because i keep making the mistake of going into ag communities outside of tumblr, i've really been trying to reckon with the consumerism in the fandom, so here's a few reminders if you are into collecting ag items!
this is a hobby! and like all hobbies, it should be bringing you joy. if it's stressing you out, that's probably a sign that you need to step back, which is an absolutely okay thing to do
your collection is valid even if it includes replicas of items originally made by american girl
you do not have to buy items that you don't love just to reach the arbitrary goal of "completing" a collection
you should not be purchasing items that you don't like just for the sake of keeping up with american girl's newest releases
american girl has continuously been showing us that they are much more interested these days in being a luxury nostalgia brand. you do not have to engage with what the brand is currently doing or producing to be a part of the fandom or collecting community
in fact, you do not have to do a lot of research to learn that mattel is not an ethical company. i'm not going to shame anyone who does continue to purchase products from american girl, but please do not be purchasing items from this brand just from a place of consumerism. there are so many small businesses that produce items for ag dolls that you can support, and you can easily find many second-hand american girl products
you should never be spending money that you don't have on american girl
making clothes and items is valid! handmade parts of your collection are beautiful
origamiaround
ellievsbear
annaxmalina
romaincrisis
vaporwave
kaledo-art
tangentwithtanner
areudirty
