The Battle Of Babes

The Battle of Babes

Ask any girl what she wants for Christmas, and you'll most likely hear the name Barbie. Barbie has been a top selling doll since she entered the market in 1952. No other doll competitor has been able to knock her off her throne, which is until Bratz came along in 2001. Bratz are a funkier version of Barbie with trendsetting fashion. While they may seem to have a lot in common, you might be surprised at how big their differences are in image, cost, and lifestyle.

While shopping in the toy section of Walmart, I was shocked by some of the appearances of the many dolls. The Barbie I remember dressed in beautiful gowns and dresses, And her attire always seemed very mythical and fairytale like. Her style hasn't changed too much over the years. Barbie has remained relatively conservative, while keeping up with fashion. On the other hand Bratz jumped into the scene with outfits consisting mainly of micro mini skirts paired with knee high boots, and even skimpier shirts. They have even managed to come out with a "sleepwear" collection very reminiscent of Victoria's Secret lingerie including sexy nighties. Barbie may seem to be a saint now, but she has been heavily criticized over the years for Barbie's image of "perfection." If she were a real person, the original Barbie doll's measurements would have been an incredible 39-18-33. In response to criticism that these measurements might create unrealistic expectations for young girls to live up to, Barbie has since adjusted her chest measurement down and her waist measurement up.They may have made some changes, but granted that physically impossible body is still a marvel and does not reflect mass society. Bratz dolls, however,do not have Barbie's pinup-girl measurements; they're not as endowed with curves and they're much shorter. Bratz dolls have huge made up eyes and pouty lips that look like they've experienced an overdose of collagen, with practically no nose to be seen. Little girls have seemingly taken to this new look, because Bratz sales have increased over the past years creating some serious competition for Barbie. With the increase of popularity, Bratz have also increased their prices.

If you are an avid collector of Bratz dolls and Barbie, or if you occasionally buy dolls for occasions such as birthdays, you probably have noticed a slight difference in prices between the two. A regular Barbie can range between the prices of $17.99 to $49.99; however, if you are a mother who buys Barbie for your daughter's you have probably bought accessories accompanying Barbie. Whether you buy a hot pink car, or Barbie's dream house the prices could vary between $14.99 and $89.99. Collectors, however, could spend up to $5,000 for an original Barbie doll. Bratz on the other hand have not been out long enough to have such high collector prices, but they do have prices on their dolls to compete with Barbie. Regular Bratz dolls could range in prices between $24.99