Has anyone coined a term for this phenomenon/aesthetic? because it's been a trend across all girls toy design, not just plush, and seemingly kicked off in the late 2000s to early 2010s
Littlest Pet Shop is the earliest example I know of
Compare 90s Littlest Pet Shop vs the 2005 reboot vs 2010 era toys. The designs just trend more cartoon-y and rainbow-y over time
FurReal Friends were another victim, with a sharp shift happening around 2012 towards big googly eyes
And we can't forget the Beanie Babies/Beanie Boos! The Boos launched in 2009
Even the Ubisoft Petz games took a swing at this style for a couple games, though it failed to save the brand lol
Build a Bear admittedly still offers both, but the Honey Girls line is still a good example of the phenomenon in action
And of course we can't forget our friend the Furby, just the latest victim to this phenomenon.
Now this probably just a case where one brand started using this aesthetic, got successful, and everyone else started copying it to the point where it's now the default. Probably with a big pinch of "toys are being targeted to younger and younger kids" thrown in as well. And maybe it really does test better with kids, idk. But I know when I was a kid, I would have picked the more realistic one, every time.
So I have a depressive disorder and it makes menial tasks a BITCH to complete. Something I do to keep my mood stable while completing said tasks is bringing a ✨Little Friend✨ along with me. Here are today’s designated ✨Little Friends✨ and the things they helped me do.
Shea or Sweet Girl (she/her) sat by my side while I made breakfast this morning. Here are some pics I took of her while I was still upstairs.
Coriander (he/him) sat behind me and supervised my nighttime rituals. His displeased stare motivates me to be more thorough while flossing and brushing my teeth. Shoutout Cori 😌💖