Buying a new doll or Outfitting the one(s) you have?

I crossed all lines in this hobby long ago. When I have mad money, I buy whatever is my heart's desire of the moment.

 

The cut off for too many dolls is when you feel like you have too many dolls. There is no line. Spoiling the ones you have is the same thing. It doesn't really matter either way -- you should do what allows you to get the most enjoyment from the hobby.

For myself if I feel like I really need clothes and stuff for people, I will take some money out and do that first before buying a new doll. However, sometimes I feel very ready to bring someone new home -- and sometimes a really great deal or opportunity will come up that decides things for me. Right now I wouldn't get another mini sized doll without being able to at least get a new outfit with it, because my minis are a bit short on clothes. But I would have no problem bringing home another SD, since I feel like I have enough stuff to make the look nice.

 

Well I always jump at new dolls, but I could do with more things for my growing family. Do what will make you the most happy. You can always add little clothing when you have spare change and it is getting closer to xmas it will be here before you know it! I would start a list of what you want then se where your heart is leaning

 

In my house, 'dolly money' usually means a new dolly is coming home. Once in a while it means stuff for dolies come home instead (props, and supplies to work on them mostly, sometimes clothes) and most recently...meant a 1/6 sized doll and shoes for most of my 1/6 sized girls instead of any of the 1/4 sized dolls on my list. Mostly because I couldn't decide if I wanted to get shoes for everyone (including my 1/4 and 1/12 sized dolls) OR a new doll...so that was my compromise with myself. And I'm glad I went that way, as the 1/6 size I wanted was in stock at DDE, where I wanted to order the shoes from. If I'd gone just 1/4 sized doll, I'd have had to pre-order and wait...and if I'd gone just shoes, I'd have been ordering from 2-3 places to get some for everyone, which would have sucked for shipping charges.

So really...it depends on what I want most at the moment, I guess...or, really, more on whether or not I've promised the hubby the money will go for things FOR the dolls instead of a new one, since he gets tired of me bringing home new dolls, then complaining I don't have what I need to work on them.

As for lines on either...well...my current planned dolly list (who will all come home eventually) is BACK over 70 dolls long...so I rather obviously have NO issues at all with a house full of dolls (I also collect other, less expensive dolls, and have my grandmother's old porcelain and baby doll collection coming to me from an aunt that got them when she passed 10 years ago). And for things for them...Same thing. If you want more for them, and have the space, go for it! In the end, that's most likely to be my limiting factor...when I have so many dolls, and so much stuff for them, that I just can't fit in more without it going from a collection that all has space to be nicely displayed (with props, clothing, and supplies for the dolls put away in my craft room...or craft shed, depending on what I have space for in the end) to what would qualify as hording them instead, with stacks of boxes that you can't get into, have no idea what is actually in each box, and make living dangerous.

 

I'd buy the doll... You never know when the doll you want will be taken down for sale. Sure they might pop up on the MP, but maybe you want a new one? Or maybe would be a horrible markup. Unless I'd have a specific limited outfit in mine at the time, yeah. I'd buy the doll. I can buy clothes any old time.

Though of course if your previous dolls don't have any clothes at all, it might be a good idea to clothe them at least with one outfit each first.

 

I get 'dolly-overload' when I get over 8 dolls and I'm approaching that with the two floating heads I have - eek! (Arthur the ball-jointed-cat doesn't count ) So when I get extra money I prefer to spoil the dolls I already have. I feel that with a lot of dolls I spread myself a bit too thinly and I don't do as much with my dolls as I'd like, so spoiling them makes up for that.

 

I'm always on the 'buy the doll' side of things. Yes, that may mean I have dolls sitting around basically naked, but that can be fixed in time. Generally I have outfits laying around that they can be dressed in, until I have time/resources to get/make their proper outfit.

 

While this is obviously going to be different for every person, in the past I have definitely been a buy the doll first. As it has been pointed out, clothes can come later.

Right now however I'm at a point where I don't really need or even want a new doll (just right now, I'm sure that will change) and would probably buy some clothes. I'd really like a couple outfits for my minis...they usually get the shaft when it comes to clothes.

EDIT: I realized I didn't answer half the question^^; and I meant too...

I used to think a certain number of dolls was too many or just right or whatever, but I have gone way beyond my once great cut-off number...so now i have none. If I feel comfortable with the dolls I have then it's not too many XD
Just yesterday I was all "no new dolls for awhile!!" but last night I was seriously considering dollifying three characters I had previously not planned for...so now I'm looking at new sculpts :\
All three would be SD sized, which will blow my "no more SD sized dolls" rule I had recently made up out of the water....

As far as spoiling them goes, I have dolls with more clothes than I have, and I keep buying with those dolls in mind, while other dolls are still in the same outfit for days...months...a year or more. I play favorites a lot in my collection.

 

I've been chasing an SD for about a year but I can't seem to bring her home for one reason or another. But if I finally had the money for her, I think I'd prolly end up spending the money on having a custom outfit done for my MSD xD She gets all my attention and still would if I managed to bring home my SD dream.

 

I personally tend to buy more dolls than clothing for them. However, then there are many times I realize that the dolls I have currently have very little to wear

It depends on where your heart is at the moment. If you have been looking at a certain doll, then it may be the right decision for you to go that route. Good luck deciding!

 

I'm at the point where I would rather buy the doll when I come into the money to do it. I enjoy buying clothing and wigs and eyes here and there- but it's completely different when I have enough to buy one of the dolls I've been longing for. Plus, I like making clothing, and the place I buy fabric is pretty cheap (and awesome) so I don't have a problem waiting to buy the clothing.

 

It's really a personal decision. Back when I was first accumulating the core group of my collection pretty much all money went to the dolls themselves, with perhaps a pair of pants and a wig on the side. But that was mostly it.

However, as I collect my dolls on the basis of filling out a predetermined cast of characters, now that my favorites of those characters are now home, my buying of new dolls has slowed way down. Sure, I do have a few more on the wishlist and that I'm saving for, but as they're not limited I'm in no real hurry to acquire them, especially since now many of the dolls I do have at home are practically unfinished. So most of my extra play money goes toward proper clothing, face-ups, new wigs, etc. with just a little stashed away for the current twin fund.

 

If it were me i'd put it into my doll savings, my current wish list once i include everything i'm ordering with them from the company is rather expensive.

For me, i want to wrap up my resin doll collection. I WILL stop at 4 XD

 

If you wanted to spend it on something doll-related, I would suggest you spend it on the thing you really want. Do you want that Dollfie Dream, or would you prefer another doll on your list that's more expensive? In that case, I'd suggest you save that money, and save up for a doll you'd rather get. Spend it on what you'd want most. For me, the thing I'd want most would be the AS Kana head as well as face up supplies.

I think the line of over-spoiling is probably similar to being literally obsessed with your dolls. Like, you spend all of your time and money on doll things rather on things that you need. For example, you'd rather spend money on doll clothes/supplies than buy a new AC, even when everyone's walking around with fans complaining about how hot it is.

I think the decision that you have too many dolls is an individual one. No one can say "After five dolls, you have too many." There are a lot of people here who have more than five dolls and have no problems. I think it becomes too much when you can't find a place to put other things that you need.

 

Personally, if I get an unexpected windfall, I'll get the doll first, since outfits can always be bought later unless it's a limited outfit I want, in which case it depends on the situation on hand, do I want the doll more or the outfit/dolly stuff more? But even if I do get the doll first, I'd ensure that he would have at least one proper set of outfit to wear. That's because, frankly, I have a tendency to plan and get outfits in advance for my "future" dolls, since most are pre-planned characters, so now I have a bunch of prepared outfits but no dolls to wear them yet

Most of my dolls have at least one main set of outfit specifically prepared for their characters, though my only MSD has more than one set (I pretty much spoilt him since he is my first doll lol). I have a few additional outfits that belong to no one, but rather than thinking I am overspoiling them, I like to think that I'm being economical because most outfits are interchangeable if your dolls are of the same size (like tinies) so you can swap around anytime and anyone you like.

As for being over the limit with dolls (and outfits), I think that depends on your own personal preferences and circumstances. I've seen people with a shelf literally full of dolls and who still want more and some who are happy with only one or two. And there are people who want to play dress up with their dolls in many different ways and some who are content to just let their doll sit pretty in one outfit. I used to think I will have only 3-5 tinies, but this limit has since extend to 7 currently and I'm pretty sure it'll balloon to 9 one day. But if you are getting them at the expenses of your real life needs (like shelter and food, etc), then that's probably over the limit.

 

When do you have too many doll clothes? I estimate I could dress up 5 new dolls if not more in complete outfits that have been worn maybe twice (or once or not at all ) without my other dolls going naked. I went on a shopping spree the first few years in this hobby. A few shirts here, a few dresses there, some pants when ordering a new doll to save on shipping, oh, look! they are having a sale, might buy some clothes over there as well, etc.

I can spend money only once, so I'd go for what I want at the moment I have the money. Sometimes getting little things for my dolls makes me happy, sometimes it's getting expensive outfits (that may cost close to what a doll costs), sometimes it's getting a new doll, and sometimes it's hanging on to my money and save up for something I want, but don't have enough money for yet.