Bratz Dolls

[msjones21]

I was at Walgreens today with my mom and sister and a doll on the shelf caught my eye. She had a tiny waist, curvaceous hips, and a huge head with full lips and loads of makeup. I recognized her as one of those immensely popular Bratz dolls. What disgusted me about this particular doll was that she was wearing this see-through mesh top. You could see her (overly large) breasts through the material. Now I know there aren't any nipples on these dolls but there might as well be. Why not? You're making a doll for girls between the ages of 5 and 8 with a top you can clearly see her boobs through! I was literally appalled.

This is sadly what little girls are looking to as what makes them pretty and popular. Look at the increase in children under the age of 16 who have their own cell phones. Look at little girls wearing dark makeup by the age of 10. Look at some of the fashions for little girls these days. I remember how shocked I was when I saw a pair of little girl's pants at Kohl's last year. They were skin tight black lycra with glitter and the entire side seam of the pants (to the outside) laced up all the way to the hip. This is how some parents allow their 6 and 7 year old daughters to dress?

Back to the Bratz dolls. I went to the Toys 'R Us website for further research and looked at their Bratz collection. They had over 150 Bratz items ranging from the various doll collections to bikes to makeup kits. The one item that shocked me the most (aside from the doll with the see-through top) was the makeover set. Remember how Barbie used to have one it was just her head and you could fiz up her hair? Well, Bratz has one that comes with body jewels, body glitter, hair extensions, etc. The thing that is most upsetting is that these makeover "heads" are made from the chest up with their ample cleavage very prominently sticking up from their bases. In the television commercial they show little girls placing body jewels in the doll's cleavage!

So how do you feel about Bratz dolls? Acceptable fun for little girls or harmful for their views on self image?

 

[water_ripple]

IMO I do not think they are appropriate. They are also selling here for about $35 a pop!

 

[Living4Him03]

I saw an add for them at toys r us too. i was like WHAT? THIS IS THE NEW BARBIE? the bratz dolls look like well brats. lol. i would not let my daughter buy something like that if i had one.

 

[HeatherJay]

Here's the key. As a parent, it's my decision what my daughters are exposed to. I can't control what toy companies market or how they choose to market it. I CAN control what toys (or clothes) end up in my daughters' bedrooms. There are so many things that I disapprove of as a parent of 2 little girls...and the one effective option I have to combat those things I disagree with is not to buy them. As far as Bratz dolls go, I just think they're weird looking...I haven't seen this one with the see-through top. So far, my kids have shown no interest in them. I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Love, Heather

 

[katelyn]

I don't know much about them, but my 8-year-old sister loves them. I think it's because she's still young enough to want to play with dolls, but "Barbie" just isn't cool anymore in her grade.

Though, I've never actually seen her play with her Bratz dolls. So I don't know if she really plays with them, or just collects them.

 

[HeatherJay]

The Bratz dolls I saw today had relatively small boobs, actually. Far smalled chested than Barbie's anyway (even the new Barbie's which are smaller than the older ones). The only thing objectionable I could see about them was the excessive makeup. Are there Bratz with different size chests? Just wondering...maybe I was looking at the wrong ones.

love, Heather

 

[PatientlyWaiting]

Well my daughter is 11 and she and cousin and friend all have and play with Bratz dolls. I thought and still do that they are stupid looking dolls, but it is what the girls like today. When I was their age I had all things Barbie and loved playing pretend and making clothes and doing their hair.

I don't see nothing wrong with it really. Girls have always played with dolls. My girl and her friends play very big elaborate pretend games with their dolls. They just happen to like Bratz because they are the cool new thing on the market.

BTW my daughter does not have a cell phone, she does not wear make-up and she has a very strict dress code. I have taught her to be proud of who she is and she knows that these dolls are just for fun and do not reflect real life and how she is to be.

 

[Kelly]

I'm not crazy about them, but my daughter (5) begged for one because another kid at preschool has one. The clothing and accessories are made of more realistic materials than the average Barbie (who wears THAT much pink and purple neon spandex?). She doesn't play with it very often but I think it makes her feel more 'grown up' because of the handbags, purses, coats and such that you can add and remove.

Mattel has created a similar line called My Scene Barbie, they are less 'urban' looking than Bratz, more watered down. My daughter has no interest in them, strangely. Perhaps the word is out that they are copycats.

 

[mamaneenie]

I have a little boy, so don't have to worry about dolls that much yet (unless God decides to bless us with a little girl, hopefully one day soon lol)

Anyway, I will throw something else out there, what do people think of the little crop tops that look like bras? I had to do a double take a few days ago, because I thought I was in the ladies underwear section. I was in the children's section of Target, these crop tops were designed for children aorund 5 years old.

 

[bgstovall]

I am not sure I have seen the crop tops, but I know that each time I go to the mall I am shocked at how all of the young girls are dressing. I know my daughter will never be permitted to dress that way. As far as the Bratz dolls go I did buy one for her one time. I, along with her, really did not know what they were. She was more excited about the fact that the doll came with roller blades. She has only played with it a few times, and she really has not shown a big interest in the dolls. The first thing she does with a new doll is to take all of the clothes off of it anyway. Most of the dolls stay naked most of the time. At first I thought that was odd, but then I started to find out from some of my friends that their kids do the same thing. Our daughter is almost four, so I am sure the toughest battles are ahead of us.

 

[HeatherJay]

I am not sure I have seen the crop tops, but I know that each time I go to the mall I am shocked at how all of the young girls are dressing. I know my daughter will never be permitted to dress that way. As far as the Bratz dolls go I did buy one for her one time. I, along with her, really did not know what they were. She was more excited about the fact that the doll came with roller blades. She has only played with it a few times, and she really has not shown a big interest in the dolls. The first thing she does with a new doll is to take all of the clothes off of it anyway. Most of the dolls stay naked most of the time. At first I thought that was odd, but then I started to find out from some of my friends that their kids do the same thing. Our daughter is almost four, so I am sure the toughest battles are ahead of us.

Every single one of our daughters' Barbie's are naked. Don't feel bad

Love, Heather

 

[Miss Shelby]

So how do you feel about Bratz dolls? Acceptable fun for little girls or harmful for their views on self image?

I think they're ugly. This is kinda funny, too. My three year old calls them Rats dolls. "Mom, can I have a Rats doll?" "NO, they're ugly. You can have Strawberry Shortcake or nothing."

Michelle