Do you feel that ABJD's compensate for something you don't have IRL?

What an interesting question! I think all my dolls, both my BJD and my antique dolls, are like my children to me, as are my cats. I think I would've like to have a really big family, but after one child I had surgery & can't have anymore, and psychologically I suppose I've surrounded myself with surrogate children in the form of dolls and animals to play with, take care of, love. Looking at it another way, I am a writer, and my BJD especially are like my characters I write about to me, and I find myself thinking of putting them in stories, of adventures the might have...

 

I'm actually very glad somebody brought this up!!
I'm a very self-confident person, but even before I knew about dolls, I would fantasize about almost all the things you listed, beauty, sex appeal, vampires, etc.
I TRIED bringing the subject up with my boyfriend once, but I think it weirded him out quite a bit XD

That is very much true, for my case. When I first saw dolls through deviantART, like many other people, I was just AMAZED at the entire hobby and everything you can do with it. I really thought to myself, "Wow, what if real life was just that awesome, it would all be perfect, etc." So when I got my B&G Sapphira, I made him specifically how I pictured him to be. It didn't come overnight, that's for sure, but with time, he became, who I MYSELF dreamt of being. Immortal, beautiful, a great sense of fashion, and I just love the personality he has. (Kind of a bitchy person, has lots of sarcasm, but is still able to attract many people)
All in all, yes, I can sometimes see myself living through my doll, and If I could spend one day being him, I would do it in a heartbeat.

 

For me, yes. I've been planning a doll I've named Gabe since my friend showed me a BJD. Gabe, is the name Rachel gave me when I am feeling very male. Which is all the time. I am a short, too feminine to be a man(damn round face), too manly to be a girl(no curve :\), kind of awkward thing. Some people like the androgynous thing, but I hate being stuck in between.
I've been told I have the mind of a tall, muscular, goof ball kind of man. :\ So, this doll with be a way for me to express that part of myself, since I know I will never have it. It'll take a lot of work and I might have to learn how to sculpt if I ever want a truly broad shouldered, muscular body for him but it'll be worth it in the end for me.

 

I think that is quite possibly true. I know that I can't be an amazing Night elf with glowing eyes and long purple hair TT^TT

 

I realize that this topic hasn't been touched in a while, but I'll answer anyway. I don't have or want children. I do, however like dressing my neice and influencing her development. I do the same to my dolls. I don't think they compensate for children, since I don't think I'm missing out on anything. They do however let me have the fun of choosing their look and "behavior" without having to change diapers or drive them to school.

 

I was a sick child, often homebound , lived in a fantasy world with dolls, books and art, didnt feel deprived felt like I was different and special. I became intuitive & hypersensitized to the world around me, I could read people but even when I knew they had bad intentions I gave them a chance. Got hurt alot, grew tough, grew a cord of resilence and resistance to being taken down by those who felt stronger and thought to take advantage. Dolls were always there, good times, bad times an unchanging face a comfort, a strength, a reminder of the best we can be unselfish,true and honest.

 

My dolls definetely compensate for something I will never be able to have - my characters from my book.

It hurts a little when I remember that these characters which I know the insides and outs of, who I've been working on and developing for 5 years don't actually exist and are just figments of my imagination. Having them in Dollie form is one step closer to them being real, and even though they never will be, it's enough to satisfy.

 

They fill that part of my life that is happiness through material possesions

 

Hmmm..... I'm gonna have to say no. I really don't feel like my life is lacking in any shape, form, or fashion. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the most beautiful face in the crowd, or the most desirable, or famous, or skinniest, OR WHATEVER; but I like who I am and where my life has gone (it's not Donald Trump kind of life style, but it ain't the streets, so it's all good!).

BJDs for me is just adding another level to my other interest/hobbies that I love: anime, asian culture, and cosplay! My doll has basically become my mini model for experiments for myself and costumes I know I'd never fit to (why do characters have to be so skinny!! ) It's giving me another creative outlet, just in a smaller package! And while it is fun to make up some personality traits and at times "talk" to him, it's all in good fun! (and a great way to playfully scare my sister!! ) Though I guess a small part of this whole thing is karma and my childhood getting back at me for not allowing my younger self to play dolls then (I was busy with video games and karate), but hey; better late than never!

So in the grand scheme of things, this is just another quirk of fun to add to my resume of things that make me happy! So let's play!!

 

Perhaps in a way, but I'm not sure I would use the word 'compensate.'

My dolls, or rather, the characters I create or types I play tend to be reflections of myself - my passions, dreams, and bits of my personality, but they are overall different than I am - I find them to be far more interesting than I am (of course, since they're not real.)

Though I have a whole mess of body-image issues, I don't really find myself to be thinking of it in the way of 'I be/do/look like x, so my doll will experience/do it for me.' Instead, I find the characters I create for my dolls are kind of...role-models to me - they are inspirational.

I suppose I can say that maybe they compensate for me in that I wish I were taller, had blue or grey eyes, dress a certain style that I don't think I could pull off, etc, but I'm still not quite sure if I would use that word to describe how I feel personally.

 

I don't think I'm using my dolls to compensate for anything specifically. I realized recently that I don't really want children, but things I can name and dress up. They don't make noise, I don't have to feed them, it's...pretty much perfect for my self-centered way of living.

 

This is a good question ^^
I think it does, I am a self-proclaimed anti-social person, and that is what I really am
I don't have a loyal and permanent friends, I find't it hard to find one
but I have my dolls with me... constant companions, they will listen to you, and they will never betray you or something and you get to style and dress them, they can keep secrets and pose for you without complaints and plus, they are cute and hot

 

I feel pretty much the same as Marie Angelcakes

I have friends but none that are close friends. I think I collect these dolls because they fill the little void in my life of not being able to get close with other people. I've just always been somewhat anti-social. With these dolls they don't judge you like people do. And you can do whatever you want with them without them saying no!

 

Chibihaku pretty much took the words right out of my mouth. Too bad we can't turn our characters into a real people... though I do believe that would be much more expensive then dolls. XD

 

I don't think so... I just like collecting dolls and the good things I can do with them, specially photographing (and soon sewing, I hope!). For me the dolly hobby is just like any other modelism hobby: this is just a human replica category of modelism where I characterize and customize human replicas.

Plus, I just love them like the dolls they are and are meant to be, that's why could never be sad for the flesh and blood people they will never be and never were.

 

Yeah, sort of, in terms of style?

I like tomboy couture, like dressing up in checkered oversized button-ups over a wifebeater and baggy cargo pants and etcetera, except that as much as I'd like to adopt it as my fashion style, I can't quite pull it off cuz I have a pretty curvy figure and it doesn't look on me the way I'd like it to.

And although this may seem way over at the other end of the spectrum I also sorta like cute feminine dresses, except I can't pull those off either cuz I'm a tad too boisterous. Yeah I'm not even sure I have a style...

So in a way, my dolls are my fashion compensation, I s'pose.

 

I don't think my desire to own a bjd is from something lacking, infact more due to what I have had in my life!

I was an only child for 11 years and so spent alot of my development time playing by myself with my toys, which is where I think I find getting attached to inanimate things so easy.

Also I do have more than a slight fascination with miniature things. Despite being nowhere near ready for a child (i'm nearly 25) and in no way ready to settle down in that way before I've even lived! I still find myself unable to tear my eyes away from baby clothes and shoes if I go past them, simply because they are sooooo small and cute. This passion is especially prevailant with my love for miniature stationary, especially the japanese variety!!

I believe this fascination also stems from childhood when I went to my first museum and saw a full porcelain handpainted miniature tea set that belonged to the Queen. I remember this moment very vividly!!

I think it is the single-child-ness and museum memory that has sort of smushed together with my love for beautiful things and rping that makes my desire for a bjd so strong ^^

 

ya a lack of friends ppl who want to be around no matter how strange u are how different the doll is always going to be your friend no matter what

 

Yeah, especially if your doll demands that you buy him leather jackets and expensive boots - it's already expensive on the 1:3 scale, but that stuff gets REALLY expensive on the human scale. Spoiling a live boy can get $pendy. Especially if you have a taste for boys who have a taste for Fluevogs and New Rocks.

I can't complain, though; I already do spoil my real-live men in the same way, I like to dress them up, so it's no surprise my dolls are also shoe-whores (I couldn't help noticing this trend as soon as I started collecting!).

It isn't so much living vicariously to 'be' them, nor compensatiog for a lack of something, but rather a different expression of what I already do have. I think sxywhenwired described the phenomenon very well here:

 

Yes. That twin I've always wanted, whose hair and clothes I can mess with and then put them away in the cupboard when I'm done.