Growing up, I would sometimes watch “America’s Next Top Model” with my two older siblings, secretly hiding the fact that I found it entertaining. Years later, I am once again getting that same feeling.

 Whenever I have any free time I find myself playing a game with my girlfriend curated for children on Roblox called “Dress to Impress.” I am not alone in this craze. The game has seemingly broken the internet. 

When I open Instagram, it’s there. On TikTok, I scroll for a bit, and something related to it shows up. Everyone is in a frenzy.

 Growing up, I always played Roblox. Games like “Natural Disaster Survival” and “Work at a Pizza Place” kept my 10-year-old mind busy. Now it’s 10 years later and I am still playing games on this curated-for-kids app. “Dress to Impress” is one of the best games I have played in a while. 

 My obsession started this summer. My girlfriend and I were on Roblox one night when we stumbled upon a game that caught our eye under the “trending” tab. The game’s colorful thumbnail was enough for us to click on it.

 The game is simple. Every round there is a new theme. Each round lasts five minutes and at the end of the round there is a voting period where everyone in the lobby votes for the best outfit — every person has their 10-second moment on the runway to showcase their look. The final three make the podium.

 It’s so simple, yet so addictive. I got hooked.

 For a period of time, it seemed like every night, my girlfriend would ask to play “Dress to Impress.”

 Discussing our outfits for each round and then ultimately getting mad that we don’t make the podium at the end of the round is what makes the game so addictive. My girlfriend, Sofia Viscarra, has simple motives for liking the game.

 “I like to win,” Viscarra said. “I also like playing it with you, but I also like to win.”

 Naturally, the game is extremely competitive. Everyone wants to be on the podium at the end of the round. Everyone wants to be a fashionista; there is a reason why shows like “America’s Next Top Model” are so popular. This translates to the popularity of this game. The competitive nature and creative aspect of it is what makes the game so perfect.

“Dress to Impress” is extremely accessible to anyone. All it takes to join the fun is a Roblox account, which can be accessed on numerous devices, including a phone, tablet, computer, gaming console, etc. 

I usually play on my laptop and have played it in class, in the library, and even on my phone while on a CTA bus. Accessibility is a major factor in why the game is so successful. That is why there are constantly 300,000 players online. 

 Interest in fashion is usually catered to teens and adults, which results in its massive following. The game has a realism factor that fully encapsulates the user into believing they are in a fashion show.

“Dress to Impress” is different from other Roblox games. While the game is intended to be curated for kids, the game built a cult following of mostly adults online through creative expressiveness and following popular online trends.

In a Mashable article by Elizabeth De Luna about a thirty-year-old playing Roblox, she describes the site, which is catered for kids, as a “place to be creative,” emphasizing that she is not a gamer in the slightest. 

Em Jennings, an animation major and member of DePaul’s Digilab adds on to this claim by saying, “I believe the appeal of kids’ games to adults is the simplicity, the aesthetics and the safe escapism that they can provide. Of these three, I believe the latter is the most important factor. The safety and innocence of a game meant for children can be especially appealing to those looking to feel unburdened by adult responsibilities.” 

Games that can be catered for kids do exactly that. A game can suck you into an inner world, distracting the user from the outside world, which can be used as an escape for some. 

“Dress to Impress” does exactly this, playfully luring you into the world of fashion.

Fashion bleeds through society, and “Dress to Impress” is a representation of that. It’s so easy to share and express creativity through fashion; without irony, this game does this in a harmless and effortless manner.

 “I really live this fashion stuff. I don’t play around when it comes to it,”  Johnathon Holley, a DePaul junior, said.

 Like me, Holley also has a slight obsession with the game.

 “It’s simple yet so complex, but so competitive. I really love getting on the game and seeing my name on the podium,” Holley said. 

“Dress to Impress” has constant updates that keep players coming back for more. In the summer, the game updated to a “Brat” theme, referencing Charli XCX’s 2024 release, which is arguably the biggest release culturally for music of the year so far. After “Brat Summer” was done, the game transitioned quickly to a Halloween theme.

 The game’s developers seem to know what they are doing, and this game is only going to get better with time. Consistent players will continue to return to the game for more updates and improvements, and new ones will also join in the fun. I will certainly be one of those returning users as the game continues to only get better and better.

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