I have been hearing about the new doll line Espari for while now, so I just had to go to Barnes and Noble and check them out. These dolls and clothing seem to be made by the same company that produces the Journey Girl line for Toys R Us. I picked up the Pretty Plaid reversible fashion pack, and I really love it. The set is available from Barnes and Noble stores or online, and it retails for $19.99. It includes a black beret, denim jacket, reversible dress (red on one side and plaid on the other), black belt with bow, black boots, black flats, white ankle socks, a white slip, and a faux pearl bracelet.
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Since Espari dolls are pretty much the same as Journey Girls (which are thinner than AG), I already figured the clothes would work for Journey girls but not AG dolls, but I was surprised how well they fit several of the different slim dolls we have. Here are some photos of the different pieces, along with an explanation of fit between various doll lines.
AG=American Girl, BFC=Best Friend Collection (retired), P&M= Disney Princess and Me
AG=American Girl, BFC=Best Friend Collection (retired), P&M= Disney Princess and Me
BERET: This is my favorite piece in the set. It fits just about every doll I've tried it on. Most of the slim dolls tend to have large heads, so the beret fits well. It is a little loose on BFC Ink. I think it looks great on Princess and Me Belle. This would work well for historicals like Molly and Kit or the new AG Girl of the Year for her trip to Paris.
DRESS: I love the reversible dress. It is very well made and looks cute on all the dolls, although it is too tight to close in the back on full bodied dolls like AG or Alexander. My JG Dana fits perfectly, but some of the newer Journey Girls have plumper bodies, so they may not fit. The dress fits and looks great on P&M. It is a little loose for BFC.
SLIP: The slip is very simple, and I think it's intended to prevent color transfer. The Journey Girl dolls (made by the same company that makes these Espari products) seem notorious for that. I have an older Dana doll, and she had some staining when I got her. I have also had trouble if she wears bright clothes for a long time, like the red dress from Springfield. The slip does fit Journey Girls and P&M, but it looks a little funky because it sticks out the top and is a little too long on the bottom. I probably won't use it much. It does not fit on the full-bodied dolls at all.
JACKET: I love the versatility of this piece. It works for a boy or girl doll, and it can be used to hold the dress together if it won't close in the back. It is definitely big on BFC but works great on P&M, Journey Girls, Our Generation, and Kingstate. It was a little hard to get on my AG doll, but once on, it fits and looks great. I could not get it go on my Madame Alexander or Heidi Ott dolls. The sleeves are lined with a mesh material that looks a little odd, but I think it's to help avoid color transfer, which I appreciate.
BELT: I like that the belt is removable so it can be used for other outfits. It makes a nice accent for the dress and also helps cinch the waist if it's too loose. Fits great on Journey Girls and Our Generation but is a little snug for AG and Madame A. I had to tie it instead of using the Velcro to make it fit BFC, my thinnest doll.
SOCKS: The socks are cute, nothing fancy. They fit everyone except BFC. They look good with the boots and help them fit better on smaller feet, but I think they look kind of silly with the fancy dress shoes.
SHOES: Both pairs of shoes are very cute and versatile. Most of the shoes we own are pink, so I appreciate the simple black. The shoes fit well on Journey Girls but are a little snug with the socks. They work for P&M but are loose without the socks. They are just too big for BFC and too small for Madame Alexander. I couldn't get the boots on AG Saige, but I did manage to get the dress shoes on. You have to kind of push her feet into them so the toes don't show, though. They are difficult to get on and off Our Generation, but I think they would work without socks. The boots are gender neutral and work well on my Kingstate boy doll.
BRACELET: The bracelet fits most dolls except BFC. It isn't the best quality, and the beads look really fake, but it does give the outfit a fancier look.
OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: I really like this set, and it gives us plenty of versatile pieces for Dana, who was purchased used and didn't have any clothes. She can fit into most other clothing lines, but this outfit fits her really nicely. I also love how it looks on my daughters' new Princess and Me dolls for a more modern, casual look. With a little tweaking, several pieces can fit my BFC doll, which is great because she is an awkward size and a discontinued brand, so it's really hard to find clothes to fit. The outfit is so versatile with the reversible dress and mix and match accessories. I would recommend Espari for any slim-line dolls (like Carpatina) and dolls that are just a little thinner than American Girl. If all your dolls have a fuller body style like AG, though, I think you would be disappointed. I really like the look of this particular outfit, and at $20, I think it's an incredible value.
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