WOW- I'm gone for 12 hours and full on debate!
Well, after reading through all the responses, I understand the parents who have bought them and said- don't make a fuss and it'll end up in the bottom of the toy box. And no, toys don't HAVE to be role models. I never suggested that by buying Bratz dolls anyone's little girls will suddenly turn into an 80's "Like a Virgin" Madonna look-alike. Obviously everyone is still setting boundaries. Thankfully!!
And I agree with the poster who said we all have to pick our own battles. I am still convinced never to buy these toys. Why support a company who makes little girl dolls that look like hookers? Like I said- I played with Barbie for a LONG time, and I never got breast implants, or dyed my hair blond. But Barbie is a far cry from Bratz. At least every once in a while she had a job- Doctor, Vet, Teacher, whatever.
But come on. "Jump on for a wild ride" on the package of the cowgirl Bratz, who HAPPENS to be wearing next to nothing. MAYBE kids don't see that stuff. Ok. BUT I DO. I know that the ADULTS who marketed this thing intended these highly sexualized dolls to come off as, well, highly sexualized overtly displayed babies/pre-teens. It's creepy.
And don't think that these dolls don't inspire trends in clothing, make-up, and wherever else. Like the posters who said they can't shop at Kohl's. Did you know that Limited Too! and Abercrombie Kids carry thongs for little girls! WHY? I used to work at Wal-Mart- and even in the girls department their were flashy little sting bikini underwears and underwire bras that were too small for cup sizes. And the saddest part, in my book, is that all of these things are still around, so parents are BUYING them. Little kids don't have the spending power.
And then, there's the name. Bratz. And people will complain all day about how kids aren't respectful these days, and they have attitudes, and are self-centered. DUH. AND they are being marketed to, and told that it's fashionable and fun and cool to have Bratz, be Bratz, dress like Bratz. I'm NOT saying Bratz are to blame, but there is a correlation. Do you think this toy would have survived 25 years ago? 35 years ago? No way.
Like I said before, I am NO prude. Not by a looooong shot. I am very straightforward and open about sexuality, and welcome that. But this is being done in a disgusting, trashy manner. You don't have to wear belly shirts to be sexy. Or thong underwear. Or have huge made-up lips and short skirts. Why should little kids, and we're talking young 4, 5, 6 year olds be subjected to this kind of overt sexuality so young? It's not they won't be bombarded with it enough for the rest of their lives.
ETA- good for all of you who have discussed this openly with your kids!!! Regardless of whether or not you bought the doll. My niece, who's 5,and I recently had a long discussion about Bratz, and she has accepted the fact that mommy and Aunt Becky aren't going to budge, and even at 5, she kinda gets it. Now every time we go to a store, she goes, "Those dolls don't have very much on...."
Although after my daughter received her first Barbie, she had fake ****s, high heels and her Cinderella hair on... 
Lots of my friends kept theirs and passed their collection to their DD's. To me Barbies seem such an important part of a girls childhood. I know DD14 loved hers and passed them on to DD5 who has to sleep with 2 or 3. Her eyes light up when we hit that aisle at the store. 
Hmmmmm, maybe THEY were allowed to have Bratz dolls?! 
