First Doll Nerves.

Congrats on getting your first doll !
There's no real starter doll or best size for a newbie. The best thing to do is get the doll you love the most ! People have various preferences on size : some hate SD, others don't want to get a doll smaller than a SD, some just want small dolls... I would suggest you to try to go to doll meets if you can, see the different sizes and see the ones you like the most.
There's nothing you reallly need for you dolls, they won't get damaged if you don't have special tools to take care of them^^ that said, a magic eraser could be useful if you doll get stained because of her clothes for example. Talking about clothes, you can wash her dark coloured clothes and jeans with white vinegar, to keep them from staining your doll.
Be careful with the sunlight, your doll will yellow anyway but if there's a corner in your room that is not too much exposed to sunlight it will slow down the yellowing a little, and it should be even.
I'd recommend you get some clothes and at least a wig and a pair of eyes for your doll, it would allow you to enjoy her fully from the first day you get her.
And my final advice : don't stress out ! Resin is a material that is quite solid, and, unlike vinyl for example, is not easy to stain permanently (unless you want to blush her or paint her without using sealant, you can get rid of most of the dirt and stains with a magic eraser and once in a while a good cleaning (you basically take your doll apart and you wash them with water and soap)).

 

This is such good advice. For my first dolls, and probably all of them, I've decided on the MSD or 1/4 size dolls. However, this size comes in a range of 40 cm to 48 cm, depending on what site you order from. I'd be sure to pay attention to the actual height rather than just nicknames for the height. For me, SD just seems way too large, but a lot of people like them. What I did was bust out the tape measure so I could see exactly how big a potential doll would be. It might help you decide on a good size.

 

I have a Resinsoul Ya, who is a 42cm MSD sized girl! She's my first and honestly the perfect size in my opinion. I guess any MSD would be a good place to start. I'd never even held a BJD before she arrived and I've been pleasantly surprised as to how durable she is. So don't stress!! Do your research and find the materials best suited for whatever doll you purchased and go for it! Definitely recommend a wig, eyes and some clothes for the new doll - even if they're not "perfect " they definitely allow you to really get a feel for what you like and enjoy her more!

 

So glad to hear you're in highschool, like me! Most in the community are adults lol. But anyway @Calimello gave great advice! I just got my first doll, Resinsoul Ya (just like @shallowjemmy ;D) a few months ago, and I've been mostly keeping her naked and bald since I'm paranoid about stains LOL. But if you'd rather keep your dolls clothed, stains eventually do happen and it's great to keep a magic eraser on hand ^^ And as for size... that's completely up to you! I knew that I wanted a bigger doll so YOSDs were out, but due to the size and price I couldn't get an SD, so I settled for something in the middle ^^ MSDs are a great beginner size, though.

 

I'm going to say....there is no perfect size for a newbie. It's all in what you like. It seems like a lot of people say MSD is the best to start with, and I took that advice when I got my first. I don't regret it, and I did love that doll, but I was shocked by how SMALL he was! He was 46cm, but he felt so tiny in my hands. Same height as an American Girl, but much slimmer, and I just sort of felt like.....is this all? My sister got her first doll---60cm/SD size---a week later, and I was much more impressed with that size. To this day, I prefer SD over MSD, but I know other people who think even yoSD is too big and prefer Puki size. I strongly suggest going to a local doll meet first if you haven't already, and are able to go. I think it's a lot easier to see a wide range of sizes and decide then what you really feel is best for you.

As for feeling nervous.....just remember, it's a lot of money, but it's not a pet or child. If you get it and don't like it, you can always sell it or trade it! you are not obligated to keep it and love it forever. I think a lot of people stress too much over "what if I don't like it", when it's really not that big of a deal. Take that coming from someone who has owned over 100 sculpts over the years, but the current collection is only 16 dolls.

 

Don't discount the big dolls until you see one in person. I thought I couldn't see myself owning anything bigger than MSD, until I held a Volks SD in my hands at a doll meet. I now have four of the big ones, ranging from 63cm to 70cm. I'd like more, but I need to find space to display them first :P

Minis are a nice compromise to start with, though

As far as helping your nerves, decide on a reasonable budget and stick with it. Don't overspend to the point where you may be worrying about having gas money, lunch money, etc. On the other hand, if you can't find a doll you really like in your price range, it may be better to wait and save more rather than get a doll you don't really like.

Have you found any companies you really like yet?

 

Like others have said, there really is no perfect size. That's just something you discover as you begin handling the dolls.

I started out with a big 70 cm. And my second is a little 26 cm. I love handling them both. Before getting my doll, however, I did have the chance to handle a doll. I was lucky enough to have met some BJD collectors on my college campus, one of whom owned a Feeple girl that she let me hold. That's how I knew I would enjoy the larger dolls since they feel...sturdier. But I took a chance on my tiny kitty.

 

My first two dolls were SD size, because that is what my friend had and I loved her doll. We both bought our first dolls in Sophomore year of high school. She ordered a Dream of Doll E-An and showed me the promo pictures and I thought she was the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen. I wanted DOC Petsha, but I thought that the MSD size sounded so small. So I ended up with two SDs. Then, I went to a few doll meets and found myself enjoying the size of MSDs. So I bought a DOC Petsha on the marketplace, and came full circle! Now I've decided that MSD is my favorite size, and I only want those. But I couldn't see myself parting with my SDs, even though they are huge and I really don't have the space for them. So now I'm stuck with the big boys, and I've acquired two MSDs since.

My best suggestion is to really know what size you like before making your decision. MSDs and smaller are generally cheaper, easier to clothe, easier to handle, and easier to store. In my opinion, it might be a better choice to start smaller, and if you decide you want a bigger one, work your way up. Because once you have one, you will surely want another, and if you start with SDs and keep adding, you will have a sea of big ol' dolls in no time! It can be a little overwhelming when you don't yet have your own place to keep them in Of course, this is just my personal opinion, but its based on my experiences I had when I was around your age, so I hope it helps a bit!

 

I agree, you should start with what you love. I've always been drawn to mature SD fantasy sculpts, so that's what I ended up getting. Sure enough it's been the size I've stuck with after 5 years of being in the hobby. I knew that the aesthetic and face sculpt were the most important to me, and I browsed many, many pages of the BJD Database looking at how different people style the same sculpt. This was incredibly helpful in my decision process and prioritizing my BJD purchases. Best of luck to you!