Walk down any toy aisle or browse online, and you’ll see neverending amounts of dolls.
One thing you might notice is that these dolls are overwhelmingly white. Or maybe you haven’t noticed. And that’s the problem. While many companies are working to add different skin tones to their selections, there is still a severe lack of Black and Hispanic dolls out there. The Fresh Dolls and Positively Perfect are two awesome options to check out.
Imagine how a kid would feel walking through a toy store and not seeing any doll that looks like them. Representation matters and these Black and Hispanic dolls give kids tons of different options for role-play fun. These diverse dolls were created by Dr. Lisa Williams, the founder of the only major, Black-owned doll company: World of EPI. The Fresh Dolls line consists of articulated, plastic fashion dolls with changeable outfits, and the Positively Perfect line features larger, soft-bodied baby dolls.
We’ll start with a look at The Fresh Dolls. Each doll stands at 11.5 inches tall, with five points of articulation that make it easy to pose them and move them around during imaginative play. These dolls are no plain Janes: Anyone can take style inspiration from their trendy, removable outfits that kids will for sure want to play with. For example, Lynette wears white pants and a striped, purple crop top that compliments her funky purple hair, and Ebony wears on-trend overalls and natural, curly hair.
There are also male dolls in the Fresh Squad collection, including Anthony in a bright red blazer and shades to block the haters, and Malik with braided hair and a laid back flannel. It’s hard to tell in the photos, but the dolls have a true variety of skin tones from light-skinned to darker shades. The Fresh Dolls website says: “All skin tones and features are carefully selected to make sure we are properly representing different cultures through our dolls.” It also explains how one of the company’s goals is “to create dolls with realistic waistlines and hips that promote a healthy body image and self-love at a young age.”
All of the dolls (except for the bald ones) feature washable hair and it’s easy to change their outfits, so if you have multiple dolls, you can mix and match to create unique looks. You can also purchase individual outfit and accessory packs to build their closets.
While the Fresh Squad dolls are adult characters, the Positively Perfect dolls look more like kids. They range from 14.5-18 inches and their soft, huggable bodies make them great to snuggle with. These dolls feature adorable (not removable) outfits, like Kennedy’s monogrammed sweater and Ava’s ruffled bunny shirt, and brushable, washable hair. It’s a great self-esteem booster for kids to be able to play with a doll that actually looks like them, proving that you don’t have to look a certain cookie-cutter way to fit in or be worthy.
Support a woman- and Black-owned company with these inclusive dolls that represent multicultural beauty and self-love for all.