I wanted to do a commentary on my newest doll in case people are curious about her. The reason I'm doing this is that I want this doll to be a success. I think Vita deserves it.
There are different versions of the doll, but the one I selected was called "Hot, Hot, Hot" and I chose her for a couple of reasons. I pre-ordered the doll back in March, she didn't arrive until today, September 8 (although her birthday is August 9 according to her blog), so I wanted to get a dressed doll instead of a basic because I was not sure what clothing would fit her. Also, I happen to love dolls with teeth, and this Vita had 'em. That made my choice pretty simple. So, I hear you cry, whys she necked? Well, she arrives that way in her box. The outfit is packaged separately, and this is Vita au naturale. Just as she comes out of the box.
The packaging was great. Simple. Just a nice box with a band that says Horsman which keeps the lid in place. Open the box and the doll is lying in moulded plastic with a plastic cover. Lift off the cover and she's out of the box. Love it. Shipped securely and easy to remove!
Vita's (Trixie's .. that's my dolls' name), outfit is very nice. The design allowed the dress to be worn as a cocktail length or as full length. The long skirt is separate from the top, and that adds a nice versatility to the gown. The shoes are super. Very attractive and very well made. Though I'm not a big fan of purses for dolls (because they usually fall off the doll's hands and annoy me) the little purse is very cute. It reminds me of a Chinese take-out box!
The bad news about the outfit was the neck ... part .. thingy. I don't really know what to call it. A chain goes around the neck and is attached to decorative metal squares on the dress. The design is very cute, but the execution was not so successful. I didn't even see the chain because mine was missing a jump ring on the end and had slid out of the dress completely. Luckily I noticed it on the table after I dressed the doll and figured out that it should attach to the dress. That meant finding a jump ring and attaching it, and then reattaching the C-ring which fell off while I was adding the jump ring. In spite of this PIA, I still like the dress.
There are a couple of down sides. I'm not terribly fond of the hair fiber. It has a bit of a greasy feel to it, and I'm not sure if it can be restyled. I won't try anything on Trixie, but I'll probably buy a basic and see what can be done with styling on her.
The other issue is the seams on the body of the doll. They could be much smoother and less obvious. That is just a general comment. There is also a separation issue where the upper arm and the thigh join the rotation joint. I mine is not bad at all, but I did see a basic at the Doll Market which had a very noticeable separation. I hope the company will address this right away, because it would be a shame if something like that affected the popularity of the doll.
I'm going to add more information about Urban Vita later, after I've had time to try some other clothing on her a play a bit more.
I think its important to stretch both backward and forward. I have a fantastic lower waist joint that will allow me to arch and (bad posture, I know) slump! combined with the joint under my bust, I really have a wonderful range of motion!
Whew. That's about it for me this morning. I'm going to take a shower and change clothes. Aunt Gene loaned me these shorts and this top, but her waist is smaller than mine and I can't breathe! Aunt Alex loaned me the tennis shoes. Gosh, I've gotta get more than one dress of my own. Even if it is Hot! A girl has to have more than one outfit. 
