Elaine Yang found her first Monster High doll on the aisles of Walgreens in 2019 and has been collecting ever since. Monster High dolls feature elements from monster movies and are accompanied by their own TV series. “I really liked the show, and I just like how cool everything looked,” Elaine says. The Brooklyn, NY, senior also recalls seeing the dolls on YouTube in toy reviews, yearning to own one. “A lot of it just comes from my younger self — I’m healing my inner child,” she says. Monster High dolls are inspired by an array of monsters such as Dracula and werewolves, but Elaine says her favorite doll is “Stitched in Style, Frankie Stein.” She attributes her love for Monster High dolls to the unique yet fashionable twist. “They’re not as basic as a Barbie, and it adds a hint of spooky,” she says. Although she keeps the dolls in their box, Elaine says she enjoys looking at them. “It shouldn’t be shameful to collect things that are deemed as childish,” she says. Now, Elaine can afford to build her collection and soak in the childhood nostalgia. “The world is too serious these days, and we need a little bit of whimsy and joy in our lives,’ she says.