"But I want them all!" - aka How do YOU choose?

I buy dolls to fit characters, which does help narrow the field, as no matter how beautiful they may be, some sculpts just won't work. I may have a sense of who I want to come home sooner, but it depends on my monetary situation, what's available (especially since over the past few years I've done a lot of buying through the market place), and who I'm in the mood to work on. Sometimes a really good opportunity to bring home the perfect head for somebody comes up, so they end up getting taken care of first.

 

There has been many dolls that have made me squeal in delight, but over time I have recognized that what attracted me was the presentation: the costume, the face-up, the pose, the colors, the ingenuity of design, etc. In my first year on DoA I impulsively bought dolls than I really wanted (3 tinies and 1 MSD, plus various parts), but it helped me to realize which sculpts and what qualities maintains my attention. Near the end of that year I did a sort of cleaning house and sold 3. Now, I buy a doll if I know that I will like it even if it has no face-up and no clothes, even no wigs (I need eyes, though). That has actually narrowed my list down to about 4 sculpts currently. As they're relatively expensive (most likely over $2000 for all of them), it slows me down and allows me to debate internally with myself over their merits as I'm accumulating the money.

Of course sometimes I can't help myself, and find myself lusting after a doll even though in the back of my mind I know I won't treasure it as much as those 4 sculpts. For those dolls, sometimes I actually prefer just looking at pictures rather than think about seriously getting them. What's really dangerous for me is a good deal. If I see a doll or sculpt that I had any inclination towards for a good price, that's when I have to really talk myself out of getting it.

 

My first doll I didn't have a choice lol, I was sent the wrong one. But my second doll, I'd first intended to buy was love at first sight, I saw a picture and said to myself "That's my one isn't it." lol
I should have known I'd crack! "Oh I just like looking at them, they are far too expensive, I'd never pay that much." SURE!

My third doll was love at first sight too but when she arrived I didn't bond with her as she looked nothing like the picture I fell in love with, I replaced her after a while and still didn't feel right about her. When I saw a certain head mould I just knew, her mould looked like an older version of the original dolls mould and that was perfect so it was easy.

With my male doll I spent a long time looking at guys, I was torn between two. One very popluar and handsome, the other a lot less popular with more character to his face, still handsome but he seemed to match the rugged look I wanted for him better than the more pretty boy mould. I knew in my heart he was my boy when I read some one saying some negative, but not at all nasty, comments about his face mould and felt quite defensive and protective of him. That's when I knew he was the one.

 

I'm trying to get some characters for a specific story, so I look for those that may fit what I'm looking for. I don't really plan the apperance of my characters as much as I do backstory and personality, so I have an extra hard time deciding because there are so many that could fit xD
The good thing right now is that I'm looking for a SD sized guy, but I've discovered I'm even more picky with boys than I am with girls (and I'm VERY picky with girls) so I don't think I'll have that problem with guys at least.

 

Well, every now and then I get "doll mania" where I have a handful of sculpts I just OMG MUST HAS NOW...
But, I pace myself... I have two lists, "Dolls I Like" and "Dolls I Have Realistic Plans For"
The latter being dolls I fully intend to save for and purchase with my own money for myself. I'd be tickled pink to have all the dolls on my "Dolls I Like" list, but I don't want them badly enough to seriously spend the necessary time and money on them.
I'm tackling my wishlist by story, meaning I buy dolls by group of characters sharing a common plot and setting. The final group of dolls I plan to get are my three dream dolls, one of which is going to be extremely expensive (a Volks fullset doll), one of which will be a lot of hard work (a hybrid between three different companies, lots of extensive mods and heavy customization, which requires some rare items), and the third of which won't be hard or expensive at all, in fact very common and better priced than some, but will be a doll which is very special to me...
Given, my first two doll purchases were completely impusle buys... But that was before I had any plans, and my attitude towards dolls was indeed "OMG I WANT THEM ALL AND I WANT THEM NOW"

 

Lack of money or having money helps me decide. It's the main thing.

I just know I CAN'T buy them all, money-wise, so I just HAVE to choose. I have to make sure it's something I will like no matter what else is available and what else may come along--mostly because I don't like selling dolls--but also because I know I have to pick from a ton of dolls and can't have them all.

Space and time are also important. I don't want thousands of dolls that I'm tripping over and have no time to really appreciate. Even if I could buy them all--if I don't have enough space and enough time, it's just silly for me to have them all!

I don't buy for characters. I just buy depending on the sculpt and style and look of the doll. It has to appeal to me more than anything else. I have to know that I really can't live without it. I can't say that I'm always 100% successful in choosing and buying, but I'm very happy with my dolls and love them all...

 

I have managed not to buy another purely as there is so much choice I simply can't choose. I desparately want to buy one, I have the money, but they are all so beautiful. I want an MSD this time something unusual but I really can't find one it is driving me mad!!!

 

I am also one of those people who chooses dolls to embody characters I have written about and role-played with for years, and so in this case any doll I look at to potentially purchase I not only must absolutely 100% be in love with, but it also must completely line up with how I envision whichever character I'm looking to bring home next. And although I have quite a few characters, this has really helped me to cut back a LOT because I am extremely picky about making sure it fits the character.

For example, I just brought home an Aria doll 14 years body because it's short stature and petite build was absolutely perfect for my character Isia. However, I have a feeling he shall remain headless for quite some time as I simple cannot find a single head out there that suits him, and it's not for lack of trying either. Sure, I seriously drooled at the A.I.R's Ruy sculpt that came out a few weeks back, pined after SWITCH's Shino and tried to convince myself to bring either of them home. But in the end I know it's just not going to happen. Yes, these sculpts made my heart skip a beat, made me rethink my paycheck for the week and any possible way to get them here. But I can't bring myself to actually buy them as they don't suit any of my characters, and despite loving them major hardcore for weeks, when I look at them now, as I all but forced myself to fall out of love with them, I no longer feel quite so much the pang of regret in not purchasing them.

As much as I'm frustrated at having a headless body sitting here, it's also a relief. I know that with 9 dolls (including random bits and pieces) at home and one on the way with 3 more on the definitey bring-home list it may not seem that I limit myself very well; but only being able to find 12 characters in doll form when I have dozens more in my head I have to say I think I do pretty darn well at limiting myself.

 

I agree with both InkyBear and April in a few facets.

I am definitely one of those people who would choose a doll to create a more physical embodiment of a character I have held dear through written role-play and artwork for many years. It really forces a person to narrow down the field, especially if you're a nitpick or a perfectionist unwilling to give up just the right sculpt, face-up, wig, body etc. It's definitely easier, I think, if you are able to view many dolls at an age older than a teen (something I can't do with many companies short of Iple, Soom or Souldoll).

But it's really not just that streak of wanting to get a character just right. It definitely also depends very heavily on the bank account and other financial responsibilities. Even if I desperately want that doll with just the right sculpt, just the right build - if I have other things to handle (dental work, car payments, student loan payments etc.) then it just may not be able to happen. ANd oh, how eternally frustrating that is!

I'd say I'd sum it up to two things for me: pickiness and money. xD;

 

One person told me, "Just get the bjd that makes you happy!" That statment really stuck in my mind. She is right! If you have a bjd that is the ONE OR ONES for you then go and get them!!!!!X3 Of course, you have to make plans to not go crazy and starve yourself trying to get them. Just plan and save and everything should go well!!! X3 I have quite a few I am going to have at some point soon so just keep up that postivity!!! =D

 

I don't make character dolls (thank goodness), so my criteria for picking so far has been:

a) do I like how it looks?
b) do I like how it poses?
c) is it limited?
d) is it at a good, value for money price?

If it fulfilled all the above criteria, then I would have to consider,

- does the style look too different from my current collection?
- can I see a 'spark' of a character?
- would it fit into the current dynamics?

And finally, if I end up asking myself, hey, why are you asking so many questions, it means that I probably don't really like it enough to bring it home. Problem solved.

 

I'm still in that planning phase, actually..heh. I've been meticulously collecting URLs to all the online doll shops that I love...and after I feel like I've gotten a good amount to pick from, I think it'll end up being a mix of what my budget will allow, and what I REALLY want. THIS IS SO HARD!!

 

Some of my favourite dolls would take me god knows how long to save up for, so I tend to pass on these limited editions for other dolls in the meantime. As for the dolls I can afford, I simply buy the ones that I really love best out of that bunch, or if I think that there is a danger that they'll be discontinued.

 

So far I've only made myself a list of everything I want. When it comes to one of those "OMGLIMITEDNAOOOO" moments, I only have ONE doll I'd ever splurge for and disregard any other doll I was keeping those savings for. (which I pretty much stalk that page and scour everywhere for possible updates on the next release.)

But the way I'm doing it is, I'm getting the CHEAPEST doll first. That way I'll have it out of the way.
Next I'm going to attack the MOST EXPENSIVE one. (Which is about $600, this is also why I don't mind if I get the limited before him. Because the limited is under $500.)

And after that I'll just work my way around which ones I want the most.
How I'll do this is:
1) How long do I expect shipping to take, based on reviews? The longer it is, the least likely I'll get them first.
2) "I JUST WANT THEM. SO BAD."
3) If I will stay on track and buy them, instead of suddenly turning around and spending that money on another doll.

I will always hold the limited in priority though, over the other dolls. If he comes up while I'm saving for one of my dolls, you can bet I will click that "buy" button the second it appears!!

 

i try my hardest to save up money for my babies, it takes me months truthfully, and it's almost been a year since i received my DOT, jace. So hopefully, my planning works out that i'll be buying one every year around the same time. If everything works out.. x]

I dont own a credit card, or else i would have already ordered my doll for this year(:

 

Well first I go by the main story, what characters do I 'need'. Sometimes I get a doll for a character I need for my story, but they don't work out for the character, but I still love their sculpt, so I create another character around them. Then once I figure out all the dolls that fit into my initial story, I make a list of all the dolls I like the look of. Then I number them by importance, as in how much I really want them. Dolls for my story usually go on top. I try my best to limit myself, I promised myself 5 dolls and done, then 5 sds max and now it has come to 5 male sds max and who knows how long that's going to last? So far I'm trying to complete the dolls I already own before taking on anything else. It's all the doll companies' fault for making too many awesome dolls.

 

Sometimes it's quite hard, but i let myself some times to think about it, see what i'm going to do with the dolls, do i need to buy a lot fings for her or do i have already things for her...
But normaly i try to almost fall in love for the doll ;-)

 

Well I'm buying my first doll, well i guess I'm saving up for my first doll. And well I'm stuck between two dolls. DoD E-An or the Dollfie Dream Yukino. I'm not asking which doll you would perfer but rather how you chose your first doll. I couldnt find a thread about it so I posted it. Sorry if its a repeat THANKS!!!!

 

I recently returned to the doll thing, and I've made myself a rule that I'm only buying dolls that I can see - meaning second-hand or from dealers. There are so many LEs that look fantastic, but with no idea of how they really look it's always a risk (and an expensive risk at that). So while that does mean that there are some dolls I love that I'll never get, I'd rather have the regret of the one that got away than the regret of having spent the money and devoted the time to something that I don't actually like.

 

Well, I'm really picky, so my wishlist is pretty small...
I can actually look at a doll and see past the faceup and everyting. Mostly, I focus on the eyeshape, since this is where I am the most picky about. I don't want those "droopy" eyes some dolls have, I want me some fierce doll

After looking at the eyes, I look at the face as a whole. Do I like the lips? Is the nose nicely shaped? Do I find the proportions appealing? After that, not many dolls are left. Currently, besides waiting for my Jr.Delf Terra, I really want an Iplehouse Asa. Problem solved.

Vladthechopper, how I DID chose Terra as my first, that was easy since he imediately spoke to me. I saw him and knew I wanted him, no, NEEDED him. So, it was decided.
Just go with the doll that feels right. Don't overthink it, just look at them. One of them will make your heart pound more, and that is the one you should get. That's how I see it, at least.