if dolls were less expensive...

I probably would still love the dolls if they kept up their decent quality if they weren't so expensive. However, if the quality takes a dip, I won't buy them. I've started caring more about quality these past few years.

 

Money is something i have to think about, calculate what and when I can afford. But the real reason l will never have hundreds of bjd is the space. Money can be earned and saved. Space on the other hand doesn’t grow on trees. Could l get a bigger house? Idk. Maybe some time. But l don’t really want a bigger house, mine is cosy, easy to care for. And a few dolls fit in it. Just not a whole hoard of them.

 

I just like to shell specific characters. If BJDs were less expensive but remained the same in quality, then I would feel less guilty about spending so much money on them. Doll wardrobe by itself costs more than anything I actually wear lol It's absurd, really.

I may be in the minority as I'm against luxury as an appeal to any hobby in addition to having a non-collector mindset because I gain about the same satisfaction from customizing my BJDs (1/3 scale) as I do with customizing my Nendoroid-OB11 dolls (1/12 scale) -- it's all a matter of intention and what sparks imagination personally. I treat my SDs like actors I've cast for the live-action of my story, whereas my custom Nendoroid dolls are based off existing live-action characters I want to chibi-fy.

I own a few blind box BJDs as well, and while they are really cute and affordable -- I'm not nearly as attached to them as any of my customized dolls simply because they don't inspire my imagination. Realistically and more affordably, I could shell any and every character I want into Nendoroid dolls. But I don't and I stopped at just two because while I like many characters from the show, I only really love the two characters I already shelled. It's the same with my SDs: only the two main characters I love with my whole heart among an ensemble of other likeable OCs.

All of my emotional bandwidth goes toward loving the few obsessively I'm simply okay with every other character represented by 2D illustration, Sims 4, or just plain words.

 

Yeah, that's where I'm at too. I don't think the high cost "legitimizes" the hobby, but I think the quality of the dolls (and the artistry that goes into making them) sets them apart, and realistically you can't get those things without a higher price tag.

But in a fantasy world, I would for sure have more dolls if they were cheaper but the same quality. I only want to have a limited number of dolls in total, but right now I can literally only afford one, and it would be nice to have a second one so I can switch between working on them.

 

I wish they were less expensive, if only so I could finish them the way I like to without investing a small fortune into it. Alas, the "small fortune" bit doesn't seem to stop me!

I've always loved dolls, and my collection runs the gamut from $100 (i.e. the price of a Silkstone Barbie) to over $700 just or the base doll alone. I care far more about aesthetics and my personal taste than I do about the price point.

 

If bjd's were at a lower entry point, I think I definitely would have more dolls for sure. But my approach wouldn't change much, just how I can afford them.

I do think I would have way more buy regrets (like I do with my playlines that I bought ONLY because they were on sale and not becuase I wanted them for my collection) but regret is not unique to playlines. The source of the regret is different and hits a little harder when I feel like "I spent so much". For eg a doll that arrived in the wrong resin tone or sculpt after months or years of waiting. If they were cheaper, it would bother me less and it would be less stessful as a hobby. But ultimately, my collection would just be more of the dolls I had to pass up due to finances but still plan to save towards.