Small Doll Rant

[Shenanigans]

I really can't stand it when I see Disney and Barbie dolls with molded clothes! Are kids no longer able to dress their dolls so Mattel decided to put molded clothes on them? I NEVER had trouble dressing my dolls when I was little. I remember when Mattel first came out with the My First Barbie and she had molded shoes that you couldn't take off. I never liked her because of that. And then the holiday Barbies that you buy at the grocery store had molded stockings which I hated. Then they started on molded swim suits. Part of the fun with dolls is being able to dress them up! How am I supposed to put an outfit on a doll wth a chunky, glittery bodice that won't come off?

Sorry, I just saw the new Disney Frozen dolls at Wal-Mart yesterday and they had the molded on clothes and it was the last straw for me Mattel, children CAN dress their own dolls. And if they can't then they're probably too young to play with dolls in the first place! No more molded clothes!

[tulagirl]

I know they make a line of more simple design with some molded features for very young children to have for a first Barbie.  Young children do have fine motor challenges with Barbie at times.  I noticed after the 90s wave they quit making lots of outfits and shoes seperate from the dolls.  I was irritated that mattel threw out the clothing idea and made weird dolls for like 10 years.  Finally clothes are coming back again and the family dolls are showing up again.  When Barbie first came out she was such quality.  Now everything is cheap. The clothes are often just plastic type fabrics.  The Disney dolls are poorly made, with cheap face design and horrible clothing.  Its sad.  I have not seen the molded doll clothes, but aside fromvery little kids, I am not sure what their reason is.  Perhaps they are trying something new that wont sell yet again.

[Pandora]

I totally understand.  And that's another thing with Barbie dolls these days as well.  They're cheaply made and I miss the way they were when I was a kid.  And a lot of the EG girls have molded tops.  Ughhhhh!!

[ShortyBoo]

I hate that as well. Back when I was still collecting Barbies, I got a doll from a swimsuit line (it was one of the asian dolls, I think Kira) and she had this purple & white, painted on, glittery swimsuit. I hated it so much. I didn't look like real clothes. What it actually reminded me of was those photos they do for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue where they use body paint on the models to paint a bikini on them. Plus, I hated how no matter what I put her in, the bikini would show up (it wasn't very low cut and it was dark purple) so I think I ended up swapping her head to another body since I thought she was too pretty to be permanently stuck in an ugly swimsuit.

The painted on tops are also part of what's keeping me from buying the Equestria Girls dolls. Well, the lack of articulation is the biggest thing for me (I've been spoiled by MH dolls) but the painted tops don't help.

[Wardah]

I can actually kind of understand molded on swimsuits since after taking the doll into a tub or pool the cloth would hold moisture longer (ew mold) but on dresses less so. Even snap on plastic or rubber Polly Pocket style clothes are better or if it must have a molded on top it shouldn't go higher than a strapless bra. At least the Equestria Girls tops are more like strapless camisoles. Also I heard that the next wave of Disney Princess dolls will have full dresses again.

[Shenanigans]

Yep, I had the problem with the swim suits showing up when you put different outfits on Dolls are being made so cheaply now, meh. Aren't Barbies for children 3 and up? Seems like a 3 year old would be able to dress a doll. I think.. I don't have any kids so I don't know But if children are unable it sounds like they're too young for Barbies and need something like a baby doll. I think it's just a way for companies to cheap out.

Does anyone remember the Fashion Avenue line of Barbie clothes? Those were some quality outfits! Wish they'd bring them back!

Also I heard that the next wave of Disney Princess dolls will have full dresses again.

Ooooh, that's good to know!

[lovesbabysquirmy]

Ah yes...  but parents also get irritated that kids rip the clothing off their dolls and play with them naked.    Then they've lost the dress too.  *shrug*  I don't understand it, but that's the attitude I have heard from other parents.

[CrazyCatPony]

Ah yes...  but parents also get irritated that kids rip the clothing off their dolls and play with them naked.    Then they've lost the dress too.  *shrug*  I don't understand it, but that's the attitude I have heard from other parents.

This is true I have a 3 and 7 year old and all my 3 year olds dolls are naked and my 7 year old had a really hard time getting the cloths back on and mommy and daddy end up doing it... It gets extremely frustrating. Kids now days just don't want to put in the work to do it themselves so molded cloths sometimes save the headache for the parents. That said I don't really like molded clothes but it saves the dolls from the trash when my hubby gets sick of naked dolls. I really think they do it just because parents are sick of dressing, redressing,redressing, redressing oh and redressing the dolls. Cinderellas skirt? Dress thing was on the floor, puppy got it chewed it up, now we have nothing for Cinderella to ware BUT she had a perma top/swimsuit thing so it's still ok I really think its just something for kids/parent sanity. Otherwise I'd be buying clothes everyday for the dolls so my daughter would stop complaining all her dolls are naked lol

My 2 cents take it or leave it. My girls are not the best with dolls.

[toyjunky]

Ah yes...  but parents also get irritated that kids rip the clothing off their dolls and play with them naked.    Then they've lost the dress too.  *shrug*  I don't understand it, but that's the attitude I have heard from other parents.

That is probably the big reason for the painted clothes, so the dolls aren't naked. I used to babysit when I was in my later teenage years and the handful of families that I babysat for the bedrooms were always a disaster (toys everywhere) and the dolls were more often than not thrown naked on the floor. The first thing we usually did once I got there was play "dress the dolls" and "clean the room". It wasn't even so much that it was difficult, it was more just a matter of taking 15minutes to clean the floor and put the toys back on the shelves or in the closet.

Now me personally, my mother would have been so pissed if my dolls were like that. I wasn't even really allowed to change their clothes (except one dress up Barbie doll). If she had found all my dolls thrown on the floor I would have been in such trouble. It all comes down to the idea of teaching kids value and responsibility. I think age plays a part in that too. I know Barbie says 3and up, but 3 is in my opinion, a little young especially being allowed to change clothes. They don't have the ability at that age to manipulate the clothes on and off (unless just a simple skirt) very well verses older children with a small doll.

[Vertefae]

Maybe parents should spend more time teaching their children the value of taking care if things. My parents would have busted my butt if I would have treated my toys in a manner like that.

It seems to me it's more lazy parenting and letting society raise your kids for you.

[Wardah]

That and a little bit of "OMG NAKED BODIES! MUST HIDE EVIL NUDITY! SHAAAAME!" mentality.

[ShortyBoo]

That and a little bit of "OMG NAKED BODIES! MUST HIDE EVIL NUDITY! SHAAAAME!" mentality.

My friend's mom was like that when I was a kid. I'd come over to play Barbies with her, and her mom would constantly come in and would freak out about any nude dolls and would get really mad if we had a Ken and Barbie doll in the bed together. I just remember being quite weirded out by it.

[Kobold]

I always assumed painted tops were just a cheap way to save money (and I assume it's still the main reason in SOME cases) but it does make sense if the dolls are meant to get wet / be handled by very young clumsy children.

I guess kids are playing with Barbies very young now - I certainly didn't have any as a toddler, I had large baby dolls.

[Pony_Mama]

For the record, I don't think kids like them either. I have 4 daughters (11, 9, 5 and 3) and they hate the dolls with molded clothes.  They don't get played with because they're no fun to dress. The whole reason my dds like Barbies is for dressing them up!

[Shenanigans]

That and a little bit of "OMG NAKED BODIES! MUST HIDE EVIL NUDITY! SHAAAAME!" mentality.

My mom was like that and I never understood why They're just dolls! But she would hate it if they were left naked or if a Barbie and Ken were put together naked in the box

For the record, I don't think kids like them either. I have 4 daughters (11, 9, 5 and 3) and they hate the dolls with molded clothes.  They don't get played with because they're no fun to dress. The whole reason my dds like Barbies is for dressing them up!

That's good to know, maybe Mattel will take note of what children (and adults) really want