How did you know your doll was "The One"?

I saw him on IOS's website when he realesed. A year later still want him. And the strange is, that I not hesitated to buy him. It happened with my DC girl too. I just started a layaway for her without thinking about how much She costs.

 

Typically I'm looking for something specific to shell a character. But sometimes I see a doll that I simply can't get out of my head no matter how much it doesn't fit my OCs or my world. For example, my Ringdoll Don. I first saw him many many years ago back when he was still in production. I had to go with a cheaper doll, and also it was difficult to figure out ordering at the time. But I've been thinking about that doll ever since. I managed to get my hands on him very recently and I love him, though I did wonder while I was looking at his listing if maybe he was...uglier than I remembered. Got him anyway though and I'm glad to say I was wrong. The other dolls on my wishlist are the same way, dolls I've been thinking about for years and now keep an eye out for. I have a pretty good feeling it's going to be the same way when I manage to find the rest of them.

 

Although the concept itself so vague, I really have a concept in mind for "the one", which I somehow can't describe clearly, but I obviously know that I can encounter by a sight.
May be if I keep continue to looking for, I could meet "the one" someday.
Another way to archive "the one" might ve via Volks Dream Choice, but it's useful only when I could gather enough data, and luck also, to order him!

 

For me, it’s like an instant form of “recognition” of my character...a sudden “Oh there you are!” One very important character of mine took an entire decade to spot and when I finally did, it was as a limited free event head by Luts! Fortunately buying a SD65 body for him was expensive enough to qualify me for the head. Another was a Doll Chateau SD girl who I initially overlooked because of her company face-up and blushing. It wasn’t until several months later, when I finally saw the same sculpt absolutely blank, that I instantly recognized my long sought character and put her on layaway immediately.

 

When I was first interested in getting into the hobby, I spent a lot of time just looking up different companies to see what was available. When I came across the doll I eventually got for my first, I became very sweet on the sculpt and kept going back to admire him. That happy 'I adore him' feeling never went away, even when I came back to it 5 years later, I still had that feeling. He was definitely 'the one'.

 

I’ve loved dolls on the Luts site for years and years. When I finally sat down to actually buy one I couldn’t decide! I really loved Chloe and I really loved Harmony, I flipped between their photos over and over. I eventually chose Chloe and have no regrets.

 

I think the only time I've ever gone truly and completely bananas, it was seeing Howard . I hope she can get through the rough times she's having and eventually get Howard out there.

I was struck by Impldoll's Aurora, and she fit was I was looking for in a first doll. She was big, easy to handle, and has a relatively neutral look, so I can experiment and learn, and most importantly she didn't trip any uncanny valley problems for me. I'd admired this wig for a while, and when I finally got it and put it on her, I was smitten. It feels like she's really mine, now.

 

I knew my dolls were the one because of how cute they were and I am a sucker for cute things.

 

I always, always go with a principle of "if you have to question it, don't buy it, only buy when you get that instant gut-feeling". That's pretty much what happened with my first doll, I was just scrolling and then I saw him and it was like love at first sight! I also abide by Marie Kondo so it's pretty much the same as the "spark joy" feeling she talks about. Another example of this is my Soom Xenos on layway- love at first sight. When you know, you know!

 

My doll really wasn't 'the one' at all. More like 'close enough' and within my budget! I fell in love with him anyway and he's been with me for years. Nobody's perfect

 

For me it's like looking at humans. Sometimes I see someone and my first impression is 'wow, this person is special'.
When I decide to buy a doll it's because of this 'wow' effect, too.
I like faces that are individual with recognizable features. I don't like it when they are too idealized.
For example I like Ringdoll, but my problem with their faces is they look too clean, to perfect, too much like anime characters.
Dollshe for example... their dolls look very much like real peoples faces.

I tend to buy a certain type (not by intention).
They often have open mouths or sad expressions. Probably it's because the open mouth makes them feel innocent and the sad expression tells a certain story that inspires me.

Sometimes I also like a celebrity and want a doll who looks alike. But in the past it happened that the doll's personality (though sculpted after a celebrity) became an own individual.
Now I'm not attached to the celebrity anymore, but still love the doll.

 

For me, it takes a bit more time to realize that I've fallen in love with a doll! A surefire sign that one has well and truly caught my heart is when I keep coming back to their company profile or sale listing, again and again.... It was the same way with my grail doll, and then my first doll! I fell head over heels for Doll Leaves Fei, but while looking through secondhand listings I discovered a Doll Leaves Pepper with such a great pricing that I found myself doublechecking the doll despite initially bypassing her. Yet the more and more I looked... the more and more I began to feel like I had to take her in. A story and character began to develop in my head, I became fonder of her company photos while researching, and I even gave her a name -- even though I didn't even own her yet! By that point it was obvious that I had to give my best effort to win her auction (which thank goodness I did ).

So from my experience: around the tenth time you're opening the doll's sale page to stare at their pictures, you should probably consider the idea that you're more enamored than you think you are, lolol!

 

When a CP Lishe captured my heart with love at first sight and I cannot get her out of your mind! I waited 8 long years before I found the most beautiful Lishe and had to bring her home but she had a hefty price tag, just a used nude doll with a pair of eye. She's worth it, I never regret it! I love her so much!

 

For me, I didn't have too much choice back when I got my first doll, but I knew I wanted one from Dollzone. I found one on eBay at a great price for a fullset (I think around 300?), and snatched her up immediately. Now that i'm getting back into the hobby years later, she's not exactly "the one" anymore, but she still holds a really special place in my collection. As for more recent additions, I usually see a doll, agonize over the price tag, compare various other dolls with similar looks/cheaper prices, rinse and repeat until I'm sure that one is perfect!

 

When I have an idea of how I want my character to look who I'm shelling as a doll, it's pretty easy. I had already had a character design for Taini before I decided to get a doll for her, so once I started looking I had that design in mind. When I saw KDF Darae, I knew she was the perfect choice. Her features were everything I wanted for Taini, and Luts' dark tan resin was the exact shade I wanted, too.

 

I had always wanted a woodolls pandore,and now I am the proud owner of Two after searching for well over a year. She just "Spoke" to me,with her posable ears and her body,she also poses well. I am very saddened that the artist may never make more of them.

 

So far, I've only bought two dolls for myself (my first doll was a gift). With both of them, the minute I saw their faces I was head-over-heels in love. I didn't just think they were beautiful (I think a lot of dolls are beautiful!), it was more than that.

The only thing I can liken it to is seeing a living person that you're very attracted to, but not in a romantic sort of way. Just...Like, some people you're just...drawn to?? I don't know how to explain it. Like you meet someone for the first time and you're instantly fascinated by them. That kind of thing.

Regrettably, the first doll this happened to me with was Soom's Mega Gem Aslan. I didn't buy him - I wasn't in the hobby at the time and I couldn't have justified the expense or gotten the money together quickly enough. (And unfortunately, he apparently wasn't very popular. It's difficult to find owner pics and I've yet to see him come up on the secondhand market...)

Years later, I still find myself looking at photos of Aslan and sighing wistfully. So, when I had that feeling a second and third time, I knew to jump on it. No regrets!

 

For me initially, it was the first doll I could admit was pretty and not spooky. She became my grail doll since she had been a limited about 3 years prior (thanks Soom), but that feeling sticks with you. Just that utter rightness of the doll when you see them and you just know.

 

I'm just getting into the hobby, so for me it's easy; "the one" is what I can afford right now! But my true "the one", that grail doll, who I may never own but feel a pull to, is definitely the Trinity Doll "Klaire" sculpt. She's massive and incredibly expensive, but the first time I saw her face I fell in love. To me she is the essence of beauty; her face is just right. There's something about her; no other sculpt measures up. Looking at her makes me happy; I can just keep looking at the same promo pics they have on their site over and over again because she's so beautiful. It's definitely a monkey-brain "me see, me feel good, me like" type of thing.

 

Mm... It's hard to explain but, with each of my dolls I have felt something weird (I would describe it like butterflies in the stomach) the first time saw them and I just knew they were the right ones.
And I can say that this six sense or whatever has never failed me because every doll I have felt that same thing for and then I have bought has stayed home with me for years.