History YMMV / AmericanGirlsCollection

** Saint Pleasant (of Rowland)[[labelnote:Explanation]]Many older collectors--in a strong case of FanMyopia--push the narrative that the best time of the company was prior to the 1998 purchase of the company by Mattel; they often push the narrative that the founder, Pleasant Rowland was a sweet honest woman only wanting to educate children with toys, and was all but strong armed into selling her beloved niche brand to mean old Mattel. (Hence the term "Pre-Mattel" used as a marker of quality or nostalgia.) Several people mock this misinterpretation and deification of the founder by calling her a "saint", because she's all but treated like a good-hearted woman who "blessed" girls with a wonderful educational brand to teach history--and never a capitalist at all.[[/labelnote]]

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The modern line of American Girl (first known as American Girl of Today, now called Truly Me) falls into this. When the modern line started in 1995 the clothes for the dolls were, if not the height of modern fashion, at least reasonably fashionable for an eight-to-ten year old girl to be seen in. As time—and fashion—moved on, many of the older clothes fell out of fashion and heavily reflect the eras they were released in. In fact, some of the older clothes designs from the 1990s started being used as "throwback" clothing for the 1990s characters, Isabel and Nicki, in 2023.

** Among some corners of the community, there are constant calls from the VocalMinority to take American Girl "back to its roots" as a brand, generally to [[NostalgiaAintLikeItUsedToBe whatever time their childhood with the brand was]], especially from the Pleasant Company era. This often includes suggestions to discontinue any or all of the modern dolls (and any collaborations) or "too recent" Historicals such as Courtney and the Hoffman twins (from the 1980s and late 1990s respectively), reverting the [=BeForever=] redesigns, reverting the books to the older designs and six-book format, and/or rereleasing everything Historical that's been retired, including retired characters and items. The implication from these people is that this "restoration" will "revive the brand" and not only appeal to the older collectors who must all universally be fed up with the direction of the company, but be certain to bring in new audiences as well (who will surely understand how things used to be were better than now, appreciate the lack of anything modern or past a certain arbitrary endpoint of what counts as "historical", and not desire anything not near-to-exactly like the ways of the past). However, this is a position mostly held by really passionate fans of the brand including hardcore collectors, rather than casual fans of the brand who maybe enjoyed one or two characters and look back on them fondly--and overlooks the target child audience of eight- to twelve-year old girls who may not be as enthralled in the brand without modern characters, images, more recent history that their parents or grandparents lived through,[[note]] In the mid-1990s, a grandmother of a fifth grader would have a childhood close to Molly's era, but one of a fifth grader in the 2020s would have a childhood closer to Julie's era. TimeMarchesOn.[[/note]] and modern-day characters and outfits similar to their own time to draw them in. This is especially egregious with collectors who call for a return to the [[FanMyopia oft-lauded Pleasant Company days]]--but were the target audience in the early 2000s by the time Mattel owned the brand!
* PeripheryDemographic: American Girl actually has a lot of fans who are adult women, often doll collectors. They can often be the strictest fans, especially those young women who got into the dolls as kids and apply the NostalgiaFilter. This can also lead to some of the... ''scarier'' parts of the fandom.

* ReplacementScrappy: Agnes and Agatha, who shifted Nellie to the side to be "safe" friends for Samantha who weren't walking metaphors for classism and the bad parts of the Edwardian era. Caroline also got a lot of this for replacing Felicity (and [[RealWomenDontWearDresses being blonde and wearing pink and full gowns]]), as has Nanea for daring to share a time period with the then-long-archived Molly (even if Molly's been rereleased three separate times after Nanea came out, so Nanea hasn't really ''replaced'' her).

** Among some corners of the community, there are constant calls from the VocalMinority to take American Girl "back to its roots" as a brand, generally to a time of their childhood with the brand. This often includes suggestions to discontinue any or all of the modern dolls or "too recent" Historicals such as Courtney and the Hoffman twins (from the 1980s and late 1990s respectively), reverting the [=BeForever=] redesigns, reverting the books to the older designs and six-book format, and/or rereleasing everything Historical that's been retired, including retired characters and items. The implication is that this "restoration" will "revive the brand" and appeal to the older collectors as well as new audiences who will surely appreciate the lack of anything modern or unlike the ways of the past. However, this is a position mostly held by really passionate fans of the brand, including hardcore collectors, rather than casual fans of the brand who maybe enjoyed one or two characters--and overlooks the target child audience of eight to twelve-year old girls who may not be as enthralled in the brand without modern characters, images, more recent history, and modern-day outfits to draw them in. This is especially egregious with collectors who call for a return to the [[FanMyopia oft-lauded Pleasant Company days]] but were the target audience in the early 2000s--when Mattel owned the brand!

** Among some corners of the community, there are constant calls from the VocalMinority to take American Girl "back to its roots" as a brand, generally to a time of their childhood with the brand. This often includes suggestions to discontinue any or all of the modern dolls or "too recent" Historicals such as Courtney and the Hoffman twins (from the 1980s and late 1990s respectively), reverting the [=BeForever=] redesigns, reverting the books to the older designs and six-book format, and/or rereleasing everything Historical that's been retired, including retired characters and items. The implication is that this "restoration" will "revive the brand" and appeal to the older collectors as well as new audiences who will surely appreciate the lack of anything modern or unlike the ways of the past. However, this is a position mostly held by really passionate fans of the brand, including hardcore collectors, rather than casual fans of the brand who maybe enjoyed one or two characters--and overlooks the target child audience of eight to ten-year old girls who may not be as enthralled in the brand without modern characters, images, more recent history, and modern-day outfits to draw them in. This is especially egregious with collectors who call for a return to the [[FanMyopia oft-lauded Pleasant Company days]] but were the target audience in the early 2000s--when Mattel owned the brand!

** Among some corners of the community, there are constant calls from the VocalMinority to take American Girl "back to its roots" as a brand, generally to a time of their childhood with the brand. This often includes suggestions to discontinue any or all of the modern dolls or "too recent" Historicals such as Courtney and the Hoffman twins (from the 1980s and late 1990s respectively), reverting the [=BeForever=] redesigns, reverting the books to the older designs and six-book format, and/or rereleasing everything Historical that's been retired, including retired characters and items. The implication is that this "restoration" will "revive the brand" and appeal to the older collectors as well as new audiences who will surely appreciate the lack of anything modern or unlike the ways of the past. However, this is a position mostly held by really passionate fans of the brand, including hardcore collectors, rather than casual fans of the brand who maybe enjoyed one or two characters--and overlooks the target child audience of eight to ten-year old girls who may not be as enthralled in the brand without modern characters, images, more recent history, and outfits to draw them in. This is especially egregious with collectors who call for a return to the [[FanMyopia oft-lauded Pleasant Company days]] but were the target audience in the early 2000s--when Mattel owned the brand!

* TheWoobie: Nellie O'Malley has a very poor home life compared to Samantha, who also happens to be an orphan.

** Addy, who was born into slavery, watches both her brother and father get sold away by the sadistic Master Stevens, and is even forced to eat worms from the tobacco leaves after the overseer finds several that she missed soon after the loss of her brother and dad. Although she and her mother escape from slavery and start a living in Philadelphia, she soon realizes that her life in "freedom" isn't what she had hoped for, due to the hard work her family must do and racial segregation; [[TearJerker she even faces brutal prejudice in "Happy Birthday Addy," when going to the other side of town to buy medicine.]] While she and her other family members are reunited at the end of "Changes for Addy," she has lost her beloved Uncle Solomon (who died before he was even reunited with them) and, shortly after, Auntie Lula.

** Courtney did [[{{Pun}} Moore]][[labelnote:Explanation]]When it was announced that Courtney's second book involves her advocating for a friend with HIV, much of the tumblr fandom jokingly noted that she did more to help those living with HIV and AIDS than Ronald Reagan, who as president notoriously opposed research and other aide during the AIDS epidemic. This, combined with the obvious pun on her last name, quickly spiraled into spamming the AG website's custom t-shirt maker with designs bearing the slogan "Courtney Did Moore" in various 80's-style designs.[[/labelnote]]

* CommonKnowledge: Due to a lot of the fandom having been introduced to the brand when younger, only reading the first book that came with a doll, or mixing events as told in movies and books, there's a lot of "facts" the fans know that aren't actually facts.
** Felicity hates dresses is a common thought, given that she spends her first book complaining about having to wear skirts and stays and wishes she could wear breeches like a boy (and does to train Penny in secret). But in ''Felicity's Surprise'' she is excited to see the design for the blue dress, and it's her interest in having a dress that spurs her mother to ask for the pattern to make it. ([[ArtisticLicenseHistory Even though historically]], a well off housewife would not have the skills to make that kind of dress at home.)
** Samantha spoke directly to factory owners about the risks of factories to children after seeing them in action! Except she didn't. She spoke at a speech contest after Nellie, who had actually worked in one, corrected her on her initial factory-praising essay. In the movie she does see factory risks firsthand, but still only speaks in the contest and not before any factory owners--and in the movie is disqualified for changing her entry last-minute, while in the books instead wins first place.
** Samantha spoke up for feminism and the right to vote! Again, no. She saw her aunt ''Cornelia'' do so at a rally after chasing Cornelia's puppy, Jip, through New York City when he got loose. She was then lectured (along with Cornelia's sisters) for her immature behavior that led to Jip getting loose in the first place.
** Molly performed as Miss Victory only in the movie. In the original books she didn't as, after trying to pincurl her wet hair, she gets sick and has to stay home. Another peer, Allison performs instead. Molly doesn't even go to the show--she's left at home. (Which means she's there when her dad returns.)
** Kit is often mistaken for being the last Pleasant Company doll released. This is because the face molds weren't changed or adapted immediately and Kit--who has the same face mold as Samantha, Molly, Kirsten, and Felicity--may have the Pleasant Company stamp on the back of her neck. While the start of her creation was under Pleasant Company, the company was transitioning to being fully owned by Mattel starting in 1998 when they first purchased the line and Kit was released after Mattel wholly owned the company and had made subtle changes. Kaya is especially egregious to consider as PC as while the mold may have had the PC stamp on early designs, she was released in 2002--''two'' years after Pleasant Company no longer truly existed.
** American Girl didn't offer custom-design dolls until [[NewerThanTheyThink 2017]]. The dolls that many people remember as "designed" to look like them are actually picked from a pool of options which the company has stated aren't modified from how they're designed at release--often with more options for white children--and are still a separate line from the design-your-own dolls. Even ''those'' are from a select set of options--options that are not or no longer available cannot be selected. This often is [[CowboyBebopAtHisComputer said in news articles]] either due to misremembering or people legitimately thinking that the doll they received was designed rather than selected. There's also the possibility of people mixing memories with the [=MyTwinn=] company; that brand ''was'' marketed on ordering dolls to resemble the purchaser, including having purchasers send in copies of photographs to have the artists pick the doll's features. The brand existed in the late 90s (but only sold larger dolls until the 2010s and later went defunct) and, considering many brands sent catalogs to the same target audiences (if your child wants one doll, they may want this one!), a person could easily misremember the marketing of [=MyTwinn=] as applying to AG.
** Collectors often think or assume that Kit's first edition meet outfit skirt (with its floral-print design) is made out of feedsack cotton, since her story is set during Main/TheGreatDepression and the print simulates it. However, this outfit is seen in the first book on her ''before'' her family ever starts to struggle financially and is something she had before. The reason for this mistake is twofold: her birthday dress (among others in her older collection) was made out of feed sack obtained after the family starts raising chickens; and people not realizing that the historical reason feedsack was so popular during the era (though feedsack clothing [[OlderThanTheyThink existed as early as the 1920s]] as explained [[https://dustyoldthing.com/early-history-flour-sack-dresses/ here]]) was because when companies learned that more and more people were making clothes from feedsack, they began to print the cloth with fabric designs that mimicked popular prints available.

** American Girl didn't offer custom-design dolls until [[NewerThanTheyThink 2017]]. The dolls that many people remember as "designed" to look like them are actually picked from a pool of options which can't be modified by the company--often with more options for white children--and are still a separate line from the design-your-own dolls. Even those are from a select set of options--options that are not or no longer available cannot be selected. This often is [[CowboyBebopAtHisComputer said in news articles]] either due to misremembering or people legitimately thinking that the doll they received was designed rather than selected. There's also the possibility of people mixing memories with the [=MyTwinn=] company; that brand ''was'' marketed on ordering dolls to resemble the purchaser, including having purchasers send in copies of photographs to have the artists pick the doll's features. The brand existed in the late 90s (but only sold larger dolls until the 2010s and later went defunct) and, considering many brands sent catalogs to target audiences (if your child wants one doll, they may want this one!), a person could easily misremember the marketing of [=MyTwinn=] as applying to AG.

** American Girl didn't offer custom-design dolls until 2017. The dolls that many people remember as "designed" to look like them are actually picked from a pool of options which can't be modified by the company--often with more options for white children--and are still a separate line from the design-your-own dolls. Even those are from a select set of options--options that are not or no longer available cannot be selected. This often is [[CowboyBebopAtHisComputer said in news articles]] either due to misremembering or people legitimately thinking that the doll they received was designed rather than selected. There's also the possibility of people mixing memories with the [=MyTwinn=] company; that brand ''was'' marketed on ordering dolls to resemble the purchaser, including having purchasers send in copies of photographs to have the artists pick the doll's features. The brand existed in the late 90s (but only sold larger dolls until the 2010s and later went defunct) and, considering many brands sent catalogs to target audiences (if your child wants one doll, they may want this one!), a person could easily misremember the marketing of [=MyTwinn=] as applying to AG.
** Collectors often think or assume that Kit's first edition meet outfit skirt (with its floral-print design) is made out of feedsack cotton, since her story is set during Main/TheGreatDepression and the print simulates it. However, this outfit is seen in the first book on her ''before'' her family ever starts to struggle financially and is something she had before. The reason for this mistake is twofold: her birthday dress (among others in her older collection) was made out of feed sack obtained after the family starts raising chickens; and people not realizing that the historical reason feedsack was so popular during the era was because when companies learned that people were making clothes from feedsack, they began to print fabric designs that mimicked popular prints then available.

** Collectors often think or assume that Kit's first edition meet outfit skirt (with its floral-print design) is made out of feedsack cotton, since her story is set during Main/TheGreatDepression and the print simulates it. However, this outfit is seen in the first book on her ''before'' her family ever starts to struggle financially and is something she had before. The reason for this mistake is twofold: her birthday dress (among others in her older collection) was made out of feed sack obtained after the family starts raising chickens, and not realizing that the historical reason feedsack was so popular during the era was because when companies learned that people were making clothes from feedsack, they began to print fabric designs that mimicked popular prints then available.

** The first two films introduced two young actresses who would go on to achieve, if not superstardom, then certainly a ''lot'' of success in their acting careers, nearly a decade before they became famous; Samantha Parkington was played by a nine-year-old Creator/AnnaSophiaRobb, and Felicity Merriman was played by a fourteen-year-old Creator/ShaileneWoodley.
** Regarding the Girl of the Year DirectToVideo movies, Creator/OliviaRodrigo had her start in the movie ''Grace Stirs up Success'' as Grace Thomas (the 2015 Girl of the Year) before her appearance in Disney Channel's ''Series/{{Bizaardvark}}''. Rodrigo later gained critical acclaim for her Billboard chart-topping single "Driver's License".

** Whoo boy. Mattel took over from Pleasant Company in 1998, and remodeled the dolls and outfits as well as retiring a lot of items. In some corners of fandom, anything made after 1998 is utter crap.
** The revamp of the Historical Line with [=BeForever=] has led to this opinion in some places. Much like "pre-Mattel," "pre-Beforever"/"post-Beforever" is considered a loaded term in the fandom.
** Even more so with the so-called "permapanties" i.e. permanently-stitched underwear, done by AG as a cost-cutting measure among other things. Needless to say, fans were livid over the change, occasionally comparing it to New Coke or Windows 8's start screen in terms of unnecessary change to a well-established product. Aftermarket doll accessory makers responded with [[http://www.alldolledup-dollclothes.com/store/p427/The_Solution.html conversion kits]] for worn-out or permapantied dolls, though. And in the same vein as Coca-Cola and Microsoft, AG since [[https://www.facebook.com/americangirl/posts/1432849116758244 announced]] that they would discontinue the permapanties, mere months after it was first announced.

** American Girl didn't offer custom-design dolls until 2017. The dolls that many people remember as "designed" to look like them are actually picked from a pool of options which can't be modified by the company--often with more options for white children--and are still a separate line from the design-your-own dolls. Even those are from a select set of options--options that are not or no longer available cannot be selected.

** Kit is often mistaken for being the last Pleasant Company doll released. This is because the face molds weren't changed or adapted immediately and Kit--who has the same face mold as Samantha, Molly, Kirsten, and Felicity--may have the Pleasant Company stamp on the back of her neck. While the start of her creation was under Pleasant Company, the company was transitioning to being fully owned by Mattel starting in 1998 when they first purchased the line and was released after Mattel owned the company and had made changes. Kaya is especially egregious as (again, while the mold may have had the PC stamp on early designs) she was released in 2002--''two'' years after Pleasant company no longer truly existed.

** Felicity hates dresses is a common thought, given that she spends her first book complaining about having to wear skirts and stays and wishes she could wear breeches like a boy (and does to train Penny in secret). But in ''Felicty's Surprise'' she is excited to see the design for the blue dress, and it's her interest in having a dress that spurs her mother to ask for the pattern to make it. ([[ArtisticLicenseHistory Even though historically]], a well off housewife would not have the skills to make that kind of dress at home.)

** American Girl didn't offer custom-design dolls until 2017. The dolls that many people remember "designed" to look like them are actually picked from a pool of options which can't be modified--often with more options for white children--and are still a separate line from the design-your-own dolls. Even those are from a select set of options--options that are not or no longer availiable cannot be selected.

** Julie and Maryellen reportedly prop up the entire historical line by themselves, and whenever Samantha has been an active character (not archived or cubed), she's reliably raked in the cash.

* CommonKnowledge: Due to a lot of the fandom having been introduced to the brand when younger, or mixing events as told in movies and books, there's a lot of "facts" the fans know that aren't actually facts.

* AluminumChristmasTrees: A lot of the Beforever stuff has been assumed to be historically inaccurate, particularly bright and colourful items or things that would be considered unusual today. In particular, many people complained that Samantha's [=BeForever=] collection had too much emphasis on pink colored clothing. However, the availability of coal dyes starting in the mid-1800s made bright pink (among other colors) a very widespread fashion choice and highly popular. So yes, Samantha's Frilly Frock is historically accurate, including the lace-up boots (if not the metallic part of it.)

** ReplacementScrappy: Agnes and Agatha, who shifted Nellie to the side to be "safe" friends for Samantha who weren't walking metaphors for classism and the bad parts of the Edwardian era. Caroline also got a lot of this for replacing Felicity (and [[RealWomenDontWearDresses being blonde and wearing pink and full gowns]]), as has Nanea for daring to share a time period with the then-long-archived Molly (even if Molly's been rereleased three separate times after Nanea came out, so Nanea hasn't really ''replaced'' her).

* [[HoYay Les Yay]]: A lot of people see some or all of the Best Friends relationships as {{PseudoRomantic Friendship}}s or a precursor to more. This is helped by the fact that the books tend to emphasize the importance of strong bonds between young girls and never focus on boy problems. Then there are the main characters with the My Journey girls... especially Samantha and Ruby, who in one story path switch clothes and in another sneak out to go swimming in their underwear. Particularly common subtext-reading is seen with Felicity/Elizabeth, Samantha/Nellie (though [[ItWasHisSled the former's family]] ''adopts'' [[NotBloodSiblings the latter]]...), and Molly/Emily.

** Samantha spoke up for feminism and the right to vote! Again, no. She saw her aunt ''Cornelia'' do so after chasing Cornelia's puppy, Jip, through New York City, and then was lectured, along with Cornelia's sisters, for her immature behavior afterwards.
** Molly performed as Miss Victory only in the movie. In the original books she didn't as, after trying to pincurl her wet hair, she gets sick and has to stay home and another peer, Allison performs instead. Molly doesn't even go to the show--she's left at home. (Which means she's there when her dad returns.)
** American Girl didn't offer custom-design dolls until 2017. The dolls that many people remember "designed" to look like them are actually picked from a pool of options which can't be modified--often with more options for white children--and are still a separate line from the design-your-own dolls.