Daniela, Sophie, Katie and Alexis are your little girl’s new best friends, and they are, like, totally living the teenage lifestyle.
Toy company Spin Master has introduced the “Liv Dolls” which are supposed to look more like real girls than either Barbie, or the recently demised Bratz dolls. They come with interchangeable wigs, their own unique identity and “flaws.”
One thing that sets these dolls apart is their detailed personalities. Instead of a doll that is defined by her clothes and the word that comes before her name, like Lifeguard Barbie, they have actual stories and paths. There’s Katie, the klutzy skateboarder, Alexis, a budding fashion designer, Sophie who loves to style hair, and Daniela, a singing DJ, who busts her butt performing and taking dance classes.
For the first time, we have some non-skanky teen dolls without ridiculous body proportions (although their heads are a bit bobble-esque) for our girls and tweens. The differing skin tones and personal styles allow girls to pick a doll they identify with most, instead of trying to emulate the dolls. While all of their aspirations are a bit superficial, they are teens, so we’ll give ‘em a break-especially because none of them are wearing midriffs and look like they just snorted coke off of a toilet seat. I don’t know how “flawed” these dolls are (Gasp! Glasses!) but these are definitely a greatly needed step in the right direction.
As with most toys now a days, there is an online component to the dolls. Livworld.com gives doll owners a chance to go online and read narratives about the dolls’ day to day activities, including a sneak peek at their diaries and closets, and features webisodes, games and more. Each additional Liv purchase of accessories will unlock more areas in the LivWorld website for your little girl to enjoy.
The dolls are $19.99 each and meant for girls 6-10. They include fashion accessories, wigs and an online access code to livworld.com and are flying off the shelves at Wal-Mart and Target.
