Channeling: The American Girl Dolls

We're not the least bit ashamed to admit that some of us still have our original American Girl dolls. It's not like we're still collecting their pajama sets or combing their acrylic locks with those miniature wooden brushes, but they're sitting on the shelves in our childhood bedrooms or in storage box somewhere, preserved for eternity the next generation because we just haven't been able to bring ourselves to toss them away.

After all, their unique stories (yes, we read all the AG chapter books) were among some of our very first history lessons. Plus, they helped us understand the way fashion has evolved — or at least to distinguish between Felicity's full skirt and bonnet and Molly's shorter hemline.

Regardless of which girl you cherished, there's no doubt you'll remember her in her signature ensemble — the one she was wearing when you took her out of the box oh-so long ago. So, as a tribute to the days of your youth when all you really wanted were golden braids as perfect as Kirsten's or a bow and dress ensemble like Samantha's, we've created the ultimate spring shopping guide, inspired by — you guessed it — your all-time favorite dolls.

Our picks may be a bit more modern, but we've managed to translate the distinctive color palettes and trends across quite a few centuries. So, click through and then let us know if your taste matches up to the doll you used to (or continue to) call your own.