It's rare when a toy comes along that is so unique that it creates squeals of disbelief and amazement from my children. Well, Pinkie Cooper, the dog headed fashion dolly has done just that! Looking like the progeny of Barbie and an English Toy Spaniel, Pinkie Cooper is a glamorous, aspiring model and a student of W.O.O.F. (World of Original Fashion). Along with her friends, Pepper and Ginger and their Jet Set Pets, she wants to make the world more stylish and dog friendly. Pinkie has her own fashion blog called Pinkie Post where she un-leashes fashion! (Leash - get it?)
We were sent a Pinkie Cooper and her Jet Set Pet Li'l Pinkie from Flair. The stylish packaging in chocolate and pink is really nice, and peeping out from the cellophane window is the enigma that is Pinkie Cooper. The outer of the box slides off from the inner so you can keep it intact and store Pinkie and her accessories safely inside. Whether this was intentional or not, I love that I can re-use the packaging in this way.
First impressions varied from "It's terrifying!" (Ella 17) to "Aww I love her!" (Freddy 4). Pinkie is a strange one. Her puppy dog head has really beautiful, big brown eyes with luscious lashes coupled with a dog's nose. Weird? Most definitely, but it somehow works. Her hair, (or are they ears?) spouts from the side of her otherwise bald head. This hair is removable and can be swapped with other characters in the range or with hair accessories that are available separately. Her hands/paws are a real canine/human hybrid with pretty pink claws/nails. She stands 9" tall.
Pinkie's motto is "Dress to Express!" and she knows "Nothing looks better than friends together!" Not a bad message for young girls (or boys) and not as vacuous as some of the other fashion doll mottos that I have come across.
Pinkie has a lovely raincoat style outfit with matching cap and actually looks quite cute in my opinion. It is her London outfit (she also comes in versions dressed for Beverley Hills and Paris). The doll itself is very nicely articulated and the joints do not break apart, which is an issue we have seen on other dolls of this kind. This is a very, well constructed doll with great poseability.
She comes with a camera, hairbrush and pink brolly - perfect accessories for her jet set life in London!
Li'l Pinkie is a funny li'l thing with an almost smug look on her face. The body is solid but her head turns. Her elaborate ears are removable and can mix and match with other Jet Set Pets. She has a matching jacket to Pinkie. We also received a blinged up version who came with her own food bowl, lead, jazzy outfit and tiara. Her glittery pink ears were quite spectacular! The pet figurines are also available as Saltine and Sprinkles who have different styles to Li'l Pinkie. They are very glam and glitzy.
Why Pinkie has a dog's head remains a mystery but the fact that she does, posed a whole lot of questions from my kids. Does she bark or speak English? Does Pinkie Cooper need a lead when out in public places? Does she have a licence? Is Lil' Pinkie related to Pinkie Cooper? Cousins perhaps? Fine dining or dog food? The debate could rage on and on! I like a toy that gets people talking!
Personally, I quite like her! It's something about her puppy dog eyes that reels me in. I like that she is very different to other fashion dolls on the market and I love the W.O.O.F. acronym. I think it is a bold move to engineer a canine/human hybrid and make her an aspiring fashion model set to rock the runways of Paris. In a market dominated by human dolls, why not mix it up a bit! Forget the unrealistic female form of the market leader with her tiny waist and enormous and impossibly perky chest. Forget the dolls with their promiscuous and revealing outfits and inappropriate tattoos. Pinkie Cooper may have the head of a dog, but she is not conforming to any harmful gender stereotypes. In fact, this girl shows the world that even with a dog's head, she can still achieve her dreams!
Pinkie Cooper has her own website pinkiecooper.com.
Dolls are available at stockists such as Argos and Amazon. The Deluxe Travel Collection doll and pet is £24.99 and the Jet Set Pet figurine is £14.99.
