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Monster High Review: Picture Day Cleo de Nile
Here is my next review, finally! And this one is going to be a little different, ostensibly to celebrate my return to MH reviews, but mostly just because I feel like it.
Anyway, I had been reviewing my dolls in the rough order that I acquired them (as well as I can remember anyway) but I just bought Picture Day Cleo a few days ago with my Christmas money, and decided to break the pattern and review a new doll for a change. This review has quite a few more pictures than usual, jsyk.
Here is Picture Day Cleo fresh from the store:
I personally don't keep my dolls in their boxes (it's too hard to change their clothes that way) but some collectors do and I can see why. The box itself is a work of art, and covered in the little details that make MH so awesome. Also, most of the boxes have cute/awful puns (this one says: "I rule on picture day... and every other day," LOL) and the artwork is lovely, so I usually hang onto the boxes, or at least some of the artwork from them.
Here's the back of Cleo's box:
This side shows the Fearbook page, as well as a little bio of Cleo. I can't decide if the best part of this is 1. How Cleo (and the other characters on their Picture Day boxes) drew on other people's pictures, like real high schoolers do, 2. That Draculaura doesn't show up in her picture because she's a vampire, 3. That Hissette is making a bow behind Cleo's head, or 4. that Cleo says in her blurb that she's a mummy who is afraid of the dark. The whole thing is amazing.
But, as wonderful as Cleo's box is, there's nothing like a brand new shiny dollto undress and redress in your hand, so I de-boxed her. :D
Fresh out of the box, and looking a little disheveled. I have to say, MH dolls are pretty easy to debox, compared to some other toys I've owned in my life. The box opens easily, snip a few ties, unwind a rubber band or two, and there's the doll!
Anyway, next I fixed Cleo up for the rest of our photo shoot, which involved brushing her hair.
Then this happened:
Two big-ass chunks of her hair, and several of the tinsel pieces, came out during brushing. This is not typical. I have *counts* at least 25 MH dolls with brushable hair, and this has never happened before. It almost seems like the chunks that came out weren't rooted properly (they were pretty well-defined chunks) or like, were extra bits that accidentally got stuck to her rooted hair. Also, the tinsel on this doll is crap. I have *counts again* a bunch of other MH dolls with tinsel hair, including another Cleo, and none of it looks as crap as this tinsel. I never understood why people de-tinseled their dolls until I unboxed this one. The tinsel is scraggly and thin, like an afterthought on her head, and a lot of it broke in half and/or pulled out when I brushed it.
This isn't a super clear picture, but look at her tinsel hair compared to Gloom Beach Cleo's:
See? Crap. And I have had GB Cleo for years; her hair has been though many brushings and a move, and still looks sleeker and shinier than PD Cleo. You can even kind of see on the left side of PD Cleo how some of the tinsel snapped in half and looks even worse. It might be because PD Cleo has wavy hair, while GB's hair is straight straight straight. Maybe something happened to the tinsel in the waving process? I'm pretty sure all my other tinseled dolls have super straight hair as well... Mattel, take note: you should stick with tinsel in straight hair only.
Tinsel issues aside, here's PD Cleo after I spruced her up a little:
The wavy hair is actually a good look for her, and I LOVE the turquoise half, plus you can't see any of the crap tinsel from here (only the stuff in her bangs, which looks good). This is definitely her better side. The turquoise hair also makes her look like she's related to Nefera, which she is, so that's a nice touch.
Cleo is wearing a dark blue shirt which has a pattern that I can't quite discern on it, (the background is obviously bandages, but that's all I know for sure) shiny leggings, and bandage inspired shoes (which we will discuss in detail in a little bit, because SHOES). The cut of her shirt on the bottom is reminiscent of a scarab's wings, which is a subtle nod to the overall scarab theme she's rocking. Cleo also came with a clear turquoise purse and a gold trapper keeper. It's totally a trapper keeper, Cleo, stop trying to pretend it's just a notebook.
Rocking the casual side pose.
Cleo's belt, which I could not get a really clear picture of, is a scarab in front of falcon wings (the wings wrapping around her back) like this r this. This was apparently a common Egyptian talisman, which Mattel has included because they are awesome and love accurate(ish) details. Her shoes are made to look like bandages wrapping around the front of her feet, with gold heels that are another winged scarab, this time in front of a pyramid-esque brick pattern.
I tried so hard to get a closer pic of these shoes, seriously. It's hard to see the awesome details though, because they're on the back of the heel. You can see the wings here though!
This is the best I could do.Please ignore my old, dirty floor. You can kind of see the scarab here, as well as the scarab design painted on Cleo's tiny bracelet.
And here is a shot of Cleo's other accessories, her purse and trapper keeper.
Both are keeping with the scarab theme.
And both of them open, too!
On the one hand, I admire Mattel's dedication to purses that open. Every MH purse I have that looks like it could/should open, does. It's a neat little detail that lends a bit of realism. On the other hand, I don't have anything to put in all these tiny purses! They all open, but they're all empty and it makes me sad. The trapper keeper has the Monster High logo in the lower right corner, though it's hard to see here.
In any case, I love this Cleo. And the main reason that I like her so much is that she looks very distinct from most of the other Cleos, especially the one I have. I think it's the different hair color and very bold dark blue lips, but since her deboxing I've noticed some other differences too.
Side by side. PD Cleo is trying to be friends, and GB Cleo is like, "you got me out of bed for this?"
Ok, first of all, GB Cleo is ever-so-slightly taller than PD Cleo. I know that in this picture GB Cleo's ponytail makes her look taller, but she is even without it. Only like, a few millimeters, but still. No idea why this is so; it could just be some difference in their joints or something.
Now, obviously their hair and bangs are styled differently, and PD Cleo has that great turquoise in hers, but I'm pretty sure that PD Cleo's hair is also rooted differently, coming in closer to her face and covering her ears. This makes it look like she has a smaller head, but she really doesn't; it's just the way her hair covers so much of her face. I was CONVINCED that PD Cleo had smaller eyes, however, and knowing how Mattel's screening process can vary, this didn't seem impossible. I was so convinced of this, that I measured them with a ruler... Both dolls' eyes are exactly the same size, and exactly the same distance from her nose. I think that the 'smaller eye' illusion is caused by a combination of PD Cleo having straight bangs that cover her eyebrows, hair closer to her face, and a different makeup palette. It's like an optical illusion in doll form! (P.S. you can see her scarab and falcon wing belt pretty well here.)
The last major difference between the girls is that PD Cleo does not have pierced ears. I found this a little disappointing, but it makes sense as you can't see her ears at all, and earrings would have gotten tangled in her hair.
Ok, I'm all out of pictures now, finally time for the rundown!
Theme: Egyptian/Mummy, as all Cleos are, but this one also has a scarab theme.
Evidenced in: Bandage designed shirt and shoes; scarabs on her belt, bracelet, purse, trapper keeper, and shoes. Also, the color palette is Egyptian feeling (shut up, it totally is) with the black, gold, and dark blue.
Favorite thing about the doll: Her dark blue lips. I saw that make-up color and was like, "I must own you!" which is not a reaction I've had to very many Cleos, let me tell you.
Least favorite thing about the doll: Unsurprisingly, the crap tinsel in her (otherwise lovely) hair.
Favorite thing about the outfit/accessories: Her shoes. The colors are great, the design is phenomenal, the Egyptian theme is well done, and just when you think they can't get any more awesome, you look at them from the back and they do.
Least favorite thing about the outfit/accessories: Well, the belt looks great on her, and I love its design, but I'm a little worried about how well it will go on anyone else. The tiny belts that sit high on the dolls' waists tend to be hard to mix and match.
Bottom Line: Cleo is the only doll from the Picture Day line that I had to have, and there's a reason for that. Her look is incredibly unique, her outfit has a unified but not over-done theme, she's full of beautiful and intricate details, and she's quite distinct from any other Cleo out there. For once, since I'm reviewing a doll that's currently on shelves, I can recommend that you pick her up and it won't cost you a fortune! ($19.66 on Amazon right now, which is actually less than I paid for her at TRU. Oy.)
In conclusion: SHOES.
Anyway, I had been reviewing my dolls in the rough order that I acquired them (as well as I can remember anyway) but I just bought Picture Day Cleo a few days ago with my Christmas money, and decided to break the pattern and review a new doll for a change. This review has quite a few more pictures than usual, jsyk.
Here is Picture Day Cleo fresh from the store:
I personally don't keep my dolls in their boxes (it's too hard to change their clothes that way) but some collectors do and I can see why. The box itself is a work of art, and covered in the little details that make MH so awesome. Also, most of the boxes have cute/awful puns (this one says: "I rule on picture day... and every other day," LOL) and the artwork is lovely, so I usually hang onto the boxes, or at least some of the artwork from them.
Here's the back of Cleo's box:
This side shows the Fearbook page, as well as a little bio of Cleo. I can't decide if the best part of this is 1. How Cleo (and the other characters on their Picture Day boxes) drew on other people's pictures, like real high schoolers do, 2. That Draculaura doesn't show up in her picture because she's a vampire, 3. That Hissette is making a bow behind Cleo's head, or 4. that Cleo says in her blurb that she's a mummy who is afraid of the dark. The whole thing is amazing.
But, as wonderful as Cleo's box is, there's nothing like a brand new shiny doll
Fresh out of the box, and looking a little disheveled. I have to say, MH dolls are pretty easy to debox, compared to some other toys I've owned in my life. The box opens easily, snip a few ties, unwind a rubber band or two, and there's the doll!
Anyway, next I fixed Cleo up for the rest of our photo shoot, which involved brushing her hair.
Then this happened:
Two big-ass chunks of her hair, and several of the tinsel pieces, came out during brushing. This is not typical. I have *counts* at least 25 MH dolls with brushable hair, and this has never happened before. It almost seems like the chunks that came out weren't rooted properly (they were pretty well-defined chunks) or like, were extra bits that accidentally got stuck to her rooted hair. Also, the tinsel on this doll is crap. I have *counts again* a bunch of other MH dolls with tinsel hair, including another Cleo, and none of it looks as crap as this tinsel. I never understood why people de-tinseled their dolls until I unboxed this one. The tinsel is scraggly and thin, like an afterthought on her head, and a lot of it broke in half and/or pulled out when I brushed it.
This isn't a super clear picture, but look at her tinsel hair compared to Gloom Beach Cleo's:
See? Crap. And I have had GB Cleo for years; her hair has been though many brushings and a move, and still looks sleeker and shinier than PD Cleo. You can even kind of see on the left side of PD Cleo how some of the tinsel snapped in half and looks even worse. It might be because PD Cleo has wavy hair, while GB's hair is straight straight straight. Maybe something happened to the tinsel in the waving process? I'm pretty sure all my other tinseled dolls have super straight hair as well... Mattel, take note: you should stick with tinsel in straight hair only.
Tinsel issues aside, here's PD Cleo after I spruced her up a little:
The wavy hair is actually a good look for her, and I LOVE the turquoise half, plus you can't see any of the crap tinsel from here (only the stuff in her bangs, which looks good). This is definitely her better side. The turquoise hair also makes her look like she's related to Nefera, which she is, so that's a nice touch.
Cleo is wearing a dark blue shirt which has a pattern that I can't quite discern on it, (the background is obviously bandages, but that's all I know for sure) shiny leggings, and bandage inspired shoes (which we will discuss in detail in a little bit, because SHOES). The cut of her shirt on the bottom is reminiscent of a scarab's wings, which is a subtle nod to the overall scarab theme she's rocking. Cleo also came with a clear turquoise purse and a gold trapper keeper. It's totally a trapper keeper, Cleo, stop trying to pretend it's just a notebook.
Rocking the casual side pose.
Cleo's belt, which I could not get a really clear picture of, is a scarab in front of falcon wings (the wings wrapping around her back) like this r this. This was apparently a common Egyptian talisman, which Mattel has included because they are awesome and love accurate(ish) details. Her shoes are made to look like bandages wrapping around the front of her feet, with gold heels that are another winged scarab, this time in front of a pyramid-esque brick pattern.
I tried so hard to get a closer pic of these shoes, seriously. It's hard to see the awesome details though, because they're on the back of the heel. You can see the wings here though!
This is the best I could do.
And here is a shot of Cleo's other accessories, her purse and trapper keeper.
Both are keeping with the scarab theme.
And both of them open, too!
On the one hand, I admire Mattel's dedication to purses that open. Every MH purse I have that looks like it could/should open, does. It's a neat little detail that lends a bit of realism. On the other hand, I don't have anything to put in all these tiny purses! They all open, but they're all empty and it makes me sad. The trapper keeper has the Monster High logo in the lower right corner, though it's hard to see here.
In any case, I love this Cleo. And the main reason that I like her so much is that she looks very distinct from most of the other Cleos, especially the one I have. I think it's the different hair color and very bold dark blue lips, but since her deboxing I've noticed some other differences too.
Side by side. PD Cleo is trying to be friends, and GB Cleo is like, "you got me out of bed for this?"
Ok, first of all, GB Cleo is ever-so-slightly taller than PD Cleo. I know that in this picture GB Cleo's ponytail makes her look taller, but she is even without it. Only like, a few millimeters, but still. No idea why this is so; it could just be some difference in their joints or something.
Now, obviously their hair and bangs are styled differently, and PD Cleo has that great turquoise in hers, but I'm pretty sure that PD Cleo's hair is also rooted differently, coming in closer to her face and covering her ears. This makes it look like she has a smaller head, but she really doesn't; it's just the way her hair covers so much of her face. I was CONVINCED that PD Cleo had smaller eyes, however, and knowing how Mattel's screening process can vary, this didn't seem impossible. I was so convinced of this, that I measured them with a ruler... Both dolls' eyes are exactly the same size, and exactly the same distance from her nose. I think that the 'smaller eye' illusion is caused by a combination of PD Cleo having straight bangs that cover her eyebrows, hair closer to her face, and a different makeup palette. It's like an optical illusion in doll form! (P.S. you can see her scarab and falcon wing belt pretty well here.)
The last major difference between the girls is that PD Cleo does not have pierced ears. I found this a little disappointing, but it makes sense as you can't see her ears at all, and earrings would have gotten tangled in her hair.
Ok, I'm all out of pictures now, finally time for the rundown!
Theme: Egyptian/Mummy, as all Cleos are, but this one also has a scarab theme.
Evidenced in: Bandage designed shirt and shoes; scarabs on her belt, bracelet, purse, trapper keeper, and shoes. Also, the color palette is Egyptian feeling (shut up, it totally is) with the black, gold, and dark blue.
Favorite thing about the doll: Her dark blue lips. I saw that make-up color and was like, "I must own you!" which is not a reaction I've had to very many Cleos, let me tell you.
Least favorite thing about the doll: Unsurprisingly, the crap tinsel in her (otherwise lovely) hair.
Favorite thing about the outfit/accessories: Her shoes. The colors are great, the design is phenomenal, the Egyptian theme is well done, and just when you think they can't get any more awesome, you look at them from the back and they do.
Least favorite thing about the outfit/accessories: Well, the belt looks great on her, and I love its design, but I'm a little worried about how well it will go on anyone else. The tiny belts that sit high on the dolls' waists tend to be hard to mix and match.
Bottom Line: Cleo is the only doll from the Picture Day line that I had to have, and there's a reason for that. Her look is incredibly unique, her outfit has a unified but not over-done theme, she's full of beautiful and intricate details, and she's quite distinct from any other Cleo out there. For once, since I'm reviewing a doll that's currently on shelves, I can recommend that you pick her up and it won't cost you a fortune! ($19.66 on Amazon right now, which is actually less than I paid for her at TRU. Oy.)
In conclusion: SHOES.