Racy Bratz Dolls Get Dramatically Innocent 'Makeunders'
(https://treechangedolls.tumblr.com/)
Sometimes the perfect DIY project is all about taking something over the top and turning it into something simple, natural, and understated.
A standard makeover usually involves giving someone a more stylish or glam look. But one Australian woman is overseeing a dramatic “make under” of Bratz dolls, giving them a more basic, innocent appearance and photographing them in playful, age-appropriate situations.
(https://treechangedolls.tumblr.com/)
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“These dolls have been rescued and rehabilitated from op-shops and tip shops around Tasmania,” reads a description on the Tree Change Dolls Tumblr. “These lil fashion dolls have opted for a ‘tree change,’ swapping high-maintenance glitz ‘n’ glamour for down-to-earth style. I hand repaint the dolls faces, mold new shoes, and my Mum sews and knits their clothing.”
Bratz dolls, first released in the U.S. in 2001, quickly became a worldwide phenomenon, generating annual sales of more than $2 billion. But the toy doll line has also been the subject of intense criticism over what some describe as an obvious over-sexualization of children’s toys. A study by The American Psychological Association entitled, “The Sexualization of Girls,” takes a harsh view of the Bratz line (including cartoons and films).
“Studies do show that, with a few notable exceptions (e.g., Dora the Explorer), cartoons primarily portray girls as domestic, interested in boys, and concerned with their appearance (Thompson & Zerbinos,1997), suggesting an overemphasis on the self as a romantic object, if not necessarily a sexual one.”
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(https://treechangedolls.tumblr.com/)
After their make under changes, the newly dubbed Tree Change Dolls are placed in a number of childlike settings: playing on a tire swing, hanging out in a garden and climbing a tree.
Their mouths and eyes have been repainted to remove the appearance of makeup and their flashy outfits are replaced with more simple fashion choices. While the project started as a personal project, the Tree Change Dolls author says she is planning to open an Etsy store where people would be able to purchase their own versions of the reclaimed Bratz dolls.
In the meantime, she has asked people who are reading and writing about the project to consider making a donation to the International Women’s Development Agency, “Gifts of Change.”
(https://treechangedolls.tumblr.com/)
The reclaimed dolls have already become an overnight sensation, sparking a conversation on Reddit, with hundreds of comments. Jezebel’s Mark Shrayber also wrote about the dolls, saying: “The hyper-sexualization of children’s toys (especially Bratz Dolls) make many of us very uncomfortable. In fact, when a new Bratz movie came into the video store I worked in once, a customer legitimately asked if it was a new animated porno he could rent.” Cosmopolitan’s Alex Rees added: “It’s a full makeunder experience; less Bratz and more ‘Casualz.’And the transformation is amazing — with the finished products photographed to look like they’re ‘playing outside the way kids should.’”
Kids’ toys, and dolls in particular, have been a battleground for parents and pop culture critics for decades. The Tree Change Dolls follow on heels of other projects, like this proportionally accurate Barbie doll.
Of course, some parents may just say, “Lighten up. They’re only toy dolls.” But whether you love Bratz or hate them, it’s hard not to admire this crafty counterpoint.
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