Dress to Impress, a simple dress-up game on “Roblox,” has suddenly become a pop culture phenomenon, despite it originally being made for kids.
“Roblox” is a gaming platform where users can create and play games made by themselves or other players. Roblox has over 40 million games to choose from, with Dress to Impress being one of the most popular with over 2.4 billion visits.
Lyanna Smith, a sophomore studying animation, is a self-proclaimed super fan of Dress to Impress.
“I think ‘Roblox’ is a really fun way to support young game developers,” Smith said. “That’s something I hold really near and dear to my heart as an animation major, since a lot of people in my field go on to make games. So, ‘Roblox’ is an excellent way for those developers to get ahead in their careers.”
This summer, Dress to Impress blew up on social media sites like TikTok and X and is now one of the most popular games on the platform. Users are given a randomized theme to create an outfit around and have five minutes to walk around a dressing room full of customizable clothes, accessories, makeup and hair options. The avatars then walk down a runway, and other users rank each other from one to five stars. The user with the most stars wins.
Olivia Beatty, a sophomore studying communication studies, plays Dress to Impress nearly every day.
“It's just fun, obviously, and there's the competitive aspect to it,” Beatty said. “But, I also think it's a good way to express yourself and just come up with different things that fit the themes.”
Users can interpret the theme however they see fit, using the limited outfit options to fit their vision. Players typically incorporate current pop culture references in their looks, appealing to users of all ages looking for a fun, interactive and light-hearted game to play over the summer.
Smith, who was already high up in the worldwide ranks of the game, decided to invest in a membership to improve her gameplay.
“I wanted to be a VIP because I was getting sick of VIPs winning,” Smith said. “You have way more options for clothing items, and you have your own private room and you play on private servers.”
Sophia Faiman, a sophomore studying hearing, speech and language sciences, plays the game more casually.
“I just love playing it with my friends and my roommates,” Faiman said. “We'll all go in one room and play it against each other and sometimes play as duos. I don't know — it's just fun.”
Due to its popularity, Dress to Impress announced a collaboration with Charli XCX and her newest hit album “BRAT” Aug. 17 via X, which targets the game’s newfound Generation Z audience.
The recent update to Dress to Impress included the album’s neon green aesthetic with a new themed lobby, dressing room and runway, along with brand-new hair, makeup and outfit options to match.
“I love it,” Beatty said. “It’s such an interesting combination. That is the last person that I would think would collaborate with Roblox. I think it absolutely brought in a new demographic of people.”
Dress to Impress has been the surprise online hit of the summer, and its collaboration with Charli XCX only heightened its popularity.
“It kind of coincides with everything going on this summer,” Smith said. “There’s a lot of feminine power going on. Last year we had the The Eras Tour and the ‘Barbie’ movie, and this summer we have ‘BRAT’ and Dress to Impress. It’s this resurgence of feminine-dominated media in pop culture, and it’s also just really fun.”
Whether it is just a silly game to play with friends or a new cultural phenomenon, Dress to Impress has changed the social media landscape by introducing a mindless pastime anyone can enjoy.
