Fashion bjd or animal hybrid bjd?

I'll be the enabler: why not one of each?

Though I'm a little confused: can you define what you mean by fashion doll and hybrid? Typically in this hobby, "fashion" is a 1/4 scale mature proportioned doll, like Iplehouse FID or Luts Model Delf. Do you mean that, or a doll made to wear a variety of clothing styles? "Hybrid" typically means a head from one company and body from another, regardless of it being human, fantasy or animal. Do you mean that, or an anthro doll with animal head/feet/hands and human body? Just trying to understand the question better so I can answer the question better!

 

I was about to say the same.

I you like both there's no reason not to have both. If you don't feel they work together, have two separate groups.

I'm going to assume you mean anthro (rather than hybrid) and say that I'm not keen on either Fashion or Anthro type dolls.

Nothing against either of them, but they're (mostly) not for me. I do have a RealFee fawn with adorable horns and hooves but, other than that, elf ears is generally as far from the "human-standard" as my dolls stray.

Also, the majority of my BJDs are children or younger teens, and fashion dolls tend to be adults.

I do have a handful non BJD/OffTopic fashion dolls. Some are holdovers form my childhood dolls, some got out of interest in the gariety of body types and better articulation available in fashion doll rages these days. But I don't really do much with them in the typical "fashion-doll" side.

As for the Anthro dolls... I think some of them are absolutely adorable - but in that I-Really-Llike-That-But-In-Someone-Else's-Collection way.

Teddy

 

What you call hybrid is referred to as "anthro" dolls in this hobby. "Hybrid" means combining parts from different companies. "Fashion dolls" is kind of a specific aesthetic within dolls... That's a bit more arbitrary for the sake of this discussion.


I like fashionable human dolls and anthros both. They are very different and fun for me to do different things with.

 

'Fashion dolls' can also refer to 1/6 size dolls that have Barbie-esque proportions which adds to the confusion...

It would be clearer to include the size you are interested in, which judging from your examples would be 1/4.

 

No problem at all! We were all new once! So I think the terms in this hobby would be like a doll as a fashion model or an anthro (animal with human features).

@namika has a good point, "fashion" dolls can be other scales! I just see it most commonly referring to the mature 1/4 group. (And other than my very first doll, all of my dolls are 1/3 human, so I'm really not as familiar with the smaller "fashion" dolls.)

But I still stand by my original comment of "why not both"? Some people do like a cohesive collection where all of their dolls fit neatly into one category/storyline/character universe. I've mostly been that type, but while I prefer 1/3, my sister and I have been toying with the idea of getting a few 1/4 fashion dolls to shell our alternate universe time-traveling, world-warping storyline. They don't interact with or have any connection with our human 1/3 crew, so I see no reason why we can't have both! The 1/3 crew would be all human characters in a modern world, but the 1/4 crew could warp around and interact with limitless fantasy characters and worlds. This split between worlds allows us to have literally any dolls we like, to enjoy as they are!

 

I'll ecco what the others have said about having both.
While a cohesive collection can be a nice thing, there are no rules that dictates what that looks like.
There are limitless possibilities. Your dolls could live in a world with all sorts of creatures in it. Your dolls could live in our world, but ocationally travel or interact with fantasy worlds. It could even be a non supernatural world where the antro doll is simply portaying another characters imaginary friend.

Or, you could focus on one style for your own collection and admire the others from afar. That's cool too. As much as we often would like to simply get every simgle doll that speaks to us, sometimes we have to limit our collections some way as to not be overwhelmed.

I have a core collection of mature minis (not "fashion" proportioned, but the more traditional mature mini, such as JID and Lati Blue). I do have a small crew of mature tinies. The different scales don't interact and I see them as two different collections. They can't share clothes, props or furniture and the tinies are a bit too big to make good dolls for the minis (otherwise I may have made them a collection within the collection, having one of my bigger dolls to have a collection of their own.) I don't even usually display them in the same room.
But I have one huge troll doll, who is the odd one out, but being a fantasy creature and trolls can get pretty big, he can either be a big troll for my minis or a HUGE troll for my tinies, I find that very neat. Fantasy creatures can be surprisingly versatile like that. He is big, so I display him wherever I can fit him in and I will eventually build him his very own display inside an unused warderobe, but for now he just hangs out wherever I worked on him last or where I can squeeze him in.

I don't own any antros myself. They are often a bit too cutesy cute for my personal taste, but I would lie if I didn't admit that some of the quirkier ones have tempted me on ocation.
And I know better than to say "never" in this hobby. Who knows what my collection will look like in the future?

 

What I've discovered about myself is that while I love looking at the more fashion centered dolls, I don't think I have to own any. Whereas I have 3 anthro dolls that I had to buy when I saw them, and I love them to pieces and don't regret my choice lol. I love the uniqueness that they each bring, and how they still somehow work together even if they're in very different styles. I'm fascinated and drawn to the fashion dolls (I am one of those people where tiny things are the best things ever) but the anthros are just...more me.

 

I am very confused after reading the posts. I think if you like both get both. If you don't like it in the end sell it. I buy whatever I like. I usually like human dolls, but will occasionally go outside of that and buy something like an anthro. I think from the comments an anthro is a human animal combination. I also occasionally buy small bjd animals, but this is very rare. I don't know where my humpty dumpty falls into. I never hybrided a doll. I will eventually have to because I have many floating heads. I think I actually might really dislike hybriding my dolls once i get around to it. I do get bored sometimes of the same dolls, so the easiest solution is just buy a diverse collection of dolls. Then when you need space, money, or get bored sell it off.

Some dolls are easier to sell off, so if you are experimenting with what you like I suggest you get dolls you will really love. If you buy something that you don't want anymore you might have a hard time rehoming it. I am selling off my dodollsdream because i took some risks by buying face sculpts and colors that I didnt end up liking. Now I know what I like for dodollsdream and i think i will finally be able to buy one that I will keep.

By fashion dolls I'm still not exactly certain what you mean when reading the posts. I thought fashion dolls meant barbie dolls, but I don't know much outside of my favorite SD dolls. J looked it up it seems I collect 1/3 and 1/4 scale bjds. I thought 40 cm was SD. I don't pay much attention to the terminology. So I guess, I collect dolls about this size range.

I think when you are in this hobby long enough you will fluctuate between what dolls you like in size, appearance, resin colors, etc. So just buy at the moment what you like because you can redo your collection if you want to. You're not going to be stuck with that doll forever if you don't want to be. It's not a pet where it requires a lifelong commitment or obligations to care for the doll like a living being.

If you're tight on money you can buy floating heads first then play around with its face up. If you think you will still be bored don't bother buying it a body and sell it off or set it aside to think on it. If you are drawn to small animal dolls buy it because they don't cost as much. That way you can see which you want at the moment. If you really don't want to spend the money just yet due to uncertainty then watch some YouTube videos on it and see what you are more drawn to and have ti have. If you have a friend with these dolls ask to handle these dolls carefully amd see what you like.

I began by watching videos, looking at companies, staring at photos for months to decide what I wanted to go with. The problem is sometimes the doll won't be how you expect it or you might suddenly have a new style you like of dolls after it is sent. Also if that company has a decent selection of resin colors and face sculpts that makes making a combination of what you might like harder. Maybe get some photos and have them side by side and look at those dolls for a few months to decide. That usually helps me.

I don't care if my dolls are cohesive. I tend to get what I like. If it's pretty I buy it. I have dolls ranging from about 20 cm to 105 cm. It can be human, vampire, anthro, etc. I'm just add anything to my collection.

 

Leave it to CloakedSchemer to put it so succinctly! This is my feeling on the matter exactly. After all, won’t that fashion type need a little anthro friend to keep them company? This is pretty much the story of my collection in a nutshell. I started off in this hobby focused on diversity from the very beginning. I wanted to be free to buy whatever tickled my imagination, from whatever company, in whatever size or skin tone I fancied. I’ve been slowly collecting now for many, many years, and that freedom has served me quite well as I’ve carefully curated a fantasy world of my own imagination with mesmerizing characters that never fail to inspire me. If it inspired my creativity, I brought it home, simple as that. For me, it’s like living inside a fairytale…and that’s the perfect collection for me.

 

@Alice wonderland don't worry I don't think anyone here is being critical of your terminology! Everyone was new once absolutely! Just want to help a newbie out
There are "fashion" 1/4 dolls. Some makers have been Dollmore, Fairyland (chicline), racoondoll... I'm not a collector of those at this point so someone please correct me if necessary. But fashion 1/4 as opposed to "slim mini" have smaller heads and more realistic proportions of mature bodies (within a certain aesthetic). There are of course also the 1/4 dolls that look a lot more like children. (I'm rattling off all this information purely to give you ideas) but if you are interested in fashion design potential, any of those types will make a great fashion model! And the anthros will too! Though you have to be comfortable with really small scale sewing.
If you want to enjoy doll fashion without sewing it yourself then anthro is not the choice, you'll want to look around and go with a popular doll body model so that there will be plenty of outfits to shop.
One further note on a cohesive collection - never forget that cohesion is what you make of it. anthros and other dolls can look perfect together, you just use your styling and imagination to create the perfect world for them both.

 

I have to agree with AlisonVonderland. If you don't like sewing or don't want to learn to sew, you will have a harder time dressing anthros than you will humanoid dolls with less stylized proportions. Certainly not impossible, but not nearly as easily shoppable. So I think when it comes to picking your first one, decide if you'd rather prioritize crafting or shopping for their clothing. And if the answer is that you'd rather shop, then scope out what is available for the dolls you have your eye on, and see if you will be able to put them together as you like.

I think it's perfectly fine to want cohesion in the sculpts in your collection. I don't mind a mishmash but that's not something you have to accept in your own collection. But it's true that if you decide you don't like collecting one or the other, you could sell them. Many bjd collectors prefer to shop secondhand If you aren't sure what you want, then pick something to start out with and hang on to their doll box and papers (good practice in any case). If you decide to let go, more collectors would be motivated to adopt them with those items.

To answer your question about what I like, I lean more humanoid. But I'm slowly learning how to sew for the dolls I have! So that's not to say I won't have room in my collection for some anthro cuties someday I have some incoming adoptions with anthro faces and humanoid bodies. Maybe it will be like a gateway drug

 

Yep.

Teddy

 

Consider your personality a bit. I am by nature eclectic, so the idea of only having one "type" does not appeal. Nor do I collect only bjd stuff. My decor is primarily collectable type stuff.

A more organized or minimalist individual will not pleased by how they look in their house. When you stack books, do they need to be author or sized by color or by size? Might have a personality that only wants one. Do you shove books just where they look good? Just where the fit? Do you like the look of the stacks like your a wizard? Get a diverse collection.

And if you want just one kind of collection, human dolls would probably be easier for you to organize and find consistent clothes. Less stress.

Remember it's YOUR hobby and what only matters is that you're having fun doing YOUR hobby.