It’s completely appropriate to end the 2014 edition of 31 Days of Halloween here on THE ROCK FATHER in the manner that I’m doing right now… in a way that I’ve never done before. The final entry for Halloween helps me to seamlessly transition into the Holiday season, as it’s also included in my 2014 Holiday Wish Guide. Sure, MONSTER HIGH is a year-round passion for children and grownup collectors alike, but for Halloween it’s just a perfect toy… and one that will be highly requested in the Holiday build-up weeks ahead. Licensed by Mattel, MONSTER HIGH Gore-geous Ghoul: The Anti-Styling Head by Just Play Toys is a spooky spin on an old favorite.
I remember seeing the old Barbie Styling Heads as a kid in the 80s, and while I don’t know if the “styling head” trend started with Barbie or was just continued with that brand, it’s a type of toy that’s been around for at least 40 years, and in countless iterations enjoyed by legions of creative kids.
Recommended for Ages 6-9, The Anti-Styling Head features the neck and head of a Monster High ghoul contained within a plastic “glass” jar of sorts, complete with a handle on the top, and two hidden drawers on the bottom. The uncluded accessories provide a robust assortment of mix-and-match possibilities, with different pairs of ears and earrings, horns, necklaces and hair extensions available for customizing.
Straight out of the box, the doll’s facial elements are actually just a few stickers for display purposes. After cleaning the doll and starting with a blank, lifeless canvas, the real fun begins, and that’s where budding stylists and “makers” can really have some fun. Be warned, however, that this takes some patience, and could require a grownup assist for kids on the younger edge of the spectrum. Creating your head’s look is a layered approach using an assortment of tattoos that come included. Affixed to the doll using water (like you’d do a temporary tattoo on a person), it is made very clear that these tats are for the toy only, and under no circumstances should be applied to the child. They key to success here is cutting the tattoo nice and close to the design, and very carefully removing the backing. My oldest is five, so she got some help from Daddy – though the design is 100% hers. She picked all the pieces, and I helped to cut and apply.
I dig it.
Doll hair styling is not something I’m good with (I’m not great with human hair for that matter), but we used a Knot Genie to help loosen the intentionally-stiff hair for a shot at punking it up. A few flips, clips and extensions made Addie pretty happy and very proud of her finished creation.
And it glows in the dark…
Monster High Gore-geous Ghoul: The Anti-Styling Head is available at Amazon and other retailers nationwide for around $30. Rock Father-approved!
