Dress to Impress: A Sensational Distraction

Article written for SCAD District — October 2024

(Graphic by Ana Vergara Garcia)

The summer of 2024 saw a drastic surge in players of Dress to Impress (DTI), one of many games hosted on the parent platform Roblox. This relatively simple dress-up game has caught the attention of a much broader audience than expected, given Roblox’s historically young fanbase.

In fact, the company reported about half of DTI’s users to be over 18. But why? What about this children’s game is captivating so many young adults, and why now?

Why does anyone play a game— to be entertained, to collaborate with friends, yes. But above all, people play to distract. We submit to an altered reality where our only priorities are to play, win, and in this instance, Dress to Impress.

It’s no surprise that Gen Z and Millenials are seeking distraction, and solace in unexpected places. There’s an upcoming U.S. presidential election, in which my peers and I are eligible to vote for the first time, on top of ongoing unrest in the Middle East. Political and social tensions are rising, and it’s only natural to seek outside comfort in times like these.

In my case, I graduate at the end of this school year and am feeling overloaded with high- stakes decisions. I’m preparing for a period of immense change, and amidst this anticipation and excitement comes anxiety and fear— for which it’s only natural to seek out comfort.

And that’s what DTI is, at its core. Comforting. I’ve had multiple friends tell me how much Dress to Impress reminds them of dress-up games they grew up playing in the early 2000’s, cuddled up on the couch with mom’s iPad or perched at the family computer. DTI is a reminder of simpler times, an echo of blissful ignorance. The perfect distraction.

But it’s not just outside forces drawing older participants to play, it’s the game itself. First off, the accessibility. DTI is free to download, and available on most devices. Potential players can be easily discouraged by a price tag or incompatible software, so this level of ease in installation is a significant factor in playability.

It helps that DTI is aesthetically pleasing. The graphics are clean and the items well designed — it doesn’t feel like a game made for children.

DTI’s competitive nature also lends itself to a broader audience, due to the universal appeal of wanting to win. Players rate each other’s outfits at the end of each round, granting up to 5 stars per person.

There’s also a horror subplot involving the DTI lobby’s nail technician, Lana. The game’s updates include plot development for this character, which is enticing because it provides a story arc to a game style that typically doesn’t include one.

Roblox’s marketing for this game has been remarkable as well. Notably, they collaborated with singer Charli XCX to release a BRAT update on August 17th, adding new outfit, hair, and pose options. The album’s trademark chartreuse was everywhere this summer from brands and retailers, to Kamala Harris’s promotional team, to Dress to Impress itself— and for good reason. BRAT was in the air, and was especially trendy among young adults, the exact demographic DTI has now so successfully conquered.

Some advertising Roblox didn’t even have to pay for, it fell into their lap. Streamers got into Dress to Impress, influencing their viewers to play for themselves. Now if you aren’t playing DTI, you're watching someone play DTI. Both excellent distractions, both comforting and exciting all at once.

So many young adults are newly obsessed with Dress to Impress because it’s a perfect storm. The ideal combination of an easy, accessible game, competition, added subplot, nostalgia, and clever marketing. Most importantly, it came at a time when people my age needed a shiny new toy to take our eyes off of the burning house.