Get the real thing. She isn't young she will be done with dolls in 2 years anyway. Buy the cheap accessories but don't scrimp on the doll.

My daughter has a few AG dolls (all hand-me-downs but one) and one Target doll. The Target doll is cute but it doesn't get played with nearly as much. The lower quality is most obvious in the hair; she has what looks like hair plugs and the hair feels much more plasticky. It's also hard to brush.

DD has a few of the target dolls, she likes them a lot.

I have an issue with spending more than $100 on a doll (just me I feel like it is a waste, no judgement on others who disagree). So I told my dd that if she wanted an american doll she could save up and get one, or she could use that money to pay for gymnastics classes (which roughly cost about the same). She chose gymnastics.

I have several AG dolls and a nice similar doll from PBK. There is no comparison with the hair and AG is much better. My daughters love to style their hair so if it were me I would get the AG. As PPs have noted, you can buy Target clothes etc. I saw Samantha, one of my favorite AG dolls, at Costco last week with two extra outfits for $119.

I would say the target doll, which we have, but agree that if your daughter is into the hair and wants to get it done at the ag salon, get the ag doll for that. The dark brown haired target dolls hair is always a mess and not easy to play with. Otherwise it's a great alternative.

I bought the target stuff for my daughter then one of her friends told her she didn't have a real AG. My daughter felt like crap and in tears because the girl was super rude. Anyways grandma bought her one for Christmas.

The hair on the Target dolls is nearly impossible to brush. I second the recommendation to buy one of eBay and accessories at Target. Best of both worlds.

My dd has the target brand, they look the same!! Girls don't know the difference and if they care that much to brag about it, I don't want them to be friends with my dd.

We have a real AG but we mostly buy target clothes and accessories. Buy the target doll if she won't care- the price difference is huge! Also, the hair salon is a rip-off.

I'd say to go with the real AG doll. She'll realize soon enough which are AG and which are not.

Hairdos at the AG store aren't that bad. I will say to get her a doll with straight hair at the very least, preferably a bob! But straight and long is easier that long and curly. DD takes $15 of her Christmas money each year to get her Caroline doll's hair done at the salon. I might have even given it to her for a birthday present one year -- if you play with that doll a lot, her hair looks like a bird nested in it! And I do want her to play with it.

I think Samantha is the doll package that I saw at Costco a few weeks ago.

I'm 21:43. Meant to say try Ebay if you decide on AG. The Target dolls are great and a good first buy if you'd like to see how long DD remains interested and how well she cares for the doll.

Try Ebay. Tons of American Girl dolls in great shape. Also, the Target doll clothes fit the AG dolls and Amazon is a good option for accessories. Getting the hair done at the store runs about $20-$30. This you can do as a birthday gift is it's something she really wants. I love the idea of the dolls because they got my DD reading.

My girls were perfectly happy with the Target dolls, but they never got fully hooked on dolls in general or the AG brand. They had friends who were big into both and I'm pretty sure would not have been content with Target brand.

In either case, be sure you never brush their hair with anything other than a special doll hairbrush! It will be ruined by regular brushes! (Experience!)

Costco has some American Girl.

6 yo DD really wants an American Girl doll but she thinks any similar doll is AG, including the entire line at Target. She would love to take the doll to the store for the full hair appointment, which I likely won't pay for even if we buy her one. Is there any reason to get AG over the Target brand? I'm concerned that she won't take good care of it since she is so young and that the accessories are so expensive. I never had one so I don't know if I'm missing something.