How Old is TOO Old?

Lady Moo, what a touching story!
I am forty one and just got my first doll. When I told my mom about it, she was so excited and jealous (in a good way) Said she should find my old dolls and play with them a little herself. She is teasing me now since I never wanted to play with dolls when I was little. Now I am not sure what my grandma thinks about that... I should ask.

 

Heh, i'm 28 and just got my first doll.

There's no such thing as too old when it comes to most things. Or too old for that matter. At least when it comes to hobbies. A lot of my hobbies give images of old people, but i love them anyhow. I know how to spin yarn on a spinning wheel, crochet, make baskets, but I also enjoy playing video games, and buying happy meals for the toys =P

 

when you get past a certain age and have your own money no one cares what you collect. After all, who do you think is buying all the model trains on ebay?
I've been collecting dolls for the past 20 years or so and none of the family bats an eyelash, they just groan when i try and show them my latest lovely. (and hubby is doing his best to put a dent in the number of trains available)

 

I'm 34, but started in the hobby at 27. There is no 'too old'. Period. If you are interested in dolls, and they bring you joy, then you should collect dolls. If they cease to hold interest for you, then maybe it's time to move on to something else. Age has nothing to do with it. Most people aren't all that interested in other people's hobbies anyway. Yes, there maybe some weird assumptions floating around about doll hobbyists, but does it really matter? Nobody is going to come, take your dolls, and throw you in a mental ward because you're an adult with a hobby. The fun part of being an adult is that you get to make your own decisions and do what you want. The older I get the less I find myself caring about what other people think. Ironically, the concern about age appropriateness seems to be a bigger deal when you are younger, have to take orders from the adults in your life, and prove that you really are mature. Once you really do grow up there's nothing to prove anymore.

I've also been to non-abjd doll shows and can tell you that most of the people there are older -- some expressed excitement over seeing us bjd folks there, because we were for the most part younger than the typical doll collector that was there -- don't forget, age is relative!

 

I think I will stop playing with dolls when I am dead. xD Fair enough? I think so. lol!!

I agree with many people who have posted above mine. Age is relative when it comes to hobbies, especially when you are an adult. I have MANY strange and amazing hobbies that I have grown into quite well. Some of my hobbies are at a professional level and have turned into a potential career path.

To me, a hobby is the same as a passion. A passion can drive you to a career that you enjoy. Some people here have made this doll hobby a career. Making eyes, wigs, sewing clothes.

I used to be "ashamed" of my hobbies, for stupid reasons. Once I "grew up", I realized that nothing else mattered but myself and my happiness.

So, if dolls make you happy, who cares? I'm planning on becoming a "crazy old doll lady". xD!

 

I've been told 'I'm too old to play 'dress up'' ever since I got into cosplay - AFTER people found out about my age. I haven't bothered to give any care.
Same now when I got into the BJD hobby. 'Aren't you too old to play with dolls?'
It's fun to me and as long as it's fun, you are not 'too old'. In fact 'too old' does not really exist in my oppinion.

'Too old' is usually something someone who doesn't understand the fun in the hobby comes up with. If you go by that I could also ask 'Aren't you too old to play with your train toys?', 'Aren't you too old to need boosting your self-confidence with wasting money into brand clothes?', 'Aren't you too old to watch 2 x 11 guys chasing after a ball?', 'Aren't you too old to still doddle pics?'.
That or people needing to proof that they are 'so grown up'. It's always a pity when people loose their inner child.

If you enjoy your hobby, enjoy it. Age has nothing to do with it.

 

It's like grown up men playing with a carrera car racing set or video games...

I don't think there is a point in life where you should start drinking and not having fun anymore and just thinking about porn and paying the bills, lol.

I love 'playing' with my dolls no matter how old I get!

And I personally connect elderly women and dolls with creepy realistic baby looking dolls not with anime-ish overlong proportioned ball jointed dolls.

So I don't really think there's an age limit to bjds. ^^

 

What exactly are age-appropriate hobbies for a person over 50? I'm not interested in knitting, or making quilts, or pasting stamps in a book, or hiking with a bunch of other old bats. I'm interested in dolls. I've outlived my parents and no one else in my family cares what I do. Even if they did, I would still do as I damn well please, just as I always have. As long as I don't wander around the mall dressed in Lolita clothing and clutching a doll, I don't think anyone would think I am pathetic. I just look like someone's grandmother, which I am. I don't discuss my dolls with Muggles, as JennyNemesis calls them, just with other like-minded collectors. Who cares what my hobbies are?

 

The only way to stay truly young is to be young at heart. An age restriction should NEVER be put on something you love. If there are people saying that ' you are too old for dolls' who cares. If your doll collection isn't hurting anyone, than their opinions are null and void if it is something you love. Wish you could talk to your friends about your dolls. Why thats what Den of angels is for

 

There's never an age limit to enthusiasm, passion, love.

 

At what age (if any) does doll collecting become pathetic, suspect, or even sinister?

I don`t think collecting dolls of any type can become pathetic with age . But I do think certain things that you do with bjds can be suspect/ sinister when older that (in my opinion) 25 -30 . I mean ( and this is just me ) that some things can become inappropriate once you are a mature adult .
But I am just a teenager , what would I know...

 

I'm 20, 21 very soon and and I still feel like people judge me for being too old to play with dolls. But it's my hobby and a huge artistic outlet and as long as no one is getting hurt, there is never anything wrong with a passionate hobby. So I personally really don't think anyone is too old for a hobby, therefore not too old to collect dolls. In fact a friend of mine's grandmother collected dolls up until she passed. I actually think you can be a little to YOUNG for this hobby sometimes, as BJDs are serious and not really toys...

 

I will be hitting the big 3-0 in about 5 months. I used to be a bit self conscious about telling people I still collect dolls, but I've learned to phrase it in an understandable and "adult" acceptable way - i.e. "Collectable, Customizable, Art Doll."

The longer I'm in the hobby, the less bothered I am about telling people, especially since I know of several people who are much older than I am who still enjoy it. The only time I've ever feel weird about my age is when I'm at a meet and most (or sometimes ALL) of the other people who show up are literally half my age. Mostly because I feel like I have to watch how I talk and what I say. And, yeah, sometimes I wonder if people think I'm some weird old lady because I'm hanging out with teenagers who are clearly not related to me.

 

i'm 42 and got into the hobby less than a year after an illness left me with some visions issues and unable to do counted cross stitch, crewel and such. my friend skoo thought it would be good for me and presented me with a hujoo dana whom i named milla. this has been a wonderful hobby that has been a wonderful creative outlet. i learned a long time ago, not to care what other people think about me. not only am i into bjd's i'm an otaku, i used to be a gamer until i got sick. i used to attend metal and punk concerts at least twice a month at the least. there's no age limit on enjoying. life is far to short not to enjoy it and spend time doing the things you love. everyone who knows me knows about my girls. i've had people at work ask questions about them and i've even taken them in with me so i could show them off. i have no plans on leaving the hobby anyway soonn, in fact it's gonna double in about 6-8 weeks and i have no plans to stop.

 

Couldn't have said it better!

 

Iv been told on many occasions im to old for things like dolls. But at the end of the day its a hobbie, and a very creative one at that. Its nothing like playing with a doll as a child for me. Its all about making something I thought up come to life. And for me there is no age limit on creativity.

 

I don't think there's such a thing as "too old", i am 30 years old and i have different hobbies.

I am sick of listening people saying "dolls are for childs"....people don´t understand that there are many many different types of hobbies and the most important thing is that everyone enjoy their free time with something that made them happy, it can be reading, playing sports, collecting dolls, etc....i don´t think that the age is an important issue but sadly usually people doesn´t understand this point.

 

I'll always have my dolls, so I would say no age is too old. I'll probably be sewing and roleplaying when I'm a little old lady, too. XD

 

I'm going to agree with this. I'm 21, and most people my age find "clubbing" to be a good hobby, which I disagree with. To each their own, I guess.

But I would like to add that people have been collecting dolls for years. This isn't a new hobby, although sure, BJDs are newer than some dolls. If the bills are paid and everything else is taken care of, I don't see why anyone else should care that this is our hobby. Don't like it? Just walk away.

Oh and katana803, I hope you are feeling better now! *hugs*

 

People who are apt to tell you "you're too old" for anything = The same people who are apt to say things like, "You know what you'd look great in? A dress!" or "You'd be so pretty if you just lost more 5 pounds" or "He just needs to meet the right woman, then he'll forget about that silly Alternative Lifestyle" or "You better hurry up and settle for some husband, any husband, before you turn 40" or "You should have kids - you'll change your mind about them once you have some of your own". There are people who believe that if they keep their lives carefully in line with everything they see and hear on TV, success and happiness will magically follow. Interestingly, many of these people seem to be in therapy, which suggests that an unwavering societally-determined formula might not be the recipe for life.