A strange style icon they may be with their giant fish lips, spider leg lashes and round hedgehog heads, but as soon as a doll claims they have a ‘passion for fashion’ they are my friend. The Bratz beauty look is a little frightening, but their fashion look is a whole lot finer. Take the Scary Spice copycats here as an example - trotting around in animal print ready for a safari.
To begin with a bit of background, the Bratz originals were Cloe, Yasmin, Jade and Sasha, introduced to my toy box in 2002. These guys featured in most collections from Formal Funk to Winter Wonderland. They had such a different and distinguished look to any other dolls when they first appeared. In fact, it was thought that ‘My Scene’ Barbie dolls stole the doe-eyed look of Bratz and this charge was even taken to court. The feature that actually drew me to the dolls was their wardrobe – dare I say it, but they seemed more fashionable than Barbie, throwing daring outfits together in themed collections. For instance, Nevra and Meygan, tagged Queen B and Funky Fashion Monkey, are my recent eBay purchases. These guys were initially released as part of the Wild Life Safari Collection of 2004 (but by this time secondary school called and dolls were swapped for all things beauty). Before this though, an obsession with the dolls had begun. It grew and it grew, until two unfortunate incidents occurred.
One was due to continuous play and uncontrollable love: Beach Party Cloe’s leg plopped off. I’d tightly squeezed the limbs of my friend so hard, day after day; I’d forgotten she was made of plastic, month after month. The sweaty palms of my chubby hands had slowly rubbed away at her manufactured skin - year after year, to the core, until she had a peg leg (even shorter than the one they come with). And so, I said, she is one-and-half-a-peg-legged-Cloe.
The other ‘accident’ was due to a total lack of care, not on my part but that of my mum. Slumber Party Yasmin lay on the bedroom floor waiting for her friend to come home from school. Then a siren rang loud and fierce. The door was pushed open in a seesaw motion. Yasmin’s brushed-on peepers flickered when she caught sight of the dust buster. Carelessly, it was thrust backwards and forwards around the room. She could only play like a doll; play dead. The cleaner sucked on Yasmin’s soft hair so hard. All she was left with was a tight helmet of frizz. And so, I said, she is vacuum – permed Yasmin.
From then on my battered and bruised Bratz were stored under the bed and gathered dust. This happened like a real life sketch of Toy Story 2 with Jessie’s sad song, ‘When She Loved Me’. Emily, Jessie’s previous owner, is pushing her cowgirl on a swinging tyre one day and the next day Jessie falls to the floor, having been replaced by makeup and nail varnish. I hate to admit it (because that heart-breaking scene is perhaps the only film that can squeeze tears out of me), but this is the story of my Bratz. Like I said, the teen years had arrived with no room for plastic dolls.
Eventually the dust was shaken off and they were given away for other kids to play with: no more Bratz. Until recently though, when I started thinking through the iconic toys from my childhood for this blog. You see, Barbie has always been present in my life, and My Little Pony and Furby were bought as gifts for birthday and Christmas last year, but the Bratz were bought especially for this occasion. After all, a doll that claims they have a ‘passion for fashion’ has to be included in a blog that mixes toys with fashion. Perhaps I should even start a Bratz collection. For now though, the two Bratz are displayed like soldiers as the guards of the bedroom looking ready for action. Let’s see how their passion for fashion has influenced my own style of print this season…
Spots and stripes aplenty: the girls are armed with leopard and tiger print gear
Which animal are you riding this season?
Cheetah
Africa seems to be a constant inspiration on the catwalk, and this season is no exception with a parade of cheetah chic. Don’t be fooled by confusing cheetah for leopard print though (the cheetah is a black-spotted cat, not black-circled like the leopard). Cheer team wild cat and add a splash of denim. Dress, £32; Jacket, £45, both Topshop.
Zebra
There is a zebra crossing every fashion runway, and charging into every fashion store. Stay ahead of the stampede with stripes of black and white, or add a streak of leather to this cotton dress to really lead the pack. If anything stood out in Pride Rock it was those stylish monochrome mammals. Dress, £12.99, H & M; Jacket, £60, Topshop.
Or fancy changing into the keeper of the animals?
Where there is animal print in store, safari pieces will also be somewhere in sight. Khaki and camo are looking on guard for the unpredictable British weather. Explore the shelves for khaki trenches, parkas or army-style jackets, and hunt the rack for camo shirts, tunics or crop tops. Jungle Jane to the rescue! Shirt, £29.99; Jacket £39.99, both Zara.
*Sneak Peak*
Tomorrow I chat to a Disney fan about her love of the Disney magic.
- Sophie AJ Brooks
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