Mum creates her own range of 'real' dolls to counteract unrealistic body ideals of commercial dolls

While the fashion industry is slowly catching on that women want to see a more diverse representation in it’s models, the same can’t always be said for the dolls our children play with.

But one mum-of-two is so concerned about the “unrealistic body image” portrayed by mainstream dolls like Barbie and Bratz that she’s decided to start a business making her own.

Emma Cayley from Devon has created her own range of more natural looking children’s dolls after growing worried about the effect unrealistic commercial dolls were having on her children Sophie, six and Oliver, nine.

Inspired by similar projects she’d seen in the US Emma wanted to introduce a range of more ‘realistic’ dolls to the UK and Devon Rescue Dolls was born.

“As a mother of two young children I was increasingly uneasy about the dolls my daughter was playing with, especially Bratz dolls but also Barbies and Moxies,” she told the Exeter Express and Echo when she started the business last year.

“I felt that they promoted unrealistic standards of female beauty and an unhealthy body image to young girls,” she continued.

Emma was also concerned that many of the dolls were dressed in overtly sexualised ways in short skirts, crop tops and with overly made up faces.

Buying dolls in charity shops, at car boot sales and online, Emma then gives the dolls a make under by repainting and remodelling them adding in freckles, glasses and other diverse features. Emma’s mum also hand makes new outfits for the dolls.

“My repainted dolls have realistic eyebrows, smaller eyes, thinner and smaller mouths, giving them a more innocent and childlike appearance,” she said.

The mum has also teamed up with the #ToyLikeMe campaign to make dolls with disabilities, birthmarks, cleft lip and alopecia.

Though she began selling the dolls online, they have also been taken up by Jelly store in Exeter.

“They’ve proved an instant hit at Jelly and we’ve been really delighted to see them flying off the shelves and going on to their new homes!”

Devon Rescue Dolls range between £20-30 and come in a presentation box packed with dolly goodies including a glossy signed and numbered before and after photo, brush, spare shoes and clothes and other accessories.

They can be purchased in the Jelly Store or in her Etsy store.

What do you think of the dolls? Let us know @YahooStyleUK

Vogue says boobs are ‘over’ but does it fly in the face of body positivity?

All hail the body positive lingerie campaign breaking beauty boundaries