Rediscovering Age Old Fun ? The Dress Up Doll

Added: 12/28/2005

Anyone who knows children will be able to sagely nod their heads in affirmation when asked if children enjoy playing dress up. Pretending is a part of childhood, and nothing allows a child's creative juices to flow like a trunk full of discarded clothes, a few perhaps even altered to fit an alter ego, such as a ballerina, fire fighter, or super hero. Yet, not all dressing up games need their props from a trunk, some are actually much smaller. For those who have yet to understand what this means, take a look at a dress up doll!

For many a parent, the original idea of the dress up doll is synonymous with the name Ginny. True enough, these dolls which enjoyed their heyday in the 1940s permitted little girls to purchase a doll and then any number of outfits for the little doll to wear. Due to the sturdy nature of the doll itself, this toy lent itself to hours of fun playing doll dress up games. Of course, this dress up doll eventually handed the reigns of success over to the one doll everyone has heard of: Barbie. Whether she is an astronaut, a doctor, a mother, or a teacher, this creation is quite possibly the most versatile dress up doll ever invented. Stealing Ginny's show in the 1950s, Barbie soon had enough accessories and costumes to change the doll's look, attitude, profession, and outlook on life a hundred times over. Little girls far and wide clamored for a Barbie doll to add to their collections.

Of course, the original motivation for any currently available dress up doll was the old- fashioned paper version. Doll dress up games, which are as old as time, have fascinated children who would make do with whatever was available, including paper, through the ages. Even today, many a child owns a paper dress up doll. Some of these paper dolls are rather fancy, they may be made of laminated paper products and provide refined durability. Others come with a variety of accessories that may be held in place either by static, such as static cling dresses, or by reusable glue. Little girls are given hours and hour of playtime with these dolls that change careers, dresses, and story lines in a heartbeat. Naturally, not to be outdone by their paper competition, dress up dolls are now also available made of either fabric with Velcro accessories, or made of magnetic materials that allow the magnetic force to add dresses and accessories right onto the doll.

Not to be outdone, the modern computer age has added its own version of this wonderful toy to its own repertoire; dress up dolls online are now a common search engine entry and many sites are vying for the clicks of interested girls. Of course, with the progression of time, the kinds of dress up dolls online have changed as well. No longer just scantily clad glamour girls who await an outfit, these days you may even choose to dress up your favorite celebrity - alive or dead! Thus, it is no longer just children who enjoy this game, but adults are getting in the action as well. Dressing up Elvis, the latest television heartthrob, the reality show queen, or the supermodel from France, there is someone for everyone thee days to dress up. Little ones will still find a number of websites dedicated to their needs and wishes, and many dolls may be printed and cut out for at home play and further design.

Coloring pages will allow the little fashion divas to truly create every aspect of their doll's dress. Yet adults, too, will find many sites catering to them, allowing them to dress up various celebrities and then even chat about it online! Take a look online and be amazed! Perhaps this is your new hobby waiting to be discovered?

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