Doll Things or Dolls -- Ever Have A Dilemma?

I definitely know how it is to want more dolls but to want to spend money to get things for the dolls I have first. They need more clothes and such! I want to be saving for a body for my floating head... But my current whole dolls still need more clothes and he will just need clothes as soon as he gets a body! Such a dilemma.

 

Sometimes I think I like collecting doll things more than the dolls themselves. lol

But it's not a dilemma for me because I like that world of small and intricate. When I first came into this hobby it was like stepping into LaLa Land for me. Small, pretty Pretty clothes, sparkly eyes, beautiful, shiny wigs; all in an irresistible, miniature style!

To say I was in ecstasy is an understatement.

Though the only doll thing I buy even less than dolls are shoes. Those come last priority for me, like maybe twice a year, dunno why. xD

 

I have to cut down on the clothes and "things" I buy. It seems that all the dolls have a "default" outfit, as in what I put them in that just seems right. They might have an alternate outfit, or a holiday outfit, or a traveling outfit (in the case of my SD girl who usually wears a big Fer, if I am taking her someplace in a bag or on a plane I will box up the dress to take with me and she has jeans and a shirt) but that's pretty much it.

For me it's now all about putting the dolls in Dollheart clothing. Some of them have non-Dollheart defaults and I don't see that changing, but when I see the right outfit, I've got to have it.

 

Sometimes I think I should really spend more on things for the dolls I have instead of buying more.
It is actually worse now that I have fallen for some of the less expensive dolls. Before, all of the dolls I wanted costed so much more than the clothing, if I was saving for some clothes, I wasn't tempted to spend it on a doll instead. Now, if I save up $120 or so for a suit for one of my dolls, I am tempted to just save up another $30 and buy a Bobobie.

 

Have you ever had this thought (without acting on it)?
I've thought about it alot lately, but only in regards to furniture. Almost all of the doll furniture I've picked out is really expensive. It does come down to another doll or a piece of furniture or two.

Have you sold dolls to get money for doll things for your remaining dolls? Was it because of the aforementioned budgeting method, or because you felt that you shouldn't put 'new money' into the hobby?
I've never done this.

Is this a source of anxiety for you? In other words, is it a worry that comes up often? Or do you feel bad buying another doll when your existing dolls don't have as many things as you'd like?
I have many dolls to buy, so I wouldn't feel bad about getting a doll on my list over accessories.

Do you have a character doll who only has one outfit/look, and so therefore you don't feel as if you have to/want to get the doll more clothing items, etc.? Conversely, is your character doll a clotheshorse? XD Is it just that one, or is it all of them?
None of my dolls will be clothes horses. Many will have two outfits at most, and the starter outfit is usually something to keep them from being naked as I find or have the perfect outfit commissioned. I don't see the need to have a variety in wardrobe, only one or two stunning outfits each.

 

Stole the thoughts right out of my head. My clothing wish list on Iple just keeps growing...

 

Right now (and for the past year) all I have really wanted to do is get my dream dolly and spoil the hell out of her with tons of wigs and clothes! I love photography, and while having "the perfect outfit" can put a hold on the need for more clothes, I really like having a constantly growing variety so my photos stay fresh! I will eventually get another doll to spoil, once I find the right one and feel comfortable not spending anymore money (while I save) on my current doll.

 

I pretty much feel the same as bronzephoenix although this year I think I have the 'new doll' buying under controll. I did recently sell a doll body in order to buy a different doll parts I wanted. I did actually spend just as much on a full outfit for one of my dolls and it really changed my perspective.

I don't see myself buying multiple outfits for a single doll though and I think I am ready to explore sewing with a machine this year.

 

I've never sold a doll to get doll stuff and on the whole, buying an actual doll is the most exciting. That being said, outfitting everybody is important to and it's fun to get them stuff. I have some that don't care much about clothes and have less, and others that get their clothes changed more often and need more.

Over the past few years I've been working to phase out a lot of the the clothing that doesn't fit as well/lacks detail/is poor quality and replace it with nicer stuff--clothes that look like miniature human clothes rather than doll clothes. I have clothes and shoes for my girls that are on the way to me right now, and I can't wait to get it as I have two that are not really dressed appropriately for their characters do to lack of stuff and that bugs me.

 

It's funny I should come across this. I am stuck at a place that lies within your question. I don't know if I should save up and try and get an Elfdoll Twiggy Yumi and shower just her with things. Or if I should collect Mamachapp dolls and get them one outfit each. I am leaning more toward the mamachapp dolls just because they are more easily aquired financially. I know the Yumi would cost quite a bit all at once just to get her.

 

While I'm not new to the world of doll collecting, I am new to the BJD world. Up until December most of my dolls were in the range of 10" to 16" (adult fashion dolls and had very little articulation. However, I now have five BJDs that range in size from 23cm. to 46cm. and am fortunate that many of the clothes and miniatures I'd collected over the years work with these new dolls. I love all the "stuff" and have complete rooms for all my dolls. Of course I can't have it all out at one time, so much of it is relegated to boxes. But I tend to have one or two dolls that I enjoy and keep them out until I discover something new. I enjoy buying and making clothes for them and I know I have way too much, but it's so much fun to spoil them.

 

Have you ever had this thought (without acting on it)?
Yes. When I first got into the hobby I had $2,500 and bought two dolls and one outfit for each. I had thought about just getting the one and a lot of clothes and things, I now sometimes wish I had done that; I wouldn't have ended up so broke that way.

Have you sold dolls to get money for doll things for your remaining dolls?
Not quite. I have sold dolls to get money for future doll's things. I sold an MSD to buy Yo-SD clothes and wigs in hopes of getting a few Yos later in life.

Was it because of the aforementioned budgeting method, or because you felt that you shouldn't put 'new money' into the hobby?
Kind of both. I've told myself not to spend more than $5,000 on doll things, so far I've only spent half that amount and resold a lot of things to get my 'invested' money back. So I'm alright putting more money into the hobby until I hit that $5,000 point.

Is this a source of anxiety for you? In other words, is it a worry that comes up often?
Yes, it comes up every single day.

Or do you feel bad buying another doll when your existing dolls don't have as many things as you'd like?
I do after having tried it and finding out it didn't sit well with me.

For those without character dolls, are clothes and doll things the main reason why you got a doll in the first place?
I first got into dolls because I wanted an object of photography. I'd seen other people's beautiful dolls and beautiful photography and wanted to do it myself. Now I'm all about the clothes/wigs/shoes lol. I love dressing them up in different things and taking pictures more than I do having a collection of dolls.

 

Haha, I'm actually debating on whether or not I should save up to get another doll or more outfits. I'm probably going to go with outfits, though; it would be a bit boring to have only, say, 2 outfits for the doll I have just ordered. I'd get bored of her clothes quite easily~ ^^;

 

I'd prefer to have a variety of different clothes/wigs/eyes for my dolls instead of having more dolls, I think I'd get bored with only one of each.

 

No dilema here as when I can't afford a new doll I simply spend a little bit on clothes or accessories. The result is that my dolls have more things than they'll ever need. I absolutely love accessories as I like to display my dolls doing things. I also tend to go on binges looking for & buying certain things, like fans or purses or wigs or swords, etc. Eventually I'll feel like I have a nice selection of the item & I'll move onto something else. When I get a little cash ahead I buy a new doll. Since I try to stick to basically the same size of dolls there's always something here for them to wear & pose with when they arrive. And since they aren't preconceived characters they're open to a variety of looks until I really find their individual style.

While I've never sold a doll to buy doll "things" I do sometimes sell them to buy other dolls so I don't have to have a huge new outlay of cash to add to my family.

And no, this has never caused me any anxiety as it's seldom a case of either or. Like I said, the "extras" are purchased generally when I need a dolly fix but can't afford a doll itself. For me there's just as much satisfaction in finding something for the dolls as in buying an entire new doll.

 

I just started in on this hobby about six months ago. I needed to "build" my collection from the ground up since I moved, got married, and moved again and in the process reduced all my "stuff" to some pretty bare necessities. I needed to get a cabinet to house my dolls, tons of craft supplies, and loads of things for each doll. While they aren't very demanding characters (really they could do with just one good outfit each) I am still in the trial-and-error phase of seeing what fits. I have loads of leftover clothes that are simply too big for my girls and eyes that I cycled through before finding that perfect shade of green...

I see dolls that I want (Dikadoll Lola! MNF Shushu!Souldoll's Shiva!) but then I bought doll stands, undies from Dollmore (never realized that resin taco really DOES show up in pictures), a carry case for my little Resinsoul Mei, I've commissioned a few very expensive pieces here and there... It all adds up so quickly that I've spend just about as much on doll "stuff" as I have on the dolls themselves! As much as I want to expand my collection with a few cute girls, I have been trying really hard to stem those urges and be "responsible" about my dolly purchases.

Also, my husband is proud of me when I buy things for my dolls because it shows how engaged I am in them, but gives me a stern disapproving grumble or two when I talk about buying more dolls. I find the hobby is more fun with his support, even if he isn't engaged with the dolls themselves.

 

My crew all have at least three outfits each, except for my newest two, Rory and Tanith, who have two. They are all characters, but Tanith and Liath (my currently floating head) are my only two literary characters from stories I write. So I am searching for very specific wigs and eyes for them and I know exactly what they wear in my stories, though I'll make them modern clothes as well. The others sort of developed their own looks and they each have a default that is their character look. But I use them for clothes models so I change them out all the time. Most of them have at least two wigs that they look really good in and more than one set of eyes.

And some of them seem to be more demanding than others. Florian wants all new all the time and the best if you please, while Kestrel could care less. I know the "look" for most of them, but Nicolette still puzzles me from time to time-she seems to be very eclectic.

I would love to have new dolls, I have a very long wish list, but honestly it's a bit stressful getting a new one because I have to get them sorted out with at least one good outfit almost immediately.

 

For me, personally, I've been alternating between the two. It all depends on whose running GOs on the marketplace or whose selling what. Just recently I bought my fourth doll, and knew soon after I would have to purchase clothes as the variances between my current three plus this new one meant it would be impossible for them to share clothes anymore.

(My eventual plan is for each of them to have a multitude of outfits that suit their tastes.)

However I've mostly been keeping down on neccessity at the moment , as I'm trying to teach myself to make clothes for them, as well as work towards other dolls ^^ Once the crew is together it will be easier to work on wardrobes.

 

I already have a few dolls, but no stuff for them, but I don't really care, I guess I'll be buying when I have time (and money...). I'd rather have dolls, though. Doll things are easier to get and cheaper Besides, doing things yourself has a certain charm. And you can practice your abilities

 

I'm planning on buying my second doll sometime soon (I hope), and I am ok with having more dolls with less stuff because my girl now looks great in some things and aweful in others. Some things she just can not pull off it's just the way she is. I also don't have a problem when it comes to clothes because I can sew and much prefer making my own things because I know exactly how I want things and usually can't find things exactly that are how I want and don't like to wait.

At first I thought just one doll and lots of things but I have changed my mind.