| Dress up games are a common genre of online | | | | clothing. Some games provide editing tools to allow |
| gaming for young girls and teens. The core of the | | | | players to customize pre-made clothing. Other games |
| game is expressing one's fashion sense by dressing | | | | offer players the freedom of designing clothing in their |
| up a virtual doll. With many traditional dress up games, | | | | own editing tools such as GIMP and uploading the |
| the game is over once the player is done perfecting | | | | creations onto the website. Allowing players to create |
| their doll's look. However, with Dress Up 2.0 games, a | | | | their own designs exposes them to advanced fashion |
| more advanced version of the traditional game, there | | | | and technological concepts like graphic design. Many |
| are many more aspects in play. These advanced | | | | players really get into this aspect of the game and |
| features include elements such as earning currency to | | | | become wizzes at graphic editing tools, technology, |
| shop for clothing, allowing players to design their own | | | | and clothing design in general. These are valuable skills |
| clothing, owning fashion stores, and joining fashion | | | | that players can use immediately with school projects, |
| guilds. Each of these elements offer valuable learning | | | | and even later in life when determining a career. |
| experiences to young girls and teens, and are skills that | | | | Owning Fashion Stores |
| they will need in their adulthood. More importantly, these | | | | Many dress up games that allow players to design |
| lessons are learned within the platform of a game, | | | | their own clothing also allow them to sell their designs |
| which makes it fun and inconspicuous. | | | | to other players. They are typically able to do this by |
| Earning In-Game Currency | | | | creating a virtual storefront and stocking it with their |
| In advanced dress up games, the clothing is not just | | | | designs. This entrepreneurial aspect of the game gives |
| given to the player as it is in traditional dress up games. | | | | players an idea of what it takes to run a business. |
| Instead, shopping malls are available within the game, | | | | They learn first-hand about the fundamentals of |
| and players must use their in-game currency to buy | | | | economics such as supply and demand, marketing and |
| clothing for their doll. To obtain currency, the players | | | | promoting their business, and competing with other |
| must earn it. They are able to earn it by completing | | | | store owners for customers. The players learn how to |
| fashion-related quests, winning fashion battles against | | | | set the price of their designs high enough to earn a |
| other dolls, or by selling items to other players that they | | | | profit, but low enough to attract customers. They also |
| have created themselves. Not only does this provide | | | | learn to use their imagination to come up with ways to |
| an additional challenge within the game, but it also | | | | differentiate their business from others as a way to |
| teaches young girls that in life, you must work for the | | | | stay competitive. |
| things you want. | | | | Joining Fashion Guilds |
| Also, with the use of in-game currency, players must | | | | Fashion guilds are groups of players that share |
| also learn the valuable lesson of managing their | | | | common interests. Guilds compete against one another |
| finances. Many advanced dress up games allow | | | | in fashion-related quests. Guild members immediately |
| players to rent apartments or fashion stores. In | | | | see what it means to work as a team. Given a task, |
| essence, this is giving the players the responsibility of | | | | the guild members realize that they must work |
| paying bills. This causes the players to become | | | | together or they will fail. They learn how to identify the |
| conscientious about how they are managing their | | | | strengths and weaknesses of individual members and |
| currency. They know that they must pay their bills, so | | | | use this to determine how to assign roles for |
| that will mean they need to put those funds to the side | | | | completing tasks. Players also learn to be dependable |
| and work a bit harder to earn more for their shopping | | | | and accountable, or risk letting their entire guild down. |
| sprees. | | | | Learning to be an effective team player is a valuable |
| One way that some advanced dress up sites help | | | | life lesson that these players will use again and again; |
| users manage their currency is by providing virtual | | | | whether it be on group projects at school or in a |
| banking. Players learn how to use a bank account to | | | | corporate setting when they are older. |
| save up for big purchases and also what it means to | | | | Advanced dress up games teach young girls and |
| accrue interest on savings. | | | | teens that there's more to life than being beautiful. |
| Designing Clothing | | | | These games use fashion as a center piece to |
| In addition to providing game-made clothing, advanced | | | | expose players to valuable lessons that they will use in |
| dress up games allow players to create their own | | | | their every day life. |