Opening

A dressed bear is a different object from a bare one. Clothing gives a soft toy a character it would not otherwise have, and it is the reason this style gets chosen as a present rather than picked up as a toy — the outfit is what makes it read as considered.

Underneath it is a traditional teddy in curled plush with a stitched muzzle. It stands 30cm and sits at 21cm, and weighs 140 grams. That is a low figure for the size, and it is what keeps the bear soft and floppy rather than firm: it squashes under an arm and gives when it is held, where a densely stuffed bear of the same height behaves like a cushion.

What you get

One bear, wearing the outfit shown in the gallery images. The clothing comes fitted. No gift bag or packaging is supplied — see the exclusions at the end.

Product details

• Format: soft-filled teddy bear supplied dressed
• Pile: curled, shaggy plush
• Outfit: as shown in the gallery images
• Eyes and nose: moulded, not embroidered
• Height: 30 cm standing, 21 cm seated
• Weight: 140 g

Fabric and safety

• Outer: polyester curled plush
• Filling: polyester fibre, lightly packed
• Clothing: woven fabric

Two things to look at when it arrives. The eyes and nose are moulded components rather than stitched into the fabric, so give each one a firm pull before it is handed over — an applied eye is the part that works loose on any soft toy and the one worth checking first. Then check the clothing for buttons, poppers or anything small enough to come away, since a dressed toy has fastenings a bare one does not.

A lightly filled toy will not hold a shape, so it slumps rather than sitting squarely and cannot be posed. Against that, it is the reason this one can be cleaned at all: a dense plush takes days to dry through and the filling stays damp in the middle, while a light one dries within a day.

Size guide

Fit notes

Both heights are worth reading. 30cm is measured laid out flat from feet to ear tips; 21cm is what you will see once it is sitting on a shelf, because the legs fold forward. Buy on the seated figure if you are matching it to a space.

The clothing is cut for this bear and this size, so it is not interchangeable with other dolls or bears. Allow a few centimetres either way on the measurements, as a lightly filled toy varies more than a dense one.

Styling

The curled pile is what gives it the older, less manufactured look — a smooth plush of the same shape reads as a modern toy, and this reads closer to a keepsake. Dressed, it works as a gift in a way a plain teddy does not, because the outfit does the work that wrapping paper otherwise has to. At 30cm it is large enough to count as a proper present and small enough to post without a large parcel.

Care

Take the clothing off before cleaning. Surface clean the bear with a damp cloth and mild detergent, dabbing rather than rubbing — rubbing pulls loops out of a curled pile and the matting shows more than the mark did. Hand wash the clothing separately in cool water and dry flat. Do not tumble dry either part.

What is not included

No gift bag, box or wrapping is supplied; the bear arrives dressed and on its own. Spare outfits are not available. Blankets, cushions, other toys and anything else shown in the photographs are styling only.

Safety

For supervised play. Keep soft items out of the cot while a baby is sleeping unattended, in line with Lullaby Trust safer sleep guidance. Check the seams from time to time and stop using it if anything works loose.