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In 2022, Drea was working as a nanny and babysitting her niece. She had the spark of an idea: “my niece left a doll at my house, and I thought it would be so funny if I pretended the doll was my daughter.” She recorded a video and shared it on TikTok. “It instantly went viral,” remembers Drea.
Drea made more and more videos featuring the doll, from installing wigs to getting ready for prom, complete with her takes on ASMR sound effects. “I added sounds of all the hair products and hair brushing and people kept requesting more. I even added 300 layers of plaster to the doll and made a video cracking it off.”
If all this sounds bizarre, it’s because it is. On YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, Drea embraces absurdity, and — for the most part — the internet has responded with unbridled enthusiasm. With captions like “it’s not real unless your ponytail gives you a facelift” and “the nails were giving Edward Scissorhands,” it’s easy to go down a rabbit hole of Drea and her doll's wacky adventures. A warning for the squeamish: the doll's wigs and skin often end up coming off. “I want to do something people haven’t seen before,” she explains.
The videos are an ideal outlet for Drea, who calls herself “very chaotic in real life and online.” She was born in Washington state and moved to the Chicagoland area when she was 5. “I went to school in the same district my whole life,” she says. Drea was a shy kid who loved cheerleading and tumbling. If you’re familiar with the toe touch, a quintessential cheerleading move, you’ll see it pop up in many of her videos.
As a kid, Drea was “outgoing at home but mute in public; when I started posting on social media it forced me to come out of my shell.” Before social media fame — Drea now has more than three million followers on TikTok and YouTube — her career took a windy route. She has worked at a major retail chain store, at a bank, and in childcare. The latter was her favorite. “I love working with kids; they’re so smart, funny, and outgoing,” says Drea.
Drea met her husband Aspen when she was 19 — she’s 27 now — and they’ve been married for five years. “I was very young, but it’s turned out great,” she says. She credits Aspen for his support, humor, and now for contributing to her content. In her latest series, she dresses up as famous celebrities, The Lorax, and “an 1800s prairie girl vibe.” Aspen takes her out on a date and records her out in the world in these various forms.
The first time, “he was honestly very surprised,” she explains. “He definitely thought I was going to take the outfits off.” (She didn’t.) “But he loves it, he loves to help — he’s a big part of my career and my growth. Except for the pranks; he doesn’t help with those.”
It’s time for Drea and her sidekick doll to do some holiday shopping. Here are her picks.
What are the best gifts for…
…husbands
My husband loves fashion, so a cashmere scarf or a cashmere sweater is perfect. A personalized card holder or wallet would be great, too. If he’s a homebody, some pajamas, a robe, some slippers, or a cozy throw blanket. If he likes to travel, a suitcase or a nice carryon.
…moms
Candles are nice, especially a luxury candle with sleek packaging to match with her home decor. Skincare or haircare gift sets would be a good gift, or a nice perfume. And pajamas and robes for homebody moms.
…dads
A lot of uncles and men in my life love to grill, so grilling utensils would be really appreciated. A nice watch or cologne would be great, too.
…little girls, like the one Drea used to care for
Stuffed animals! Also toys that are fun for pretend pay. She loves to play grocery shopping and cooking, so I got her a little shopping cart that came with boxes of food and a toy coffee cup, so she can pretend to drink her coffee and shop.
Drea also brainstormed gifts for the characters of her videos:
…her doll
A trip to the salon. From the very beginning, her doll requested to get her hair done in box braids. I would finally allow her to get the box braids of her dreams.
…The Lorax
Good quality orange body paint that’s not falling in flakes all over my room. It took a lot to get that orange paint out of my carpet.
…1800s Farm Girl
Washboards that they once used to wash clothes would be perfect for the era. Plus maybe a cute bonnet for her hair and a cute apron.
…yourself
If somebody went to a Halloween store and got me a crazy mask, that would be so sweet. I love thoughtful gifts, and I love when you know me well and get me something I wouldn’t expect — like a wild mask. I’m also very girly, and I love makeup and hair care, too.
PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Thatssodrea
