Bamboletta Dolls

I think they are adorable, but they look like they are for a much younger audience than American Girl dolls. AG dolls are actually designed for ages 8+ unless you get their bitty baby dolls.

If you want a rag type doll, my kids like the Groovy Girls dolls (they have boys too). They don't look like a baby doll, but they aren't over sexualized. They are smaller in size and much less expensive ($20 range). Or look for Go! Go! Sports Dolls. They are all sports themed.

If you want an AG type doll look at Target. They have some beautiful ethnic dolls that come with their own personal story. My daughter also has a Walmart brand AG type doll that she likes. Only problem is that it is bigger than AG dolls so we can't find other clothes for her.

If you want a baby type doll look for the Corelle brand. They are made in France and they are well made and come with a very slight vanilla scent that lasts forever! My daughter's is 5 years old and still smells like vanilla. They have baby dolls and little girl dolls. They are probably in the $30-$50 range.

Dolls for me (and for my daughters) were always something to simply play with. Brush their hair, dress them up, sit them in a half circle and "teach" them the Alphabet, just play with them. I never attached any special meaning to them and I never saw them as symbols of beauty or self-esteem or whatever. And as far as my daughters are concerned, I have way more influence in how they see themselves than some doll, be it Barbie or American Girl or Mrs. Potato-head.

If you think your daughter would like a Bamboletta doll, get her one. Personally, I think the AG dolls are more "playable". The Bamboletta doll's hair looks like yarn - can you brush it? Do different hairstyles? Their clothes seem really simple and kinda boring, too. Can their arms and legs move? My daughters have AG dolls and LOVED them. Does your daughter want a doll to carry around and snuggle with? Then maybe a Bamboletta would be fine. My girls like to really use their dolls - put them on the horse, sit them in chairs and position a flute in their arms, stick skates on them and pretend they're in the Olympics, change their hair 25 different ways, etc. Can you do these things with the Bamboletta?

And I get that the Bambolettas are hand crafted and blah blah blah, but there's no freakin' way I'd pay $260 for a doll. Just no way. $100 for the AG was expensive enough...

It just depends on what you and your daughter are looking for in a doll.

They are cute. They are a lot like waldorf dolls and you can buy them from many different places or if your crafty even order a kit and make one yourself. Google waldorf doll you will see more choices.

No doll made for a child to play with is worth $240 IMHO. They look like cabbage patch dolls to me so I would not buy one although I appreciate handmade items. If you like it, go for it though.

In my opinion, you are trying to send your daughter a lot of messages with the purchase of a doll. You can teach her how special and unique she is without the purchases of a doll or any other material thing.

I understand where you are coming from. As soon as I saw them I thought, "Waldorf!" And I totally get why you would want to give your daughter a doll like this. It's the same reason I wouldn't buy my daughter Bratz dolls, and openly steered her away from them. As parents, we learn where our own boundaries are, that's all. You have good reasons for choosing this type of doll.

The dolls are really cute as well as being made exceptionally well, the company gives a lot to charity, and it directly benefits 30 families in a real way monetarily. You say $150? Definitely worth it.

If you want to give her that doll, then do so.
Really.
You can tell your daughter when she is older... about the story of how your Mom would give you something that was special and with a story. And "special" is the feeling behind it, not the "trendiness" of it or not.

Personally, I would rather have that doll you said, versus American Dolls.
Bamboletta is cute and cuddly. American Dolls and all its clothes and accessories are expensive.

When my daughter was young... I gave her a real, "Humpty Dumpty" doll. And I told her the story of about it and that nowadays, you can't find one anywhere. I had one when I was a young child. I loved it. It is "vintage" now. My daughter loves her humpty dumpty. There was a place in my town locally, that still made them.
Things like that don't go in or out of style.

How old is your daughter? I never heard of them so I just checked out the website. I have to say, no offense, but I think they are really ugly and I would never spend that much money on any doll, let alone a rag doll. All the things you like about them are true of AG too - not over developed, great back stories, fostering creativity and friendship, etc. I know you like the idea of how and where they're made and the materials, which is the only thing about them I agree with you about. Very cool. However, it's a gift for a child, so you need to weigh this against how your child will see it. Will you spend the money on this and in two years hear your daughter begging to have an AG anyway? My daughter didn't like baby dolls - I assumed she wasn't a doll person. It was when she was about 8 or 9 that she started to want a doll to be a friend (not a baby). She had two Our Generation dolls before we finally took the plunge on the AG doll. She wanted a friend she could relate to and hang out with. I don't think the doll you're showing would have worked at all. Are you crafty? I mean, I look at that and think that if that's what I wanted, I'd make it myself, but I make a lot of things. Sorry my opinion will burst your bubble, but that's why you came here, right? To hear all sides? Good luck!

ETA: You did see that they are currently sold out of all the dolls in the price range you're considering, right?

I never heard of them, so I had to go look. I think they are adorable! I then asked my 7 y/o daughter, who loves dolls, what she thought. She said some of them were a little creepy! LOL! She didn't like the face on the ones who's hair was pulled back. Who knows why?! She has an AG. She saved the money for it. (Daddy was very generous with allowance to help her out once we realized she had almost $70 dollars saved up! That was all from chores, cards from Grandma, etc!) She plays with it sometimes. My older daughter is 10. She has never liked dolls except one small rag doll she had since she was born. I guess I would say why not show them to your daughter and see what she thinks. It would be a shame to pay so much for something may not really like! As much as I wanted my younger doll lover to play with rag dolls, she never wanted them! As far as price point, yes, I think they are a bit expensive. Having said that, if my daughter loved it, I would spend it. They are only young once and it doesn't last long. I think the great memories are worth the money sometimes!

How old is your daughter?

I ask this because you seem to assume that your daughter will want a doll. ANY doll. Mine didn't. She preferred stuffed animals. Still does. And she is 12. Any doll she ever received as a gift (ANY doll) was accepted with a thank you, and then she set it down and virtually never picked any of them up again. Ever. Well, except when she used them as victims while playing superheros with her brother. Or hung the bridal Barbie from her wall with thumbtacks. (I still haven't figured that one out yet).

Before you think she is weird and I should get her examined for psychological problems... she is just a tomboy. She likes to compete with her brother. She is a budding writer. She is a talented musician. And loves reading books.
There is nothing whatsoever wrong with her. She just doesn't care a hoot about dolls.

If your daughter is too young to have expressed an interest in them, don't assume that she will. She might. And then you can do whatever you want as far as providing her with all sorts of dolls. But she also might not, and you may find that $150 a complete waste of money.

Just something to think about.

If you're thinking of asking your mil of giving her this doll instead of an American Girl doll, don't. As you've shown the doll we give is very much a personal experience. Your daughter can have both.

I just looked at them, and I think they are adorable! $130 - $150 is on par with an American Girl doll, right? Sorry, I don't have any experience with these dolls, but I imagine your daughter would love her doll. Even if she loves it to pieces, you can always repair it.

Holy Frijole!
Approx $250 per doll?!?
They look nice but they are basically a variation on cabbage patch dolls.
I had a hand made doll growing up.
My Nana made her and stuffed her with dryer lint.
I still have her.
She's definitely one of a kind.
There's no WAY she cost $250 to make.
If your MIL has money burning a hole in her pocket I guess she can spend it any way she wants to.