Kit Kittredge (doll)

The Kit Kittredge doll was released in 2000 and updated in Fall 2014 with BeForever.

Kit Doll

• Face Mold: Classic Mold
• Skin: Light

• There are freckles under her eyes.

• Hair: Blond, bob length, side part, no bangs.
• Eyes: Dark Blue

Meet Outfit

First Edition

Kit's meet outfit reflects the fashion ideals of her time period. The combination of twinset sweaters and skirt allow versatility and thus more wear out of clothes. The skirt is intended to simulate feedsack print, showing how things were recycled during the 1930s; however, Kit wears this outfit before her family starts having financial troubles.

After the launch of BeForever, the set was sold (minus hair accessories) as Kit's Classic Outfit for $36.

Sweater Set

Lavender knit sweater set of blouse and sweater. The blouse is a short-sleeved crew-neck style with snaps in the back rather than velcro. The cardigan, also crew-neck style, is long-sleeved with working buttons on the front.

Skirt

Ivory skirt with a green, purple, and orchid floral print. It is pleated symmetrically with a flat panel in front. It closes on the side with Velcro, though originally it closed with a zipper.

Bloomers

White cotton bloomer-style underpants with elastic around the legs to make them puffy. Kit's underpants are similar to Samantha's, Molly's, and Emily's; however, they do not have a ruffle like Samantha's and Nellie's.

Sandals

Ivory colored canvas t-strap sandals. Silver metal buckles.

Early editions had functional buckles. Later editions had decorative buckles with velcro closure.

Hair Barrette

Green plastic barrette with two open diamond shapes. It resembles the jade Art Deco pieces that were common in the 1920s and 1930s.

BeForever Version

The BeForever Outfit for Kit is available alone for $36.

Dress

Blue-green sleeveless dress. White Peter Pan collar. Three red floral buttons. Attached red waistband with a white round floral plastic buckle. Red floral print at lower hem. Velcros up the back.

Barrette

Red plastic hair barrette; black clasp.

Bloomers

White cotton bloomers with elastic around the legs and waist; they are exactly like the Classic-style bloomers.

Shoes

Red Mary Jane shoes. White top stitching.

Meet Accessories

First Edition

Hat

White crocheted cloche hat. Green band around brim with bow on right side.

Purse

Woven clutch purse with a loop and button fastener. Embroidered flowers (two purple, one yellow) on the front and sewn together with decorative green thread which is also around the flap of the purse.

Nickel

Necklace

Handkerchief

BeForever Version

Bracelet

Hat

Purse

Dress Like Your Doll

The matching children's outfit was available; it had two releases, one in 2000 and then in 2008 for the movie. The 2008 release came with a sleeveless sweater instead of the one matching that of the doll.

• Sweater Set: $45
• Skirt: $32
• Hat: $14. The hat was not originally sold with the outfit.
• Compass Necklace: $18. This was later phased out around 2004.

Dress Like Your Doll: BeForever

A children's outfit inspired by Kit's BeForever Meet Outfit was available:

• Ruby Pom-Pom Top: $32
• Garden Blooms Skirt: $42
• Red Ribbon Hat: $22

Trivia

• Kit was the first new doll released once Mattel had taken over American Girl.
• Kit is the only Historical Character whose meet outfit originally contained no velcro.

• Kit was the first noticeably short-haired historical doll; her hair is cut into a bob, a style that became fashionable in the late 20s and early 30s. Melody also has shorter hair than most other historicals.

• When BeForever was launched Kit was erroneously shown with Full Speed Ahead: My Journey with Kit instead of Read All About It!.^[1]

• A draft sketch of the prototype Kit outfit showed items similar to the classic meet outfit. The sweater set was white; the skirt was blue; the hat more resembled a straw-style cloche.^[2] Caitlin Waite, the model who provided her likeness for the Kit illustrations, explained in a post on the /r/americangirl subreddit that the change to a knit-style cloche was due to a last-minute decision done by American Girl when the initial batch of straw hats fell apart rather easily, resulting in a change in style and forcing Waite to fly back to Middleton for a re-shoot with the new final meet outfit design.^[3]

References