Lottie Offers a Pro-Girl Alternative to Traditional Dolls

I don’t have a daughter, but I still cringe whenever I see the selection of dolls in most toy stores. Childhood is brief enough as it is, so I fail to see why girls need dolls that condition them to believe that a woman should be defined exclusively by how she looks.

Lottie was first introduced to girls in August 2012. Unlike Barbie and most other dolls for girls, Lottie doesn’t wear jewelry, makeup, or high heels. She’s designed to look like a “real” girl and not an unattainable version of what society expects women to become.

Lottie measures 7.5 inches tall. She has bendable knees with ball socket hips and arms, can do the splits front to back and side to side, and can move her head from side to side. Her hair is specially designed so it can be brushed and styled without fear of knotting. Her body is based on the proportions of a typical nine-year-old girl, although her head has been made bigger to allow for easier hair play.

There are several different versions of Lottie for purchase, each with a unique activity-based theme.

My personal favorite is the Kawaii Karate Lottie featured in this post. Karate helps Lottie learn about respecting herself, never giving up, being courteous to others, and always trying to be a better person. The doll comes with a yellow obi, protective headgear, and a series of karate techniques collector cards.

Lottie has been the recipient of several prominent toy industry awards, including five Oppenheim Portfolio Platinum Awards.

If your daughter has a Lottie doll, I’d love to hear what you think of it. How does it compare to the other dolls in your child’s collection?

Photo credit: Lottie