Coffee Klatch
Review and Comments:
Overview and the Good News: After I ordered this costume, I began to hear so-so reports from those who had already ordered it. I had really liked the costume from the picture which Ashton Drake released, but these reports made me a little uneasy. Now it happened that I got my Coffee Klatch at the same time that I got Little Black Dress... and Simply Gene (finally!), so of course I wanted to try everything on her at once. Nevertheless, I tried Coffee Klatch on her first. Actually, I was pleasantly surprised. The outfit is a beautiful design. The out fit is easy enough to get on, especially with Simply Gene's bendy arms(see Simply Gene and Shooting Star for more information on that subject.) (The sleeveless top has a single button, which I couldn't hook up at first [it's a loop and button, not a snap], but the most recent time I put this outfit on, I was able to do so easily.) The whole thing is just lovely, and I think that it's one of the most realistic (that is, 'human-looking') designs in the Gene and Madra lines combined. The big problem is, it's just a little too detailed and tailored for such a small (relatively speaking) doll.
The Bad News: The two biggest complaints about the outfit are the gloves and the collar, and those are the biggest problems. The fabric used for the suit is too thick for such a detailed jacket (this would not be a problem, of course, if the same fabric was used on a human jacket -- in fact, interfacing would be needed), and as a result, the collar doesn't lay flat, as you can see in the picture below:
The cuffs really have the same problem. But still, on the whole the outfit is very pleasing. The other major problem is the gloves. People have complained that they look like "oven mitts," and they do a little, mostly because of the fabric type, and because of the way they've been stitched -- they've been stitched around the outside, and there are "fingers" (just lines of stitching). I wouldn't mind this too much, because I liked the "finger" look, but the problem is -- I can't get the gloves on! I've tried, but they simply will not fit over the widest part of Gene's hand. I've had to substitute the stretchy, dark brown gloves from First Stop Chicago (which look okay, but don't match the Coffee Klatch shoes at all ). The shoes, by the way, are nice once they're on, but the buttons on them are a little tricky to fasten. The skirt is actually a little tight, and the fabric almost looks pulled. I really don't like the slit in the skirt (I don't think it looks period), especially as the tightness causes the edges of the skirt (where the slit is) to pop up. I also don't exactly like the 'lace-ribbon' insets in the jacket (it doesn't really look realistic to me). So, on the whole, this is a really lovely outfit, but I don't think that it's the best outfit for a doll to wear. I like it on Gene, but I think I'd like it better on myself!
Pictures:
Here is a full view of the outfit on Gene (note that she is wearing the gloves from First Stop Chicago, and the wonderfully easy-to-get-on brown "suede" shoes from Warmest Wishes). I'm sorry the quality of this photo isn't too good, but Gene does look nice, doesn't she?
This is a better picture of the outfit. You can see even here that the cuffs and the collar stick up a bit, and the jacket does too, a little. But the outfit is very appealing.
I really don't think the pictures above are very good, so I hope to eventually take some new ones and replace these. Until then, I apologize for the poor quality.
I am in no way affiliated with Ashton Drake or Mel Odom, other than as a proud owner of a Gene Marshall doll.
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These pages were last updated on 06/02/01