Bratz Meets Mean Girls (and 5 More Early 2000s Films That Need a Bratz Makeover)
by Rachel Finucane
Remember our jungle-turned-resident cool cat, Cady Heron?
Well, clearly—and so does Google. Throughout Mean Girls Day on Oct. 3, searching "Mean Girls" or "Cady Heron" resulted in an irresistible lipstick-stained search page, and upon clicking on it, the screen blushed pink. It gave us total flashbacks to North Shore High and the days when Cady chilled with her crew, who some adoringly called the "Art Freaks," on the lawn, and one of the most recognizable quotes was born.
Did you guess Damien's sassy line, "That's why her hair is so big… it's full of secrets?" If so, you've got it. That should've been aimed at the lucky few who snagged the ultra-rare Cady Bratz doll last week, because we're still pondering how they did it. The collectible sold out in two minutes! And now, fans are going wild.
The Plastics
The packaging is genuinely shaped like a Burn Book, and even better, the collection doesn't stop with Cady. Regina George will also be dropping, on Oct. 17, followed by Gretchen Weiners and Karen Smith on Oct. 31 as the conjoined twins they usually are. It's all rolling out before our lawns are fully covered with Mean Girls-themed carved pumpkins. And if you're still scrambling for a last-minute costume idea because, they'll be perfect for rocking up with your mousey mini-me.
After seeing Gretchen become even more iconic as a Bratz doll, we're thinking the beloved toy brand doesn't need to stop at Mean Girls. In fact, many other classic 2000s characters also deserve a chance at being a Bratz. Below are five that we think would sell out just as fast.
Also read about: 12 Mean Girls Quotes That Make the Sassiest Insta
Legally Blonde
Often ringing from our giant lip-shaped phones, the Bratz jingle might've helped bleep out a naughty expletive in their Legally Blonde Halloween special—but nothing could censor our excitement for this collection. Imagine Chloe throwing around all of our favorite Elle Wood lines, with her girl pals joining in, until it's the fun game of witty phrases.
Even Royale, Burdine Maxwell's yapping pup, who loves pink (a color also favored by our honorary Harvard grad), would channel his inner Bruiser. There'd be no need for him to go wig shopping as he already has the furry do. Seriously, like it's hard to cross off all the luscious bits?
Our Bratz girls would be lining up for Elle's "bend and snap" tutorial classes with their made-to-move frames. Plus, the packaging is out of her dream handbag catalog: Bottega Veneta's Intrecciato Montaigne. Like her, this collection would also easily pass the bar and score style points.
(Legally Blonde via MGM Distribution Co. )
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
Bratz may be throwing their doll force into the witchy cauldron, but nothing comes close to the friendship spell the girls of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants cast on each other. It's an enchantment another girl group—Bridget, Tibby, Lena and Carmen— is familiar with.
While this season calls for the magic 8 balls, we're cutting ourselves down in size. And you know who else embodies the alchemy of the number four? We're not just hearing it in their catchy theme song, "Passion 4 Fashion" for those who aren't still binging on Saturday morning cartoons like us. It's also the number of girls called upon when we summon the fierce crew: Chloe and Yasmin, as stated, and Sasha and Jade. So, each girl would have an elite match-up.
We wouldn't need Karen to predict the magic at play, either (she can leave those to guess if dark clouds are spotting the skies). For just about anyone can predict that it's friendship that acts as a binding spell, red-stringing our social circles together. So, this collection could come straight from the Bratz archives.
Like a voguish lucky dip, each doll would have different pants you could trade with your friends to create unique outfits. Then, each doll could do a half-turn on the runway while you enjoy the show.
(The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants via Warner Bros. Pictures)
John Tucker Must Die
Who needs a fluffy white bucket hat emboridered with the Bratz halo when there's the Rock Angelz newsboy cap? Our eyes have been on it forever, and there may even be a chance to use our stealthy ninja skills as these girls are so enthralled with their headbanging to their electric guitars. Or if we need another secretive ploy, just start them on the topic of boys. Whether crushing on smoothie-slinging Eitan or surfer dude Cameron, these girls have boy troubles spilling out of their comfy Juicy sweatpants, just like those in John Tucker Must Die.
When John Tucker takes a tip out of our book on how to talk to his many crushes, they scheme up a revenge plan. So, just like Bratz: Rock Angelz was the only thing we played for months at a time, imagine a collection that uses a QR code to link to a website where the girls go through similar shenanigans.
If the "Guess-that-scene" titling frame already appears in your head, yes! It's from the movie. We're in the mood to recreate some of our favorite scenes if you can't tell because why stop at doll lookalikes when we can whip out our playsets and revisit these scenes? But how would one play the game? You'd need a unique password that would come in every doll's packaging.
(John Tucker Must Die via 20th Century Fox)
Also read about: 15 Classic Teen Movies Everyone Needs to Watch at Least Once
Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen
Lindsay Lohan hit so many vocal bars in her role as Mary Elizabeth Cep, and these dolls clearly also have pipes. That's why it'd be amazing for her to lend her voice to the doll company—especially since those killer chops brought us another early-2000s staple, "Rumors." It was always destined to escape from a Bratz whenever someone pulled on a string.
But if that were off the table, our Bratz would still devour the soundtrack and leave no crumbs. As for who is singing our lovely Lola's "Drama Queen (That Girl)?" It's such a banger that we're now opening up a voting system. We might even give you some credit when Lindsay inevitably throws us our flowers.
(Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen via Buena Vista Pictures Distribution)
Clueless
This drama queen would give us an eye roll if we didn't do a lovable switcheroo, so how can she not be in our icon displays when she always has a witty one-liner ready to go? (By the time you finished reading that sentence, she'd already thought up five amusing comebacks as to why it's still on our list despite being out of the era range by that number of years).
Chloe as Cher Horowitz? It's like she was born with it. Their matching silky locks are undoubtedly the key to why there's a number of images all over the web of her as Clueless's gum-chewing blonde. This girl dives into her designer closet organizer on a daily basis.
Sometimes, we hang the Chanel plaid blazers on the shelf and go for a spin. The Bratz garage already has killer cars worthy of a verified tick, like the Bratz Rock Angels Cruiser—a sleek red convertible. But we wonder what adding the four-"Go Glen Coco" rated 1994 Jeep Wrangler YJ would be like to our toy garage. That's Cher's, after all, and if any engine is going to purr "As if!" it's that one.
(Clueless via Paramount Pictures)
October is Mean Girls Month, and we've still got many more calendar days to flick through. Click HERE for our top five favorite scenes featuring one of our plastic girl squads.