The Best and the Worst of the Rest - Tropicalia

Four weeks after the Tropicalia convention ended, people who pre-ordered the convention collection began receiving their dolls. It was supposed to take only two weeks but the slow boat from China was extra slow this time.

The most popular of all the dolls were Eugenia and Agnes but they were not part of the convention collection. I loved Elyse more than any doll from the entire event. I liked the Vanessa but not her awful gown. I agree that Eugenia was gorgeous but her gown was a terrible fit. In fact, most of the clothes that had that particular bodice style were manufactured very poorly.

For me, the best doll out of the convention collection was Dasha.

Once I took off her trashy blue dress with its crooked velvet bow, combed out her hair and redressed her, she took on a new personna.

In my photo she is wearing an outfit by V John (dress and head wrap) and carrying an IT purse.

Adele is a beauty. But, again, the sewing of the bodice insert is very bad.

It was the same on Kyori's top. They pucker and don't lay right.

I also think that Natalia is gorgeous. Her hair color, skin and makeup are a fabulous combination.

But her outfit is a nightmare of color and texture. In my opinion it is unsophisticated and garish.

Poppy is cute but her outfits are 'ho-hum-where- have-we-seen-that-before?'

Let's just skip to the worst of the bunch - Veronique. Gone is the beautiful Veronique that enticed so many original Fashion Royalty fans to begin collecting these dolls.

What we have in this version is a paranoid-looking doll wearing a lab coat with a beaded belt over an ill-fitting pink and blue dress. This has to be the worst Vero ever produced - tasteless and laughable. Even Vero isn't smiling anymore.

What the heck happened to good taste and design? I can't understand how Jason would even want to be associated with most of this.

Perhaps if I take the attitude I used to have towards a roll of film, I can accept the degradation of the Fashion Royalty line. If you get one or two good pictures out of a roll of 36, you're doing well.

Update on Violet Eyes That Weren't

Mattel/Barbie Collector came through on this one. They sent me a return label and I sent the wonky-eyed Miss Liz back to them. Today I received a new one with properly screened eyes. I am pleased. It did not cost me anything additional,  except time, to get a good doll.

Much better!

Her eyes are still not violet but neither are the promo's eyes.
So, the moral of the story is, don't settle for a messed up doll