Released on May 5, 1986, the American Girl dolls are the highlight of many a little girl’s childhood. Aside from being beautifully made dolls, they represent different races, ethnicities, and social classes from different periods throughout history. The dolls come with different outfits and accessories, but replacements can be prohibitively expensive. Do baby clothes fit on American Girl dolls?
The standard American Girl doll size is 18 inches. Since most preemie clothes will fit babies up to 17 inches and newborn sizes are made for babies up to 21 inches, they will likely fit the dolls. You should, however, keep in mind that a newborn baby’s proportions are not necessarily the same as a doll meant to represent an 8 to 11-year-old child.
Keep reading as we discuss different baby clothes options that can fit American Girl dolls.
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Do baby clothes fit on American Girl dolls?
With the cost of American Girl dolls and outfits, it’s definitely tempting to use less expensive baby clothes – especially if you have a favorite outfit from your baby’s first months.
Many parents will use preemie or even newborn size clothes on their dolls, although they work better on the Bitty Baby dolls than on the slightly larger traditional American Girl dolls.
Despite the American Girl dolls being a better fit height-wise, they are meant to represent girls eight to eleven years of age, so the smaller baby doll is a better option proportionately.
How big are American Girl dolls?
American Girl dolls are collector’s pieces and meant primarily for display rather than playing with. To that end, they are much larger than the typical child’s doll.
The standard American girl dolls are 18 inches (46 cms) tall. Different dolls might be bigger or smaller than the standard size.
There is a baby doll called Bitty Baby which is slightly smaller at 15 inches. The Angelina Ballerina dolls are small with varying sizes from 5 to 10 inches. The Hopscotch Hill series dolls measure 16 inches.
Which size baby clothes are best for American Girl dolls?
American Girl dolls clothes are pricy, with a set of pajamas for the 18″ doll costing $24, and a birthday outfit for the 15″ Bitty Baby going for $30. Is it possible to use your baby’s old clothes instead of buying these expensive new outfits for a doll?
Preemie clothes tend to be the best fit for American Girl dolls because of the size and length. Most preemie clothes are up to 17 inches long which might be too short for the dolls by an inch. Baby clothes are a little loose on the bum area to make room for a diaper so you have to take that extra space into account when fitting clothes on dolls.
Manufacturers typically make fewer preemie clothing styles than other sizes because not all parents will need them, and most of them will not have purchased the size in advance. It can be a challenge to find preemie clothes and usually, it’s onesies that they manufacture instead of full outfits.
If you try newborn clothes, they might be a little bigger, which will require you to hem them or alter them to fit the dolls better.
It is quite fun to dress up dolls in baby clothes because you get so many options that you can mix and match. It is especially a hit with little girls because they usually pretend that these dolls are their babies and they can play mommy and dress the dolls up in different outfits.
What Size Baby Clothes Will Fit My Doll?
| Clothing Size | Outfit Length | Doll Height | Dolls the Clothing Size Will Fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preemie | > 18 in | 15-18 in | American Girl, Bitty Baby |
| Newborn | 17-19 in | 18 in | American Girl, Springfield, Madame Alexandra |
| 3 Months | 19-23 in | 23 in | My Twinn |
| 6 Months | 24-26 in | 23 in | Cissy |
| 9 Months | 27-28 in | 28 in | 28" Barbie, Decdeal Dolls |
| 12 Months | 29-30 in | 29 in | Betsy McCall |
| 18 Months | 31-32 in | 30 in | Himstedt Dolls |
| 2T | 33-35 in | 36 in | My Size Barbie |
Do preemie clothes fit all 15-inch dolls?
Yes, preemie clothes typically come in at 16 inches in length so they will fit the 15-inch dolls but might be a little bit long.
You might have to hem the clothes as they will be an inch longer than the doll, but this is an easy fix if you are pretty good at sewing. The fit doesn’t have to be perfect like it would be for a person!
What size doll can wear newborn clothes?
Dolls that measure in at 18 inches tall are the standard American Girl dolls, Springfield Collection, Hearts for Hearts, and My Life As Dolls.
Dolls that are 18-20 inches in size can fit in newborn baby clothes fit for babies from 5 to 8 pounds.
It’s nice to have real baby clothes to fit these dolls because it opens up a bigger window of options when it comes to clothing. You can even customize your outfits and make them your own! The possibilities are endless.
Do baby clothes fit American Girl doll alternatives?
Collecting American Girl dolls can be quite costly, however, there are many more affordable alternatives that you can look into:
My Life As dolls
These dolls are poseable dolls that you can dress up in a variety of different clothing and costumes depending on your mood.
The dolls can be dressed up depending on the occupation, hobbies, or special skills they possess with corresponding accessories to complement their outfits.
The dolls are 18-in dolls which means that preemie and newborn clothes will fit.
Our Generation dolls
This line of dolls, toys, and accessories is fairly popular on a global scale. Our Generation dolls empower little girls all around the world that they can be whoever they want to be.
The dolls aim to inspire the younger generation of girls that each person has a unique story to tell and each story is equally important no matter what your background or ethnicity is.
Our Generation dolls measure 18 inches so preemie and newborn clothes will fit.
Dollie and Me
Dollie and Me is a lifestyle, fashion, and toy brand that manufactures apparel sets and matching outfits specifically for 18-inch dolls.
These dolls are available in popular retail stores and online. Their line goes beyond dolls and outfits and they even manufacture furniture and bedding sets to accompany the dolls.
Dollie and Me dolls are 18 inches in length, and most preemie and newborn clothes will fit these dolls.
Madame Alexandra
Founded in 1923 by Beatrice Alexander, the Madame Alexandra dolls are a popular collectible.
These are dolls that have popular dolls images from popular historical or fictional figures like Mary, Queen of Scots, Heidi, Little Women characters, and a variety of international dolls dressed in native costumes.
The dolls are made of high-quality materials and even adults collect them because of their durability.
Madame Alexandra dolls vary in length depending on the collection. There are dolls that measure 10 inches, 14 inches and 18 inches. The 18-inch dolls will fit in premature or newborn clothing.
Springfield Collection
The Springfield Collection is marketed as fashionable, fun, and affordable dolls.
You can purchase different clothes and accessories that make for fun dress up. The main difference between this doll and other dolls is that it is soft and huggable.
Most Springfield dolls come in at 18 inches, so premature and newborn clothes will fit these dolls.
Hearts for Hearts dolls
These dolls represent girls from real-life places who are wanting to make a difference. Each doll has a story to tell and a diary which tells their different stories.
These award-winning dolls are beautiful and wear traditional clothes but are also modernized to connect with the current generation.
These dolls measure 14 inches in length, a little smaller than the standard dolls. Premature baby clothes will fit but might need some hemming or adjusting.
By the way, you can also put baby clothes on your Build-a-Bear!
