Tonner outfit: Dinner at The Roosevelt

When I first saw this outfit on the Tonner website, I immediately wanted it. I waited awhile and finally got it on ebay at fairly discounted price. When I received it, I had the same reaction that I often get when I open a new Tonner outfit: semi-disappointment. Sure, it looked like the photo, but the stitching on the lining is extremely obvious; the sleeves are EXTREMELY difficult to get a doll’s hands through, as the fingers kept snagging on the netting and barely fit through the fur cuffs. With the Ashton-Drake and Integrity outfits, the tailoring, fit, and quality of the outfit is usually of a very high level, which is amazing because the Tonner costumes are typically the same price or higher, yet are much more fragile and seem to snag easier. The huge plus for Tonner is their customer service; they are right on top of that area, as they always respond back quickly and seem to go out of their way to make the customer happy. Whether I will bother to complain about the tailoring of the Roosevelt outfit is debatable.

I also feel that Tonner missed the boat with their Hollywood Glamour line; how many people know that the Roosevelt is a historic hotel in Hollywood? Probably very few nowadays; but having this information on the website and creating a connection to the outfit would definitely add value to the buyer. Mel Odom obviously understood, and this is why Gene Marshall stands the test of time and the collectors feel so passionately about her. You didn’t just buy a doll costume; you bought a story with historical facts and emotions tied to it. Brilliant!

So back to the pictures here; Gene is posing at the actual Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, wearing Tonner’s creation.



Although it looks like the dress wraps in front, the fur is only decorative. The dress actually snaps in back...kind of odd. The silvery blouse underneath is also faux and sewed into the dress. For the original retail price of $130, a separate blouse and fur-trimmed robe/dress is definitely not too much to ask for! Just another reason I like Ashton-Drake & Integrity’s outfits; they functioned like real clothes. By the time I finally got Gene’s hands through the sleeves, glitter was everywhere from the dress! Between the sleeves and Manhattan Holiday Gene’s flyaway hair, I was cursing a blue streak!



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