So we’re all obsessed with dolls right now 

Honestly, a doll theme Met Gala would be so fun

I think it's really interesting how adults were so concerned about Barbie's body and projecting body image issues on to children. As a little girl I didn't get my body image issues from my dolls, I got it from the adults around me commenting on my body! I didn't care that I didn't look like Barbie.

Dolls truly are miniature statues that can reflect a time period through fashion,hair and makeup!

I think it's interesting to talk about how Monster High dolls introduced a lot of children and teenagers into alternative fashion and themes. Not only alternative but specifically goth culture, with the characters, ambiance and literature references!

I am obsessed with doll painters. They put care into outfits, the faces, hair, etc. I think that’s one of the best niches on youtube

i'm disabled and i was also (and still am) very much the "weird girl" growing up so I never really saw myself in more "normal" dolls like barbie. monster high was HUGE for me. being told that maybe being weird and quirky and just a little unsettling was actually cool and not the death sentence i had been taught it was growing up completely rewired my brain tbh. plus the emo-steampunk-early 2010sness of the fashion was so iconic and every day i want it back.

As a ball jointed doll maker and doll artist this video made me so happy ❤️ I think dolls are so much more than just „toys“. Thank you for this ❤

Tbh I would watch an entire stand alone video about Monster High dolls’ impact on young girls and fashion trends.

i remember my mom prefered i played with bratz dolls, rather than barbies, bc their proportions were so unrealistic. she said they looked less like real people and that made her less worried about how they would affect my body image. i just find that really interesting.

I'm a fashion doll collector (mostly bratz) and tbh i am glad ppl are talking about dolls again bec it removes the stereotype that doll collectors are weirdos lmaaoo. We really just love the fashion 🤧🤧

As a doll artist and fashion illustrator myself, I'm glad that dolls are brought up in your presentation! Dolls can also mean so much more psychologically: self-representation, identity formation, play, friendships and relationships, a sense of belonging, a way to control an environment, and the therapeutic aspect, which I could go on and on about. The doll world is also huuuuuge in Asia, from resin BJD (ball-jointed doll), Blythe (which was designed by an American woman in '72 and revived by a Japanese creative director, with now a cult following across the world), Pullip (mostly anime and manga-based but not exclusive to), Korean vinyl dolls and so many more. There are also many independent doll artists developing their own dolls (including me, who've transmigrated across two continents and had to form my own identity *chuckles*). I think dolls as a whole are not "just a current trend thing". The community has always been here, but it has become increasingly connected through social media. Doll conventions have also been held throughout the world. The one thing that I want to mention as well is how much doll collecting hobby raises so many eyebrows in people (including feelings of shame and judgement); I think it's so misunderstood and looked down upon due to its feminine & child-like nature. However, I'm glad that many people are able to subvert the negative associations, connotations and continue to delve into their joyful passion.

I showed this video to my German mom who's an avid (Victorian) doll collector and she was super happy and excited to see that you included such precise and accurate information about post-industrial-revolution-dolls! Your videos are so well researched and wonderfully done, always a blast watching them💘💘

A family friend is a certified doll appraiser. I talked to her about it once, she said that she loves how the dolls reflect history. You can actually learn a lot about a time period just from the dolls. It's very cool.

finally! a video essay that appeals to my obsession with plastic girls! edit: I'm really enjoying the recommendations, dolls are a hyperfixation of mine

Oh I loooved Barbies. It was pure theater! Magic. I forced myself to stop playing with them at 13 because “we’re teens now and need to be cool”. But I still miss it.

One of the reasons I loved Barbie so much as a child is that there wasn't necessarily a financial barrier to keep you from accessing it and having a satisfying play. Barbie was so ubiquitous that there was a whole other market of handmade clothes, furniture and accessories. I couldn't afford the more expensive dolls and sets, but my grandma would make us Barbie clothes from spare fabric (which also meant that we could match: I'd get a dress and Barbie would get a dress in the same fabric). I never had the dreamhouse, but there were alternatives made by smaller companies in the same scale, and I remember my uncles made me some wooden furniture, and I would use scraps of fabric as pillows, blankets, carpets, etc. You could have a lot of things without having to spend a lot of money, and as far as I remember, none of my friends cared that my stuff wasn't "official" Barbie merchandise. It was just cool to have lots of different things between us. And unlike baby dolls, it inspired much more imaginative, dramatic scenarios. My Barbies would always get into horrible accidents (with toilet paper being used as a cast), we only had one Ken, which meant that he was always everyone's boyfriend and the drama was incredible, and we could have a million different careers. I think Barbie sparks a different kind of play as opposed to Bratz, because Barbie is an adult, and Bratz are teenagers. So you could project an entire life on your Barbie play, and that was really my first exercise into thinking about life and what I could be.

As someone who was raised on Barbie, MyScene, Bratz, Betty (local version of Barbie) and also the OG Barbie Cinematic Universe who’s having a relapse of nostalgia while also excited about the Barbie movie… I AGREE WITH THE TITLE.

oh also a quick note about bild lilli, she wasn't technically a call girl and worked many jobs- her doll wasn't just for men but was a general novelty gift that actually did end up being popular with children to some degree. though she definitely was sexualized in the comics, she was also kind of a modern woman who was comfortable in that sexuality and just wanted to have a successful life. also, the amount of teen talk barbies who had those phrases was actually extremely low as they all had a randomized set of voice clips, and some of the other ones were actually more empowering than people realize just because the other ones got so infamous.

Grave of the fireflies is the most heartbreaking beautiful work of art to ever come out of studio ghibli

In the Arab world we had “fulla” it was the “it girl” I had SEVERAL versions of her, she was the great accurate representation we craved as young Arabic girls. It also had it is own animation and sometime her attire would have copies for young girls and it was always sold out ✨😅

I really recommend Barbie life in the dream house series to everyone.it's honestly the best barbie related thing mattel ever did. It's so self aware and so funny. I fully expect the Barbie movie to be like a live action version of Barbie life in the dream house

american girl dolls were definitely one of the first class indicators i encountered in my life lmaooo

You hit the nail on the head with American Girl Dolls being the origin of my interest into American history! I remember I had Kit, a girl growing up during the world war, saving tinfoil and bringing the collection to school, and growing victory gardens. 😁 The best way to get kids into history is to help them picture themselves in that time and how life would be like, it gave a perfect relatability factor.

It’s fascinating to think about how our childhood toys and interests manifest in our adult lives! I had a Barbie house and lots of dolls but I never played with them in the traditional way, just designed and redesigned the house based off the outfit of the day! Now years later I’m a fashion obsessed interior designer!

American Girl Dolls actually had some pretty progressive storylines. I absolutely adore how brave all of the girls are. In most of the stories, they had to contend with the fact that they were children and female in times where women were seen as second class citizens (I guess not much has changed 😓). The girls always found a way to make a difference tho, whether that was in their own families or even throughout greater society. Even Samantha, who was the first doll, had a story about using her privilege to stand up for worker's rights and against child labor. I know they are made by a big corporation that only wants our money, but AG was one of the most empowering series to me when I was a girl. I would not be surprised in the slightest if the rise of political activism among young women is tied to our childhood history of loving AG.

As a point of clarification at 14:24 (from a geriatric millennial who owns a pre-Mattel American Girl doll), the original lineup was only 3 dolls: Kiersten, Samantha and Molly. Felicity was added next, followed by Addy. But for the first few years it was just 3 options.

Honestly this was so nostalgic for me as someone who never owned a lot of dolls but was obsessed with doll media. Each doll has a special place in my heart and childhood as a genz. Bratz were relatable to me as a woc. I wanted to have friends like them and run my own fashion magazine. I loved the cartoons. Barbie was my escapist fantasy. I loved all the different movies. I love the American girl doll movies and always wanted one so I could customize it to look just like me since most of my dolls were blonde barbies. I love the monster high cartoons and the message of being your self. I loved all of them because they all had cartoons and I loved girly cartoons. ❤😅

My doll obsession never left. I have always loved dolls. Rainbow high in particular reignited my desire to buy dolls. They are so pretty.

I definitely think trends of going back to y2k fashion, engaging in old shows you loved as a teen/child and just being in a nostalgia frenzy lately after lockdows and the world being in such scary time’s definitely has an impact of people bringing back their interest in dolls

I’d love to know the history of how dolls became related to horror because seeing all those Victorian era dolls made me wonder how any young girl wouldn’t have nightmares playing with them, lol

I remember saving my allowance for an entire year for my American Girl doll (my parents made a deal that if I save up half of the price, they will meet the other half for Christmas). My dad would help me make a wooden bed and my grandma helped me sew bedding and clothes for her. I don't remember playing with the doll, but I do remember creating a lot of stuff for my doll!

As a doll collector, I feel like dolls are more like art pieces that reflect the changing times and current fashion trends than just toys. I also know from personal experience as an Aspie that has certain dolls in my collection as comfort dolls, that doll play can really help with personal mental health, confidence, and self-expression. Honestly, I love dolls and doll collecting has helped me with my mental health and self-expression so much! A lot of my dolls are goth, for example, and I wear a lot of black and like to dress a bit goth IRL, so having dolls that dress like that is very satisfying and relatable for me! Probably the most relatable thing that I ever saw on a doll is the long, painted, fingernails on the Storm Twins from the Shadow High doll line, because I tend to grow my nails out very long IRL, and seeing that on the dolls really made them that much more special and important to me!

As someone who is mixed race (black & white) and was handed down a lot of white Barbie dolls, when Bratz came out I was obsessed with them!! I loved the fact that they were diverse and I also really really loved the fashion, makeup, more curvy body type and they had big lips! I could see myself more in Bratz and I think honestly having them as a kid really helped my self esteem because they were so fabulous 💅🏽😂 However I'm still excited to watch the Barbie movie when it comes out 🤩💗

YESSSS!! Dolls were so underrated for so long, it makes me so happy to see you doing a video on this topic!!

American girl dolls ligit taught me so many valuable lessons as a child, I owe so much to those girlies. Like I would be lying if I said my interest in history, particularly fashion history wasn't influenced by them. Also, the idea of value and respect for well made or costly things was defo introduced to me through American Girl dolls. Every single one of mine are still in pristine shape because my mom made me wait until I was the recommended age (8) to get one, and when I did, she made it very clear that they were valuable and should be taken care of. I viewed them like they were gold. Good skill tbh cuz now they're my emergency fund.

I wish you would have mentioned how Bratz in the cartoons were specifically owners of their own fashion magazine. It ties very nicely into your previous video about fashion magazines as Bratz was the reason I wanted to work in fashion when I was a kid.

Speaking of dolls, have you ever thought of doing fashion analysis videos on the fashion history of different doll franchises? I feel like it would be a really fun and nostalgic series to do!😊

its so interesting to see newer doll brands having such a high emphasis on the quality of the designs and outfits, a look at the rainbow high line and buying one for my sister for Christmas made me instantly jealous just over how high quality playline fashion dolls have become

OMG the new barbie trailer adds Barbie Girl remix at the end!!😂❤

I just graduated from college and this was so comforting!!! There's been a lot of reminiscing lately in my life after grad :')

When i was younger, I was literally OBSESSED with monster high. I had so many dolls like the light up Frankie Stein and even Catty Noir. I was so mad when my mum threw them out like i hadn't outgrown them yet 😭

My recommendation is ‘Grave of the fireflies’ its made by studio ghibli but it is very different from its other movies. The movie is set in Japan during WWII and made me cry from start to end.

Melancholia is my top sad girl movie for perspective. It's absolutely beautiful while being a great representation of depression.

I loved my barbies...never affected my body image. I knew they weren't real🙆🏻‍♀️ My favorite barbies were the ones who came from the movies. I still have the Diamond Castle one

i still have my american girl doll caroline. and mina's totally right about how it was a social flex. i remember being SO excited about getting her and going to the park and telling this girl, and she just casually said to me "oh, you only have 1? i have 8." and i remember being absolutely floored that her parents shelled out 800$ just on dolls for her. and another girl i knew had 2 or 3 that were absolutely trashed, like the hair pulled out, marker drawn on them, clothes ripped, and i was horrified bc you bet i kept mine in pristine condition because i valued it so much

At an early age, the pressure to be an NLOG took me away from embracing the aesthetics, toys, and activities I most enjoyed. So, as a mid-20s gal trying to unlearn my internalized misogyny, I started embracing all the stuff I loved pre-NLOG, from the color pink to sewing to dolls. Now I'm a vintage Barbie and American Girl clothing collector and don't care what anybody has to say about it. 😆 Life's too short to pretend not to like what you like.

I'm a little sad that Mina didn't mention how the Rainbow/Shadow High dolls consistently style their clothes and accessories after high fashion companies' products.

It actually makes sense that we want to watch sad media to make ourselves feel better, apart from when things are really really dark. As someone currently going through war - things have nowhere to get worse, and it feels a little weird to hear something like that but it's good and I'm genuinely happy that not everyone is going through this, and that you can appreciate the good things in your life using this perspective. A personal recomendation - Guillermo del Toro's Pinnochio (I couldn't finish it because it was a massive trigger but it's a masterpiece).

A note about the increased pop culture interest and memes about American Girl is that it’s also coinciding with an increase in Academic interest in the dolls. As someone who grew up with AG and is now a historian it’s been really interesting to see different perspectives and analysis of the characters. I recommend the Dolls of Our Lives podcast to anyone interested. Last year I saw an exhibit at the NY historical society on the history of Black dolls in America and it was really interesting and well done.

I love dolls sm. I've been obsessed with them since birth! In fact, I'm a doll myself! 🏳️‍⚧️

i’ve always loved dolls. going to the american girl store is still so fun to look at all the cute things they have as well as the toy section in target and stuff. i love it, i always find a sort of comfort

When I was little, I had knock-off Barbies and paper dolls that my mother also used to play with as a child. There were cutouts of little girls and boys on a thick cardboard with sets of clothes so you could create outfits for them. The clothes had little paper ''pins'' with which they would stay ''attached'' to the paper doll when you put it vertically. idk why but those little paper dolls were so much fun to play with.

If you can get passed the fact that you’re watching a zombie movie, Train to Busan has a profoundly heartbreaking ending 😢

I was super into Monsters high dolls when they first came out. I was 18 and everyone made me seem like such a creep for it…. I’m mildly bitter about it being trendy right now

I loved dolls so much as a kid. I still love them, just don’t play with them anymore. My favorite dolls growing up was lalaloopsys which I never really hear anyone talk about. They were like my Barbie and they will forever have a special in my heart💕

I know how stressful school can be. But there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel! We love you!❤️

As far as recommending sad media, Guillermo deal Toro’s “Pan’s Labyrinth” CRUSHED me. Also, it was just a fantastic film in general. Much recommend!!!

As a doll collector, I approve this message. 💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

I'm so happy you talked about historical fashion dolls like Pandoras! I'd never heard of these until I was researching for my videos about the history of couture and ready-to-wear. Did you see that that kind of doll was used in the Dior AW20/21 Haute Couture promotion when they showed the styles to all the fairy tale models? It was so beautiful.

As an adult collector, dolls have changed my life so much, they have let the little boy inside me be who he was and still is

I think fashion designer collabs with doll brands are more likely to appeal to adult collectors rather than children. Those dolls are usually highly-priced and targeted towards adults in any case. I think kids who use social media might be exposed to what the doll brands post about the collabs and they might see the dolls in stores. They may want the dolls but I wonder how much influence collector dolls have on children if at all. I know the term "collector" technically refers to ages 14 and up but teens don't have a lot of money to begin with.

You know Mina is feeling rough when she doesn't start her video "Hello beautiful doves!"😢 Feel better, honey!

This was so fun to watch!! I was surrounded by dolls my whole life since my mom was a serious collector as well as a (kinda famous in the US tbh) maker of miniature porcelain dolls! I even worked for American Girl as my first job. Despite that, I never learned a ton about the history of dolls beyond little facts here and there as my mom talked about them. It's so interesting to learn more about fashion specifically in relation to dolls, it makes so much sense that the two are so intertwined. I'm not particularly into fashion per se, but I always love listening to your videos! Thanks Mina

I'm so out of the loop, I had no idea dolls were having such a moment! But, as always, your videos are thought-provoking, well-researched, and entertaining :) Also, sending hugs... The rough times will be over soon ❤❤

I love that you mentioned that having American girl dolls was a flex when we were children. I remember going to a friend's house and they had like, all of them, and they even owned the American girl doll horses that went with one or two of them (Felicity, maybe?). I was so astounded and impressed.

you dont need an excuse to talk about your bratz dolls, i would love to hear more! I feel like this topic could be explored in so many different directions

I got back into my doll hobby because I was super into fashion! Pullip dolls are Korean fashion dolls and I never realized it was the fashion I was drawn to!

The Aqua Barbie Girl song IS at the end of the Barbie movie trailer that came out yesterday. .. and yes Mattel is VERY involved in the Barbie movie, new Barbie movie Barbie dolls are now available for purchase. (The Ken is outstanding)

bless the doll community.. we’re abt to have another secondhand price spike love the video though!! i love listening to doll related content

I started my grandmother on an epic doll collecting journey by buying her one for xmas when I was five, as I had just learned that she never had a doll as a child because she grew up in poverty in an institution. She collected THOUSANDS, from rare wax and composition dolls to the newest Barbies. But she also collected books on dolls in history, which I devoured, so it always made me sad the way people saw them as frivolous and silly. Thank you for bringing the political and cultural history of dolls into more people's lives!

Me, glancing sideways at my American Girl doll collection while watching this... I started collecting the dolls a couple years ago after running across a few at the thrift store. The Josefina that I saved up for as a kid now hangs out with many of the historical dolls and a couple of Truly Me ones.

The Tale of Princess Kaguya by Studio Ghibli made me cry a lot, especially the ending. It's adapted from the original Japanese folktale pretty faithfully, has a hand drawn watercolor art style, and it made me think about/hate my life lol Edit: It also took 8 years to animate and is one of the most expensive animations to date!

I’m sad you didn’t mention Rainbow High in there. I’ve never in my life been interested in dolls and suddenly at 41 I have 20 Rainbow High dolls chilling on my shelf. 😅

I'm a doll collector and also obsessed with fashion, so this video was perfect. haha Felt proud that I knew so many of the facts included. Dolls can be so many different things to different people (whether you like the franchises/characters they represent, the fashion, the artistry, the nostalgia, etc.)

I really appreciate ur smart educational fun entertaining videos! u are talented with ur words and I love hearing ur ideas!! one of my most favorite boss queen RU-vidrs. wishing you all the best!!

I cried so much whole reading the Book Thief that I felt like my head would burst next day 😅

I love this recent American Girl renaissance. One of my friends has a meme account and it got me back into my childhood love for American Girl. I loved the historical element to them and the fact that they didn’t have exaggerated proportions (I was a fat kid and would feel uncomfortable looking at how thin my Barbies were). I had two dolls growing up and now that I’m an adult I have 9 altogether. Making clothes and accessories for them is so fun and keeps me in touch with my creativity. Wish they weren’t so damn expensive and I applaud public libraries that have American Girl dolls to borrow. Such a cool concept.

I appreciate this video so much, because I love learning the history of things that are such a tent poles in society.

i hope you get feeling better mina. i also get relief from watching tragic films. highly recommend moulin rouge (although i assume you have), train to busan (korean zombie horror), and the criminally underrated film the fall by tarsem. the costume design in that film is absolutely insane. it’s so gorgeous. thank you for providing entertainment for us

monster high and ever after high are legitimately awesome and i do love them. in terms of "sad media", kind of a weird choice and i think more people classify it as a dystopian horror movie or something but never have i ever been more upset by a movie than when i watched soylent green. that movie just made me completely miserable.

I shouted period!! when you said the true fashion girlies were into Bratz 😂😂 that’s spot on. This is a really interesting video 🔥

anyway another amazing video as expected,, ily mina

As a middle millennial, I’ve witnessed my lil siblings drama/tragedies played out thru bratz dolls so ultimately I find comfort and strength in knowing what those girls went thru while maintaining such immaculate vibes. Yasmin forever. Bratz forever✌️👁️👄👁️

Mina Le discussing one of my dearest passions.... 🤲🤲Just an anecdote but becoming a doll fanatic was strange because up until i was ~9 dolls were pretty much pushed onto me- then i found out about pullip dolls, became Obsessed and suddendly i was deemed 'too old' to be into that (well, theyre also p expensive).. 15 years later and im still obsessed by dolls in general so....

In the 70s Mary Quant designed Daisy, a doll similar to Barbie... all of the clothes were designed by her and (as a 70s fashion aficionado 🙋🏼‍♀️) they're simply amazing to look at

I wasn’t allowed to have Bratz dolls and it was devastating, however I was really into myscene dolls and I loooooved Chelsea’s outfits. Great video as always♥️

The Fall, starring Lee Pace, and featuring the masterpieces of the costume design legend Eiko Ishioka. It’s one of the most visually striking films I’ve ever seen, and still the only movie that makes me cry.

I literally thought it was only me that has been fed so much doll content rn, I even started writing a video on the history of barbie fashion dolls before realising that was fully off brand 🤣

Silktone Barbies have always been my favorite, but growing up i was a MyScene girl. Over the pandemic i got into collecting a few items from the Disney Designer Collection

as a doll collector, thank you for this video

The Kite Runner, hands down!! The first book that actually made cry, not only want to, but actually shed tears.

i've always liked dolls, ever since i was a child i thought the obsession would be over once i grow up, but im 15 rn and often find myself in the toys section of a store, looking through all the dolls istg they're so pretty, and perfect to practice drawing anatomy with

I absolutely loved this topic! I couldn't wait to watch this video. And you're not just projecting - Bratz are for the fashion girlies!!

The outfit is everything 💗💕💕

There was once a doll line from Mattel that left a special place on my heart, and that was My Scene. To me, they are truly the fusion of Bratz and Barbie and one of my main inspirations for Y2K aesthetic. Sadly, the doll line already retired on 2011. I still got the dolls though, but some mini parts ( like bags, earrings, and any acessories ) are missing already lmao.

From Barbie Dolls to literal Killer Dolls, I think that we can concur that dolls are everywhere at this stage. I'm delighted that M3GAN is receiving a sequel already

also I adore your blazer today! It's stunning 💙❤️

i remember monster high dolls being a big thing around 2012-15. i was in elementary school but i was more into littlest pet shops haha. didn’t know that it’s popularity had circled back around

Grew up collecting Bratz dolls & when there were only the original American Girl Dolls available haha I remember being confused as to why there wasn't one that looked just like me - so my parents got me Addy and Josefina in the hopes that it balanced out 🤣

i’m so surprised you didn’t mention rainbow high!! their whole shtick is that their outfits are dupes of high fashion brands