What is happening to girls' toys?

Do you feel like little girls’ toys weren’t so “sexy” when you were a kid? Well, you’re right.

Do you have fond memories of growing up with a Strawberry Shortcake doll? Or maybe Holly Hobbie? If so, you’ll remember them as simple, cute characters with big hats, ruffled dresses and freckled faces that looked like any other little girl’s.

Sorry to break to it you, but Strawberry and Holly don’t look like they used to.

These gals have somehow fallen into the hands of the Next Top Model style team and emerged with drastic makeovers. Notice how Strawberry's Raggedy-Anne hair has been transformed into sleek, supermodel tresses, and how Holly... well, Holly is completely unrecogniseable? She's the Jen Hawkins lookalike in the middle.

My Little Pony, Trollz and Rainbow Brite have also dabbled in plastic surgery in recent years, along with Dora the Explorer. The little girl with the no-nonsense bob and outdoorsy outfit is now sporting long glossy hair, delicate ballet flats and jewellery, and has ditched her trademark backpack. Have fun exploring in that get-up, Dora.

Oh, and don't get us started on what Disney tried to do to the awesome Merida from Brave last year. Go on, take a look at what's happened to your favourite toys in this gallery (spoiler alert: it's kinda depressing):

Picked your jaw up off the ground yet? Good, because we need to talk about this.

First of all, why is it that so many children's toys are being tweaked to look hotter/girlier/cooler? Why does a Care Bear or a Little Pony need to be pretty anyway? And who decided there was anything wrong with these best-sellers in the first place? They've been household names for years so obviously they were doing something right.

The brands behind some of these products have defended the toy makeovers. For some, the changes simply represent the characters "growing up" - for instance, Dora's makeover reflects her as a young teenager. In other cases, it's a matter of updating an outdated look. (Although, personally, I think Holly Hobbie's original outfit has a fabulously vintage 'English garden party' vibe).

Why should toys have to 'grow up' anyway? Part of the fun of moving through childhood is owning toys that speak to you at certain ages. Dora might be perfect for a kid until they turn a certain age and shift their focus to a toy or activity they find more relevant. How many children do you know who have played with the same toys, or watched the same programs, their whole lives?

As for doing away with outdated appearances, it seems strange to rework an old classic rather than develop something more modern - almost as if these girlified versions are intended to appeal to nostalgic parents rather than their kids. If anything, they'll probably deter grown-up fans from buying them for their kids, because they don't look like the originals they loved so much.

Not even the beloved Lego is exempt from the feminising process. Take a look at vintage Lego ads (like this one on the right) and you'll find images of boys and girls, dressed in cute play clothes, sharing the colourful blocks and beaming at their creations. These ads market Lego to kids - not boys, not girls, just kids who love to build for fun.

Now? The blocks are visibly genderised. Lego Friends, the line for girls which launched in 2011, relies on girly colours, characters and stereotypes to corner its market.

Sure, many girls love their toys with a splash of pink or purple - but many don't. It's ridiculous and unfair to limit their toy options to "pink" and/or "pretty", especially if they begin absorbing the message that these traits are essential to being a girl. There is already plenty of "girly" products on the market - why does every last toy or character need to fit that mould?

It makes you wonder what's in store for the next wave of toys. Will Peppa Pig eventually be slimmed down, forced into a pair of heels, and given eyelash extensions? Will teddy bears received hourglass figures and rouged cheeks?

Sadly enough, at this point it wouldn't be a surprise.

Are you shocked by these toy makeovers? Is this just a modern update, or something more serious?  

'Sexy toy makeover' photos courtesy of Sociological Images. They have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to them - see it here.