History Main / Dolls

* ''WesternAnimation/Jem''

* '''Fashion Dolls:''' Dolls intended to be dressed up in various fashionable outfits as play. Generally these dolls have characters in the range of teen to adult, with a plethora of dolls in the late 2010s and 2020s being focused on high-school aged characters. The idea is to buy a few dolls and then [[UnlimitedWardrobe lots and lots of clothes for them]] -- or buy multiple dolls in various fashions to mix and match among them. Franchise/{{Barbie}} is the most famous line of these dolls, having launched in 1959 and [[LongRunners remaining some degree of popular ever since]], setting the standard for fashion dolls. Many doll collectors focus on these since they're considered less childish and fleeting than baby dolls, with more to "do" with such as style hair, change clothes, and customize.

!! Doll-Focused Brands, Manufacturers, and Lines:

* ''Madame Alexander''

* ''Tonner'' -- released high-end character dolls for multiple franchises, as well as their own lines of Tyler Wentworth, Kitty Collier, Antoinette, and Ellowyne Wilde.

* ''VOLKS'' -- manufacturer of high-end ball joint dolls, and arguably the TropeCodifier of the modern day BJD.

* ''Magic Attic Club''

!! Doll-Focused Brands and Lines:

* '''Companion Dolls:''' Dolls that are intended to be "companions", or friends or playmates to the owner. These are often elementary child age, neither adults or teens to look up to or babies to look after, and are probably one of the oldest kinds of dolls along with baby dolls. These historically were in the form of homemade cloth or "rag" dolls; one of the most well known "branded" rag dolls is ''Literature/RaggedyAnn'', with the other highly known rag doll being Amish dolls (well known for [[TheFaceless having no faces]]. Manufactured companion dolls vary, but are frequently of 18" height; this is because one of the most well known brands is ''Toys/AmericanGirl'' which launched in 1986 and [[FollowTheLeader sparked many other companies to follow their design]] and sizing--though there were, as stated, companion dolls [[OlderThanTheyThink long before they came along]].

Dolls often get a bad reputation from more "serious" people who think badly of them or think they're useless toys, under the idea that dolls don't "do anything" ([[https://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?id=1883 like implied in a]] ''Webcomic/SaturdayMorningBreakfastCereal'' comic) --or if they do, [[ClarkesLawForGirlsToys it's not explained outside of being "magic"]]--and limit the girls they're targeted at to only caring about frivolous things such as [[TheFashionista fashion]], taking care of babies, boys, {{Slumber Part|y}}ies, makeovers, [[StayInTheKitchen housework]], and [[TheDreadedPretendTeaParty tea parties]] instead of "interesting" or "smarter" topics like science, math, sports, and technology. They're also considered childish, with older kids thinking they're too cool or old to care about things like dolls and that dolls are toys to grow out of fast; the idea that one still "plays with dolls" over a certain age [[KiddieKid means you're acting under your real age]] and should grow up and stop being a ManChild.

Dolls often get a bad reputation from more "serious" people who think badly of them or think they're useless toys, under the idea that dolls don't "do anything" (or if they do, [[ClarkesLawForGirlsToys it's not explained outside of being "magic"]]) and limit the girls they're targeted at to only caring about frivolous things such as [[TheFashionista fashion]], taking care of babies, boys, {{Slumber Part|y}}ies, makeovers, [[StayInTheKitchen housework]], and [[TheDreadedPretendTeaParty tea parties]] instead of "interesting" or "smarter" topics like science, math, sports, and technology. They're also considered childish, with older kids thinking they're too cool or old to care about things like dolls and that dolls are toys to grow out of fast; the idea that one still "plays with dolls" over a certain age [[KiddieKid means you're acting under your real age]] and should grow up and stop being a ManChild.

Compare ''Franchise/MyLittlePony'', which are toy horses, and Toys/{{Teddy Bear}}s. Notably, humanoid figures aimed at boys and/or adults (such as ''Toys/{{Figma}}'' or ''Toys/GIJoe'') prefer to be called [[ActionFigureJustification "action figures" or "figurines"]], lest they end up in the toy equivalent of the GirlShowGhetto. {{Voodoo Doll}}s are a completely different type of doll altogether. Also not to be confused with the following:

'''Please Note:''' Tropes that apply to dolls should be listed on DollsAndPuppetsTropes or ToyTropes. This is intended to be an index of doll brands and media that focus on dolls or have a prominent doll character. Just having a doll [[{{Prop}} being carried around]] by someone else (or as a motivation for character actions but the doll not being a character of their own) [[Administrivia/PeopleSitOnChairs doesn't count]]. If you could replace the doll with a lamp or a shoe, it's not doll media.

* ''Film/{{Ted}}'': The title character is the protagonist's sentient teddy bear.
** ''Film/Ted2'': Its sequel which now focuses on Ted's frustrations [[WhatMeasureIsANonHuman on being denied human rights]].

* ''VideoGame/FattyBear'': The titular protagonist is a secretly sentient teddy bear who "wakes up" at night while his owner is sleeping.

* ''Literature/TheLonelyDoll'': A series of picture books about a doll, with the images consisting of photographs of a doll and two bears.

* The ''Franchise/ToyStory'' franchise includes multiple kinds of dolls as major and minor characters such as Woody, Jessie, and Dolly. ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory4'' additionally focuses on Gabby Gabby, a talking doll.

Doll frequently are a symbol for youth and innocence; a child that still plays with dolls is likely not yet knowledgeable to the darker ways of the world. Dolls are also frequently used to show that characters are girly or feminine -- [[PinkProductPloy dolls often come in pink clothes]] and have pink accessories, and PinkMeansFeminine. So the {{Tomboy}} character is likely not going to like dolls and may even wreck or destroy them, as opposed to the GirlyGirl who eagerly plays with or collect them -- or the LonelyDollGirl who ''only'' has dolls as friends instead of real people.

However, [[TropesAreTools dolls have their own uses]] and can spark thoughtful activities and creative play of their own. These include pretend and imaginative play, hair and clothing styling, sewing and crafting (it's much easier to sew for a doll than for a person since they have set body shapes and are less pliable), photography, and much more. And not everyone ages out of dolls and considers them temporary toys; [[KitschCollection doll collectors]] range in ages from children to adults and a collector can focus on specific brands, types, or even one specific kind. Several doll brands lean into the CreepyDoll trope, focusing on macabre and strange dolls [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForLittleGirls which are not aimed at the typical little girl audience]]. Some doll collectors even go beyond just getting and playing with them and highly customize dolls which can mean taking them apart and putting them together again, repainting faces, resculpting bodies, and changing them completely from factory default (akin to Sid from ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory1'', but with a lot more artistry).

* '''Baby Dolls:''' [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Dolls shaped like babies]] or young children. Many of these dolls focus on the idea of caretaking of infants and young children, with diapers, feeding, strollers, and the like. These dolls get the worst rap when it comes to dolls being "for little kids" and are considered to have the "shortest" lifespan of playtime. However, there's an interesting use past childhood where realistic baby dolls (such as [[https://www.realityworks.com/product/realcare-baby-3-infant-simulator/ [=RealCare=] Baby]]) are used for teenagers EggSitting; these electronic dolls cry and need "feeding" and care, in an effort to [[ScareEmStraight inform the teens how much work a baby actually is]] before they [[TeenPregnancy go out and make one]].
* '''Companion Dolls:''' Dolls that are intended to be "companions", or friends or playmates to the owner. These are often elementary child age, neither adults or teens to look up to or babies to look after, and are probably one of the oldest kinds of dolls along with baby dolls. These historically were in the form of homemade cloth or "rag" dolls; one of the most well known "branded" rag dolls is ''Literature/RaggedyAnn'', with the other highly known rag doll being Amish dolls (well known for [[TheFaceless having no faces]]. Manufactured companion dolls vary, but are frequently of 18" height; this is because one of the most well known brands is ''Toys/AmericanGirl'' which launched in 1986 and [[FollowTheLeader sparked many other companies to follow their design]] and sizing--though there were companion dolls [[OlderThanTheyThink long before they came along]].

* ''Toys/AmericanGirl'': The TropeCodifier for companion dolls, launching in 1986 to focus on American History.

[[caption-width-right:450:Not the first, but [[Franchise/{{Barbie}} one of the most famous]].]]

Dolls often get a bad reputation from more "serious" people who think badly of them or think they're useless toys, under the idea that dolls don't "do anything" (or if they do, [[ClarkesLawForGirlsToys it's not explained outside of being "magic"]]) and limit the girls they're targeted at to only caring about frivolous things such as [[TheFashionista fashion]], taking care of babies, boys, {{Slumber Part|y}}ies, makeovers, [[StayInTheKitchen housework]], and [[TheDreadedPretendTeaParty tea parties]] instead of "interesting" or "smarter" topics like science, math, sports, and technology. They're also considered childish, with older kids thinking they're too cool or old to care about things like dolls and that dolls are toys to grow out of fast; after a certain age, the idea that one still "plays with dolls" over a certain age [[KiddieKid means you're acting under your real age]] and should grow up and stop being a ManChild.

However, [[TropesAreTools dolls have their own uses]] and can spark thoughtful activities and creative play of their own. These include pretend and imaginative play, hair and clothing styling, sewing and crafting (it's much easier to sew for a doll before a person since they have set body shapes and are less pliable), photography, and much more. And not everyone ages out of dolls and considers them temporary toys; [[KitschCollection Doll collectors]] range in ages from children to adult and a collector can focus on specific brands, types, or even one specific kind. Several doll brands lean into the CreepyDoll trope, focusing on macabre and strange dolls [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForLittleGirls which are not aimed at the typical little girl audience]]. Some doll collectors even go beyond just getting and playing with them and highly customize dolls which can mean taking them apart and putting them together again, repainting faces, resculpting bodies, and changing them completely from factory default (akin to Sid from ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory1'', but with a lot more artistry).

* '''Figurines and Display Dolls''': Dolls that are less for play and more for display. A lot of porcelain dolls fall into this category. This also includes dolls for dollhouses, which can be played with but rarely change clothes and are intended to be the residents of the doll house they're made for.

* ''Toys/MilkyWayAndTheGalaxyGirls'' - while never a mainline brand, these characters were designed to be dolls.

* ''Tonner'' - Released high end character dolls for multiple franchises, as well as their own lines of Tyler Wentworth, Kitty Collier, Antoinette, and Ellowyne Wilde.

Doll frequently are a symbol for youth and innocence; a child that still plays with dolls is likely not yet knowledgeable to the darker ways of the world. Dolls are also frequently used to show that characters are girly or feminine-- [[PinkProductPloy dolls often come in pink clothes]] and have pink accessories, and PinkMeansFeminine. So the {{Tomboy}} character is likely not going to like dolls and may even wreck or destroy them, as opposed to the GirlyGirl who eagerly plays with or collect them -- or the LonelyDollGirl who ''only'' has dolls as friends instead of real people.

[[folder:Film - Western Animation]]

[[folder:Film - Live Action]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

[[index]]

''Dolls'' may refer to:

* [[Film/Dolls1987 A 1987 film.]]
* [[Film/Dolls2002 A 2002 film.]]

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