In the early 20th century, their costumes included stockings with garters, short silk or satin dresses, and of course, bonnets.
But it was their brazen behavior that really drew attention to themselves during the parade.
But a century later, the group is also comprised of African American men, according to Dr Kim Vaz, the dean at Xavier University.Dr Vaz, the author of a book chronicling the dolls’ history, told NPR that during the age of Jim Crow laws, black people were still disenfranchised, as there were different laws for how black and white red-light districts could legally operate.
When the women in the black district discovered that their rivals were going to dress up for the Mardi Gras parade, they decided they needed to outdo them.
Dr Vaz told NPR: ‘They said, “Let’s just be baby dolls because that’s what the men call us. They call us baby dolls, and let’s be red hot.”’
She also explained that their provocative name had a double meaning. ‘African-American women weren’t considered precious and doll-like,’ she said.