I have been a fashion doll collector my whole life. Not in a “oh, I kept my old Sindy in a box in the loft” way. In a “my 300 vintage Barbies were featured in The Telegraph this year” way. So when I tell you I know a thing or two about dolls, I mean it as both a flex and a cry for help.
And when it comes to this year’s spooky season offerings, I have thoughts. Strong ones. The kind that usually end with me rearranging an entire shelf at 11pm.
I am not easily impressed. I have seen things. I have seen “limited edition” dolls that were neither limited nor particularly special. I have seen playline dolls priced like collector pieces. I have seen a grown woman (me) argue with a stranger on the internet about the structural integrity of a 1997 Barbie’s neck joint.
But this Halloween range? This is different. This is the good stuff.
Why Monster High still matters
I have a few Monster High dolls in my collection. Not as many as the Barbies, obviously. I’m not made of money, and the vintage Barbie market is a ruthless mistress but enough to have opinions.
I have always found them fascinating. They represent the ultimate rebellious dolls. They are not afraid of being spooky. They are not afraid of being weird. They are, in the most literal sense, the daughters and sons of monsters, and they have built an entire fashion empire on the principle that being different is not just okay, it is fabulous.
When Monster High launched in 2010, on Friday the 13th of August, because of course it was a genuine departure for Mattel. The tagline was “freaky just got fabulous,” and the line was described as a dramatic departure from the toy maker’s most recognisable blonde. One child, quoted in the Los Angeles Times at the time, said of the dolls: “They seem like they would kill Barbie.” Reader, I have never related to a child more.
The line has had its controversies, naturally. Fox News got itself into a state about them within a year of launch. There were earnest think-pieces about whether “goth Barbies” were a bad influence on young girls. And yet, here we are, sixteen years later, and Monster High is still standing, still selling, and still making dolls that make me want to clear a space on the shelf.
The 2026 Halloween range: What you actually need to know
This year, Smyths Toys is leading the spooky charge with two very different but equally compelling propositions: the limited-edition Our Generation Halloween dolls, and Monster High’s collectable Universal Monsters range. Both are available to order now and, this is the bit that matters if you are a parent rather than a collector with a flexible relationship to deadlines, can still be delivered in time for trick-or-treating on the 31st. Let’s start with the one for the younger end of the market.
Our Generation 2026 Celebration Series Halloween Doll Astrid – £29.99 (was £34.99)
Part of Our Generation’s 2026 Celebration Series, Astrid is an 18-inch doll who arrives dressed for Halloween. And she is, by any reasonable standard, a delight.
She is a whimsical witch, sparkly hat, holdable broom, bat-winged shoes, and a “wickedly stylish spider bracelet” that I would genuinely wear if it came in adult sizes. She has lifelike hazel eyes that open and close, brown hair to style, and webby eye shadow inspired by the eerie decor of haunted houses. She has a huggable soft body, which is doll-speak for “your child will drag her around by one arm and she will survive it.”
She is aimed at ages 3 and up, and she is the sensible choice if you are buying for a child who is not yet fully invested in the lore of Monster High. She is charming, she is well-priced, and she will not require you to explain what a Skullector is.
Monster High x Universal Monsters: The Collector’s Edition
This is the range I have been waiting for. Mattel has teamed up with Universal Monsters to reimagine three icons of 1930s horror: Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, and The Mummy in the signature Monster High style. Each doll is 10.5 inches tall, with 11 points of articulation, and is designed for the collector market: intricate detail, bold design, and nostalgic storytelling, as Mattel puts it.
These are not playline dolls. These are the kind of dolls that adult collectors, and yes, I include myself in that category, get genuinely excited about. The Skullector line, as it is known, is primarily aimed at adult collectors and is typically offered in limited quantities. The Universal Monsters collaboration debuted at San Diego Comic-Con and has been rolling out through the autumn. In Europe, Smyths Toys holds the exclusive distribution rights, which is why you will not find them on every shelf in every shop. What are they actually like?
Monster High x Universal Monsters Dracula Doll – £29.99 (was £34.99)
Inspired by the 1931 film, this is a doll that understands the assignment. She wears a collared dress with red stitching, netted tights, and two-tone bat heels. She has blood-drip earrings, a medallion necklace that nods to the original film, and a coffin purse, because where else is a vampire supposed to keep her things? She has long jet-black hair, red eyes, and pale skin. She is, in the technical language of the collector community, “gore-geous.” Dracula is possibly my favourite doll in this range.
Monster High x Universal Monsters Frankenstein Doll – £24.99 (was £34.99)
A nod to the 1931 Frankenstein, this one is an all-black look with platform boots and an electricity-accented cropped jacket with lightning bolt details and pointed shoulders. She has green-tinted skin, neck bolts, silvery barrettes, and a windmill purse that pays homage to the film’s shocking conclusion. She also comes with a display stand, which is a small but meaningful detail for anyone who has ever tried to balance a doll on a shelf using nothing but hope and a stray hairpin.
Monster High x Universal Monsters The Mummy Doll – £24.99 (was £34.99)
The Mummy has an undead pallor, golden eyes, and a gauzy fringed dress accessorised with sarcophagus-heeled sandals, a scarab ring, and a matching handbag. She is, according to the collectors who have been tracking this release, arguably the most stunning of the three and the one most likely to sell out first. That last point is not a minor detail. The Universal Monsters dolls have been generating genuine scarcity. Collectors on the Mattel forums have been reporting sell-outs, restocks, and the peculiar anxiety of trying to complete a set when one doll is consistently harder to find than the others. Dracula, in particular, has been described as “going to be hard to get”. If you see one you want, my advice, as a woman who once missed a doll drop and has never fully recovered, is to not think about it too long.
The verdict
Here is the thing about this year’s Halloween range. The Our Generation Astrid is a lovely, well-made, properly priced doll for a child who wants a witch to take on adventures. She is exactly what she needs to be.
The Monster High Universal Monsters dolls are something else. They are the latest chapter in a line that has been doing “rebellious but beautifully made” for over a decade and a half. They are designed for people who care about detail, about styling, about the difference between a doll that is spooky because it is scary and a doll that is spooky because it is interesting.
And yes, I have cleared a space on the shelf. I am not made of stone.
Where to get them: All of the above are available at Smyths Toys, with delivery still available in time for Halloween. The Monster High Universal Monsters range is exclusive to Smyths in Europe, so if you are outside the UK, you may need to look a little harder or make friends with someone who is not.
One final note for fellow collectors: The Skullector line has a habit of selling out and then reappearing on resale sites at frankly offensive markups. If you are buying to collect, buy when you see it. If you are buying for a child, buy the Astrid, she is £29.99, she comes with a broom, and she will survive being carried around by one arm. Everyone wins.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a shelf to rearrange.
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Monica Costa founded London Mums in September 2006 after her son Diego’s birth together with a group of mothers who felt the need of meeting up regularly to share the challenges and joys of motherhood in metropolitan and multicultural London. London Mums is the FREE and independent peer support group for mums and mumpreneurs based in London https://www.londonmumsmagazine.com and you can connect on Twitter @londonmums
