On Doll Carriers: Fit In or Stand Out?

My doll carrier came as a gift with my first doll so I didn't exactly get to choose how it looked. It's big, clunky and in some weird reddish pink color that I'm not entirely fond of, but I can squeeze all three dolls inside. If I had the choice, I would have gotten something that resembled a large handbag or tote because having a giant hot pink bulky thing the size of a violin case strapped to your back in the middle of public is rather awkward.

When going out in public with a doll, I usually just stuff one or two in my messenger bag with some pillows. It's a lot more comfortable for me to use my old everyday purse instead of that giant carrying case. That thing's much better suited for conventions and times when I have other luggage for it to blend in with.

So yeah, when it comes to doll carriers, I'd prefer to blend in to avoid unwanted attention.

 

I'd probably rather blend in. This is my own general style and preference, as well as not drawing attention to the fact I had an expensive item with me.

 

Then you should try carrying a cello around The number of times I've had to explain that it's NOT a large guitar...

I'm not sure I'd really care that much. I don't think there's many dolls where I live, so I doubt anyone would know what I had in the bag, even if it was bright pink, but of course, that could cause some questions too. But I doubt anyone would realize how expensive the doll inside the bag is.
I'd be fine with one that blended in, but a more "exciting" one could be fun too ^^

 

unfortunately for me, most of my stuff is brightly colored and really stand-outish, so for it to blend in with everything i own it would stand out lot but at the moment i am gonna be using a diaper bag (thought it was cute not coz i have a kid) for my Moon, its large and has lots of pockets for things.

 

I don't necessarily want to stand out, I just prefer the more vintage look, and a lot of the carriers these days are very much of the black, businessline sort. Which to me is no fun since I'm around that in the workplace everyday.
My Bambicrony and puki's are getting a vintage metal lunchbox outfitted with padding.

When I get (the rest of) my MSD I'll probably look for a very slender wind instrument case for her when I take her out alone, or place her in a small vintage suit case with my others.

 

I always thought blending in was better xD So I just had my carrier in the original way, standard black bag. Until the moment I was going to a meetup for the first time :p I felt suspicious on the trainstation, wearing a black bag xD As if I was carrying a gun :p

I still keep my carriers in the normal way, just some added keyhangers or pins, but no serious changes :p They are pretty enough already ^^

My other bags don't really blend in though, I have pink extremely funny bags and patches etx :p

 

Actually, I have two custom-made bags, and both are normal-looking on the outside, and outrageous on the inside! One's a white bag with a bright silver inside, and the other is black on the outside with maroon and blue on the inside. They're good for traveling, since I don't really like drawing attention to myself or my dolls on plane rides.

Just walking around, I'm fine with drawing attention with my bag, but because dolls are a weird item when traveling on planes, I usually like to play them down so that I don't have flight attendants asking me to either put the bag in the overhead compartment or check the bag in.

 

I like my carriers to match my style. I have a wooden suitcase for when I feel like dressing frilly, and a pilot case for my victorian moods. Mostly dark and natural colors really. They go with anything.

 

I use whatever is practical. A while ago, I got myself a large backpack(those big ones for trekking and such) and they fit snugly in there. I wrap my dolls in a fleece haori which is very soft. Face caps on.

My third is a Resinsoul which should come with a doll carrier.

 

I found a second-hand carrier on the Marketplace. It's a light pink, so not overly flashy, but I suppose I could get asked questions about it. I like that it's big enough to hold my SD girl and my MSD boy and stuff in plenty of padding. (I just use their box pillows.) It sure beats wrapping them together in my SD girl's pillow, tying them up into doll candy, and stuffing 'em in my suitcase with everything else when I go to conventions!

When I get my Puki, though, she'll probably come with me in my pocketbook a lot of the time, though.

 

I generally go by the rule of don't make it look like it has something valuable in it, but make it stand out to the point where if you describe it, someone has to KNOW it's yours. A good way to prevent theft is by having something that looks so distinct that taking it will probably be a lot of trouble since they can't hide it.

Eg: I did a small, cartoony, painting across my laptop screen-back (the big flat area) with thick paints that I could control and not have run all over, but dried fast. Nobody mistakes my computer for their own.

 

I have three. One is punkish, Dollmore sold it. One is long and skinny and navy, got it off the boards here, and the one is silver, another Dollmore double carrier, like the punkish one. I'd love one bright and colorful.

 

fit in
I hate attention ><
and hate people who try and get attention D:

 

Oh! Good idea.

 

I would personally rather blend in... Something subtle, classy, and with a hard outer shell and padding inside, so it's safe.

 

I got mine free with my Iplehouse doll
but it fits in

 

Go as flashy as you want. The general public are STILL clueless. They have no idea it's a doll bag. And most of them don't care.

I schlep my doll-carriers of all sizes around this metropolis, and most people don't even give it a second glance. It's an odd-shaped bag, so what, people carry things in bags. But when their curiosity does get the better of them, I get the most entertaining variety of questions:

"Is that a really big yoga mat?"
"Are you guys in a band?"
"Is that a musical instrument?"
"Are you going skydiving?"
"Is that a custom pool cue?"
"Do you have a rifle in there?"

Whatever it is, I just always say Yes. And just leave it at that.

It's especially fun if there's 5 or 6 of you, and the question was "are you in a band", and you say Yes but don't elaborate on what KIND of band... leave their imaginations to run wild. What could these men & women all be carrying in there? Renaissance instruments like krummhorns and sackbuts? Is it the San Francisco Didgeridoo Choir? Contrabass flutes? Congas? Really really giant kazoos?

 

Picking up a new rolling duffle today...it's PINK. It will be padded with 1" thick Museum Foam. And I also wrap my dolls in baby blankets so they will be well-protected.

 

I have several types, sizes and styles of doll carriers. So a bit on both sides shall we say. My biggest is my Iplehouse EID sized bag, it's basic black with some red. To the common person it could be a tripod case or even a gun for all they know. Only fellow BJD people would know. On other end I have 2 bags custom made for my LTF kids and they are clearly to common lookers odd looking bags and my 2 other bags are rolling suitcases for not just a doll or two but extras for longer trips. One is black one is made of recycled rice bags so one sticks out. Which ever bag I use it is with me at all times, or locked in my car. So weather I stick out or look normal I keep an eye only resin kids.