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Buying Things For A Doll You Don't Have.

Jun 24, 2011

    1. (MODS: Please move this if its in the wrong spot. Thank you.)

      So this little question popped into my mind when I was at a recent Anime Convention. I was walking through the dealers room, and found a stall that was selling shirts and other goodies for dolls. I picked up a shirt and was looking at it, and I have to say that I've never really had any hands on experience with a doll or their clothing, so I was happy just to look at the shirt.
      I called over my friends to show them the shirt, their immediate reaction wasn't what I was hoping for. They pretty much told me to put it down, and stop looking at things for a doll that I don't have yet.
      So I was just wondering what peoples take on it is? I know I'm getting one, but are there others out there that have items for a doll they don't have yet?
       
    2. I don't see anything wrong with it. In fact, I generally think it can be a good motivation tactic to have one item for a doll you're saving up for. Looking at it is like an extra push to continue saving. I don't think it's necessary to buy a whole ton of things, but one or two items is okay~

      I've done this before as well. Before I bought my MNF, I bought a hoodie his size months before as motivation. I also recently bought an outfit for a doll that I don't have yet, and it won't fit anybody else here, so it's double motivation to keep saving.
       
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    3. I don't understand why your friends would say that. You're capable of making decisions for yourself right? :)

      Seriously though, I've bought things for dolls that I don't have yet. If I intend to buy a doll at some point I'll start buying clothes for them, particularly if they're going to come nude as I want to be able to dress them when they arrive.

      Also sometimes you find that whatever the item is, it can be used for other dolls that you hadn't thought of at the time.

      I bought a few dresses for my Lati Yellow before she came. I've since ordered a Pukifee (that is being held hostage by Canada Post at the moment) and she'll be able to share the items which is really nice.

      I've also ordered MSD shoes (also being held hostage by Canada Post) and I don't have an MSD doll nor have I ordered one yet. ;)
       
    4. That was a bit rude of your friends, there's no harm in looking at things if you haven't got a doll yet, how else are you to get ideas and find what you like? O_o
      Before I even ordered my first doll I had bought 3 pairs of msd shoes :D I knew I was saving for a doll that size and when they arrived it gave me a rough idea of measurement since I'd never seen a bjd in person. Having them helped to spur my saving and made me more determined to order ^_^
       
    5. If it is for a doll you have on order or one you are going to buy very soon, I would actually say that it is smart to have some clothes and other stuff like eyes and wigs ready for when your doll gets home.
      If it's for a doll you may possibly buy in the future, I'd say it's better to wait. Plans change and must have dolls come and go. You may end up with stuff for a doll you may never get.
       
    6. I would be inclined to agree with Muisje - with new sculpts coming out so regularly, it's easy to have a change of heart and find that your previously plans are no longer applicable / need to be pushed back. I find it is always best to wait until your doll is on order before buying a lot of extras for it.
      Plus, shopping for clothes / wigs / etc is a fun way to fill in time while you wait for your doll to ship!
       
    7. I have bought a piece of jewellery for a doll I haven't even ordered yet. I'm seriously considering buying her two wigs. I mean, what if the doll finally gets here and those perfect wigs aren't available anymore? What will I doooooo? XD

      I'm not even sure why she would need two wigs. It's just that they are both lovely.

      And my first doll hasn't even arrived yet. I feel a little bit loony right now. Dolls have taken over my life.
       
    8. That's what I was thinking as well, it would motivate me to save even more, when its so hard! I'm just glade that I'm not alone in this. To be honest I felt really silly after they told be to put it down. They aren't into dolls like I am, so it was an awkward moment.
       
    9. I agree with you and Muisje, but I've been waiting for years to find the right doll for myself and I finally found him. So I don't think I would change my mind so easily. But I understand the thinking in it and I can see it would be a problem if I bought something and then decided that I wasn't going to get a doll, or changed the one I wanted.
       
    10. Honestly I'm with your friends though not so bluntly. I am in 2 weeks going to put a layaway down on a doll I want (hopefully) I had my heart settled for the longest time on an MSD but my husband was listening to me being critical about the body and convinced me the chase the body I want regardless of size. So I am looking at an SD that is exactly what I want but I dread changing my mind once more. So .. here is to hoping that either the GO I am looking at is open for another 2 weeks or that when I spend the money on the items the doll that comes in the box won't be an MSD lol.

      But if you are seriously close to the doll you want? Go for it. Give the dearest a different pair of undies for every outfit and shoes for every day of the week. I'm with others in that aspect. Welcome your doll to your home with open arms and clothes for it's bare bottom. Unless you plan on buying a set hah!

      *looks around some more* is the hubby's paycheck here to blow yet!? /twitch
       
    11. I've been looking at clothes for a doll I haven't ordered yet. xwx;; I decided not to buy them until I order him, pretty much for the reasons Muisje said. If I change my mind, I will have clothes & a wig for a doll that won't be any good to me.

      But if you're sure you're getting that doll, then I'd say it's fine. Buying things for a doll you've already ordered is a good thing too. That way you're prepared when they get there. c:
       
    12. Your friends shouldn't have been so negative. I would have probably told you that you were taking a risk, but if you want to buy it, buy it.

      At the same time, I would not buy something for a doll I don't have yet. I must warn you that I did go against my own rule and bought some stuff for my incoming BBB Apollo - and it's kind of a race to see which will arrive first: doll or clothes (praying it's clothes, because this week is the worst week to try and sew something. I'm getting feedback that I might need to stuff the shoes I bought... I am hoping the shirts and pants I bought don't sag too badly (if at all, as the pants have a belt).

      As I said though, I really hope his clothes get here before he does, because I don't want to show anyone a naked boy doll. And I can't sew anything because I'll be super busy all week...

      So (after my little rant) my suggestion is that you know your doll's measurements; if not from the company, from someone who owns the same doll. If you go to a con, or some place that might have doll clothes for sale, keep those measurements - maybe carry a tape measure, too) so that you can measure the clothes to see if they're going to be too big or too small, or doable. You should have measurements for the arms, the widest part of the chest, the waist, the shoulder to waist, the hips, and the inseam. Also keep your doll's foot measurements (length, and width).

      Also ask yourself if you're willing to try to take in, or let out, or stuff (as is the case with shoes) the clothes if they need to be altered. If something's too big, or too long, it might look frumpy. If it's too small, then it might not even fit. Stuff that doesn't fit, you're most likely not going to be able to use, because there probably isn't enough fabric to let it out.

      If you're not able to alter a garment, you might need to sell it, or give it to someone who has a doll that fits it.

      Lastly (which might be more important than all of the above) know that you are buying this doll; like, you have paid for the doll, and you're waiting for it to be shipped. Not still in the saving process. A lot of people have been focused on buying a certain doll, only to find out that there's another doll on the market that just came out, or they've never noticed, and decide to buy that one instead. And in the time you're buying for that doll (which might be a whole different size or gender) you might decide you don't want the one you were originally after. So what are you going to do with something that might not fit anywhere in your plans?

      As I said, this is why I am not comfortable buying (or sewing) for a doll that I can not physically measure, or apply a pattern to in-person. Unfortunately, I have to buy things for this doll before he gets here, because he's a boy - and like I said, it's going to be a bit of a race to see which gets here first.

      Who knows? Maybe I'll luck out and they'll come at the same time?
       
    13. I dont think its bad at all. I have a LOT of clothes, shoes, and accessories that I've been ordering and my girl isn't even here yet. They're all folded up on my dolly shelf and I love to look at them and get excited about her arriving! ^^
       
    14. I do it all the time :sweat
      I just figured that you can sell them on the MP for the same if not a bit less if you ever change your mind about what you want your doll to wear or have a change in dolly plans.
       
    15. I guess technically I own two dolls but they aren't home yet. I don't know if that counts toward this thread...

      Anyways, after my dollie purchase I started saving carts at dollie marts. Even though I don't know how their bodies are going to be I'm still jumping ahead and getting wigs and shoes and such. Hopefully it all fits once the dollies get here.
       
    16. I was super excited and dead set on getting a puki for my first doll, so I went ahead and bought him some wigs and eyes. :) I was supposed to wait for the FL summer event to buy the actual doll/s, but as it turns out there prob won't be a summer event this year. So I started looking around other sizes and suddenly found myself enamored with a SD sized sculpt. I'm now expecting my first SD in 2-3 weeks and those puki sized wigs any day now, lol. :D

      I don't regret the puki purchases at all, since I'm going to get my tiny eventually (when FL has it's next event). But having those extra 8mm eyes lying around made me wary of random purchases and I haven't bought much stuff for this incoming SD. I realized that you can blow a lot of money on random nicknacks that might not fit the doll or the image you decide to create for your doll. ^^' That's actually one of the things that bother me in online shopping.. Not being able to try out diff wigs or eyes in real life before buying them. Most people seem to go with some kind of trial and error mentality when finishing their dolls, but I don't like the idea of buying and selling a lot of wigs while trying to find the perfect one.

      I decided to wait until my boy is here to see what he's like (and what colour eyes the company sends me as a default + the random freeby wig and shoes I get from their summer event), since even tho I have clothes designed for him I haven't been able to decide much else. I might regret my decision not to order wigs/eyes beforehand when I have to stare a bald, naked doll for weeks before those arrive.. But as I'm also suddenly scared that I might not be able bond with an SD sized doll (when I originally got into bjd's by finding the tinies), it sounded like a good idea to keep the more unthought purchases to a minimum. Plans change.

      But hey, if you're sure of the general size at least, go ahead and make some happy, safe shopping (stuff that are more universal to the dollsize you want, like carrier bags/stands/socks/undies/accessories/MSC). And it's comforting that if you end up buying a doll from a diff size category than you originally thought, you can always sell the extra stuff. :)
       
    17. As long as you get the right size and everything, I don't see anything wrong with it - after all, it's just being prepared for the arrival of the doll. It's also a bit of encouragement during the long wait!
       
    18. Me and everyone I know do this haha xD
      I guess it's part of the anticipation process ;) You just have to pay attention that the items are the right size, apart from that, go for it! =) I am sure it will make your doll-buying experience even better :)
       
    19. I really think it depends. If you're the type of person distracted by shiny and are prone to changing your mind on what doll you want (ie: you're me) then buying items for a doll you have yet to purchase would probably be a bad idea. I myself have run the gamut scale and size wise in what I *was* sure would be my first doll so many times now that I'm very glad I just bookmark things I like. But if you *know* and it motivates you, all the more power. I know people wanting/trying to lose weight will buy clothes a size smaller as motivation, and to me this reminds me of that - a tiny reminder of what you're working for, which is great if that kind of thing works for you. Me, I'd be stuck with a pair of too small jeans I'd never wear.
       
    20. I bought a doll sized couch from goodwill and decided that it was destiny and that I should definitely order a doll. Also you may choose to order a nude doll, so you will need clothes before hand.