Summer Swing Cami by the Tonner Doll Company

A weird thing happened this year.  My birthday came and went, and I didn't buy myself a doll.  This is unheard of.  This is sacrilege.  I didn't buy myself anything, actually.  I humbly ate some birthday ice cream cake, picked out by my 7-year-old (she liked the cake with the big blue and pink flowers) and sat doll-less but happy.  I was completely surrounded by NO NEW DOLLS whatsoever. 

But then a couple of weeks after, Cherished Friends put this lovely 2013 doll on sale.  She wasn't just on sale, in fact ... the price was so low, I'm sure they were losing money selling her so cheap.  Making room for 2015 stock, I guess.

Her original outfit and shoulder bag.

She's the under-appreciated "Summer Swing" Cami by Tonner, still available at a lot of dealers.  The thing is, her face is really quite lovely, but you'd never know it from her promo pics, which show her face covered in sunglasses and ... that's it.  They never showed her on the web site without those dang sunglasses.  She has pretty eyes, people!  Her eyes are the best thing about her, and the promo pics covered them up.  I really think that affected sales.  I know I'd never buy a doll unless I can see the whole face first.  Luckily, this doll had been out long enough that I was able to look up some owner pics of her, so I could see her eyes before buying.  I love the big brown eyes, and she has nicely-painted eyelashes that give her a pleasant expression. 

Not sure pink is her color.  I thought she needed to be redressed in some neutral shades of brown to tone down that vivid hair.  So, the pink dress is her original one, and the brown outfit is where I redressed her into an older, wonderful Tyler Wentworth fashion called "City Tweed."  I think she looks gorgeous in it!  The skirt fits her, but it's very tight on her.  The shoes from this outfit unfortunately are a little too small.  (She wears shoes sized for the Cami/Antoinette body type, a little larger than the Tyler foot.) 

Another reason I think she hasn't sold so well (compared to other Camis, at least), is the dress is underwhelming.  Her original price was $169(!!!) and there's no way that pink dress is worth that much.  Or even half that much.  She doesn't even come with jewelry.  However, she is SO WORTH buying at a cheaper price.  The dress is actually adorable, but it's very simple, and made from an inexpensive knit.  It has snaps in the back.

Her shoes are super cute!  They're the best thing about the outfit.  A really delicious pink, in a style I like, that's easy to put on the foot and stay on.  Her bag is cute, too.  It's casual, but not Walmart, ya know?  And the bag has two working zippers.  That extra zipper on the side opens to an extra pocket, just like a real bag.  I suppose you could keep her sunglasses and shoes in there, if you wanted.

My mother loves these types of bags in real life.  She has about four or five like this in her closet.  I know she does, because she keeps wanting to give me her extras.  My mother is obsessed with giving me shoulder bags.  I think it's because she enjoys buying them, but then feels guilty she has so many, and decides to gift them to family.  LOL.

I need doll shoes like this in EVERY COLOR.

Anyway, I wanted to share this sweet but much-overlooked Cami with all of you.  Cheers!

Click on the pictures to make them bigger.