OVERVIEW: BFC Ink Dolls

This isn't going to be the most detailed overview ever but I wanted to give it a shot. 

Trying to find detailed information on MGAE's Best Friends Club Ink/BFC Ink line is not easy. Based on my old photos from Flickr, the original line released in 2009. 

The dolls were very unusual in that they came in 2 sizes. The larger dolls were around 18" but much skinnier and older-looking than American Girl or other similar larger brands. 

 

The smaller dolls were more typical fashion doll size. I have two of them in hand that I just got today and I'm too lazy to go measure them. Heh. I think they're around 10". 

All these photos are either promos or ones I saved from Google search. 

So this is the larger size Addison doll. I had this one. I remember liking the doll but her hair was really awful. 

Then we've got Kaitlin. I had her, too. 

And finally, Calista. I did not have her. I did love the glasses though. 

Smaller size Addison. 

I think I almost got these a couple times but the faces on the smaller ones are far less pretty than the big dolls. 

Small Kaitlin. 

Small Calista. She tempted me several times. 

The first series of smaller dolls had MGAE's obsession: twins. These girls did not get a release in the larger size until Series 2. 

Aliesha is the rocker-type and Noelle the sweet, girly one.

Series 2 added the twins to the larger size. 

Addison.

Calista. 

Very similar to the first release with the light top and dark bottom. Addison is rather similar, too, though not quite as obviously.

Kaitlin. 

Much different and not nearly as cute outfit. 

Aliesha.

My fave of this series.

And Noelle.

I'm going to hold off on the rest of the smaller dolls until the end. I'll explain why when we get there.

So this is part of Series 3. Not sure why Calista isn't pictured.

Series 3 begins with the girls in the same seated pose. 

Here's Addison. 

Then they go to the standing display. 

And a more basic edition.

Not sure if she's actually missing any accessories, but the box is way more simple. 

Kaitlin gets the same treatment. 

Standing box.

I do love this dress. 

And the basic. 

There was even a pack that had both Kaitlin and Addison. 

Calista is indeed part of the line. 

Although she does not have a basic version, only these first two packaging styles. 

Here's Aliesha. 

This is actually the promo for her. I'm glad they gave her the cute bangs. 

Here she is in the standing packaging. 

This is one I'd like to add to my tiny collection. 

And here is Noelle. She still lacks bangs. I'm guessing they wanted to differentiate the twins more. 

Noelle in the standing packaging. 

I'm still not sure of years, like the time frame between when the Series 3 seated ones came out vs. when they switched to the standing, but in July 2010, I purchased Gianna, one of three new characters. 

I don't have my own pics of her on this computer but they are still in Flickr. 

Here she is in the box. She has articulated wrists, which were new. All of Series 3 has them but in my description for Gianna in Flickr, I mentioned them, so I clearly hadn't been paying attention to the line in a while. 

I miss Gianna. She's one I'd like to have again. 

CJ was the first and ultimately only boy to be released. 

In the box. I did not think he was cute. 

Now this is the one I was super excited for. Yuko! 

In the box. 

And this is my own Yuko from back in 2010. 

This is the one larger doll I still have. I donated or sold the others before I moved to Florida in 2013. Really wish I'd kept Gianna!

The regular larger characters would get one final release: Summer Splashin'.

Aliesha. 

I really want this one!

Kaitlin. 

Noelle. 

The back of the box also shows CJ and Calista but I couldn't find photos of them so they likely didn't get made. 

Addison I'm sure did get made but I couldn't find her either. 

Probably around the same time, the Pen Pals basic line released. 

These dolls are all new characters, each from a different location. I think these are the most sought after from the line right now. 

Here's Britt from England. 

Yep. Britt. From England. 

Really, MGAE? 

The doll is very pretty though. I remember being tempted by these I think in Target but I didn't give in. Now I wish I had. 

Carmen is from Mexico. 

I want to get my hands on her someday. She's so cute!

Elsa is from Sweden. This was well before Frozen existed. 

And Nicolette is from France. 

Little better pic of her face. Very similar to Kaitlin. The two blondes were the boring ones. I'm not sure I'd buy either now unless I saw a really good deal, but I'd love Carmen and Britt someday. 

The back of the box shows the best one: Lily from South Africa. Guess who they didn't make. SIGH. Admittedly, she does look a lot like Aliesha so maybe that's why. 

So that wraps up the bigger dolls. 

Now we can get back to the small ones. I set these aside because I remember all the bigger dolls. I know those were in stores by me. I do not remember seeing the smaller ones after the first series, except I do have a memory of finding one or two in Ross and not buying them. I'm pretty sure one was a swim doll.

These are a Summer Camp line. They're pretty basic and come with a cover-up and flip flops. 

Here's Addison. 

And Calista. She might have been the one I saw years ago. Why did I not buy her? I'm an idiot. 

 

Kaitlin.

Here's a promo for Aliesha. 

And the boxed Aliesha.

I actually just got her and Kaitlin today! I'll be posting their review after this. I was just going to post the review and not do this first, but I figured we needed a little backstory before review time. 

And here's Noelle. 

So the swim line was definitely in the US. I have a firm memory of seeing at least one of them in Ross back in Buffalo. I think it was Calista but both Kaitlin and Addison also ring bells so it could have been them, too. I think I would have bought Aliesha if I'd seen her. 

Now this last line is a total mystery. All I can find for existing dolls is this Kaitlin and the Noelle I'll picture next. 

The text by the purse says Kaitlin's Favorite Things so I'm just calling this line "Favorite Things." 

Here is Noelle from the same line.

Back of her box. 

You can see a shot of all of them in the corner. I have the same lineup but better saved from one of the designers' websites. 

See the girl on the far right? That is Neve. She would have been a new character. 

Now I remember knowing about her and being very, very sad she didn't exist. Also sad that she wasn't Gianna. She looks like Gianna. And she is GORGEOUS. 

Hell, I'm still mad she doesn't exist. 

But I remember knowing about her, which means I must have seen one of these dolls and I swear it was in the same Ross. Probably at the same time. I can visualize it still. But they seem incredibly rare so I have no idea what's up with that. It's also possible that I saw the above photo online and I'm mixing it up with my memory of the swim doll in Ross.

Anyway! That is BFC Ink. Both sizes of doll have multiple fashion packs. The larger dolls have loads of them. I don't have pictures saved for them but I may do a separate post someday. For now though, let's move on to the review. 

PHOTO CREDITS: All over the place. I found everything with Google images. A lot are promo shots. If something is yours and you want credit, let me know and I will add it.