"Once You Get Your Own..."

Yes.

I became much more understanding of people who own dolls, all dolls, not just bjds. It wasn't that I thought it was horrible before, I certainly wasn't going to call anyone who collected them childish or anything, I just couldn't understand the appeal. I still find babydolls and especially reborn dolls creepy, but I can understand why people would want them around now.
My attitude towards bjds specifically also changed once I got one. I used to wonder why so many bjd pictures are so similar, why people didn't build elaborate sets and take awsome actions shots all the time. I didn't really do any photography before bjds, so I didn't realize just how much work goes into even a normal bjd shot, let alone anything elaborate like that. So my respect for all bjd owners went way up.

 

No, but then I bought a doll before I discovered there were other
collectors of these kinds of dolls. I've always collected dolls; these are just a slightly different kind.

 

Overall, the doll hobby seemed too expensive for me; my hobbies end up being quite an investment, but in little bits at a time. Not so painful to the wallet, eh?

So did my attitude change once I got my own? Hmmm, maybe not. I still feel like I'll accidentally do something wrong when handling other people's dolls, such as ruining the eyelashes or getting them scratched. Which is one of the reasons I ended up with a tiny little Puki.

And, getting my very own bjd did inspire me to finally learn how to use my DSLR I've had for a couple years

 

I don't think my attitude really changed so much as soon as I got my doll but rather it's changed over time as I've been exposed to more aspects of the hobby and the people in it. Of course I had certain expectations or ideas coming into the hobby, such as simple things like how big my doll would look in person, how delicate they where and how I could make use of it for photography but I tend to do a lot of research before big purchases so I like to think I was well prepared even though there was still a lot of trial and error involved with my first doll.
I think you can have these moments at pretty much any point during your time in the hobby to be honest. For example I didn't really see the big deal about Volks dolls for a long until I got my own, that was very much an "Oh! I totally get it now!" moment since they have a weight and feel to them I hadn't really encountered with my other dolls (which at that point where mostly Luts and Soom), not to mention that the company photography rarely does the sculpts justice and I'd probably been in the hobby for two years at that point. So really even once you have your first doll there's still plenty of 'mini epiphanies' to be had over time.

 

Until I got my own, I couldn't understand how people could spend so much money on these dolls. I mean, I fell for my first doll pretty hard and I was determined to get him, but, even then, while waiting for him, I thought it was so silly to spend so much for him. I even regretted him for awhile and hated that I spent that money on him when I could've used it for other things. And, it honestly didn't help that my friends felt the same. But, then I got him and, frankly, I thought he was worth every penny. And then I understood it was the same for everyone. The whys seem to just slip away once you have your doll in hand. Or at least for me it did.

 

Before I got mine I was sure I'd never have one because they're expensive... Luckily my friend was kind enough to gift me one before she moved to Florida! But I always really liked them, though I think that after I got Theo I liked non-human parts more.

 

I think I may have saw them years ago, but didn't really get them. Could have been face ups or whatever. Then saw them 5 years ago in a new light and been loving them ever since.

 

Yes. Before I got a doll, I saw them as an unattainable thing, and I didn't understand the ins and outs of the hobby. I didn't realize how fragile they were, how much went into obtaining and taking care of them.

 

To be honest, I did not like dolls. period. Until I saw BJDs and how you could change them to look the way you wanted! They also just looked so different from any type of doll.

Yes, my opinions have changed quite a lot! MSD was way too big, and now I have two! Fantasy dolls were too different, and now I'm more attracted to them. I'm continuing to evolve my tastes and being open to new ideas. Maybe SD someday..........

 

I agree with malvagitabella above. I could not see myself spending so much money on dolls, until I finally got one (and then more). Now I understand why people are willing to get into such an expensive hobby.

 

Yes, I used to think dolls were crazying expensive but each time I buy a doll the amount I'm willing to pay goes up.

 

Before I got my doll I had all these doll item links bookmarked, like various outfits, wigs, clothes, shoes that I would buy. I also had a whole doll family planned out, because I thought that one would definitely not be enough. I even started to drop my other hobbies because I thought my doll desires would cost a fortune.

I envisioned myself zealously changing dolly outfits every day, changing eyes, shoes, wigs.

She came, and I'm surprisingly very content with just one (for now) and I change her look once every two weeks, alternating between her few shirts and skirts. ^^;;

Maybe its because school started not soon after she arrived and I don't have time to pore through the websites and buy things, but this hobby isn't as costly to me as it had first seemed. Yes, the items themselves are pricey, but since I'm content with just a few purchases, I'm not spending a lot.

 

At first it was pretty thrilling to me, and I took mine everywhere. Photographed her constantly, and pretty much had her clothes, eyes, and wig here before she got here. Her looks has been about the same since she's been home. The only thing that really changed after I got my own was the fact that I had to have more! And that happened. But over time, everything mellowed out. The doll started getting more shelf time since she had buddies to hang out with, I started taking fewer pictures, and even doll meets seem slightly less thrilling to me anymore. I've had dolls come and go, and some that are going to stay forever. It was all soo amazing when I was new to it. New companies to discover, new sculpts to look at, and there was so much to learn. But sadly it's easy to master the art of owning dolls....hehe So I guess what a good question would be now, is how to keep the hobby thrilling?

 

Similarly to what others have said, I also couldn't understand why people would spend so much money until I owned my first doll. But since then I completely understand why I also thought it was a bit strange to photograph dolls until I started

 

I've always had expensive hobbies growing up ( Art, collecting anime merchandise when it couldn't be found, toys etc.) So the expense never got me. I was always afraid to handle the dolls because of the expense however, scared that I would break it. I wouldn't even touch my friend's dollies when she showed me them my freshmen year of college. Once I got my own though I realized that they aren't as fragile as it seems. I still don't take them anywhere but have no problem handling them now.

Some of my opinions on the field haven't changed though. I wont get into them.

 

definitely, and it continues to on one key factor: Money.

It seems that with each new doll I get, I find it easier and easier to spend just a little more money to get the doll I REALLY want.

In one drop: the first BJD I bought was 100$ and my most recent, and most expensive was 500$. But thinking back to when I bought my first doll, I Was near on cloud nine that I found one that cheap and had never dreamed of spending any more than that.

My opinions on molds and such constantly change as well. One day I'll think a mold is ugly (CP Miyu for example) and the next day I'll own one (though she was ugly from day one, finally saw one blank in person, and now she's my most recent doll).

I've also been in this hobby a few years, so I think even as I age and change myself, then that reflects back on my dolls and this hobby in general.

 

I will admit I thought K'van was nuts at first when she told me about her new hobby (This was about a year and a half ago). I didn't really see any differences between the popular kids' toys and bjds at that time - since the only BJD i knew by name was Buster from Mythbusters... and the size disparity threw me off at first. However, I guess I've been desensitised, since bjds actually HAVE expressions and personalities (or idiosyncracies, depending on the individual point of view). Now, I'm the proud owner of precisely ONE... and already contemplating which kid to get next (and ignoring the screams of pain from my empty bank account.)

 

Haha..yes. I suckered amberhawk into the hobby and I'm not in the least ashamed of it. Hmm..at first I was a little scared at how life-like they looked. That was leXis's Camui. And for a longest time I wondered how anyone could sleep with these dolls in their room. But I handled her dolls..and later the dolls of kurohebi..and..everything went downhill from there. Now..I am the proud owner of 2 Sds, 5 Yo-Sds and 1 puki. And a few more to come...probably. If I had only known..how..EXPENSIVE this would be. Urgh.

 

That's your own fault for not knowing to limit yourself And now I'm in the same boat as you are. Some friend you are... (Grumbles to self)... but I get where you're coming from... althought it was YOUR Rai that addicted me to this hobby.