Has your daughter asked you for one of these dolls, yet? Monster High dolls, A.K.A. "Goth Barbie," are the second-highest selling dolls in the world -- second only to plain old vanilla Barbie. These girls are outfitted with fishnets, heavy eyeliner, fangs, and 'tude. Apparently darling little girls everywhere just can't get enough of them. Even the company that makes the dolls is surprised. "Honestly, it was very surprising to us. We just noticed girls were into darker goth fashion," says Kiyomi Kaverly, Mattel design vice president.
The dolls are marketed to girls age 6 to 12, so girls are starting young with this goth aesthetic. And I have to admit, I like their edgy vibe. I mean, it's great girls are taking a break from all that saccharine pink, right? But aren't they a little, I don't know, too bad-ass for kids so young? How young is too young for goth?
I think I would have found these dolls a little too scary when I was that young, but then I was kind of afraid of anything even remotely spooky as a girl. Now? I think kids are way more immune to transgressive style. Think of everything Tim Burton movies have done alone -- I remember my niece being a fan of Corpse Bride when she was around 6.
The dolls are edgy, but in a non-lethal way. Draculaura is Dracula's daughter, but she's turned off by meat. No blood sucking. Instead, the dolls are supposed to be affirming for girls who dare to be different. "The message about the brand is really to celebrate your own freaky flaws, especially as bullying has become such a hot topic,” says Mattel marketer Cathy Cline.
Well that's something I can get behind. So if I had a six-year-old daughter, would I buy her one of these Goth Barbies? I probably would... if she felt strongly about it. But I think there are so many other ways to encourage a girl's development as her own, unique person, not just through dolls.
What do you think about Goth Barbies?