As many doll collectors (and little girls, of course) know, 2005 has been the "year of the Bratz." Bratz dolls have replaced Barbie dolls in many countries as the top selling dolls, bringing an end to Barbie's control of the doll market and giving birth to what may be called "the age of the Bratz dolls."

But what's the main reason behind little girls preferring Bratz dolls over their formidable competition? The answer is simple: coolness. While a lot of moms out there seem to avoid buying Bratz because of their diva looks, the excess of makeup on the dolls' faces, their bad attitude expressions and the "trashy" clothes they wear; these precise features are what make little girls (and not-so-little too) go crazy for Bratz dolls. Let's face it: reality shows us that more and more young women every day tend to adopt the latest fashions and trends, so it is rather logical for a little girl to prefer stylistic Bratz dolls over the more conservative and outdated Barbie dolls.

It seems to me that MGA Entertainment (the creator of Bratz dolls) made the right choice when they started producing these cool fashion dolls back in the summer of 2001 since these chunky, ten-inch vinyl dolls are the number one choice among girls between 8 and 12 years of age.

Maybe the reason for the popularity of the Bratz dolls is the large number of accessories available: from clothing for different seasons to mini-malls, from a sushi restaurant to a cool disco, these Bratz seem to know how to have fun! The different Bratz available include: Bratz Angelz (yes, they are rock stars!), and of course the Angelz tour bus and party plane (every rock star should have one...), the cool Wild West Bratz (I just love those little cowboy hats and the horse), the plain Step Out Bratz dolls, and (my favorites) the Bratz Campfire Girlz. There is also a couple of little Bratz (the Bratz Babiez, Phoebe and Roxxi) to choose from. I specially recommend the Bratz Holiday Doll, a nice lovely doll with a beautiful long evening dress.

There is also a huge number of cool playsets for the Bratz, including the CampFire tent, the limousine, a sushi - karaoke bar, the Bratz shopping mall, the retro cafe, and a vast selection of different places where your Bratz dolls can hang out.

MGA Entertainment has, as has many other doll-producing companies, introduced a line of makeup and many other lifestyle products for girls to complement the "Bratz dolls experience." Maybe the biggest news in this area is the brand new line of Bratz electronics. A portable DVD player, a digital video recorder (yes, a Bratz camcorder!) and a TV/DVD combo are just some of the Bratz dolls electronic products available. Bratz dolls DVD's, a video game and even a movie to be released this year complete the magical Bratz dolls world.

Copyright Jared Winston, 2006. All Rights Reserved.