Choosing your doll's clothing....

What is the limit between overdressing and underdressing a doll, for you?
Mine is based solely on fashion, or the occasion. I usually take one of two or my kids somewhere with me if I'm going out (at least, if I don't feel they will hinder me in any sort of way). For example, if I'm taking them to meet someone, I dress them up nicely--if they're coming to me with the store or mall, a cute outfit based on the season is in order.

Regarding the first question, do you also take into consideration the doll's value, when buying it clothes?
To an extent. I know the dolls cost a lot of money--so I want them to LOOK their price. I'll either make or buy clothes for them, but I make sure its the best materials when I do. They don't have a LOT of clothes, but, all of them are NICE clothes.

Does owning the doll itself as a possession mean more to you than the way it's dressed?
I always try to give the kids nice things. They probably have a better jewelry collection than most of the women in the neighborhood ¦D

Planning a doll's outfit based on its given back story/character...?
I plan. One of my dolls refuses to wear "clothes"--but he can't go naked, either, so I have to find nice sashes and fabrics to fashion him a sort of toga (ethnic prints, usually). Another dresses in very fashionable city clothes--something you'd see in magazines. The other is very foppish, with frilly clothes and spring colors. Trying to dress them in anything else (even if it looks good) feels... awkward.

Does makeshift/sale clothes/generally dressing a doll in very cheap clothes count as doll mistreating/negligence to you? Or as owner-side-only gratification with the possession of the doll itself...
I think it all has to do with money, really. The dolls are expensive, and so are the clothes. My own dolls were all gifts, so I don't have the money to dress them as wonderfully as I would like to, so I can understand the makeshift/sales thing. But I try to save up and buy things at a time--clothes that I feel can be multi-purpose. The rest, I make myself. But, not everyone has the skills to make professional-looking threads.

 

What is the limit between overdressing and underdressing a doll, for you?
(are you influenced much by the money you would need to spend on an outfit, or are you more influenced by the look of the outfit itself - gowns, fur jackets, generally "pretentious" looks?)

I make all the clothes for my dolls and I make all sorts of things for them. So no.


Regarding the first question, do you also take into consideration the doll's value, when buying it clothes?
(example, buy more expensive clothing for more expensive dolls)

No. I've made Victorian outfits for everyone in my crew and they were all equally ornate, no matter the cost of the doll. In fact, my Sprite got the vintage embroidered lace!


Does owning the doll itself as a possession mean more to you than the way it's dressed?
(Of course nobody likes their doll to go around in its underwear, but does clothing lose its interest to you once you have the doll in your possession? Or on the contrary, once you get the doll you try to give it a good/very good outfit?)

I try to make several outfits for all of my dolls. Playing catch-up with my two newest ones right now-one has two outfits and the other only has one.

Planning a doll's outfit based on its given back story/character...?
(Yay or nay? Do you plan ahead, taking the trouble of trying to fit one piece of clothing from a site, another piece from another site, or you just go ahead and buy from a single company whatever you think looks "decent" and mix&match it then to fit the doll somehow?)

NA for me. Though I will say that I sometimes learn something about a doll's character by dressing it a certain way. For instance, Danica does NOT do Lolita. Or rather, she sulks if she is made to. The only doll I've ever considered getting a tattoo for.

Does makeshift/sale clothes/generally dressing a doll in very cheap clothes count as doll mistreating/negligence to you? Or as owner-side-only gratification with the possession of the doll itself...
(..which is afterwards dressed in the minimum necessary to keep it from being naked?)

No. Not everyone has a bottomless pocketbook/is a professional seamstress. What people do with their dolls is their own business. I enjoy a well-turned out doll though.

For persons who also have a particular OC/character assigned to a doll, does the way it is dressed influence your perception of your doll/OC?
(or it doesn't matter much, the doll-OC is the same no matter whether you dress it in a napkin or a ball gown?)

My dolls are who they are regardless of how they are dressed, with the acknowledgment that they might be wearing something that's not entirely in character for them at any given time. Sometimes, however, I have to defer to character. For instance, I am currently working up some casual summer/jeans outfits for our next meet-up. Short-sleeved shirts, shorts and the like. Florian informs me that he doesn't do any of the above. Stands to reason-he's a vampire!

 

What is the limit between overdressing and underdressing a doll, for you?
Overdressing seems like when you're practically unable to see or move the doll. Underdressing is if the doll has no clothing at all, except maybe underwear. I just want them to have at least one decent outfit.

Regarding the first question, do you also take into consideration the doll's value, when buying it clothes?
Not at all. I take into consideration the background and personality of my doll.

Does owning the doll itself as a possession mean more to you than the way it's dressed?
Not really, I don't need my doll to be in the most expensive outfits there are, but I'm no good with sewing, so I will not have her wear what I sew and didn't work out. An outfit can make or break a person, and a doll, too.

Planning a doll's outfit based on its given back story/character...?
I plan the doll's clothingstyle, and then buy things within that style that I like. For example, Lili needed a good pair of jeans, I couldn't find it. Eventually I commissioned someone for it because I just couldn't find good jeans, and Lili is a girl who wears jeans all the time.

Does makeshift/sale clothes/generally dressing a doll in very cheap clothes count as doll mistreating/negligence to you? Or as owner-side-only gratification with the possession of the doll itself...
mistreating or negligence, not neccessarily, but if the clothes don't look good and are badly made/dirty, then I would consider the option that this person doesn't actually care for the doll that much. But as long as clothes look good and are clean, I don't care about the price.

For persons who also have a particular OC/character assigned to a doll, does the way it is dressed influence your perception of your doll/OC?
N/A

 

What is the limit between overdressing and underdressing a doll, for you?
For me under/over dressing a doll would depend entirely on the character the doll was. Some are casual in general and stuffing them into a 3-piece suit or a tux would put me in mind of forcing a 10-year old boy into his "Sunday best suit" to go to the park when he'd rather be wearing a pair of cut-off jeans and out catching frogs. Other characters I have would be appalled at appearing anything less than perfectly turned out and dressing them down in say a pair of board shorts and a wife beater would be like dressing the queen in a stained mu-mu and flip flops for a state dinner. Things like that just aren't done.

Regarding the first question, do you also take into consideration the doll's value, when buying it clothes?
The price of the doll has zero relation to the price of the clothes they end up with in my doll world. I have seen a gorgeous outfit I'd love to buy and aside from it being on the pricey side, unfortunately none of my boys would wear it because it's not something their characters would wear.

Does owning the doll itself as a possession mean more to you than the way it's dressed?
No. All my dolls are character dolls and so the clothes that they wear is important to complete the overall look I'm trying to achieve.

Planning a doll's outfit based on its given back story/character...?
I make 98% of all my dolls clothes and what each wears depends on who/what their character is. Their clothes are made specifically to fit how they dress in story and according to the customs/culture they're from.

Haniel is fashion challenged so he wears bright, clashing patterns and thinks he looks cool. Kys is very fashion forward and wouldn't be caught dead in any of Haniel's clothes. Moswen is very traditional and insists on wearing only the traditional clothes of his people. Kijika favours the clothes of his mother's people or his military uniform but he'll wear other things under protest with long-suffering sighs. Jolen is a dancer so he either wears stage costumes, loose, comfortable clothes or sometimes formal wear when required.

Does makeshift/sale clothes/generally dressing a doll in very cheap clothes count as doll mistreating/negligence to you? Or as owner-side-only gratification with the possession of the doll itself...
Do whatever the heck you want with your doll. It is not a living thing and you cannot mistreat it.

For persons who also have a particular OC/character assigned to a doll, does the way it is dressed influence your perception of your doll/OC?
I'd say no to this in that the characters will always be who they are regardless of what they wear in my head. A certain style can solidify the character further, but even naked, they will be who I first saw them as on whatever company web site I initially saw the sculpt on.

 

What is the limit between overdressing and underdressing a doll, for you?
I don't really think there is a limit. Personally, I think that so long as the owner is happy with the clothes or the clothes match the doll's personality, that's all that matters.

Regarding the first question, do you also take into consideration the doll's value, when buying it clothes?
No, once again it all comes down to whether or not I like the outfit.

Does owning the doll itself as a possession mean more to you than the way it's dressed?
Clothes say a lot about a person's personality, and it's the same with dolls, so the clothes are definitely an important part of the doll.

Planning a doll's outfit based on its given back story/character...?
For me, buying from the same company would be easier, but I also want my dolls clothes to suit it's character, so that trouble is worth it.

Does makeshift/sale clothes/generally dressing a doll in very cheap clothes count as doll mistreating/negligence to you? Or as owner-side-only gratification with the possession of the doll itself...
No, negligence would be to throw it in a cupboard and leave it there. The dolls clothes all come down to the owner's choice. For all we know, the owner may not even be in the financial position to be able to afford more expensive clothes.

 

What is the limit between overdressing and underdressing a doll, for you?
Like others have mentioned, it't really about the style/cost of the clothes but the quality. In this sense, I don't really think there's overdressing, but underdressing could be that the doll has no clothes/only (poor quality) underwear/only a few (poor quality) clothing items. There are a few clothes though that I've considered overly cute and appropriate for the doll's character, but dismissed them because of the price. There's just so much I am willing to spend on a piece of fabric But I won't complain if somebody else got it for their doll.

Regarding the first question, do you also take into consideration the doll's value, when buying it clothes?
Not conciously, but I've noticed I look harder to get clothes for my Unoa than to my TGs half her price. Might also be because of her harder-to-find slim mini size though...

Does owning the doll itself as a possession mean more to you than the way it's dressed?
To me, the doll as a whole is the thing that matters. A blank naked doll doesn't mean as much to me than a fully clothed, face-upped doll with its correct wig and eyes. The clothes are to me just as important than that good face-up, brilliand eyes and a good quality wig in just the right color

Planning a doll's outfit based on its given back story/character...?
For my first doll I got him some clothes that were generally cute, but in the end I couldn't keep him wearing them for long. I just have to get each doll the clothes that fit their assigned character/personality. There's also a pretty strict color coding with each doll's clothes. Only black-white-pink-mint-purple for my Sweet and neither of the other two wear anything black.

Does makeshift/sale clothes/generally dressing a doll in very cheap clothes count as doll mistreating/negligence to you? Or as owner-side-only gratification with the possession of the doll itself...
I can't think of it as pure negligence. But I prefer dolls that are dressed in good clothes, I can't deny that.

 

Well, clothes. lol

What is the limit between overdressing and underdressing a doll, for you?
I usually buy by their looks (I have to like them, and I’m really grumpy and picky), then I see the price… Sometimes this is the worst method… ¬¬’ But I don’t buy tons of clothes, so I guess that’s ok…

Regarding the first question, do you also take into consideration the doll's value, when buying it clothes?
Nope, I believe they’re all the same after they arrive here at home, so they all get good quality clothes!

Does owning the doll itself as a possession mean more to you than the way it's dressed?
Not really, I believe it become a part of the doll, in a way that expresses a bit more about themselves even without people saying their qualities. And it deeply bother’s me when it’s cold and they are wearing summer clothes! Ah the agony! I change them to jeans and pants…

Planning a doll's outfit based on its given back story/character...?
Nay… My dolls have no past, so I see something that’ll look good, and matches their personality (something they’d like, maybe), and I buy! (Sometimes I try to make…) But I like to buy complete outfits, because they won’t be hanging around with only shirts on…

Does makeshift/sale clothes/generally dressing a doll in very cheap clothes count as doll mistreating/negligence to you? Or as owner-side-only gratification with the possession of the doll itself...
No, not at all. I believe owners shouldn’t be so sloppy, but who says cheap clothes aren’t great? I love cheap and old things for myself (so very comfy…), so why can’t the dolls wear them too? Why do people always make this association? Sometimes is on purpose, who are we to judge, right?

I only have two dolls which are very different from each other, but my opinion is (if they were alive and real) they should like the clothes they got, just as we do. And I do try sewing a lot for them, so not always some great stuff...

 

What is the limit between overdressing and underdressing a doll, for you?
As to the whole over-dressing/underdressing issue..Heh. I have my msd fully clothed right now, and on the other side of my shelf is my sd who's sans clothing. ..Who's been sans clothing for a few days now. The depressing part about that, it doesn't feel awkward. Or rather, it's awkward that it's not awkward.


Regarding the first question, do you also take into consideration the doll's value, when buying it clothes?
I tend to sew for my dolls. It's the wigs, eyes and shoes that're my downfall at the moment. It's not so much value, but more of a 'what works'.


Does owning the doll itself as a possession mean more to you than the way it's dressed?
I put more value in the doll than I do the clothing. I haven't actually bought much clothing for my dolls. For the most part, I've either sewn or the clothing was a christmas gift. Which is why my msd has so many clothing to actually pick from, heh.


Planning a doll's outfit based on its given back story/character...?
Verily yes. My Jay is cute in common fashion, but there's just something 'perfect' and complete when he's barefoot and in a yukata. It's the same way with wigs and eyes. He was cute in the pink and white tribble and green eyes, but he's 'complete' in his buttercup wig and blue eyes. It's the same way with my Isaiah. While he's more complete in board shorts and a shell necklace, ..well. Actually, he's awesome in anything. Heh.


Does makeshift/sale clothes/generally dressing a doll in very cheap clothes count as doll mistreating/negligence to you? Or as owner-side-only gratification with the possession of the doll itself...
I was broke after buying my first doll so I know I did some hurried sewing that I won't talk about so that the doll wouldn't be starkers. But cheap clothing doesn't mean crap clothing either.


For persons who also have a particular OC/character assigned to a doll, does the way it is dressed influence your perception of your doll/OC?
Uh. Sadly, god yes. I have one fiction character that I want in resin form, I don't see it in my future to put him in less then perfect clothing. No, really. His idea of 'relaxing' and dressing down is loosening his tie just a bit. If he's feeling rebellious, he'll unbutton the first button of his shirt. And on the other side of that coin, one other character looks like she's gotten into a fight with her closet and lost. Badly. >_>; But that's also a part of their character/personality. They wouldn't be who they are if they deviated too much.

..But I have been known to put poor Jay into a dress cause it's funny. Even though he develops sudden kicky legs and floppy syndrome.

 

What is the limit between overdressing and underdressing a doll, for you?
It's defined by the doll's personality and character. My budget does put on upper limits, of course, but most of my OCs are pretty casual dressers.

Regarding the first question, do you also take into consideration the doll's value, when buying it clothes?
I've never thought of that. Just what suits the doll.

Does owning the doll itself as a possession mean more to you than the way it's dressed?
I don't feel happy with the situation until the doll has something reasonably in-character to wear. Owning the doll is still more important, but it irritates me that I have two dolls with nothing in-character to wear, and one of them is a hard-to-shop-for size .

Planning a doll's outfit based on its given back story/character...?
I plan and search for whatever might seem to work. I need to commission more, though, because I'm losing patience with trying to make do instead of just getting exactly what I need.

Does makeshift/sale clothes/generally dressing a doll in very cheap clothes count as doll mistreating/negligence to you? Or as owner-side-only gratification with the possession of the doll itself...
Nope. It's up to the owner how they like to dress their doll. I don't leave mine naked, and lately I'm pickier about clothes, but "cheap" is awfully relative.

For persons who also have a particular OC/character assigned to a doll, does the way it is dressed influence your perception of your doll/OC?
Yes. I really enjoy when a wig/eye/clothing choice makes the doll truly look like the character. Those little moments of triumph are one of my favourite parts of BJD collecting! However, I always perceive the doll as the character. If he's in the wrong clothes, he's so-and-so in the wrong clothes.

 

What is the limit between overdressing and underdressing a doll, for you?

I guess I'm more influenced by the look of the clothes and if they fit the character they are intended for.


Regarding the first question, do you also take into consideration the doll's value, when buying it clothes?

No, it's not like the most expensive doll gets the most expensive clothes .
They all get clothes that just happen to fit their character.


Does owning the doll itself as a possession mean more to you than the way it's dressed?

Yes, the doll and it's face-up mean more to me than the clothes it wears. Though this does not mean that I would dress my dolls badly or in a shabby way.


Planning a doll's outfit based on its given back story/character...?

Yes, of course. All my dolls have their style and I shop from different sites to get them something that fits their style.


Does makeshift/sale clothes/generally dressing a doll in very cheap clothes count as doll mistreating/negligence to you? Or as owner-side-only gratification with the possession of the doll itself...

I don't see makeshift clothes as a form of negligence towards the doll, it's a perfect way to give the doll a couple of clothes until better or lets say more fitting ones will be available. However, I do think that pictures of dolls in makeshift/unfitting clothes do not belong into the gallery or to flickr or to DA. I think the photos there should require a minimum of esthetic sense which also requires decent clothes.


For persons who also have a particular OC/character assigned to a doll, does the way it is dressed influence your perception of your doll/OC?

Partly, though I have to tell that the face-up and the wig have a much greater influence on that.

 

What is the limit between overdressing and underdressing a doll, for you?
I'm not sure. It's all based on mood, I guess. On some days I just wear my PJs out, but on some days I go to school in complete cosplay. Why should my doll be different? Some days are for grunge, others are for being ostentacious.

Regarding the first question, do you also take into consideration the doll's value, when buying it clothes?
I sew all my costmes and doll clothes. I pick fabric based on how pretty it is and how it feels, so... No?

Does owning the doll itself as a possession mean more to you than the way it's dressed?
Nah! I love playing dress up! That's half the fun!

Planning a doll's outfit based on its given back story/character...?
Yes, I do this. Happily, a lot of my characters are just as happy to cosplay as I am (X3) so I can still pretty much make up whatever I want. But I do have specific outfits planned based on character and story.

Does makeshift/sale clothes/generally dressing a doll in very cheap clothes count as doll mistreating/negligence to you? Or as owner-side-only gratification with the possession of the doll itself...
I'm not really sure. Sometimes cheap clothes can actually look quite nice. Also, as long as the doll itself is not harmed, it really is up the owner to dress the doll as they see fit.

For persons who also have a particular OC/character assigned to a doll, does the way it is dressed influence your perception of your doll/OC?
Nope. Other way around. The doll changes the clothes, really. I just do the commissioned scut work. Also, since we've established the costume theme...

 

What is the limit between overdressing and underdressing a doll, for you?
Underdressing to me, would be underwear or nothing at all. I don't really think dolls can be "overdressed" as to me overdressed implies something akin to showing up at a BBQ in someones backyard dressed in excessively flashy high class gown and such. So it's a matter of owner intention really.

Regarding the first question, do you also take into consideration the doll's value, when buying it clothes?
No, actually for the few clothes i buy i just tend to buy what appeals to me for my dolls. I prefer honestly making clothes for them myself, that way i can guarantee that i pay for something that fits (in the sense of materials).

Does owning the doll itself as a possession mean more to you than the way it's dressed?
No actually, now that i have pacea home, the one thing i notice is that compared to other dolls in different sizes, she has much too little. My smaller dolls have TONS of things, from shoes, dresses, pants, and shirts, to furniture and in scale accessories and dishes etc. I do plan once my finances are a bit more open to buy her a few nice dresses and shoes, and some fabric and such to give her a fuller wardrobe.

Planning a doll's outfit based on its given back story/character...?
I tried this actually, before ordering her i imagined that she'd be given a very prim and proper personality. No i'm finding i think a slightly less refined but still noble personality suits her better. I think it's fine to plan ahead, just keep in mind the personality you imagined may change after your doll comes home :P

Does makeshift/sale clothes/generally dressing a doll in very cheap clothes count as doll mistreating/negligence to you? Or as owner-side-only gratification with the possession of the doll itself...
No, i don't think makeshift or on sale clothes count as mistreating your doll, some of the most creative doll clothes i've seen were made with what people could find around the house. To me, makeshift just says "i'm willing to get creative to make my doll not have to be nude model all day" XD

For persons who also have a particular OC/character assigned to a doll, does the way it is dressed influence your perception of your doll/OC?
I think this shouldn't -really- matter. At one point or another, most people are forced into something they wouldn't wear on any other occasion. (such as bridesmaids or important events that require a higher class attire). though napkin wouldn't be too good as clothes sense they rip easily and might give off an odd impression. That might be a teeeeeeeensy bit neglectful :P

 

This is a very interesting topic. I come from fashion doll background myself, where all the "pretentious" stuff as you put it is sort of given. My fashions dolls are all drowned in luxury, (faux) furs, silks and jewellery, so to be honest I'm looking for something else entirely what comes to ABJDs. For me, ABJDs are more like people in every way. They don't have so many occasions to dress up and they enjoy comfort over haute couture. However, I still want them to have wardrobes full of clothes like normal people and not having clothes to choose from is a definite sign of under dressing them.

For example, when my Elfdoll Yumi arrived I was having a holiday, so I made loads of clothes for her for different occasions: a school uniform, yukata for hanabi festival, kendo and cosplay outfits for her hobbies, underwear sets, casual jeans outfit and you name it. I also bought several pairs of shoes and some wigs, and she seems quite happy with it all. Yumi came with extra face plate, and the two faces boith have their own unique characters and wardrobes. However, when my Zaoll Muse/Supia hybrid Sasha was put together I didn't have free time in my hands so the poor thing has been wearing the same dull sock outfit that I made in a hurry to give her something to cover herself and it doesn't even suit her character. I feel so bad for her, but I simply don't have time to make her the clothing she deserves - especially since the DoA contests are taking up the little spear time I have.

So to answer the questions:

What is the limit between overdressing and underdressing a doll, for you?

It's not about money, but about having a wardrobe to choose from.

Regarding the first question, do you also take into consideration the doll's value, when buying it clothes?
(example, buy more expensive clothing for more expensive dolls)

Definitely not. I don't discriminate by price, it's the character that matters.

Does owning the doll itself as a possession mean more to you than the way it's dressed?
(Of course nobody likes their doll to go around in its underwear, but does clothing lose its interest to you once you have the doll in your possession? Or on the contrary, once you get the doll you try to give it a good/very good outfit?)

In a sense yes and I do like my dolls to hang out in their underwear as long as the lingerie is beautiful. Of course they should have other stuff to wear as well - but who doesn't hang out at home in mere undies when given the change?

Planning a doll's outfit based on its given back story/character...?
(Yay or nay? Do you plan ahead, taking the trouble of trying to fit one piece of clothing from a site, another piece from another site, or you just go ahead and buy from a single company whatever you think looks "decent" and mix&match it then to fit the doll somehow?)

Definitely yes. For me the character of the doll means everything, but I design and make all the clothes myself so no need to piece them together from websites.

Does makeshift/sale clothes/generally dressing a doll in very cheap clothes count as doll mistreating/negligence to you? Or as owner-side-only gratification with the possession of the doll itself...
(..which is afterwards dressed in the minimum necessary to keep it from being naked?)

No, if it suits dolls personality it's all fine. Besides, I would never judge the way other people dress their dolls.

For persons who also have a particular OC/character assigned to a doll, does the way it is dressed influence your perception of your doll/OC?
Of course one can dress a doll in a off character fashion but that gives me an uncomfortable feeling as if the doll wouldn't be happy with it (ok, that sounded creepy, ). Mainly, it's fun to dress each doll with their own style of clothes, especially if you have many dolls it's good that each one has their own personality. I don't think anyone in this hobby collects just expensive pieces of resin, do they?


​

 

What is the limit between overdressing and underdressing a doll, for you? (are you influenced much by the money you would need to spend on an outfit, or are you more influenced by the look of the outfit itself - gowns, fur jackets, generally "pretentious" looks?)
I think it is very much the same as for people. I dress my dolls according to the situation, pretty much the way I dress myself. I'd be a bit overdressed if I went to the sushi bar in an evening gown, and underdressed if I went to a ball in jeans I have formal and informal wear for all of my dolls, I tend not to dress them in overly formal clothes at home, and save their best outfits for meets.

Regarding the first question, do you also take into consideration the doll's value, when buying it clothes? (example, buy more expensive clothing for more expensive dolls)
Yes, in a way. My only boy is a Volks LE and for some reason I started off only buying him Volks clothing, so that tradition has continued. I would rather pay for a single expensive, high-quality outfit than cheaper outfits of uncertain quality. I like my dolls' clothes to last.

Does owning the doll itself as a possession mean more to you than the way it's dressed? (Of course nobody likes their doll to go around in its underwear, but does clothing lose its interest to you once you have the doll in your possession? Or on the contrary, once you get the doll you try to give it a good/very good outfit?)
Once I get a new doll, the clothes are the next important step. I love acquiring a new wardrobe for each doll almost as much as collecting the dolls themselves!

Planning a doll's outfit based on its given back story/character...? (Yay or nay? Do you plan ahead, taking the trouble of trying to fit one piece of clothing from a site, another piece from another site, or you just go ahead and buy from a single company whatever you think looks "decent" and mix&match it then to fit the doll somehow?)
I do think ahead and I wouldn't dress a doll in something that would be out of character for them.

Does makeshift/sale clothes/generally dressing a doll in very cheap clothes count as doll mistreating/negligence to you? Or as owner-side-only gratification with the possession of the doll itself... (..which is afterwards dressed in the minimum necessary to keep it from being naked?)
I don't think it's mistreating a doll, but I do think that it's nicer to dress expensive dolls in pleasant clothes. But each to their own, I say.
I do find I enjoy pictures of dolls in properly fitted outfits more than pictures of dolls in more rudimentary outfits, but that's mainly because I love appropriately scaled outfits and I appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into making them. Even if I didn't collect dolls, I think I'd still love the outfits I've always been fascinated by miniatures, so I love the attention to detail of companies like Dollheart and Volks and also of independent seamstresses like theHappiestPrincess.

For persons who also have a particular OC/character assigned to a doll, does the way it is dressed influence your perception of your doll/OC? (or it doesn't matter much, the doll-OC is the same no matter whether you dress it in a napkin or a ball gown?)
Not especially since the clothes I pick for my dolls are in character for them.

 

What is the limit between overdressing and underdressing a doll, for you?
No limit really. I like to dress my dolls to go with the seasons. Sometimes less fancy, sometimes more. I do tend to overdress my dolls in frilly clothes at time since I can't wear stuff like that without looking very out of place.

Regarding the first question, do you also take into consideration the doll's value, when buying it clothes?
What matters the most is that the clothing is well made and won't fall apart after a few uses. One of my favourite doll dresses was only $25 which is what my most expensive doll, a Volks girl, usually wears. Picture

Does owning the doll itself as a possession mean more to you than the way it's dressed?
The clothing is almost as important. I like clothes, fashion, and my own sense of style, so I really love finding clothes for my dolls that suit my taste.

Does makeshift/sale clothes/generally dressing a doll in very cheap clothes count as doll mistreating/negligence to you? Or as owner-side-only gratification with the possession of the doll itself...
Again, that clothes are inexpensive doesn't matter. What does matter is that a piece is well made. Yes, I do think it's ridiculous to spend hundreds of dollars or more and not make sure that it has clothes that look decent. By decent I mean, something that looks nice enough for a person to wear and still look presentable, be it jeans and a t-shirt or an exquisite dress. It's not really "mistreating" but I do think that poorly made clothes look a little tacky.

For persons who also have a particular OC/character assigned to a doll, does the way it is dressed influence your perception of your doll/OC?
Yes it does. Clothes can say a bit about a person's character, so why wouldn't the same apply for dolls?

 

What is the limit between overdressing and underdressing a doll, for you?
(are you influenced much by the money you would need to spend on an outfit, or are you more influenced by the look of the outfit itself - gowns, fur jackets, generally "pretentious" looks?)
. . . These seem like two entirely different questions to me.
I'm imagining a doll wearing layer upon layer of clothing and accessories everywhere as being overdressed. And underdressed would be practically just their underwears, if that.
As for what I'm influenced by... just anything that looks good. But, I have to say, I'm not going to buy some crazy expensive shirt/jacket/pants/whatever no matter how good it looks.

Regarding the first question, do you also take into consideration the doll's value, when buying it clothes?
(example, buy more expensive clothing for more expensive dolls)
No...

Does owning the doll itself as a possession mean more to you than the way it's dressed?
(Of course nobody likes their doll to go around in its underwear, but does clothing lose its interest to you once you have the doll in your possession? Or on the contrary, once you get the doll you try to give it a good/very good outfit?)
Whenever I'm able to buy my first BJD I will be so... elated, but I will also buy it some items to really show it off. More than likely they won't be expensive, but, dang it, they will look awesome!

Planning a doll's outfit based on its given back story/character...?
(Yay or nay? Do you plan ahead, taking the trouble of trying to fit one piece of clothing from a site, another piece from another site, or you just go ahead and buy from a single company whatever you think looks "decent" and mix&match it then to fit the doll somehow?)
Hmmm... I haven't thought of a story for my future BJD, but I'll probably buy clothes from multiple sites that I think will look good.

Does makeshift/sale clothes/generally dressing a doll in very cheap clothes count as doll mistreating/negligence to you? Or as owner-side-only gratification with the possession of the doll itself...
(..which is afterwards dressed in the minimum necessary to keep it from being naked?) I don't think dressing a doll in cheap clothes can be considered mistreatment at all... Leaving them in the sun for long periods of time, not washing off marks, and all that jazz would, though.

 

What is the limit between overdressing and underdressing a doll, for you?
I honestly don't care what owners do when it comes to dressing up their dolls, but I do feel that dressing your doll in elaborate, expensive outfits doesn't necessarily make it better.

Regarding the first question, do you also take into consideration the doll's value, when buying it clothes?
Bah no. I just find stuff that looks good. XD

Does owning the doll itself as a possession mean more to you than the way it's dressed?
Guh, I bought an outfit with my boy, because the thought of having him naked for a period of time just disturbed me. I find what the dolls wears sorta reflects how well you take care of your doll (of course I said 'sorta' so it's not always the case)

Planning a doll's outfit based on its given back story/character...?
This was something I did start off with when I got my doll, but now, I just like to find cool clothes to dress him with. He doesn't really have much of a backstory anymore. He's just my cool boy! XD

Does makeshift/sale clothes/generally dressing a doll in very cheap clothes count as doll mistreating/negligence to you? Or as owner-side-only gratification with the possession of the doll itself...
Well I find dressing them in the cheapest clothes you can find is a bit eh (and it'll end up looking fairly boring), but that doesn't mean that simple outfits can't look good. I always kept my boy's wardrobe simple, and so far it still makes him interesting.

For persons who also have a particular OC/character assigned to a doll, does the way it is dressed influence your perception of your doll/OC?
Not really. I don't really have a set character for my doll anymore, so he's pretty much a way to direct my fashion tastes somewhere (since it never looks good on my rotfl).

 

What is the limit between overdressing and underdressing a doll, for you?
I like to knit and crochet for my dolls and love the quality of a nice knitted piece like from feltland e.g. But whenever I see dolls dressed in some knitted things I would never put on my dolls (because of the quality or the colour) I feel kind of - I don't know - ashamed because to me it looks like the art of knitting is offended by this or it looks like 200 years old. I know this might sound stupid because I knit myself but that's just the way I fell about.
I think there can't hardly be any overdressing. For me a victorian dress with lots of layers and ruffles would be too much but I enjoy seeing other dolls in it when the owner thinks that these are the perfect clothes for his or her dolls.


Regarding the first question, do you also take into consideration the doll's value, when buying it clothes?
No. I buy some less expensive things as well for an expensive doll. In fact "sale" is my favourite word when searching on etsy or ebay.


Does owning the doll itself as a possession mean more to you than the way it's dressed?
No. I enjoy taking pictures and looking at my doll for hours and it makes me happier if they are dressed well while I'm starring at them. I makes me proud to think "Well, it took my 4 hours but this sweater fits her really well" or "This outfit brings out her character, the top was a good choice" - I think without pretty clothes it would only be half of the fun.


Planning a doll's outfit based on its given back story/character...?
A little. The first time I take a look at my new doll I get an idea about their character and behaviour and I try to support this by buying clothes in that style. But I like to keep this as wide open as possible. For example a naughty character gets darker colours and some skull prints but I wouldn't buy that pink-ish dress I guess.


Does makeshift/sale clothes/generally dressing a doll in very cheap clothes count as doll mistreating/negligence to you? Or as owner-side-only gratification with the possession of the doll itself...
I don't think that this is a sign for doll mistreating. Considering the fact that some (or most) of the dolls are very expensive I think it's fair to grab some sale clothes for them to get the money account in the balance again. Sale musn't neccesarily mean "cheap" or "of low quality". There are very expensive clothes available that I would never dress a doll in - simply because I don't like the style.


For persons who also have a particular OC/character assigned to a doll, does the way it is dressed influence your perception of your doll/OC?
No, I don't think so.

 

What is the limit between overdressing and underdressing a doll, for you?
For me, an underdressed doll is an undressed doll. I only have two shirts and one pair of pants for my boy so far. I can't afford anything else and haven't had time to make anything. It doesn't bother me, though - He's got jeans and a short-sleeved shirt he's been wearing for three months, and I'm perfectly content with that. Sure, I'd like to have fancier stuff for him, but I like what he's wearing just fine, so why hurry?

That said, if I had really fancy outfits for him, I'd probably spend less time playing with him for fear of mussing his outfit. The fancier the outfit, the more I'd feel like it was meant for display, rather than playing with.

Regarding the first question, do you also take into consideration the doll's value, when buying it clothes?
Not at all. The doll's value, as odd as it may sound, is meaningless. What really counts is how I feel about him, right? Sure, I'd like him to have nice, quality outfits, but price doesn't always equal quality.

Does owning the doll itself as a possession mean more to you than the way it's dressed?
Yes and no. I have a distinct 'style' in mind for him that I haven't attained yet, but I'm working toward it. Until I get there, he feels like a work in progress, but the getting doll himself is a much bigger milestone than the outfits. So obviously, just having him is more important than a bunch of fancy outfits for him.

Planning a doll's outfit based on its given back story/character...?
Yep. His style was already in mind because he already had an existing character to be modeled after. It'd just figure that I can't seem to find ANYTHING that works for him, at least, not in his size.

Does makeshift/sale clothes/generally dressing a doll in very cheap clothes count as doll mistreating/negligence to you? Or as owner-side-only gratification with the possession of the doll itself...
Mine's in makeshift clothing right now. If the owner is happy with it, then why should it matter how the doll is dressed? There's plenty of dolls that I see on the forum, take a look at their outfit and think 'Blech.' But it's not my doll, so it isn't my call, and I know not everyone who gets into the hobby is skilled enough at sewing to make beautiful makeshift/cheap clothes from the get-go.

For persons who also have a particular OC/character assigned to a doll, does the way it is dressed influence your perception of your doll/OC?
It does somewhat... that is, if I'm given the impression that what I'm seeing is the doll's final intended look. Of course, it can be both a good and bad thing! If a character is meant to be an raggedy orphan, clearly, the cheap/modest/makeshift clothing works great. If I saw a doll in the same outfit with a commentary on how wealthy their character was supposed to be, though, I'd prolly just think, wut?
Likewise, I'd probably not think too much of an OC who was supposed to be a legendary knight, when the only pics I ever see of them are shirtless in jeans. Having a complete image to portray the story of the character does speak a lot to me.

 

For me the doll HAS to look nice. If i spent that much money on it i'm not going to dress it in crap. That being said, I don't think the clothes have to be expensive to look good. And if the doll's character requires clothes that aren't the best, that is okay too (just as long as those grungy clothes are apealingly draped :P)