Bratz: Are They Responsible for the Fashion Choices We See Today?

There are Barbies, American Girl Dolls, and even Polly Pockets, but there was one that was superior to them all, Bratz. Bratz reign supreme when it comes to trendy dolls who had a wide range of style and personality. I mean they literally had a passion for fashion. I know I am not the only fashion girl who followed my career path because of these super stylish girls. Today, let’s go on a journey back in time to see how the extremely diverse, and ever changing Bratz dolls shaped some of the fashion choices we see today.

Bratz dolls are famous for their big heads and huge eyes, a rendition of dolls that were made in the 60’s. They were materialistic and very cool. The popular girls who pretty much knew all the best trends and the coolest places to go. I was 9 years old wishing I could go to a sushi bar and become a rockstar like my Bratz. However, these fabulous dolls did not come without backlash. Some parents felt that the dolls were over sexualized. People thought that young girls would go through body image issues and a need to be as sexy as the dolls. Issues that women have faced since the beginning of time. Before Bratz dolls were created, women have faced pressure from society (aka men) to look and act a certain way. So a doll has nothing to do with it, but I digress.

With several different lines and even movies that went along with them, these dolls were going to be around for a while. Some of my favorites were Rock Angels, Wild Life Safari, and my absolute favorite, Tokyo a Go-Go. Tokyo a Go-Go was inspired by Japanese street style and every single thing they wore was on point! The skirts over the pants, the pig tales, the chunky belts and the colored hair, I wanted all of it. Soon after, some of these styles begun trending in the U.S as well. If you remember, a lot of your favorite Disney channel stars at the time were rocking these looks. Bratz had a way of bringing culture to fashion and allowing us to experience and see all types of styles and essentially, teaching us how to break out of our comfort zone.

When you think about brands like Dolls Kill, Nasty Gal, Cult Gaia and even Pretty Little Thing, their target audience are people who are edgy and aren’t afraid to make statements. This is the influence of Bratz. Dolls Kill even has a collaboration with Bratz, and Cult Gaia has a boot named the ‘Bratz Boot’. I know I am not speaking for myself when I say that my inner child is screaming with excitement. Wishing that I could wear all the clothes my dolls had, and knowing that they are now in people sizes, tears could be shed.

Their influence is everywhere in mainstream media. Pinterest has several boards that help you decide which Bratz outfit you can wear in real life, and how you can embrace the far out fashion choices the dolls had. Many people have collected the dolls and created fan pages where they dress the dolls in handmade outfits and take editorial photos of them. There was even a Bratz makeup challenge that captured the internet two years ago. While that was my least favorite Bratz moment, it was definitely one for the books.

Not only are these dolls the influencers of Gen Z's fashion choices, but they also play a huge role in the way we see beauty. Yes I am talking about the lips. They are forever iconic. Lip fillers are the new norm and I cant help but to think Bratz played a small role in this craze.

The standard of beauty is constantly changing but one thing that we can all agree on is that Bratz fashion has never had a dull moment. It is interesting to see how a doll has made so many people feel comfortable doing things outside the norm and wearing clothes that tell a story. The dolls have influenced careers, and gave people a reason to wake up in the morning. Its safe to say that Bratz influenced choices in fashion and they are still influencing those girls who were obsessed in the early 2000's, including myself.