A post by daddiemac (discussing dolls today, such as Liv, vs. Jem) got me thinking:
http://ghostofthedoll.co.uk/Forum/index.php?topic=1885.0Thanks for that, appreciated, the only thing is (I'm sure several other parents will agree) that the dolls today all appear.... well very sexual
This I find quite concerning with a lot of the toys/dolls on offer, either being very babyish or in my option very adult, feel likes its a no win either way.
Think this is why I got my daughter interested in 80's cartoons, you know, there was no sex and the story's seamed to carry some sort of moral and of course the fact I'm a total 80's fan probably factors in there somewhere!!!
I agree the Jem dolls are not the best looking at all and probably could have been made to look a tad better, but I don't feel there's any sexual element with these which is great........... God I'm totally ranting here, "is there any need".
Well thanks again, I'll keep looking and any other ides are appreciated. Thankfully shes now also decided she likes the Charmkins!!!!
Better get on the hunt for them.
Is that true, or is that just our modern perceptions? Like, for Jem - the makeup is pretty garish but wasn't that kind of "hot" back then?
Obviously some of the dolls now really are a bit disturbing, but I do think that some are quite nice. At least on the shelf. I never got a doll because I liked a cartoon (so, they were just long commercials?) and I don't really know if the toys now have "stories."
I browsed through the toy aisle and thought that the Moxie Teenz dolls looked very nice:
As for Barbies - there are several to skip on. But a lot of the fantasy world ones look very sparkly and cute. And I also saw these. They are "models" but I think the makeup is relatively simple compared to a lot of the dolls and I love that they are in every skin and hair color (can't do much about the "size" since they all need to fit the same clothing):
Pretty (but the dolls with molded on outfits are fairly useless):
Liv dolls are a bit odd looking, but a few have extremely pretty faces:
I really think the Jem dolls are extremely unfortunate looking. I think the proportions of them are more disturbing in their own way than any of the dolls out now. I can't argue with nostalgia, but I don't understand fresh eyes today finding her and the friends to be attractive toys:
If I had to pick the prettiest doll out there (that conveniently fits Barbie clothes), I would have to say it was the Kenner 1991 "Miss America" dolls. I don't know why I picked one as a kid - I don't think I knew what Miss America was. I just wanted the one in the pretty pink ballerina outfit.
So, yeah, don't read too much into the dolls because when you're a little kid you're not seeing it with all the adult hindsight. And, for example, Miss America offends you, just take away the sash and you still have a nice doll.
And I think she still looks *fairly* good by modern standards, even if the makeup is a bit dated.
http://totallyjem.jemmagic.com/kennermissamerica.htmlI had a Devon doll. Seriously one of my favorite dolls ever (just really well made!) and I think it was only when I found her sash recently that I remembered she was a Miss America toy. And some parents might not have let their kid get one because of that.
Sorry for this kinda ramble but I was thinking about that comment a few days ago. Other thoughts?