The Bratz craze..bleh

[Kohdok]

Barbie may have had an unrealistic body, but at least she had careers, and she was shown taking good care of her little sisters and all of her pets. Not that I would know anything about Barbie's careers. Mine were too busy jumping off of furniture and retrieving ancient artifacts from Closets of Doom to be doctors. ^^;

Compared to the Bratz dolls, Barbie is Normal Norma. At least they gave her a decently-sized nose, rather than a concave indentation on their face.

Out of morbid curiosity, I watched one episode of the Bratz TV show and I think my vision fell from 20-16 to 20-18 as a result. I have never seen such trash. Take all the features people have mentioned and add hackneyed kung-fu (Complete with "Hi-yah!") and you have the TV show. It made Barney look like an epic series by comparison.

My mother runs a tutoring clinic where kids can earn points by doing well and can exchange them for prizes, usually toys. I have yet to see Bratz (dis)grace her shelves, as she has the same opinion as we do about them.

[Senshi_of_Vision]

The sad part is people are really buying this crap though, they have to be for so many Bratz merchandise to be out there. And its scary how anyone could look at dolls like this and go "oh I must get this for my child." I seen another person write this in this thread and I agree they truly glorify these nuevo celebrities who really do nothing to be famous save being born into money. Spare me the little blonde heiress who carries around a little dog talking on a cell phone. Stuff like that isnt realistic for the majority of females on this planet. So why should anyone want to buy a doll that idolizes something like that?

It just really boggles my mind man.

[Cardcaptor Takato]

This reminds me of this music video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEzh10_xoqw Barbie may have been materialistic too, but at least she encouraged some kind of imagination and she was always portrayed as being a responsible big sister in the toy commercials. I don't see anything responsible about Bratz at all. The name alone implies that they think it's actually ok for kids to be spoiled and bratty which is absurd. The fact that the cartoon airs on the commercialized-obsessed 4Kids TV block is enough to make me run far, far, away from it. Whatever happened to the good 'ol days of Saturday morning cartoons where they actually taught kids good morale values? If I ever have kids, I'd rather have them play with Bandai's crappy American Sailor Moon dolls than these horrid toys.

[peachvampiress]

At least Baribe wore a realisitic amount of make up most of the time. I don't think I've ever seen anyone where the amount of make up Bratz dolls wear.

And Barbie had so many careers that there was a variety for girls to chose from. Into science? There's a Barbie for that. Teaching? There's a Barbie for that. Animals? There's a Barbie for that. Singing or music? There's was a hell of a lot of Barbie's for that. Pretty and NICE AGE APPROPRIATE outfits? You get the idea.

With Bratz, if you're daughter's not into whoring up, talking on your cellphone while listening to your mp3 player while you bitch about how much your life sucks because daddy didn't buy you the right colour ferrari, your (thankfully) out of luck.

[Senshi_of_Vision]

Ugh k tonight I get to my horror to see a new commercial for Bratz gymnastic dolls. My mom seen them and cringed (she was a gymnast back in highschool) They basically throw the word fashion and looking good into everything. Oh no dont promote being fit and exercise as a positive thing without throwing in how you have to be hot to do so. And I dont know any gymnast who wears heavy makeup like that considering if they sweat during their routines it would get in their eyes...ugh

And their mermaids are annoying to I mean come on with the fantasy stuff its just disturbing.

[peachvampiress]

More related to Barbie then Bratz, but I thought it was interesting none the less. There's a site I go to that reviews toys (both mass produced and high end). Usually it's just the fully plastic kind, but occasionally he'll review one that comes with cloth clothes. A review he wrote awhile ago addressed why figures with cloth clothes have such scrawny bodies. It's because while you can scale down the body using plastic, cloth can't be scaled down. Cotton, wool, leather etc. are going to have the same thickness whether they're made for a real jacket or a doll's jacket, so the body has to be skinnier then it should be so that the doll's head doesn't look shrunken when it's dressed.

Now, I have no doubt that Barbie was made to be on the skinny side to make her more ideal, but the cloth used to make her clothes may have had a hand in it to.

Bratz, however, have such screwed up proportions (ie. their colossal heads) that the cloth thickness factor goes right out the window.

[DreamEmpress]

Yes, somewhere to finally vent about these annoying dolls!!!

Okay, yes, I hate Bratz dolls. All the reasons listed. Those dolls scare me. My friend and I were looking for a gift for my little sister in the toy section and I was just floored by all the Bratz stuff. Okay, who wants to encourage little girls to dress like that?!? At least Barbie was dressed more modestly, most of the time. She didn't exactly give the image of someone trying to get picked up on a street corner or a bar. I did see the thong on the Baby Bratz and that just set me off for a week long rant with my friends. This is not setting a good example at all. And I don't care how many people keep insisting that it's just a doll. Dolls can be very influencial.

I'm still waiting for Barbie to be a librarian or an archelogist. Although I do have to give her points. She was in the fast food business for a time. You have to respect that she is willing to work at anything.

[Jusenkyo no Pikachu]

and im not tickled pink bout it

(u also no how much im gaging rt now, rt? its a pain typng lik this.)

[Slrjoecool]

Yes, Tiff and myself saw the movie poster when we went to go watch Shrek the Third. We were both absolutely disgusted. We both dispise the Bratz dolls and everything they represent, so when we saw they were coming out with a movie, we were like "O_o; WTF?!?!?!"

[Tiff]

Yes, Tiff and myself saw the movie poster when we went to go watch Shrek the Third. We were both absolutely disgusted. We both dispise the Bratz dolls and everything they represent, so when we saw they were coming out with a movie, we were like "O_o; WTF?!?!?!"

Seriously.

At least they're not like..animated bratz dolls >_> that would be FRIGHTENING.

But still, the message this damn franchise sends to little girls is just disgusting. I will never, EVER buy these damn things (or anything like it) for my little girls.

[Neon Heart]

A Bratz movie.... great. Thats something the little girls want, just incase they want to be influenced into turning into slutty looking anorexics with encephalitis.

[MarioKnight]

Merged with the current Bratz topic. And I'm making it my mission to destroy the film when it get's to my mall's theatre, which can be arranged.

[the*blue*girl]

At least they're not like..animated bratz dolls >_> that would be FRIGHTENING.

They have an animated bratz movie. Lots of them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bratz#Bratz_movies

[Lightweight]

I guess my sister was right. The end of the world cometh...

...And it looks like superdeformed, slutty, over-makeup'd, idiotic dolls. I swear, the first time I saw a commercial of it back in 2001, I prayed for the franchise's early demise. I can't really say anything that hasn't be said here before: they're Mugly, they clearly send the wrong message to girls, and I wouldn't let my girls (if and when I become a father) TOUCH any of those. Sadly, my famiy is oblivious of this, so I must instruct my niece whenever she plays with... those. Thank goodness for stuff like Strawberry Shortcake, at least.

[Senshi_of_Vision]

Oh the freaking humanity a full feature movie now? I can see all the trendy suburabanite I want to be friends with my kids instead of mommy bringing their kids to see that and its sad. Ugh then my mom did a 360 on me we ended up debating cause she told me if she had a grand daughter and she ever wanted the dolls shed probably get them for her cause thats what grandparents do...

*Steam erupts from ears* after telling her how a responsible grandma may spoil a child from time to time but would not blantantely buy a toy his or her parents are dead set against for moral and ethical reasons I still got the feeling if I ever did have a girl shed get her this crap and it bugs me. I love dolls I collect sailormoon, used to have strawberry short cake and barbie, but there is no way a doll like the bratz would have graced my shelves even as a kid because they are creepy and they just dont represent to me things a little girl should strive for and some will say chill its just a doll but most people can tell you that some of their child hood toys did influence them.

I got into management because of the toy brief case and other type gear my mom got me when I was younger I played everything from a secretary to ceo. I know that other kids had doctors sets and cashiers sets, or home makers sets with a kitchen and ironing board. Toys can really influence children, so when I see toys like the bratz which now just about have everything you can think of save cereal (cause they probably dont want to promote actually eating) its scary.

[Jusenkyo no Pikachu]

At least they're not like..animated bratz dolls >_> that would be FRIGHTENING.

I have seen four Bratz movies...and they ARE frightening.

[Queen Of Hearts]

I agree that the idea of bratz is stupid and slutty but, I really don't see that if you actually...you know, TEACH you child that being slutty and whorish isn't okay I really don't see whats wrong with these dolls. Sure ,you don't have to be fashionable ALL THE TIME but whats wrong with dressing up alittle...? Looking good..? I see how the dolls are slutty, but I don't see why we should be OMG THESE DOLLS ARE DESTROYING OUR YOUUUUTH kind of thing. Hell, I played with bratz when I was young and so does my little sister, but we have CONTROL over what she gets and does, and like HELL are we going to let her dress like that.

[Cardcaptor Takato]

Is it just me or does the Bratz movie contradict the whole point of the dolls? From what I saw of the trailer, it looks like this movie is going to be about a sappy and cliched morale message about being true to yourself, but isn't the whole point of the dolls to play with fashion and make-up? And thanks to that trailer, I have that evil Girlfriend song stuck in my head. Next thing you know they'll be making Avril Lavigne Bratz dolls.

[the*blue*girl]

I agree that the idea of bratz is stupid and slutty but, I really don't see that if you actually...you know, TEACH you child that being slutty and whorish is okay I really don't see whats wrong with these dolls. Sure ,you don't have to be fashionable ALL THE TIME but whats wrong with dressing up alittle...? Looking good..? I see how the dolls are slutty, but I don't see why we should be OMG THESE DOLLS ARE DESTROYING OUR YOUUUUTH kind of thing. Hell, I played with bratz when I was young and so does my little sister, but we have CONTROL over what she gets and does, and like HELL are we going to let her dress like that.

I get what you mean. I played with Bratz when I was younger, and I'm not a slutty shallow whore. But I guess there are some kids who might be affected by them negativly. Maybe it depends on the kid, or like you said, how they're raised.

[Senshi_of_Vision]

I agree that the idea of bratz is stupid and slutty but, I really don't see that if you actually...you know, TEACH you child that being slutty and whorish isn't okay I really don't see whats wrong with these dolls. Sure ,you don't have to be fashionable ALL THE TIME but whats wrong with dressing up alittle...? Looking good..? I see how the dolls are slutty, but I don't see why we should be OMG THESE DOLLS ARE DESTROYING OUR YOUUUUTH kind of thing. Hell, I played with bratz when I was young and so does my little sister, but we have CONTROL over what she gets and does, and like HELL are we going to let her dress like that.

I think its more of the fact that its a mainstream toy that does hold some influence even if its a small bit over young girls. I know there are probably plenty of little girls who will be smart enough to know that the dolls do not represent characteristics that they should follow but there are some girls out there and im sure everyone knows some that take stuff like this to heart. They are the little girls who even before junior high talk about being fat, the ones who think to be popular little boys have to like them and that wearing makeup and hip huggers at 12 is cool.

And if a responsible parent brought them for their child more power to them but ive seen plenty of cases where even friends of mine got these dolls because they wanted to be the "cool mom" I hate that trend and its a growing one. The lets be buds with my kid because im too young to be a mom but I have kids. To me thats a big reason not only the dolls but the other merchandise sells big.

I in no way lump all who get these objects into that catogory heck some people probably get them to collect to never bothering to even open the darn things. I just really think some people can be wrongly influenced by the messages these dolls send, fashion and style is fine but they cram it down kids face to me. If Bratz were marketed to teens which I doubt I wouldnt have an issue. But they are marketed to really young girls who in my opinion should still be into kiddie stuff.

The whole idea of a doll telling a six or seven year old girl its cool to have boyfriends doent seem right to me. And everytime I see the talking bratz commercial I get that image. The heavy use of makeup and clothes that modest adults dont wear also get to me. Sure barbie wore grown up clothing for pretending to be grown up but she wore tasteful clothes. Even their little baby dolls were daisy duke shorts and it makes me wonder who they really want to target with this product?

Maybe im jumping the gun on this but I think the market wants to help push the trend of kids behaving older then they should. But maybe im just an old fuddy dud dunno they bug me. And as a woman I just feel girls have enough on their plate self esteem wise without dolls reinforcing that looking good and being trampy is the only way to get ahead in life. Or being spoiled rotten and rich, for us poor heavy girls whats there to look up to then? Their aint no market for that I guess.