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hat_plays_dollsMy Monster High grail doll list has gotten shorter!
I have had '"Monster High" Cleo Fashion' as one of my saved eBay searches for... uh, a couple years now. Back in July, the right combination of 'not highway robbery' and 'listed at a time when I have money' appeared and I JUMPED.
I paid about $77 shipped (from Australia to California) and I'm STILL kinda proud of myself. I would not have gotten her if I hadn't been idly browsing eBay on my phone in bed the instant she was listed. I don't think she was up for an hour.
So!
I finally freaking got her!
Box back!
Box blurb! If it's hard to read, it says:
"Most ghouls have lots of misconceptions about me, like they think I have hoards [sic] of servants who go out and do all my shopping for me. Okay, well, that one is actually true, but sometimes I like to go to the maul myself and do my own shopping, especially for shoes and accessories. Regardless, even if I did have a servant whose foot was as perfectly formed as my own, I still wouldn't let her choose my shoes because just because it fits doesn't mean it's comfortable, and there are some things even a princess must do for herself.
XX Cleo"
Box art!
I was gonna shrink pics of everything in there with her before opening the box but... no. That is silly. Let's not do that.
Open! Three complete outfits and-- gasp! Shock! A BRUSH and a STAND! Remember brushes and stands? ... Hell, I remember when stands were rare but every doll came with a brush...
Loose! Okay, IHF Cleo comes with:
Doll
Stand
Brush (not shown)
Bandage jumpsuit
Sheer overdress thing
Blue minidress
Hieroglyphics tee
Black shrug with gold trim
Metallic bandage-print skirt
Gold ribbon belt
Black jelly belt (Signature or Creepateria mold)
Gold triangle belt (Maul Fashion Pack, also seen on Basic Spectra Fashion Pack)
Gold purse (Picture Day)
Black Sunglasses (Gloom Beach, but I know they've been recast before, I just can't find where)
Black snake necklace (Classroom Mad Science)
Gold platforms (Ghouls Rule)
Black ushabti sandals (Skull Shores)
Teal boots (Scooter Ghoulia, Maul Monsteristas Clawdeen)
Gold Isis-wing earrings (Dawn of the Dance, I Heart Accessories)
Clear teal triangle earrings (Gloom Beach & probably others)
3 gold triangle bangles (Used MANY times)
Clear teal snake bracelet (Gloom & Bloom? Ghouls Rule?)
What bounty!
Please forgive the box hair, I wasn't going to try actual styling until I fixed her glue head. Which. She did come with. ANYway.
Man the colors on her makeup. That pale gold shimmer under the eye, the fantastic green on the upper lid, the glitter, and the shaded red lipstick.
One of the things I have always liked about IHF Cleo is that she looks very quintessentially Cleo-- the blunt-cut bangs, the color scheme, the dark-cinnamon lips. If not for the distribution problems that made $77 shipped a frickin' bargain, IHF Cleo would be a great choice for anyone who wanted a Signature Cleo feel but didn't quite like... well, Signature Cleo.
So here's Outfit One as packaged, and... yeah, you got the bandage bodysuit, the sheer babydoll overthing, the belt the bracelets-- this is a very Signature Cleo feeling outfit. ... Maybe more autumnal because she's got her boots and only one arm bare.
I love this boot mold and I am very sad I can't have a pair for. Uh. Everyone.
And just the bandage suit! This is a really nicely fitted piece, and the most bandages I've ever seen a Classic Cleo wearing (since Reboot Cleo's are sculpted).
Outfit 2 as it was more or less arranged in the box! It feels sort of... professional, to me? More of a date outfit or a 'Daddy needs us to show off what a family man he is' outfit. But I really love this dress.
It's slight, but it's got bishop sleeves! Snug through the bicep and then they blouse out a bit. ... And by 'a bit' I mean 'about as much as would be attractive and practical in this fabric.' It's very feminine and I like it a lot.
More details-- I want to paint this snake. Jury's out on just a straight-up coat of high-gloss to make it look like glass instead of jelly plastic or if I want to do some kind of gold detailing (eyes and tongue in opaque gold? Gentle dry-brushing over all the scales? Hm).
When Picture Day did this purse, it was clear glassy teal blue. Pale gold leaves me a lot of room to play with an enamel look. I am excited.
And just a nice shot of the fabric and the belt. I admit, this is the sort of fabric that I'd consider making a replica version of on Spoonflower, and I thought it was going to be WAY more complicated. There, uh, aren't a lot of repeats in there, if you look close.
Outfit 3 as boxed! I will say I'm not as huge a fan of this style, though I do like all the pieces involved. ... I like all the pieces in the whole box, so that's. That's not biased at all, right? Anyway this kind of feels like a semi-casual Date With Deuce look, somehow?
I actually probably won't paint these sunglasses; I have several other pairs in the same mold that I've painted and they look great but they also look great unpainted so! Here we are. I do like that they were careful enough about the bangs that the sunglasses fit under them comfortably!
Listen that belt was packaged on that tee. I don't know why. It doesn't sit anywhere that looks good on that tee.
Fun fact, the gold-and-black striped fabric on the shrug... lapels? Is the same as the Picture Day leggings! So it'll coordinate with those flawlessly. I initially thought the skirt was the Dawn of the Dance legging, but it's got a more denim/sateen texture under the bronze.
All the fabric pieces! Nothing is half-printed, there are variations in the type of fabric (the bandage jumpsuit is very cottony, the tee and dress are that slippery knit, the shrug is thicker and softer but still synthetic, the skirt is woven, and the top thing is... a lot of things), and I gotta say, the colors are fantastic. You got your can't-go-wrong eau-de-Nil blue, you got gold, and then you have these wonderful warm soft desert-y shades that are SUPER versatile wardrobe pieces for Cleo.
SHOES okay yes there are some marks from the box on the boots. I have hit them with water, soap and water, alcohol, and acetone. I'm wary of trying acne cream, as the last shoes I tried that on just bleached. If they bother me, I will paint over them.
Super blown out shot of the Skull Shores Ushabti shoes in an effort to get the detail to show up! Those guys are very detailed, in person you can see their little shentis and their little jackal heads, they're great.
... Sorry about the cat hair. Theo... uh, helps.
Accessories! Not a single new mold, but they're all fantastic pieces. Also, those big triangle bangles are the only Classic bracelets that fit on Reboot Cleo.
And now, for a little restyling.
Okay yes just sticking with what IHF Cleo came with, but still restyled! Gotta love tall boots with a short skirt, and I really feel like the black belt works better with the bronze skirt than the ribbon belt.
On the other hand, the ribbon belt gives the dress a nice faux empire waistline. I feel like this outfit needs some kind of shimmery hose (in nude or gold, even teal before black), but I do like the black shoes with it.
And as long as we're trying for Signature But Not Signature, the bodysuit and babydoll top, but with all-gold (except one bracelet) details.
Oh also!
Lovely hands, right, very EAH-esque? They don't turn up a lot. They're Scarah's default hands (which means Frankie did get some, eventually), and I think they've been on Draculaura once. Wydowna got them, but she got all the hand molds, and I thiiiiiiink they showed up on either Spectra or the Ghost CAM. Operetta got a pair, but they were her Boo York hands. This? This is the only time Cleo has ever had this hand mold.
Okay so in conclusion!
... yeah no in conclusion this is I Heart Fashion Cleo, I got her for a steal, I have zero regrets. (I did snap her neck peg but it snapped so easy there was clearly a plastic problem. Also it's not like I don't have enough headless Cleo bodies to make up for that.)
Should you get IHF Cleo?
Um, yes. Not if it's going to cut into your rent money or grocery money or cat food money, but if the stars align and you have the money at the right time... do the thing. Get her. Check for in-hand pics because Indonesia and Cleo doesn't wear eye wonk as well as Frankie, but honestly?
This is IHF Cleo. The only grail-ier grails are SDCC dolls. If you're in a position to get her, get her. Know how much you're willing to spend and do not hesitate, because no one else will.
Like what I do and want to help me feed my cats, but don't need anything I have for sale on eBay? You can always support me on Patreon or throw some change in my tip jar.
I have had '"Monster High" Cleo Fashion' as one of my saved eBay searches for... uh, a couple years now. Back in July, the right combination of 'not highway robbery' and 'listed at a time when I have money' appeared and I JUMPED.
I paid about $77 shipped (from Australia to California) and I'm STILL kinda proud of myself. I would not have gotten her if I hadn't been idly browsing eBay on my phone in bed the instant she was listed. I don't think she was up for an hour.
So!
I finally freaking got her!
Box back!
Box blurb! If it's hard to read, it says:
"Most ghouls have lots of misconceptions about me, like they think I have hoards [sic] of servants who go out and do all my shopping for me. Okay, well, that one is actually true, but sometimes I like to go to the maul myself and do my own shopping, especially for shoes and accessories. Regardless, even if I did have a servant whose foot was as perfectly formed as my own, I still wouldn't let her choose my shoes because just because it fits doesn't mean it's comfortable, and there are some things even a princess must do for herself.
XX Cleo"
Box art!
I was gonna shrink pics of everything in there with her before opening the box but... no. That is silly. Let's not do that.
Open! Three complete outfits and-- gasp! Shock! A BRUSH and a STAND! Remember brushes and stands? ... Hell, I remember when stands were rare but every doll came with a brush...
Loose! Okay, IHF Cleo comes with:
Doll
Stand
Brush (not shown)
Bandage jumpsuit
Sheer overdress thing
Blue minidress
Hieroglyphics tee
Black shrug with gold trim
Metallic bandage-print skirt
Gold ribbon belt
Black jelly belt (Signature or Creepateria mold)
Gold triangle belt (Maul Fashion Pack, also seen on Basic Spectra Fashion Pack)
Gold purse (Picture Day)
Black Sunglasses (Gloom Beach, but I know they've been recast before, I just can't find where)
Black snake necklace (Classroom Mad Science)
Gold platforms (Ghouls Rule)
Black ushabti sandals (Skull Shores)
Teal boots (Scooter Ghoulia, Maul Monsteristas Clawdeen)
Gold Isis-wing earrings (Dawn of the Dance, I Heart Accessories)
Clear teal triangle earrings (Gloom Beach & probably others)
3 gold triangle bangles (Used MANY times)
Clear teal snake bracelet (Gloom & Bloom? Ghouls Rule?)
What bounty!
Please forgive the box hair, I wasn't going to try actual styling until I fixed her glue head. Which. She did come with. ANYway.
Man the colors on her makeup. That pale gold shimmer under the eye, the fantastic green on the upper lid, the glitter, and the shaded red lipstick.
One of the things I have always liked about IHF Cleo is that she looks very quintessentially Cleo-- the blunt-cut bangs, the color scheme, the dark-cinnamon lips. If not for the distribution problems that made $77 shipped a frickin' bargain, IHF Cleo would be a great choice for anyone who wanted a Signature Cleo feel but didn't quite like... well, Signature Cleo.
So here's Outfit One as packaged, and... yeah, you got the bandage bodysuit, the sheer babydoll overthing, the belt the bracelets-- this is a very Signature Cleo feeling outfit. ... Maybe more autumnal because she's got her boots and only one arm bare.
I love this boot mold and I am very sad I can't have a pair for. Uh. Everyone.
And just the bandage suit! This is a really nicely fitted piece, and the most bandages I've ever seen a Classic Cleo wearing (since Reboot Cleo's are sculpted).
Outfit 2 as it was more or less arranged in the box! It feels sort of... professional, to me? More of a date outfit or a 'Daddy needs us to show off what a family man he is' outfit. But I really love this dress.
It's slight, but it's got bishop sleeves! Snug through the bicep and then they blouse out a bit. ... And by 'a bit' I mean 'about as much as would be attractive and practical in this fabric.' It's very feminine and I like it a lot.
More details-- I want to paint this snake. Jury's out on just a straight-up coat of high-gloss to make it look like glass instead of jelly plastic or if I want to do some kind of gold detailing (eyes and tongue in opaque gold? Gentle dry-brushing over all the scales? Hm).
When Picture Day did this purse, it was clear glassy teal blue. Pale gold leaves me a lot of room to play with an enamel look. I am excited.
And just a nice shot of the fabric and the belt. I admit, this is the sort of fabric that I'd consider making a replica version of on Spoonflower, and I thought it was going to be WAY more complicated. There, uh, aren't a lot of repeats in there, if you look close.
Outfit 3 as boxed! I will say I'm not as huge a fan of this style, though I do like all the pieces involved. ... I like all the pieces in the whole box, so that's. That's not biased at all, right? Anyway this kind of feels like a semi-casual Date With Deuce look, somehow?
I actually probably won't paint these sunglasses; I have several other pairs in the same mold that I've painted and they look great but they also look great unpainted so! Here we are. I do like that they were careful enough about the bangs that the sunglasses fit under them comfortably!
Listen that belt was packaged on that tee. I don't know why. It doesn't sit anywhere that looks good on that tee.
Fun fact, the gold-and-black striped fabric on the shrug... lapels? Is the same as the Picture Day leggings! So it'll coordinate with those flawlessly. I initially thought the skirt was the Dawn of the Dance legging, but it's got a more denim/sateen texture under the bronze.
All the fabric pieces! Nothing is half-printed, there are variations in the type of fabric (the bandage jumpsuit is very cottony, the tee and dress are that slippery knit, the shrug is thicker and softer but still synthetic, the skirt is woven, and the top thing is... a lot of things), and I gotta say, the colors are fantastic. You got your can't-go-wrong eau-de-Nil blue, you got gold, and then you have these wonderful warm soft desert-y shades that are SUPER versatile wardrobe pieces for Cleo.
SHOES okay yes there are some marks from the box on the boots. I have hit them with water, soap and water, alcohol, and acetone. I'm wary of trying acne cream, as the last shoes I tried that on just bleached. If they bother me, I will paint over them.
Super blown out shot of the Skull Shores Ushabti shoes in an effort to get the detail to show up! Those guys are very detailed, in person you can see their little shentis and their little jackal heads, they're great.
... Sorry about the cat hair. Theo... uh, helps.
Accessories! Not a single new mold, but they're all fantastic pieces. Also, those big triangle bangles are the only Classic bracelets that fit on Reboot Cleo.
And now, for a little restyling.
Okay yes just sticking with what IHF Cleo came with, but still restyled! Gotta love tall boots with a short skirt, and I really feel like the black belt works better with the bronze skirt than the ribbon belt.
On the other hand, the ribbon belt gives the dress a nice faux empire waistline. I feel like this outfit needs some kind of shimmery hose (in nude or gold, even teal before black), but I do like the black shoes with it.
And as long as we're trying for Signature But Not Signature, the bodysuit and babydoll top, but with all-gold (except one bracelet) details.
Oh also!
Lovely hands, right, very EAH-esque? They don't turn up a lot. They're Scarah's default hands (which means Frankie did get some, eventually), and I think they've been on Draculaura once. Wydowna got them, but she got all the hand molds, and I thiiiiiiink they showed up on either Spectra or the Ghost CAM. Operetta got a pair, but they were her Boo York hands. This? This is the only time Cleo has ever had this hand mold.
Okay so in conclusion!
... yeah no in conclusion this is I Heart Fashion Cleo, I got her for a steal, I have zero regrets. (I did snap her neck peg but it snapped so easy there was clearly a plastic problem. Also it's not like I don't have enough headless Cleo bodies to make up for that.)
Should you get IHF Cleo?
Um, yes. Not if it's going to cut into your rent money or grocery money or cat food money, but if the stars align and you have the money at the right time... do the thing. Get her. Check for in-hand pics because Indonesia and Cleo doesn't wear eye wonk as well as Frankie, but honestly?
This is IHF Cleo. The only grail-ier grails are SDCC dolls. If you're in a position to get her, get her. Know how much you're willing to spend and do not hesitate, because no one else will.
Like what I do and want to help me feed my cats, but don't need anything I have for sale on eBay? You can always support me on Patreon or throw some change in my tip jar.
