American Girl’s Street Chic doll collection has been a big hit ever since the three dolls with colorful hair, outfits and accessories were launched in 2021, but did you know there was supposed to be a fourth doll in the line? I didn’t!
Instagram user @giaandrusmom shared a never before seen image of Truly Me #93 along with a caption with several details:
“Top Secret! This is TM 93. She was supposed to be part of the Street Chic line, but was dropped. She was supposed to have the Jess mold, blue eyes, freckles, and wavy blonde hair with purple and blue streaks. I’m really surprised she was pulled, but maybe we’ll see her in the future!”
Side note: I find it really interesting that the text in this photo (obviously from American Girl) describes the doll as having the Jess mold, but on the Create Your Own website, they name the molds based on the shape, like “heart shaped”. Maybe they thought using names like “Addy mold” and “Jess mold” would be more confusing to consumers? I’m not sure.
The opinions on Truly Me #93 have been mixed. Some people are huge fans of the unreleased doll. Comments like “She’s so pretty. They should have made her!” and “I would have bought her in a heartbeat” can be found under @giaandrusmom’s post. However, others are not as excited.
One of my favorite accounts, @alexandradperreault, clearly shared why she was glad Truly Me #93 was dropped from the Street Chic line:
“…Some have said that perhaps this doll meant to represent a White person. If so, why use the Jess mold, again, when that was the ONLY mold East Asian people had to represent themselves. Why not use a Classic mold or Joss mold or even bring back the Marie-Grace mold? Why take the little East Asians have in representation and whitewash it?”
I recommend you head to her Instagram page and read the whole caption for yourself. It’s a great read and very insightful.
While I do think #93 is pretty, I personally agree with @alexandradperreault and think it was a smart move to drop Truly Me #93 from the Street Chic line. American Girl has never had an Asian historical character besides Ivy (and she was a best friend with only a few outfits) and up until 2022, we have only had a couple Asian Girl of the Years and several Truly Me dolls. Corinne is a step in the right direction, but I hope American Girl continues to tell more Asian stories in the future. They are a different perspective than the ones we’re used to hearing, but equally as valid.
It’s important to celebrate our differences instead of encouraging everyone to fit the same beauty standards. Not everyone is going to look the same. We all come from different backgrounds, people groups, cultures, etc., and that’s a beautiful thing that should be celebrated, authentically.
What are your thoughts on Truly Me #93? Leave a comment below and let me know!
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🤩 cool! I love the street chic line! So excited 😆! By the way I just wanted to let you know that you have inspired me so much, and thanks to you I have a blog! It’s called American Girl Family it’s on WordPress.com.
i’d love to check out your blog, blaire! thanks for your comment. <3
This is the only one from the street chic line that would be a definite immediate purchase for me. I believe this line is bringing forth cultural diversity in a way that is different from “A World By Us.” World By Us approach diversity in a manner that is incredibly politically correct, humanitarian based, and much needed due to the lack over the past few years. Street Chic, however, approaches diversity in a manner separate from race and is more to celebrate the diversity of personality. As we can see with dolls that have purple hair and grey eyes etc. Furthermore individualization includes specific outfits and unique styling that is separate from the “Truly Me” generic outfit.
However, If you wanted to pull a cultural reference for this doll it would be an interesting and in depth read on children during the 1900s who were considered “Americasian” or “Eurasian.” Often these children had varying European and Asian features. If you find photos, these are some of the most stunning genetics that I’ve seen. Similar to Devon Aoki, if you’ve ever seen Fast and Furious, she has hair that naturally turns red in the sun and also has freckles. These children (Not Devon Aoki who was a successful model and related to a music legend) were unfortunately products of war and often seen in a negative depiction by their community. They were reminders of a difficult time for most, which resulted in most trying to forget their existence. So I’d love for this doll to be almost a celebration of life to everyone who was oppressed by having similar features.
thanks for your comment, matt! that’s a beautiful way to look at it. i’ll have to do some reading on the topics you mentioned!