What My Dolls are Wearing for Winter + Answering YOUR Questions

I didn't dress the dolls for Christmas, specifically, but now that I'm shoveling snow three days a week, it's very officially WINTER! So I gave the dolls some needed wardrobe changes and answered some of your questions in the process. I hope you enjoy!
*Channels mentioned: ‪@AGTV4Life‬ ‪@DisBlaine‬ ‪@Obsessed_dollboyag‬
-Kristie ([e-mail] and @ag_takesover on IG)

[@agtakesover]

In this video I mentioned that while I didn't do a ton of reading in 2024 (12 books), they were all LGBTQ+ fiction. I offered to share the list of books I read if anyone was interested. At least one person asked for the list, so here you go. Some were better than others: 1) I Wish You All the Best 2) One Last Stop 3) You're a Mean One, Matthew Prince 4) Delilah Green Doesn't Care 5) Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail 6) This is Why They Hate Us 7) You Can't Call it Gay Club 8) Forward March 9) The Fiancee Farce 10) The Pairing 11) London on My Mind 12) For Her Consideration

[@kashlaw01]

Your goals are so much like my own- organization, donate what we aren’t using, enjoy and appreciate what I have. I read every morning before I start my day. I enjoyed your video. The dolls look great! ❤

[@agtakesover]

That's great that you start every day reading! It's tough because Grace is a night owl and so I stay up late but don't get to sleep in at all, so it's hard to pull myself out of bed any earlier than necessary. It's been harder to make time for reading, but I am trying. I have accepted that there are so many things I want to do with my time that I may not be able to give any of them as much time as I'd like, and that's okay...but I want to read more this year.

[@nancycunningham4245]

It was so fun to clean out all my lower cabinets. I donated a bunch of stuff. It makes you feel so accomplished!! Keep it up. The doll outfits were so cute. The last outfit you showed, I found one at an estate sale.

[@agtakesover]

I've never gone to an estate sale but have wanted to. And YES! I've donated seventeen boxes of stuff in the past couple of weeks! It feels great! And organizing things in ways that make our lives less stressful and help us get the most out of what we do have...that's worth all the hours I'm putting in!

[@crystalbluepersuasion3897]

I enjoyed this video very much. I only subscribe to a handful of AG doll channels, and I am not on social media. My favorite videos are the ones that showcase people’s talents and creativity. I love your tutorials and your dollhouse tours the most. I also like learning a little bit about who you are as a human being. 😊

[@agtakesover]

Thank you so much - that means a lot. It really does :)

[@starryeyeschick]

#25 was so unique for her time! She often gets overlooked today, but there really wasn’t a doll like her in 2005. She’s still one of my favorites.

[@agtakesover]

She really IS pretty. And she still IS unique. I guess 128 is the closest doll currently, but they're quite different.

[@starryeyeschick]

Blaire looks so good in her cream sweater, jeans, and knitwear! Straight out of a Hallmark movie gorgeous. Giselle…same! I like her winter outfit as well.

[@agtakesover]

They were two of my absolute favorites this round. And yes, totally Hallmark-ready lol.

[@starryeyeschick]

I love Makena’s look! She looks so pretty in the plaid dress and beret. She’s finally growing on me, although I still don’t like the “dreamer” eyes.

[@agtakesover]

Taking the bottom lashes off did help. Pulling her hair back so the blunt ends aren't a noticeable helps. I also don't like the "dreamer" eyes (I don't like any of the dreamer dolls everyone gets so excited about, personally). But I agree this was a good look for her. I especially like the shoes with that dress.

[@julzr1192]

As an Aussie I love the creative videos. Dolls and accessories are hard to source and expensive to buy. I love to sew and love that you support etsy sewists. I am sure I am not alone in wanting to see what Grace is sewing.😊

[@agtakesover]

I'm glad. I figure the people who are only interested in hauls will show up for those and that's fine, but the people who are interested in the gamut of the ways we enjoy our dolls will stay for the rest. Also, Grace hasn't been sewing. To her chagrin, motivation shows up and disappears without much of a heads-up sometimes, and sewing motivation has been MIA of late.

[@AGTV4Life]

I stuck around for the whole thing and it was a fun video to watch as I cooked dinner. I totally agree with you about organizing and getting rid of things you don’t need and find myself doing the same thing. It feels so good to get rid of stuff that is just hanging around with no purpose. We have a Facebook group for my town where folks give away stuff for free and it is a wonderful way to share things.

[@agtakesover]

It's awesome that you're able to share things for free in your community. I'm pretty sure our town has a "buy nothing" group, but National Kidney Services comes to our home to do pick-ups and I can unload a bunch at a time (I've done two pick-ups so far in the past couple weeks - 12 boxes one time and 5 another!) I can't beat the convenience!

[@kerrysmiles]

For Christmas I got one of those jess molds and I decided as a disabled person to keep her because I like including dolls with differences to be part of my collection. It fits with how the world really is 🍓

[@agtakesover]

I expect their eyes to be asymmetrical. I just think that sometimes AG has poor quality control and writes it off as intentional. Kind of like JKR trying to retroactively insert more diversity in her stories than there really was. I love that you love your Jess and that it feels like she mirrors reality. That aside, the new Jess mold has much larger eyes and I prefer the older mold altogether. So I may just daydream about that custom and never actually make her lol.

[@Darkhart_Dolls]

I watched until the end. I always enjoy longer videos and find them comforting to listen to while I do other menial things like dress my own dolls or wash clothes. Will keep an eye out for your vids in the future 😊

[@agtakesover]

I appreciate you watching all the way to the end! I'm glad you find them comforting, and I do the same thing - I was listening to an All My Dolls video earlier this week (from SuperfunDolls) while I took down the Christmas trees.

[@beatricekhemiss2039]

Like usual love your video. Love the variety of them as well: the talking one as well. Would love to see a video on how you make the jewelry for dolls. Also I like to plan in advance and I loved your video on the lgbtq+ parade last year and would love if you could share some tips or diy ideas to do to prepare or some shops ideas.

[@agtakesover]

If you search "earrings" on my channel, you can probably find the tutorial I did a while ago about making earrings for them. And I have already filmed and edited one about making bracelets - I just haven't gotten around to uploading it yet because other time-sensitive ones needed to be prioritized. It's forthcoming, though - I promise :) And will you email me and nudge me ([e-mail]) if I don't get back to you within a few days about shops to buy Pride stuff? TYSM!

[@starryeyeschick]

I love that Isabel and Nicki’s room is above the coffee shop since their dad owns one in their story! Funny coincidence. 😊

[@agtakesover]

TOTAL coincidence, but it's perfect!

[@kerrysmiles]

Omg Makena looks amazing in a beret!!! Need to try that. Adorable 🥰

[@agtakesover]

I'm so glad you like it. I was definitely on the fence.

[@nanasewdear]

Oh Kristie, you were talking about Blaine's comment about how males seem to be instantly elevated in the doll collecting community. I just wanted to mention that it's the same in the dance community. My oldest daughter has danced since she was 3 (she's 42 now) and has danced professionally a couple times but has had some knee issues. When my son decided to dance as well, it was great. He tried hard and did well. Everyone fell over themselves promoting him because boys are much rarer in the dance community. He's 45 this year and no longer dances either.

[@agtakesover]

I remember working in an elementary school as an interpreter and in one of the classes where I worked there was a student teacher (male). All the female student teachers were stressed about whether they'd have jobs after graduation and he said, "I won't have to worry. I'm a guy." He was so confident in the knowledge that sexism would work in his favor and he didn't even stop to think how entitled he was being and how crappy it was for his female classmates. I wanted to smack him. Also, I'm sure he was right. He's probably a superintendent by now.

[@kristinadotzler-ty1uv]

Loved this video! Blaire’s outfit is my favorite. All the outfits were super cute though! I hope you find joss’s van someday. That’s on my wishlist too.

[@agtakesover]

Blaire's was SO good, right? And it's probably just as well if I don't find her van lol. I want it, but where to put it? All the same, I'll cross my fingers for both of us.

[@jabbyneedle]

Just saw the part about You Need a Budget... My family has used and loved YNAB for years! I was initially overwhelmed and skeptical about it, too, but it really helped to go through some of their tutorials/walkthroughs (I forget exactly where those are, but they're easy to find). The biggest drawback is that YNAB is really set up to work best with the budgeting mindset they introduce in their tutorials, so if you go through those and don't like it, it might not work out for you.

[@agtakesover]

Thank you - I have only heard positive things from people who use it (with the caveat that like any budgeting tool, getting started can be daunting). It seems like this particular tool has a wealth of resources, tutorials, and a strong community of users online, which is what makes it extra appealing.

[@OGAGDollGuy]

I could listen to you for hours. You are such a soothing soul. As always love your video. It's funny you mention having a theme because currently, I'm stuck on 1800's historical fiction LOL

[@OGAGDollGuy]

Also the light blue and white sweater outfit with the white headband on the blue eye girl during the glass escalator segment, she is sooo pretty !

[@agtakesover]

Thank you so much! As for your 1800's historical fiction kick, any favorites?

[@agtakesover]

She really looks good in that, right? She's one I underappreciate sometimes, too, but I'm glad I picked two of my sometimes-neglected girls in this video (Lark, the TM25 and Fiona, the TM49)

[@OGAGDollGuy]

@ My bestie and I are rereading classics we loved and we want to turn our reviews into AGSMs , currently rereading the Anne of Green Gables series, as well as some Jane Austen of course. I kinda want to read the whole Little Woman series as well. I've read the first in the Little House Series. So nothing you haven't heard of or read I'm sure LOL

[@OGAGDollGuy]

@ I love soooo many of the outfits you selected I mean I wanted to keep adding comments every time I saw one but I refrained lol.

[@starryeyeschick]

I still have many dolls in summer wear, too. I don’t feel so bad now!

[@agtakesover]

Don't feel bad at ALL. But seriously I just wanted to take a little break after weekly Dressing My Dolls videos for three solid months with the color wheel series. Now, I'm jumping back in and having so much fun changing them up in waves.

[@heatherhudson3736]

Also- i’ve shared your YT channel with a few collectors on instagram who are wanting to follow tutorials for dolls ❤

[@agtakesover]

That's awesome! I hope those collectors enjoy the channel.

[@MissyJ-216]

Thank goodness. I thought it was just me. I only dress Samantha for Christmas. My dolls have been wearing the same clothes for months.

[@agtakesover]

I usually dress a fair number of them for Christmas (some in PJs, some in fancy clothes, etc) but after three months of changing several dolls every week I took a bit of a break. Now I'm back on it and trying to change a bunch of them (which means I've already got three more Dressing My Dolls videos filmed and ready to go lol).

[@heatherhudson3736]

Excited to see what they’re wearing :) my desk doll and I are ready to watch lol

[@agtakesover]

I love the designation "desk doll"! Hazel (rewigged Claudie) is my current desk doll but I do rotate them out.

[@heatherhudson3736]

@@agtakesover Hazel is stunning! I rotate mine too but Clara (my 2021 winter princess) has been a fave for a while 🥰

[@agtakesover]

@@heatherhudson3736 Nice - I just put a doll in the winter princess outfit the other day (I have the outfit, not the doll)

[@nanasewdear]

The LA fires had me thinking about which dolls I would grab (after Papa and the cats) and it's a real Sophie's Choice...too dramatic? Cecile was my first doll as an adult collector, so she would have to come. Miss Samantha was a 2014 gift after I got a knee replacement. She was a geriatric "push" present.😂

[@agtakesover]

I'm cracking up thinking of Samantha as a geriatric "push" present!

[@pattypowell4023]

Loved this video! 3 dolls were in the part that was deleted. My favorites are Blaire, Cecile, Fiona and Simone, but they all look so cute! How have I never heard of the glass escalator? I definitely think it is a thing in typically female dominated occupations/workplaces, and probably somewhat in our doll hobby. But I also think that part of it is that we are more of an inclusive group, and we want men to feel accepted because society is only now beginning to see that males can play with dolls too. (Or maybe that’s my interpretation because I have 3 adult sons who did have Cabbage Patch dolls when they were young). It’s funny because I subscribe to 2 male doll channels and don’t watch them (I think I’ve seen one video of each of their channels). I prefer you and Jo over everyone else; I like listening to you both talk. 😜 I might be one of the exceptions because haul videos (from stores or AG online) are my least favorite (I do like your Etsy hauls and FB Marketplace hauls), but dressing your dolls, doll house tours, and tutorials are my favorites!

[@agtakesover]

You are the best kind of exception. I love that the more creative videos are your favorites. They're what drew me to agtube in the first place (specifically dollhouse tours, and later dressing my dolls videos). And I love that your sons had Cabbage Patch dolls. I had them as a kid but I think play and toys were much more divided among gender lines in my home as a kid, which is sad.

[@pattypowell4023]

@ Aw, thank you!! I get so much inspiration from you and Jo!

[@ladero01]

My 4 year old wanted me to read Meet Claudie, but it got a l deep really fast so we had to stop. Blair's outfit looked great with her coloring.

[@agtakesover]

For a second, I was like "I don't remember Claudie's meet book being that heavy." Then I reminded myself that I read it from an adult perspective and that my five year old literally cried and hugged our refrigerator the morning it was going to be hauled away (even made us take a picture of it!) so yeah...big difference in how they process information! Also, I 100% agree - Blaire's outfit looks amazing on her!

[@junecutting2512]

Picking your favourite doll(s) is like picking your favourite child......lol

[@agtakesover]

I regretted it the second I said it bc I didn't mean to liken them to my children. Desserts was definitely a better comparison lol. (but I really do like a lot of desserts well...a lot)

[@starryeyeschick]

Now you say that you won’t do many hauls this year, but Grace has her separate budget. Can she resist new AG items, too?

[@agtakesover]

hahahahaha. When it comes to the illness that is FOMO, let's just say she is...immunocompromised. It has helped some that we don't have our local store, but she still is more likely than I am to jump on the new releases (we're skipping the PP collab altogether, though). So yeah, probably still plenty of hauls lol.

[@suzannegoodwin4308]

Are you going to comment on the Posh Peanut Colab ?

[@agtakesover]

As in comment on the items themselves, or as in comment on AG's decision to collaborate with Posh Peanut specifically? I may do a short video on the latter since you're not the first to ask me. I can work on it over the weekend. I may have several extra *short* videos coming out this week (btwn that video and one announcing a doll giveaway :)

[@kerrysmiles]

Which one was your favorite of the queer fiction that you read?

[@agtakesover]

Either "I Wish You All the Best" or "One Last Stop". Least favorite of 2024 was probably "You're a Mean One, Matthew Prince". I don't even remember why - I just remember it took me a while to get through. The most graphic (and a bit jarring to me at times) was The Pairing. I didn't love it.

[@KeriRojas]

I prefer the "non-haul" videos. As you say, anyone can buy stuff. Thanks.

[@agtakesover]

Thank you! I don't want to detract entirely from haul videos. Because if you do a GOOD review, then you can be adding information people can't get without feeling the items themselves, so that can help ppl make informed decisions about purchases. And random fun finds or Etsy hauls are enjoyable. But I just hate seeing those videos get so much MORE attention than the ones I put more of myself into. Thanks for supporting the other ones, the ones that have more of my heart :)