Doll:Little Princess: Brunette/Tan

Princess play is not new, but in the past ten years, major toy companies have promoted princesses of all kinds to girls aged two to 12. A variation of fantasy play or make-believe, princess play became big, big business around 2000 partly because of a convergence of demographics (20 million 'tweens represent billions of dollars of buying power), "little-girl desires, parental indulgences, savvy marketing, and a fascination with European royalty" (USA Today, 3/2/2004). Several major movies about princesses--"The Princess Diaries," "Ella Enchanted," "A Cinderella Story," "Enchanted," and "Rapunzel"--updated classic princess fairy tales for contemporary audiences, and Mattel, Disney, and other companies flooded the market with more than 20,000 princess products. For some observers, the princessing of America sends the wrong message to little girls suggesting that some individuals are born superior to others and that girls must rely on a handsome man to make their lives meaningful. Others see princess play as harmless fun, even a relief valve for the social pressure placed on little girls: "There's more and more pressure today for girls to conform and to compete in school, in sports. It's hard for young girls. Parents realize the value of play and fantasy."