Our Generation Doll Vs. Best Friends Club, Inc Doll

I have seen dolls at 4 places that you can buy for soooo much cheaper than American girl dolls! Target (I think those are the Our Generation), Wal-mart, ToysRUs and even ACMoore. Plus, at ACMoore, you can use the 40 or 50% off coupon from online. All of these places sell clothes, also much cheaper than American Girl. My daughter just turned 8 and has the doll from Target for 2 years. She just had a sleepover with 6 friends this weekend and they all brought "American Girl" dolls, only 2 were really American girl dolls. I looked at them close, and I think only an expert would know the difference. My daughter still doesn't know her doll isn't "real" and does not care, neither did her friends. She has clothes for her doll from the reall American Girl store, from Target, and from toysRUs, they all fit the same on the doll (tight in my opinion, sometimes hard for her to get on, but even the reall American girl dolls that were here this weekend I had to help the girls dress them.) My only thing is....when doing the dolls hair, wet it first, then use a metal brush. I bought the brush from American girl, but they also sell them with the American girl books (I saw them at Michael's arts and craft store, where you can also use copons....gotta love those coupons!!) I don't know anything about the Best friends club. I think they are a smaller doll?? I like that these dolls are all the 18 inch size so clothes are easier to find. Just an FYI, the MY TWIN doll is also quite pricy and much bigger, like 24 inches tall or something. So the clothes are harder to find. I hope all my rambling helps you!!

Right now Avon has the Madame Alexander dolls, there are 3 different ones and they look like little girls.
These are beautiful and are 100% guaranteed.

If you'd like to see them you can go to
http://www.youravon.com/kguest

you can even get free shipping with them, just send me a PM and I'll tell you how.

My daughter is getting 2 for Christmas.
They also have some matching clothes for your daughter.

Have you seen the Madame Alexander dolls in Avon? They're comparable to the ones you mention and are selling for about $30.00 when on sale, $50 when not.

I think Bitty Baby would be great for her. It is an
AMerican Doll baby, but they are really beautiful and little
girls have lots of fun with them.

K.
I did the same thing with my daughter when she was that age. I bought the My Generation doll from Target because I didn't want to shell out the money for the AG doll before I knew she would appreciate it. When we did finally let her get her AG doll when we were in NYC you could immediately tell the difference in quality, especailly in the hair, but also in the clothes. That being said the My Generation doll was a good beginning point. FYI, if you end up getting the AG doll at a later point, braid her hair if your daughter is going to sleep with her. My daughter's doll needs to visit the "repair" center in the NYC store when we are there over the Thanksgiving weekend for her hair to be smoothed out.

I'm in the same boat as you. My mother-in-law & I were talking about either the AG doll or the My twin - we opted to go with the Madame Alexander Favorite Friends dolls - she found them at walmart - the outfits are btwn 12.99 & 19.99 (i think) and the doll was $39.99. I have seen some online cheaper but they won't ship for a month or so. My daughter will be 6 this coming Wednesday, but until she shows me that she can take care of things, then it may be another year or so. My older daughter on the other hand had everything - mostly from my MIL who i love dearly, but doesn't realize that the lesson we are trying to teach is a forever one. Good luck!