Is your doll habit a dirty little secret?

My doll habit started off an open thing, though I quickly learned people are fast to judge. First my family berated me for spending so much money on "junk" (Ouch.) then my friends freaking out because dolls are "creepy" (again, ouch.) Now I really just keep to myself unless I know the person I'm talking to has an interest in the hobby. I'm trying to learn not to care about what people think though I still get a wave of nerves when I get asked "What do you do for fun?"

 

A "dirty" secret? Not so much. I do keep it to myself for awhile when I first meet people. It usually doesn't come up in conversations, same with my anime/manga fandom or figure collecting or general toy collecting. Now, if it comes up in conversation I will come forth with it, but I'm not ashamed of it or anything - everyone has their own hobbies.

 

It sort of is a 'dirty little secret' for me. My parents think it's really weird- and probably pretend that I don't have such a hobby. As such I tend to refrain from taking them out while they are home.
Everyone else I've told seems not to care, especially when I explain that they are art related.

 

I'm quite happy to talk about my dolls and show them off. Of course, my mom also doesn't really give me much of a choice because whenever we have guests who have never seen before she makes me show them my dolls.

 

Mine arent a secret but I also dont push it on others. While quite a few friends come over often, if they dont bring up the dolls neither do I

 

Nope, it isn't. Is one of my hobbies and I show it like a really proud mom hahaha

 

I love everything about my dolls. If I could pack them all up (but currently there are 7 and 3 more coming soon) and take them with me everywhere... but, like children, they must be dressed, wigged and packed safely so it isn't practical. But, I talk about them all the time, take pictures and share on my phone, I talk about them online. And, on special occasions we travel. I took PJ to Cabo and made her a bikini while we were there. I just took Nelly to the shop while Halloween was going on to show off her Witch outfit. I plan of continuing to share. If we do, then we bring back the love of dolls. Owning a doll shop, I see many who find them "creepy" because they have no exposure to the fun and imagination a doll can bring. Our children do not get to pretend to be teachers and doctors and fashion designers without dolls. It's important. Its needed. I see a huge change in my 9 year old and my 22 year old when we are out and have dolls. They become more sociable. We have tea parties. We share. Celebrate your dolls with Everyone, I say!!! harleyfae

 

Nope, there's photos of them up on my Facebook even. I don't tend to bring them up in conversation unless I think the person will be interested in them.

 

They are not a secret but I tend to avoid talking about them to people who obviously don't care. When people ask me what I do for a living I explain I make dolls but for collectors, for grown ups. I usually have to explain I am neither making reborns, nor lovedolls. Clichés are strong xD People are usually interested though, even if they find them expensive, and men often find them creepy.

 

Good question, honestly, yes. I mean I'm a freshman in high school and if anyone (I wasn't friendly with) found out, it would spread everywhere. Although I admit I've certainly become more open. If I'm on Flickr looking at doll pics in a public place and someone says "OMG EW THAT'S SO CREEPY WHAT IS THAT!?!?" I'll calmly reply explaining what they are. The problem is people are ridiculously judgmental these days on whatever other people like or enjoy. I don't think I'd take my bjd's out in public yet, well, I've taken out my lati's for the photo contest this year and I got SO many weird stares, maybe my dad holding her for me while I got her into focus wasn't the greatest idea.. Just imagine if that was an SD girl!

 

This is a big question on everybody`s mind, i`m sure, but for me, I live in a small town, SMALLLLL town, and people love gossip! No joke. When I was a kid I used to be picked on a lot, and I mean A L O T. As an adult, i`ve become pretty unsocialable, I don`t hate people, but I don`t want to spend a lot of time with them either. I socialize at work just fine, i`m there most of my week.. but I don`t want people to know my personal hobbies or feelings because I get embarressed VERY easily, I hate being the centre of attention and I hate being stared, glared, watched, approached from strangers, it makes me uneasy and when I get uneasy, I make mistakes, i`d never take the only doll I have out in the world. When I get uneasy and nervous, i`m shy and socially awkward so whenever somebody comes up to me and asks me anything out of the ordinary apart from hey how`s it going, I get really uncomfortable, and I defiently don`t want to mistep and drop or break or chip my doll. I know people will talk, they never àsk`a question most people (not all, mind you, but MOST) here.. judge. I hate being judged. I don`t judge people, whatever they like, let them be, is my opinion, but I feel really awkward being the centre of attention or people asking questions, two people out of my family and friends knows I have a BJD, noone knows I love anime, read manga, study japanese, read romance novels, collect barbie dolls and the like, and now in the later years, looking at BJD more passionately. It`s kind a double edged sword, I like being around people, but as a wall flower, never showing my true colors, I like that, I like being left out of the limelight, let somebody else deal with that hot mess, it`s defiently not for me. I like talking to people about dolls, I love all of my hobbies, they are pretty cool, but I don`t want to be judged by the people living in the town. I`m really happy for people who can go out and do these things and I cheer for them, you go! You`re awesome.. I wish I wasn`t such a coward and could be more proud of myself and my hobbies.. but alas, it`s just not for me, now if I see somebody with something I like, sometimes I can`t help myself, i`ll go take a gander, or ask, but never do it myself.

 

For me, I am not embaressed if people know I like BJD's or antyhing. I post pictures on my Fb, instagram and update my twitter about things I am getting in the mail and what I am waiting on etc. If people dont care for that then they can unfollow/ unfriend me. but for the most part people are interested about my dolls. At work I will get co-workers who ask me about them and what they are and they think they are pretty cool. And I guess to people that I know IRL it's isn't a big shock or anything that I like BJD's.

 

Okay, well... I hid my little doll family from my mother at first. Just her. Only because my mom didn't get why someone would spend that much on anything ever. She's now at that point where she thinks gaming consoles and video games are a waste of money even though she was the gamer of the family and she was the one who got me into gaming. So, I hid my dolls the first few years. I was getting sad though not seeing them when walking into my room so, I would leave them out on a shelf she wouldn't really see unless in my room. It took her I think almost a year from that point before saying anything and that's when I intro'd her to the small family I had then. She's accepted I have them, however the one thing I don't do is tell her the true amount I spent because while I'm a full grown adult with my own career and such...she's scary man. XD

Other then that, I have never had any reservations about showing my dolls to other people. I loved showing them to my co-workers when I worked at the bookstore because they really appreciated the art and beauty of BJDs. Plus it was nice to have some friends to share it with. It's not a well-known hobby of mine to others however. Unless a person comes over and sees the dolls then normally they don't know I collect them.

 

I couldn't see if I posted in this thread already, but since things tend to change, I decided to post anyway.

My involvement in the hobby is certainly no secret. I try my best to represent the hobby in a good way -- you know, not come off creepy, or super weird, or anything that would raise any flags for people. I don't think anyone should be ashamed of their hobbies, especially a hobby like this one -- it brings out our creativity in several different ways, and we spend so much time and money on our collections, it would be a shame to treat it like a secret.

It isn't usually my opening line at a new office or on a first date, of course. ^_^; But I'm an amateur photographer and my dolls are my main subjects, so anyone who asks to see my photos or friends me on social media is bound to get some dolly spam on their timeline at some point. I also use my dolls to gauge how comfortable I can be in a new work place (I work in games so weird hobbies are the norm) or how much I can trust in a new acquaintance. It's okay for someone to not like dolls in general (I wouldn't make a coworker who sits near me sit with my dolls in view if they made her uncomfortable) but it isn't okay for someone to not like me for collecting them. I don't make a habit of arguing with people when they tell me the dolls are creepy, and I don't act insulted if they have a poor reaction to the dolls themselves. So long as they still respect and like me, I'm good. In a sense, I use my dolls to figure out who I shouldn't be wasting my time with. Hah!

Have I lost friends because of my openness with the hobby? More like acquaintances, but yes, I have. But that is their loss.

Now, one thing I do keep a secret? The money! I don't announce when I buy a new doll on Facebook, and I don't tell people how much they cost unless I'm asked. Especially parents. o______o;;;

 

When I started in the hobby I was very excited and used to post ALOT of pictures of my dolls all over my Facebook. But then people started to PM me about it and say that they think the dolls are creepy. So now I still take my dolls out to meets and take lots of photos of them, but I post on my blog or on dolly forums/groups and much less on my own Facebook page. However, it's no secret that I'm in this hobby, I still post the occasional picture, and my dolls are displayed openly on shelves in my room, so anyone who has visited my house would know about them. The one thing I find amusing is that my mother sort of treats them as a tourist attraction, and makes me introduce my hobby to people who come over because she thinks it's really fascinating.

 

I actually keep my dolls only for myself and some friends interested. I share a lot of my dolls's photos, but on accounts I made only for them and my works, nothing like a personal Facebook account. I have them exposed at home, but in a little room I use as a studio where visitors usually don't come, and I'll probably never take them out in public places for photos (but this is in part because I don't feel comfortable taking photos with no one that helps me supervising and discouraging children or dogs to come dangerously near to the dolls.)
I don't want to be judge childish or creepy, especially by people I don't barely know!

 

They aren't a secret but I am pretty selective with who I share them with mostly because it annoys me when people call them creepy...so yeah I would be more willing to take them to a doll meet than just randomly bringing my doll to the mall or something.

 

Nah. Not at all. I collect all sorts of comic book toys and figurines. I also cosplay. I've done shoots in costume around the city. I'm not shy and the reaction I've gotten have been overwhelmingly positive. My bjds are just another thing I'm into. They're on display in our house with the rest of my figures. I've never had a negative reaction from friends about them or any of my other hobbies.

 

When I first became interested in getting a doll, I kept it souly to myself, save gushing with my classmate whom got me hooked to begin with.

But eventually I had to mention it to my other half, and he didn't know whet to think. At first I was trying to win his approval! He just didn't understand how I could want to spend that much on a doll, and that's the reaction I want to avoid in this hobby. Then I explained it in a way that he (And our roomate, who's kinda like a little brother) could get: it's like his magic cards, or gundam or warhammer models. It's all about the customization!

So now, that's how I kinda explain my BJD hobby. It is my "dirty little secret", but most of my close friends know by now. One of my girl friends is so exited that I'm finally getting the one I've been swooning over that she want to take pictures with me I can't wait to travel around with my doll, even with the funny looks. Of course, I say that now, lol

 

I wouldn't say my doll(s) are secret, but I generally only have them out for doll-related things. Meetups, conventions where there is a doll panel or photoshoot, those things. When people come over I don't hide them, I have an entire shelf on my bookcase devoted to those alternative fashion dolls that don't look like Barbie, and my BJD and any others' that are visiting can chill with them (or stay in the box/bag/blanket if the owner wishes). I'm extremely careful and paranoid of something bad happening, especially to the visiting dolls that I don't have the $$$ to replace if something were to happen.

For a while I did tell my bf that my doll was just a visitor because he wouldn't understand dropping hundreds of dollars on a doll, even though it was a very good deal. A friend let that cat out of the bag so now he knows, but he hasn't asked how much I spent, and if he does I can explain how much they usually cost vs what I paid.