Only allowing yourself to buy "cheaper" dolls?

Perhaps this is the issue, then, because to most people I know, the phrase "spoiled brat" is extremely negative, critical, and dismissive. Where I come from, calling someone a "spoiled brat" is tantamount to saying they have no manners and are filled with self-centered greed.

"Spoiled brat" is never tossed around as "an expression" where I live, even among close friends who otherwise kid around by calling each other bitches and whores. There is a thread on this very forum in which people discuss concerns about their dolls perhaps making them look like they might be spoiled, when they are not. I even know a teacher who was fired for using that phrase to describe a child. So the phrase is clearly a loaded one, for most people.

I admit that, to me at least, much of what you have written comes off as extremely harsh, unbending, and judgmental in tone because you are using that phrase to describe those who disagree. If, in fact, you were not aware of just how much of a loaded phrase that is, then it becomes much easier to re-interpret your posts in a less negative manner.

Having done that, I apologize that my posts were more personal than needed. To me the phrase "spoiled brat" had signaled a personal fight from the start; if that phrase was not meant to convey a slight against all owners of more expensive dolls, then the situation changes completely.

 

Do you mind if I answer this myself? Because I think it's key to the basic conflict here.

In most cases, I'd admire it, daydream a little, but not really see it as a realistic option, just as I do with luxury holidays. If I was genuinely haunted by an expensive piece of plastic and obsessive wanting for it, if it moved out of the realm of pleasurable speculation about what I'd do if I owned it - I'd get the hell out of the hobby, and not come back until my priorities were sorted out again, given my obsessive traits and tendency to lose perspective. (I have a long history of this on other hobbies. I also know this isn't true of all collectors, and it's my own problem. I just need to be self-aware.)

It really is all about priorities, and what you prioritise. I guess I just don't share the assumption that prioritising a hobby above all else is admirable. But then, I don't believe most doll collectors, no matter what they spend, do that, anyway. They have relationships and families and friends and jobs that aren't just sources of doll money and charity/volunteering obligations and religious commitments and, yes, other hobbies. It's only on threads like this that everything seems twisted towards buying a doll becoming elevated to the meaning of life, with the implication that if you don't prioritise your dollies, you're somehow doing it wrong.

 

Thank you for answering that autumnrain! I totally agree with you that a doll shouldn't be a priority in life, what I was asking, really, was why Boots was quite so vehemently against the mere thought of even daydreaming on the subject. I'd like to live in a beach house in the bahama's, of course it's not a practical thing to want, but that doesn't stop my dreaming.

I guess what I'm getting at is that, why, if you've entered into a hobby so based on imagination and the concept of whimsy, you would want to limit your imagination to even considering the idea even as a distant pipe dream.

 

That's it! Pipe dreams are fun. But you don't have to need, or even seriously want, them to come true.

It's just uncomfortable to feel slammed for having the sense of proportion I work so hard at keeping! (Not that I think people who spend more have lost *theirs* - I hate having to point that out, but feelings are running high in this thread, so just to be clear...) And this thread does make me feel like that, sometimes, partly because of the fact that the question of whether it was "okay" was raised in the first place.

 

There are better and more responsible things to concentrate on in the world than dolls. They are not life and/or death. We all know this, deep down...but they still mean a lot to us otherwise we wouldn't buy them in the first place. An individual's criteria for picking a doll can never be wrong because it is tailored to them...but I still maintain that saving for longer to get the doll you love is more worthwhile than getting a doll you like just for the sake of having a doll.

People also forget that saving up for an affordable BJD is an achievement for some amongst us, so that shouldn't be ignored either.

 

This is a very good point. And like Jescissa noted as well, sometimes saving up for the "less expensive" doll is an achievement in and of itself. We just have no way of knowing what each owner is going through, or their real reasons for choosing one doll over another.

As far as I'm concerned, as long as everyone respects other owners and doesn't make assumptions about their motivations for having a particular doll, it's all good. I've had cheap dolls, mid-range dolls, expensive dolls, small dolls, big dolls, and so on. Dolls come and go. But a person's dignity and worth doesn't go along with them.

 

I agree with you - especially about the individuality. But I also think there's value in looking at several dolls you love, and choosing the one you love that's within your budget, or looking in the first place for dolls you'd love within your budget. Even if there's, to hang onto Lulu's phrase, a pipe dream doll you would honestly want more if price was not a consideration.

This thread gets both "sides" a little defensive, I think. Certainly me. Randomly clicking around, one of the first things I found was the claim that people who say they think DZ dolls are beautiful or match their characters are lying. I don't even own a DZ doll, but I immediately felt defensive, given that I kind of love the whole DZ "look", especially their minis.

My anecdote is this: my friend loved bjds, and thought she could never afford one. Then she found RS, and Mei, and was able to get a really beautiful doll she doesn't need to feel guilty about. (Saving doesn't always undo guilt - the money spent on a doll can always represent money you're not spending on other things.) That's a happy ending.

 

This is a really good point! That money could always go towards something else. That $20 for a wig could've bought you lunch. That $200 for a Bobobie could've paid for some bills. I think lots of people (including myself) have twinges of guilt over spending money (no matter the amount) on a hobby. But that's why it's called a hobby. If you need to you can keep that $200 and spend it on bills. Instead you bought something that can bring you joy for years.

I'll admit, when I see somebody with flocks of rare dolls sometimes my first thought is "Wow, really? That's an insane amount of money. Couldn't you do something better with that much cash?" But then I remember that I have no friggin clue how this person obtained her stuff. Maybe she threw a tantrum and daddy handed her the cash. Or maybe she ate ramen for a year and saved up for them. I don't know, and I have no right to judge.

Buy what makes you happy, people.

 

Boots, by making such ignorant and naive statements about the companies that produce BJDs you brought the companies into it.

I don't really care if you want to call me spoiled brat, I'm willing to accept that potential criticism. But what I find extremely insulting is the way you keep insisting salaries in Asian countries have to be lower than those in Europe or the US.

Again, Japan is a first world country ask anyone who has ever lived in Japan about rents and salaries in large cities. Some people think of Tokyo as one of the most expensive cities in the world to live in/visit. South Korea is pretty first world as well and while wages might be lower than some European countries I am sure they are commiserate with other European countries.

I find it ironic that the companies well known for their 2 tier pricing structures and for having lower paid workers are in fact the Chinese companies which are the ones making the $200 dolls you are touting as the answer to all our collecting needs.

Now if you want to argue some Chinese companies are charging too much vs. others that is another debate/discussion entirely.

Volks does not have 2 tier pricing structures. If I were to buy a Yo SD Remy from the International Site, I will pay the exact same price as someone in Japan paid (+EMS shipping as I live in the US)

The South Korean companies in the past have always tried to also charge the same price. The sudden drop in the won has made it so there is a large differential, but that was unintentional and many South Korean companies have lowered their prices in accordance and if the won stays where it is there could be other adjustments. It is not the intention of South Korean companies to have a 2 tier price system its an accident due to currency fluctuation.

And on a side note, people in places like Denmark, pay a fortune in customs to help the government afford to give universal healthcare and keep medical costs lower for the general population. I've also been under the impression the majority of European countries offer a much more generous maternity leave as well as more vacation than US companies. I would personally HAPPILY pay Customs for the US to offer those benefits.

 

I think that calling someone a "spoiled brat" for buying an expensive doll is very very insulting. When I was growing up, my family was extremely poor. I remember not having anything to bring for lunches and having to wear the same skirt and shirt to school everyday and then coming home and having to wash them every other day. I began working when I was 14. I would ride the bus to this reverend's house and watch her two children everyday just so I could have some money to buy necessities. I did that for a year and a half until they moved. I then got a job at Hardee's (East coast Carl's Jr.) where I worked until I went to college. I had to save up money to buy myself a car once I turned 18, and was working 2 jobs and going to college full time so that I could afford to pay my rent. After 5 years I graduated with 2 degrees and a teaching cert. and now work 40+ hour work weeks. So for someone to say that I am a "spoiled brat" because I decided that I wanted to pay $1200 to get the Soom Cuprit, is super insulting.

Before you make comments like that, you should realize that you don't know everyone's situation. I totally fell in love with this doll and want to buy it. Do I do it every month? No, but I think that if you truely love the doll and aren't just doing it for the status, then what is the big deal?

 

I think that it is perfectly fine to restrict yourself to cheaper dolls. Yes, when you can save up for your dream girl or boy, that is wonderful. But sometimes (I guess I'm speaking personally) even if I could save up $700 to $1000 or more to get a dollie, it wouldn't be the most responsible thing for me to do right now- even if I could justify it by saying that I saved for quite some time. I think it has a lot to do with your reasons for buying cheaper dolls. Either way, though, I think you buy who you love. So no matter the price, it's a great decision.

 

I've bought all my dolls "pre-loved" on ebay, and because of that I've spent less than I would have had they been new. But I like that better, because I feel like I'm giving them a good home, where they get the love and attention they deserve. Somehow resin seems warmer and more alive when it's been "played with", too.

 

"No, but I think that if you truely love the doll and aren't just doing it for the status, then what is the big deal?"

I couldn't agree with you more, midnightpariah. While I've never spent that much myself, the price we pay for dolls is a price paid not just for a material object, but for a work of art, and to the artist. Besides, if any of us wanted to be truly selfless, we wouldn't have any dolls at all, wouldn't be on DOA, and would be giving all our time and money to the less fortunate!

Anyhow, I don't regret a penny spent on my dolls. They bring joy and peace to my life, and I like to think the money I spent encourages others to continue this great art form.

 

I have to agree with you here!! Perhaps it's a little childish, but hey, we're playing with DOLLS. I figure I'm allowed to feel this way.

I honestly WISH I could restrict myself to cheaper dolls, but I am a very visual person and aesthetics matter a lot to me, especially because each doll I have is/will be the representation of a particular character. Thus, whether it's a "cheap" doll or a more expensive monthly limited creation, if the doll fits the character perfectly, that's the one I'm going to want. That's why I'm saving for a Migidoll Yujin instead of going for a Bobobie Apollo... nothing against Bobobie, I love their sculpts, but Yujin just FITS the character so much better. Alternately, Bobobie Long is absolutely perfect for a different character, and I'm delighted that he's less expensive because it means I can actually afford him.

Oh, and just to throw in my 2 cents... if you're working as hard as midnightparaiah, you deserve every cent you save and are certainly not spoiled for buying an expensive doll over a "cheaper" one!! If you're like ME, and depend on your parents for your living expenses and some doll funds, THEN you could certainly be construed as a bit spoiled for, say, begging for a limited edition doll or something similar. I know I'm more than a bit spoiled myself, even though I save my own money for the dolls I want.

 

All three of my dolls are cheaper dolls. It just happened that way; these were the three I really liked! When I got my Lan, my first doll, I was thrilled at the silken smoothness of her resin and the personality in her face. She'd have been just as beautiful to me if she'd cost 500 dollars even though she was only 150. She was the second I ordered; the first I ordered was a Megi-2 fullset that I am still waiting for, and he was only 350. (Lan, once wigged and madeup and sueded and clothed was about 300.) In my opinion, if you get the cheaper doll ONLY because of cost, you'll probably be disappointed when you see the doll you REALLY wanted but wouldn't get because it cost twice as much. I think you should get what you want, and if that means saving up and having a bit of buyer's remorse, then so be it. The end result and the happiness you'll gain will ultimately be worth it.

 

My only doll right now is a Bobobie partially because of price, partially because I loved his face and heard good things. When I got him, I don't think I'll get them somewhere else because I looooooove my Bobobie and their price is fantastic.

 

Volks was the first doll company I found when I discovered dolls. Shirou Tachibana was my dream doll and I was fawning over him hardcore. Once I realized he was a limited and was past the sell point (this was before I knew about the forum and the secondhand market), I started looking at SD13 Megu. She was all kinds of perfect and would be the ideal beautiful, sophisticated lady doll. Then, she was discontinued.

During this whole time, I had been trying to save money. I was too young to pick up a job and was stashing birthday money, but it had a way of disappearing around christmas time.. (I always over-bought for my family, but to this day I can't say I regret any of it). So, no progress was made. I tried asking my parents, but of course, $600 is not exactly a small sum of money. I asked for it as a combined birthday/christmas gift, but they said no. They didn't think the fad would last and that I'd be stuck with the doll after the hype.

So, I started looking for cheaper alternatives. Since I only had Volks to go on, I found their Dollfie Dreams. The shipping from Japan was steep, so I searched eBay. It was through an eBay user that I discovered this very forum, and the entire community as well as secondhand market. Even after my options had been blown open.. I was still feeling pretty partial to the Dollfie Dream. I found a doll company in Florida that carried them and ordered my first doll. At the time, I had enough for a resin girl, but was so set on my DD at that point that I didn't care. I was content.

She arrived and was even better than I could imagine, but then.. I thought she might be lonely. She needed a partner. So, I started looking at boys again. At the time, the minimum for any SD sized boy was $500, and any one I actually liked was more like $800. I tried saving again, but it wasn't meant to be. I wanted Shirou Tachibana, and he was simply nowhere to be found. I stopped looking and simply enjoyed my girl.

During this time, different resin beauties would come up around the marketplace that I could probably afford, but really didn't have the drive to get. I was content, not because I was at a lack of funds and had no choice, but simply because the love wasn't there. Very recently, an SD13 Megu head popped up in the marketplace. I had to have her. She was cheap, really cheap, and from the outside you might think I bought her just because the price was so good, but the fact of the matter is she was one of my favorites, second only to Shirou. You would never know, or probably guess, this unless you knew the history. She now resides on my Dollfie Dream body. I've pondered getting her a resin one, but the fact of the matter is that the DD body is like no other. I love how light she is to hold and how I don't have to worry about broken fingers if she falls, and her curves are simply unmatched. I guess you can say I grew to love her, even though my very original push to get her was price, I found reasons to keep her beyond that even when a more expensive replacement was available.

Not long ago I ran into the Resinsoul website and nearly died when I saw their boy, Long. Not only is he gorgeously sculpted, but his price can't be beat. However, even with both these pushes, I have hesitated to get him in favor of a Mini Dollfie Dream body. I don't want to say anything for sure, but I think I just love vinyl and won't be getting a boy until Volks makes a vinyl one. I am aware of the obitsu 'boy', but even though the price is right, he simply does not meet my aesthetic criteria. I can say I am happy that price is not the determining factor in my doll habits, I do not feel restricted to buying only cheap dolls and wholeheartedly believe that if Shirou came along, I would work for him. Though, I find myself wondering, if Shirou were a while out of my range, but an equally wonderful boy was available to me immediately, if I would choose to keep saving or 'settle' for the other. I guess I won't know this for sure until the situation arises.

tl; dr - The love I feel for a doll isn't determined by their pricetag or their limitedness and I would buy a doll at any price if I truely loved it.

As a side note; Incidentally, back when I bought my DD, the motivation for most other collectors that were buying DD's was to use them as test subjects for mods because they were cheap and easy to get in the states. Now that the original DD body is no longer being made, I feel she was a worthwhile investment. Its the less popular ones that actually garner value over time. Limiteds can sometimes be re-released and popular dolls flood the market, but the initially unloved beauties hold, in my opinion and also seen in many other collective hobbies, the most value.

lol /novel

wall of text ftw.

~ Ella

 

I knew a teacher who would say "good things not cheap, cheap things not good". I don't agree. In this case, money is not the thing. It's just what you like (assuming you haven't spent all your money for other things on dollfies). If you can, save up for your true love but if the doll you truly love doesn't fit in your budget, why not buy one that does to enjoy now.

 

When I look at a doll, I don't look at their price tag. It's not that I'm filthy rich that I can afford any doll I like. If it happens so that the doll I wanna get is out of my budget, i'll just save up. And during this time it's also like a test if you really want it.

 

For starters, I'm definitely not rich. But due to the way I say and phrase things, I get thought otherwise.

Why should I restrict myself to getting a cheaper doll?

Let's say I like Heliot from Soom and is able to get him with whatever money I have, just that I lack the shipping costs, I would most definitely borrow money around to pay the shipping and to get Heliot.But the problem is, I can't afford him. So no choice but to say goodbye to him.

Why do I get China dolls? Because they're cheap?

No, seriously speaking, I happen to like the China dolls more and get/save according to how much I love them. I like Korean dolls too~

So why do I get dolls that are in the end considered 'cheap'?

It's all in the sculpt actually. I like AOD Gu. I like DZ Mo. I like AS Hua Xi. I like DOD Homme Ducan. There are similarities in the sculpts if somebody actually go notice them. -grins- It's actually their eyes and lips.

So in the end, I don't really care about the price tag but rather the sculpt. Price wise, just eat 2 meals less, 4 snacks less and I should be able to buy the doll I want...oh, plus no comics or whatever random thingies...and let's say...for about 2 to 3 months and I should be able to get at least the AS Hua Xi...