American Girl dolls are a staple of young girl’s lives. If they don’t have a genuine American Girl doll then chances are high that they have a different 18″ doll that they love. There is no substitute for American Girl clothing. It is adorable, phenomenal, picture perfect…..and expensive. We were looking at the American Girl catalog yesterday and my daughter was remarking at just how expensive the clothes are. “You mean her bathing suit is $30 and mine is $40 and together that’s SEVENTY DOLLARS?!?!?!” Yes honey, that’s why we save these items for birthday and Christmas.
With craft store coupons you can save big on doll clothes! Craft stores sell clothing for 18″ dolls and there are ALWAYS coupons available to use! The prices at both JoAnn and Michaels range from $3.99 to $9.99. Use a 50% coupon and that knocks the price in half and you will pay $5 at most for an outfit for your American girl or 18″ doll. These are absolutely not the same quality as American Girl Doll clothing. But they are inexpensive enough that a small child can save her allowance for a new outfit and get a quick reward rather than waiting a long time to save the required amount of money.
The brand of clothing is Springfield. You can find these same clothes on Amazon but you will pay more there without a coupon. These outfits are still cheaper than American Girl clothing though.
Last week Little Sister and I went to JoAnns. She bough that little green shirt outfit that you see in the photo above. It’s a pair of PJ’s with bunny slippers that cost $5.00 after a 50% coupon. When Big Sister came home from school Little Sister was so excited to show her the new outfit. You could see a bit of jealousy in Big Sister’s eyes as she asked “But did Mommy give you money for that?” Little Sister said “Nope! She gave me a coupon and I saved my own money on it.” Very true! She was able to get two outfits for the price of one!
If you are crafty be sure to check out these American Girl Sewing Patterns. I made the straight skirt a few weeks ago!
Do you have any tips for saving money on American Girl doll clothes?
Leandrea is a married mom of two girls, ages 13 and 12, living in Atlanta, GA. She is passionate about helping people save money one coupon at a time. Read more
Walmart has just started carrying a line of 18″ doll accessories. I have only seen them in one store so far. Also, a store called Fred’s carries dolls.
Another brand to check is the Our Generation brand that is sold at Target. The clothes fit most 18″ dolls perfectly and they have the cutest accessory sets for a fraction of the American Girl price.
Another thing I have found is that it is very easy to upcycle clothes that my kids have outgrown in to doll clothes. A little creative use of the scissors and self- adhesive velcro and you have new doll clothes for free – like this one – http://dolldiaries.com/5-minute-upcycled-doll-skirt/
Have a great week!
Char
Thank you!!! We are new to American Girl, What I had already discovered is that Kmart sells the set (one for the girl and one for that doll) for $16.99-$19.99. Super cute and a note so much that you can’t afford a couple of outfits.