How did you know you were ready to buy your first doll?

I didn't really, i have wanted a doll for a really long time, one day i said f it and then i ordered one and then i had a mini panic attack and then i was ok

 

My desire to have one grew very gradually. I've collected other types of dolls in the past, though, so the idea of having dolls wasn't foreign to me. But I've never spent so much money on a doll before.
I saw Tumnus on the 5 Star web site and fell in love. It took me a year to convince myself to spend the money. I kept trying to talk myself out of it. Obviously that didn't work

I bought another cheaper doll first, and knew right away if was a mistake. I really wanted Tumnus. When I got the money saved up I finally got him and I've loved him to bits ever since.

CeliaElise if you wait to get your doll when the company is having some kind of event, the expense seems less painful.
I waited to get Tumnus when 5 Star was having their winter event. I was able to get Tumnus with free faceup, plus a 1/6 size doll for half price and a free 1/3 size head. Being able to get those extra items in the deal, made spending the money less painful. I got Rex as my 1/6th size doll and I got the Edmund floating head. I have loved little Rex as much as I love my darling tumnus, and don't regret it for a minute. This coming month I plan to finally get a body for the Edmund head.

 

I waited for three years since I was young on the time, so one year I thought this is it let's join money and buy it. And I did. When I got the money I looked the sites and research how much the money would be in dollar, found a doll I liked and bought her. For me is simple if you like a doll and you can buy it, you are ready.

The rest I think depend what they will be to you: characters, muses, something pretty? Will you customize them yourself or go to others? There's not a right way to enjoy the hobby, just what makes you satisfied and happy.

I think that is what count for being the right doll, something that when you look with time will still make you satisfied and giddy. There lots of cute and beautiful dolls but sometimes some sculpts just get on your head, for me it gives me ideas right away and a character start to form on the spot. I favorite them and if later I still feel excited for them, they are right. Others I may still think is pretty but the excitement is gone.

I passed my college years with my BJDs mostly on their box, didn't had much time for them. That didn't mean I didn't like them anymore just that I had other things to do and take my time. So I think having time for them is relative and is a hobby, you enjoy them when you can and are up to it. You don't need to handle them everyday. But there a satisfaction of just looking at them sitting there on their space.

 

I waited until I knew that a BJD was what I really wanted (which was a couple of years and hundreds of hours looking at dolls on the internet), watched the secondhand market on other sites and scoped out prices, and when I finally found the doll I wanted in the skintone and price range that I wanted and I had the money on hand, I figured I was as ready as ever.
It's all in the research and mental preparation, in my opinion.

 

I didn't put as much thought and research and searching and such into my first doll as some people do... honestly, I decided to get the first because my roommate at the time and I thought it would be a good idea to pick up a couple of less-expensive sculpts to use as clothing models, for the sake of having something new to add to our Artist Alley tables at area anime conventions. (I'd known about BJDs in passing for a while before that, but never had enough interest in getting one before my roommate made the suggestion.)

I didn't even actually completely pick out my first myself; my roommate was the one who found him. She was looking through all the companies and sculpts on a dealer's site, to find one for herself, and spotted one that looked almost exactly like one of my own OCs, so she showed me him. Or "her," I should say, though the dealer was nice enough to swap the body for me so I could have my boy. I still have him, though I've swapped his body out a couple more times. (I still have the original, though, and plan to order a new head for it.)

As for the timing? It was decided by the arrival of a tax return, that was spent with the dealer to order the doll. That's all.

I'm a terrible example. You probably shouldn't do it the way I did. It worked out for me (I now have a collection of over 30, with a range of companies, prices, sizes, body types, limiteds vs standards, small companies, big companies, etc), and I've only sold very little of what I've brought in (two bodies, one head, one full doll), but my entry was a bit impulsive and odd as compared to most other people's stories, and probably had even odds of going poorly instead of well.

 

I knew it was time when I was able to make the commitment to save up enough money without neglecting my bills and necessities. It really wasn't at all like deciding to have a child or adopt a pet, since if you buy the doll and don't enjoy it, you can always sell it or trade it. I had wanted one for several years, but couldn't afford one. I finally chose the one I wanted and started saving. When I had enough, I knew I had to do it! No regrets!

 

It took me a while to decide to get my first doll (a few years actually). I'm the kind of person who likes to do a lot of research, and ruminate on big purchases before buying. Then one day, I had saved up enough funds, and I had spent everyday for weeks looking at photos of the doll I wanted, so I took the plunge and bought her. Haven't regretted it since! I still adore her. I think you just kinda know when the timing is right.

 

For about 3 years before getting into "couple-hundred-dollar dolls " as I thought of them, I knew I wanted one someday. Over that time the want was a low priority. I was in a phase of life of.. trying to find my way, let's say. Job changes, moving all over the US, typical recession year graduate problems. But things got better- I got a steady job, long-term rented my own little place and the humble budget balanced out reliably, so I finally started to look at luxury/wants.

It took about 3 months of patient, fairly thorough research to find the right sculpt! I nearly went for a cheap "starter," and some mid-priced and nice dolls (Maskcat was one), but then a more anime / smiley stylized company caught my eye. As soon as I found Eun-Ryoung, I was pretty certain she was the one and I had to jump. I saved all the company photos on my phone and couldn't get her off my mind. A bit silly, spent a week that way. Nervous to actually commit that sum of money! I got scared she'd sell out and so I bought her. Immediately upon arrival the value was apparent, and I had no regret (except that I bought blank rather than with faceup & clothes~ bah!) The decision was not especially rushed or irresponsible, I feel.
Moderation after the first buy is really the hard part, though!

Know yourself, buy only what you really love (/can't get out of your head!), and keep in touch with reality and your intuitions too.
(Maskcat dolls = definitely lovely! I considered their Belina for my first doll. I just fell so, so hard for this other company's style though! ^^')

 

Well, I discovered resin dolls as a young teen and I had a lot of time (six years or so) to figure out what I liked and when I was finally able to afford one, I knew what I liked, how to care for them and I knew what doll I wanted to get as a first. I knew I was ready because I was finally able to afford one and get clothes and accessories for the doll without breaking my bank (just moderately wounding it) and I was really excited to put the time and effort in to get her!

I knew Elda was the right doll for me because I'd been heavily researching the hobby for years and when I found a company I really loved (that was still producing the dolls I liked), I kept them in the back of my head for the day that I would be able to get a BJD. I think taking the time to do your research on different companies, doll types and general doll care is a really important step when you're looking to get into this. This is a vast sub-genre of the doll world and it's important to know what you want before taking the plunge.

Ahh, that brought back some feelings! I remember how giddy I was when I ordered my first girl! It was like a dream come true. Sometimes I forget how much I adore my resin dolls.

 

When I had enough money to afford one, and when I settled on a sculpt that I just kept finding myself get back to over a longer period of time.

Basically the other dolls I really wanted were sold out and currently rather hard to get, so I picked a sculpt that I figured I'd want anyway, and got that as a first instead.

 

I'd been wanting one for years and I'm terrible at saving money and found my girl secondhand relatively cheap from someone not too far for me so shipping wasn't much either.

 

It was quite a sudden realization I had been dreaming of Kanoa for years and all my friends who were into this hobby knew it really well. But sadly Kanoa was way out of my budget. Then my friend Regularity sent me a PM in Facebook, telling me about how someone is selling Kanoa on Finnish BJD forum for half the price and BOOM, I knew There was no way I could have passed that opportunity!

I wasn't very active on that forum, so I hadn't yet get to the marketplace area, but Regularity helped me to buy it (technically she bought it, and I bought it from her). Only compensations she asked was was wig and shirt that came with Kanoa, and which I didn't like that much anyway.

 

For maybe a year I thought they were too expensive and hard to get and I didn't think I had the time. Then I saw some I really loved and started to research for a month, trying to find the ONE doll I could be happy with.

Ordered, had a panic attack. Thought that was it, never again!

Got my 2nd a month later...

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Hehe. It went downhill from there, but I've been enjoying bjds and doa and everything for over 10 years!!! and the end doesn't seem to be in sight.

 

My first doll was a Maskcat----Ronia---- I'd been looking at bjd's for a while, but wasn't really sure, then I saw Ronia and that was that---- she captivated me and I have never regretted the purchase---- she still captivates me--- of coarse she is not longer an only child---- but when it's the one, you'll know, I can't explain it, but you'll know

 

Congratulations! I hope you will love her

 

I've been into different kinds of dolls for a few decades, so the idea of a new kind of doll didn't bother me at all.

I was doing faceup research for another type of doll and stumbled across some MNF faceup videos by Andreja. The one of Chloe was love at first sight. Started doing google image searches, landed here, found out about Fairyland and DDE, and my first order (for a MNF Chloe) was placed within a few weeks through DDE.

I also wanted some instant gratification, so I bought a LTF DDE had in stock. I have since purchased another LTF, two other MNF bodies, and four other MNF heads. I need to get at least one more body.

And still waiting for Chloe to arrive. She's my dream girl. The other dolls have to have a place in the doll family relative to her because she's the focus.

 

I spent a long time searching through web for the right sculpt and at least three times it seemed to me that my customed and OC characters just hit it off with the sculpts. There after they just went and charmed me into saving and paying their way home. I ended up giving up the hunt for my major grail(Mechagem/Megagem Sabix) in favour of minor grail Iplehouse Dexter, he's just feels right. After seeing him in person, I realised he's gonna make it hard for me to get more male dolls around his size.

If anything his size and price was a major leap for me. No regrets though, since he's paying me back with sewing projects and photoshoots. I still squee over new releases of good looking tough males and cute anthros(I expect a fox if not a wolf to break into the cat only club) , but none of them were able to charm their way home so far.