in the set you are purchasing, and b)you can hide them away until a child is deemed fit for accessory responsibility, like at age 22.
Good Stuff:
-strong eyelashes
-can tilt head in every direction for maximum body language (three-year-old has not removed head after repeated exposure)
-cute, painted-on underwear
-shoes stay on very well (I experimented)
-stylish wardrobe and accessories
-can wear rubber Polly Pocket clothes, mini Bratz clothes, Strawberry Shortcake clothing, even Kelly doll clothes in a pinch (I experimented again)
-can fit virtually into every vehicle/dollhouse/DIY setup present in girls' residences (she hangs in both our standard dollhouse and Barbie vacation house.
I'm sorry, did you say something about a mouse? Oh, yeah, he's cute, but gets ignored while one is basking in the presence of a Blythe doll. Totally heart her.