Dolls and Malls. Take um or not?

mall's cursed

 

I take my boy with me to the mall, not all the time but sometimes if I'm shopping alone or with a fellow doll lover. I don't really shop till I drop so at most I'll have my purse, and one or two other bags so he doesn't get in the way when I'm shopping either. As for kids I've only had them ask if they can hold him and if they can have him. o.o" yeah...lol Bringing him has also gotten me into some very nice discussions with people, and gotten my boy some very nice comments.

 

I've taken my dolls to the mall but I usually bring a large bag so if I do get bored hauling them around in my arms they can freak out people by peering out of it. I actually go out shopping with my SDs on a regular basis looking for furniture and other things that are scale for them.

 

I did once, but I got too paranoid with myself even with a carrying case that I might break her. So I never bothered again, I probably would bring a doll out again if it was for a meetup or something.

 

Well, speaking of dolls and malls, I just had a lovely trip to the Miyako and Kintetsu malls (and Kinokuniya building) in San Francisco with Some Say Wise and her doll, and we had a nice time with no problems. No rude stares, a nice compliment, and me on hand to doll-sit while she went for food, and help with setting up photographs, so that cut down on hassle.

Japantown tends to not be overly crowded (it's not as big a tourist thing as Chinatown, and the times we've been it's been very relaxed. Cherry Blossom festival brings a crowd, but when there's nothing big going on, the pace is really nice, and there are sometimes groups of cosplayers and such, and a model shop that carries MSC, so people in those malls don't really have a big reaction to a couple of people carrying a doll around.

=^__^=
Anneko

 

I would if there's a doll meeting or for private gallery, but if nothing then "no" cuz I know how many people will stared and want to take him/her.

 

Stay away from malls. Fluorescent lighting is awful for photos, and people are jerks.

 

I am not a fan of bringin' my doll to the mall unless I specifically needed to. I already have to tote around quite a bit of stuff (A white cane already takes up a hand!) so unless there will be a doll meet, I don't see the point.

 

Maybe a bit off topic but my friends brought two or three to the Christmas One of a Kind Show in Toronto and it was a great hit with vendors and shoppers. Everyone wanted to know where they could get one and stuff but it was a pain only that it dragged us behind.

 

To be honest, I think it really depends on the doll owners comfort, and what your there for. I always have Shiko on me (my little Skoll) in my bag, be it shopping, work or other wise, protected by his little carrying pouch.

Larger dolls i can see being a bit more hindering when your trying to get around a crowded place. But if you've planned to go with them and you get frusterated its your own fault really for not planning out your shopping trip more accordingly .

I mean if you've planned to do mountains of shopping, its probably not a good idea playing the balancing act between your doll (in a case or otherwise) and your parcels, especially if your with friends who arnt in the hobby and dont like to doll sit. In that sense...yes i can see why it would be an instant NO to bringing them, but thats common sense and a choice for the doll owner to make.

If you dont like being stopped by random people to ask questions about it, if you dont like people staring, if you get easily frusterated by peoples asking 'how much was it' or other such things its probably not a good idea. Especially if your already irritable in crowded malls ^^;;

Personally, like i said i've always got shiko on me. The only time i leave him home is when the weather looks like its going to turn sour and i know ill be outside a majority of the time. Otherwise he's with me. Doesnt mean he is out of my purse/bag for the entire time.

If i were with friends who were in the hobby, and we were doing something with the dolls then yes i would bring one of my boys with me. IF not probably not, unless it was shiko who would probably come out during lunch to sit with us otherwise...whats the point unless its a pre-planned doll trip?

O_o that being said, good portions of my resin crew go to work with me daily and hang out with me in my reception office. So sometimes if i suddenly deside i need to go to the mall they come with me anyway...but their in their bag ^^;;

 

Nobody could take a bjd to my local mall, it's a scum temple. Within 5 minutes a gang of kids with low hanging pants and even lower IQs would have you surrounded and the air would be filled with thick voices yelling "It's a doll! She/he's got a doll! Freak!"

 

The only problem I have with taking my doll anywhere is having to hold her. :c It's kind of a pain after a while.

 

My area is filled with jerky rednecks and our mall isn't even that great for photos/meet-ups anyway so I'd never bother to drag my dolls along. I'm more afraid of the reactions I'd get from people than I am of getting tired or dropping a doll. Our mall isn't really good for anything doll related so bringing them along would be more of a hassle than anything.

 

My roommates and myself take ours out on occasion; to the mall, to walmart, and every so often when we go out to eat. We very rarely let anyone touch them and if we need to set them down for any reason, it's always on a clean surface or on top of something that we brought with us for that purpose. If it's to dinner, we always make sure to wash our hands before touching them to pick them up or anything. Sure, we get a lot of looks, but we haven't had any negative comments or conversations to date. Generally, we do get a few people that are interested in them and we've had several engaging conversations about our dolls and even met a few people with similar interests in our area that way. It's not always, of course, and we're always very careful not to let anything happen to them while we're out. It's fun for us to take them out instead of keeping them cooped up in the house all the time.

 

When I still lived in VA we had a meetup at Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax. We had a good handful of ladies (I think like 10+? I can't remember exactly) and parked ourselves at one of the "waiting area" pit things they have. We had a LOT of people come by to see our wide variety of dolls. It was very fun and I had a great time AND I got to see dolls I otherwise would never have gotten to take a look at.

That's the ONLY time I've ever taken my dolls to the mall. I don't take my dolls out with me on a regular basis. In fact, unless I'm going to a meetup or back to VA to see my family, I leave my dolls at home. They're too large for me to tote about (being in the 65cm + category) and too heavy. If I had a puki, though, I might sneak that one with me to the Ren Faire or to a luncheon with my lady friends, but never all the time. I would be too worried about something getting broken, a faceup getting rubbed off etc...etc...Also, I don't particularly enjoy being looked at strangely for carrying a doll with me, being over the age of 30 and what not. lol XD

 

Malls are evil... did we not learn this from Heather in Silent Hill 3? 0_o lol

Bad lighting, mall rats, bratty kids and strange people burning holes into your very core with their icy stares is enough to put me off going to shop at a mall. Why make things worse by bringing my doll into the mix?

Then you get the questions, the wanting to touch and hold the dolls. The pulling on clothes, wigs and touching face ups and such from people who have no idea about proper doll care. I wouldn't take a doll with me anywhere other than a meet up or to take pictures outside at a park or the like.

 

I had mixed feelings about it until I saw others felt that it was safe and would do it themselves.
A lot of people take theirs to Anime/Manga cons but that's a place I feel that I'd NEVER take my doll. I feel it's
irrelevant and a little unsafe whereas a convention where dolls are celebrated would be to time for that.

I would not take my doll without the appropriate vechile(aka car) to transport, unless it was for a photoshoot. I also wouldn't
go alone. More manpower if something bad happens.

I think you should be as worried as you are capable of handling a tragedy. Unless you're a worry-wort like me, then at that point
I feel extremely badly for you and know your pain.><

 

Here is a similar thread: Taking out your dolls

I suppose I'll simply reiterate.

I am an intensely private person, especially when it comes to this hobby. I have no exhibitionist tendencies whatsoever. I do not really appreciate the attention, even if it is positive. I'd rather not have to explain why I am carrying around a doll, and I don't enjoy the process of explaining where they are from, what exactly they are, etc. I enjoy shopping; why would I spoil a generally positive experience with unwanted attention?

Of course I would take them out to a meet-up; that is where dolls are appreciated and understood, where the hobby is valued. Spending time with people who share a common and rather quirky hobby is quite fun. But I would simply prefer not to place myself and my dolls in any other kind of situation, especially with people who would not appreciate something I love so much.

 

A mall? Never. The only exception would be if there is a meet-up there. I see no reason whatsoever to take a doll to a mall otherwise. I mean, really, what are you going to do with them there? Get stared at? Not for me, thanks. I've only ever taken my girls to the homes of family/friends before, and also to Otakon.

Taking my Ayris to Otakon wasn't bad or scary at all, I only got positive comments and I feel comfortable letting people handle my dolls, for the most part, and I just say no if I don't feel comfortable. It is true that people can occasionally act like idiots, but most people are nice and reasonable, and if they aren't, you can handle the situation by being reasonable yourself. Anyway, I guess the point is I'm not going to get stared at in a convention where people are wearing flashy outfits, and where other people are carrying dolls because there's a meet-up. Otherwise, well, it's not like I feel the need to show off my doll. Most random people are going to think I'm weird if I'm carrying a doll, and certainly not feel jealous I'm not a fan of blatant showing off anyway :/

 

Normally I'd say no, no way, absolutely not. I hate the malls around here.

That said, I did end up meeting with a person from the forum and we both wanted a public place we could both find easily, so the mall it was. I only brought one doll and didn't have too much of a problem, even on a busy evening. I wouldn't want to make a regular thing of it, but it's not absolutely out of the question.

Then again, I don't take my dolls ANYWHERE if it's not for a specific doll function.