How do you choose your next bjd doll?

For a couple, it has been a love at first sight thing. For the majority of my BJDs, though, it's been carefully trying to find a sculpt that embodied a character that was pre-existing in my mind. It's definitely meant it's taken time to get some of them, but that's probably for the best.

 

Love at first sight!

 

Hi. It's been mixed for me. Sometimes it's like 'love at first sight' and other times it's 'ooh love this character's backstory.' I guess it's like art...some dolls just speak to me. It's like they chose me instead of the other way around. This could be why I don't have a wishlist or grail because all my dolls are very special. I take my time when considering them for my collection.

 

I think it's 50-50 for me - sometimes I've got a fully developed character and I'm looking for a doll to shell it. And sometimes I just love the sculpt and feel the urge to have it, and the story comes next.

 

Trying to keep my collection very small so if I don't have a fully fleshed idea for a sculpt, I won't buy it.

 

Im not picky buy size or human/ beast ( have nearly all sizes and beat/human forms xD). But the doll have to have a character that I like, my own or the company to even consider to buy . Then the body and head, is it something I like blank, if not I don't buy. I often wait to last weekend to order, then I know if I want it ir not.

 

When I still did buy new dolls ( Let's hope these are not famous last words) it was always love at first sight that I then let percolate a few weeks to see if the love would stick.
Longer than a few weeks in half of the cases because it would take a while to find them to buy ( either second hand or a new pre-order was announced,.stuff like that)
I had not bought a doll since 2020 ( Myou Loretta) when suddenly in Jan 2024 I discovered Acorn Doll Cha Cha and was elated in August that year to find the head up for another round of presale. Ghost moth girl was a severe love at first sight as son as DV teased her , and ordered the first day she became available. I have been safe since, also because I am firmly NOT looking, ha!

 

For me it’s purely on a catch my eye basis but before I commit I think carefully about its size, will it need body blushing to look complete (if so then I give it a miss as a rule because I can be clumsy sometimes), how easy it will be to find clothing, etc for and whether or not it actually adds anything to my collection.

Character generally comes after I get the doll and start work on the faceup. Even then it can take several attempts to find something that suits them.

It’s rare that I have the idea before I look for a doll to fit it.

 

Personally i try to pick something that is different from what I have, anf mostly love at first sight ! But to be honest, I sometimes struggle with picking the right sculpt (sometimes, the way a sculpt is displayed matches my aesthetic so I'm more driven to it, while i couldve liked a sculpt i like more of a doll displayed in a different aesthetic than mine- if that makes sense). So I just wait a ton of time and make edits to try and see how I could style her if I bought her !

 

Usually I stumble across an adorable doll in someone else's collection and immediately become consumed with a NEED for that particular sculpt lmfao. Especially if it's one of those moments where I just KNOW how I'd like to customize it—usually it either suits one of my OCs perfectly, or it sparks an idea for a new character~

 

My collecting focus is small (MSD size) adult, realistic human dolls so that's what I'm drawn to first. I'm new to BJD collecting and my first two dolls should be shipped in a few more days, Raccoon Doll Henry & Ivy. There's a handful of other dolls I'm interested in for future orders by Raccoon Doll, SartoriaJ, & Iplehouse. My dolls will all fit into my historical world (possibly alternative history), so I don't need them to be a character or have a back story. I have general ideas of the characters for my world and their stories, so I look for dolls that fit what I have in mind.

The issue I'm having at the moment is a combination of want but indecision on who to order next. I've sold off a bunch of non-BJD dolls to fund my new hobby. I know Henry & Ivy will be here in a couple of weeks or so but I'm excited to decide who to order next. However since I can't decide maybe I should hold off and check with myself next week. I tend to be a little impulsive sometimes.

 

For me it's love at first sight.

If I fall in love with a doll and can't stop thinking about how badly I would love to add them to my collection instantly, then it's a sign that I need to add them to my collection. This is how I've ended up with all the dolls I currently have.

 

Vibes, mostly. Because they're such an investment, I make sure I still want the doll a week after I first see it before buying it. Otherwise, I would be in debt up to my eyeballs, with way more dolls than I have the space for! XD

 

Love at first sight, but I also had a few archetypes or features I wanted (e.g. an open-mouth sculpt with teeth). Once I get a doll who fills that spot it's easier to think "I already have that" when something similar comes up.

All that's left is a smiling sculpt, namely some kind of smirk or mischievous grin, MyDearBoy Kanea was the closest.

 

I let my heart guide me I'm pretty picky and I know what I like, so once I run through my personal criteria, it's really easy for me to go "that doll is cute, but I don't love it enough to actually want it".

I have a mental checklist that I run through whenever I like a doll:

• Is it something I like enough to look at every day, or is this just the "oh wow, cool!" novelty factor drawing me in?
• Does the body pose well? Will I need to wire or suede? (This in itself is not a dealbreaker if wiring and/or sueding can help)
• Does it "handle" well? Are there especially fragile parts that I need to keep in mind (like thin, delicate fingers)? I like to carry my dolls around and handle them often, but I'm a bit of a klutz, so I don't want to have to worry my head off.
• Does it seem like the doll would feel nice to hold? This might be my weirder criteria. I'm sensory-seeking, so this can be more important than you'd think. I can't really put it into words. It either is fun to hold, pose, and dress, or it isn't
• Does the face and body shape suit the character I have in mind? If not, does it spark inspiration in me to create a new character around the doll?

This helps me narrow down quite a bit.