Meet Outfits

SamanthaBFDollFull — Samantha Parkington in her BeForever meet outfit.

The Meet Outfit are the clothes a doll is wearing when she is purchased. This term was coined from both the original titles of the historical books and the dolls themselves; the first Historical book was titled "Meet ______" and the Historical Characters were originally sold with their Meet Books.^[1] While originally a fandom term, this has been made official through use by American Girl.

Historical and BeForever Meet Outfits

See also: Meet Accessories

Traditionally, the clothes Historical Characters wore on the cover of her first book (her "Meet" book) were the same ones the new doll wore when purchased. This made for a matched set of book and doll. This changed in 2004 with the revamp of the cover styles as Molly was put into her Halloween Hula Costume, and in 2014 with the launch of BeForever when the outfit was shown on the first volume.^[2] The outfits are still known as Meet Outfits, however, because the doll still comes in the outfit. These outfits show a general day outfit a girl of the era, class level, and culture would realistically wear.^[3] For several characters, the meet outfit has specific significance in the Meet stories--for example, Kirsten's are her first "American"-style clothes, and Addy's are (in both versions) the first outfit given to her on her escape to freedom.

Meet outfits can occasionally be purchased as replacement parts; however, they are sold in separate parts generally consisting of the dress/outfit, shoes and/or socks, and underwear if offered. Purchasing them in this manner almost always makes it more expensive than buying a new doll and removing the outfit. When a character is retired, so is her meet outfit.

With BeForever, the new outfits were originally available separately for $36; as well, for a brief period, the original Classic Outfits were made available for Addy, Julie, Rebecca, Josefina, and Kit for $36. The individual meet outfits did not come with any of the hair decorations, ribbons, or barrettes but are otherwise complete, including underwear and shoes. Outfits for Kaya and Caroline are/were not available separately as their outfits did not change; a Classic Outfit was not made available for Samantha (or later, Felicity) as they had previously been retired for some time. Molly's was briefly available separately on May 2020.

Any previously BeForever-exclusive characters have not have meet outfits available separately, as they have not had any other outfits.

Best Friends Meet Outfits

Like the Historical Characters, Best Friend Characters' meet outfits are intended to reflect the day-to-day outfits of the characters, and illustrated on the cover of their books. ^[4] Like the Historicals, their meet outfits could be purchased separately as replacement parts, and were retired with them.

American Girl of Today, Just Like You, My American Girl, and Truly Me Meet Outfits

Main Article: Modern Character Meet Outfits.

Modern dolls have been available in varying outfits during their release. The outfit has updated regularly to reflect modern fashion trends for the target audience, roughly every two to three years.

Unlike Historical Meet Outfits, they were often sold separately from the dolls as complete outfits for standard prices. (The notable exception is the first set, as at the time it was assumed that a purchaser did not have a doll with a Meet outfit already.) The rationale for selling later outfits separate was that a person could probably already have a doll, but may not want to buy a whole new doll to get an outfit.

The Star Hoodie Outfit was the last meet outfit available as a separate purchase with the launch of Innerstar University, since codes were bundled with meet outfits and made wholly unavailable as a separate purchase. This returned with the Lilac Dress, but subsequent outfits have not been separate purchases.

Modern dolls were originally advertised as "modern" historicals, and came with with blank books matching the Central Series pattern. Although the line is now marketed as a companion to the customer and thus no longer come with blank books (though starting in 2019 they started coming with a companion book), their outfits are still called Meet Outfits.

In 2018, with the release of boy dolls, a male meet outfit was released and updated as the female outfit was updated.

Girls of the Year Meet Outfits

Like the My American Girl dolls, Girls of the Year are sold in identifying, character fitting outfits. These outfits are shown on the cover of the accompanying book (or, with characters after Nicki Fleming, the first book).^[7]

The meet outfits for Girls of the Year were traditionally not offered as replacement parts. Starting with Mia St. Clair, the outfit parts were available separate from the doll. Some parts remain available after retirement in limited quantities or are resold as part of the My American Girl line with more generic names.

Bitty Baby and Our New Baby Meet Outfits

Our New Baby was sold in a white cotton sleeper with a light print.

Bitty Baby has always been sold in a sleeper. Like the My American Girl line prior to the Truly Me relaunch, the Bitty Baby sleepers were initially sold separately from the dolls as complete outfits; with the release of the Cuddly Star Sleeper, the outfit was not available separately. Meet outfits were made available again in 2015.

Bitty Twins Meet Outfits

Like the modern line, outfits for Bitty Twins were sold separately from the dolls as complete outfits. With the revamp of the line into more mature clothing, older sleepers were discontinued.

Moon and Stars Sleepers
Color Block Sleepers
Denim Overalls Outfit - Boy Twin Meet Outfit I
Denim Jumper Outfit - Girl Twin Meet Outfit I
Plaid and Denim Outfit - Boy Twin Meet Outfit II
Plaid and Denim Dress - Girl Twin Meet Outfit II
Red Argyle Outfit - Boy Twin Meet Outfit III
Aqua Argyle Dress - Girl Twin Meet Outfit III
Rainbow Plaid Outfit - Boy Twin Meet Outfit IV
Garden Play Outfit - Girl Twin Meet Outfit IV

WellieWishers Meet Outfits

The outfits for the WellieWishers are both their meet outfits and their dominant character outfits in book illustrations, animations, and logos. The outfits are mostly the same from doll to doll with variances for character; they consist of a cap sleeved tee, gathered skirt, simple panties, and wellies (rainboots); each also has a unique hair decoration, such as a headband or ponytail holders.

Create Your Own Meet Outfits

Every One Of A Kind Doll made in the Create Your Own line is outfitted in a full outfit at purchase, selected by the designer; these are analogous to standard meet outfits. They are also available separately, but only through the system.

References

↑ With BeForever, Historicals were sold with the first volume of their Classic Series, which includes the first three books; with the abridged volumes, the first book is still included.
↑ Felicity is the only Historical Character who had her Meet Outfit changed completely before the BeForever launch.
↑ Elizabeth is the major exception, as she is wearing a fancy party dress instead.
↑ The exceptions are Ivy Ling who is pictured in her New Year's dress, and Emily Bennett who is wearing her recital dress.
↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 ^5.2 These outfits were not given an official name; the names used on this wiki are derived from the accessories they are paired with.
↑ This outfit was also not given an official name; its name on this wiki is derived from the girl's meet outfit it complements.
↑ The exceptions are Kailey Hopkins who is wearing her wetsuit and Joss Kendrick who is wearing her surfing swimset.
↑ ^8.0 ^8.1 ^8.2 These outfits were released simultaneously in 2015 and customers were given a choice between the three outfits when purchasing a new Bitty Baby doll.
↑ The outfit was released in 2016 as another option to the prior three.
↑ ^10.0 ^10.1 ^10.2 These outfits were released simultaneously in 2019 and customers were given a choice between the three outfits when purchasing a new Bitty Baby doll.

[1] With BeForever, Historicals were sold with the first volume of their Classic Series, which includes the first three books; with the abridged volumes, the first book is still included.

[2] Felicity is the only Historical Character who had her Meet Outfit changed completely before the BeForever launch.

[3] Elizabeth is the major exception, as she is wearing a fancy party dress instead.

[4] The exceptions are Ivy Ling who is pictured in her New Year's dress, and Emily Bennett who is wearing her recital dress.

[namedev-5] 5.0 ^5.1 ^5.2 These outfits were not given an official name; the names used on this wiki are derived from the accessories they are paired with.

[6] This outfit was also not given an official name; its name on this wiki is derived from the girl's meet outfit it complements.

[7] The exceptions are Kailey Hopkins who is wearing her wetsuit and Joss Kendrick who is wearing her surfing swimset.

[2015release-8] 8.0 ^8.1 ^8.2 These outfits were released simultaneously in 2015 and customers were given a choice between the three outfits when purchasing a new Bitty Baby doll.

[9] The outfit was released in 2016 as another option to the prior three.

[2019release-10] 10.0 ^10.1 ^10.2 These outfits were released simultaneously in 2019 and customers were given a choice between the three outfits when purchasing a new Bitty Baby doll.

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