Our dolls shopping vs. our own

Um I actually have to disagree that doll shopping is easier then shopping for myself. There are no doll stores where I live so I either have to sew stuff my self or buy the stuff online. Being that I can't try it on first I constantly worry that it might not fit. Also the style I want to buy is usually hard to find. Everyone seems to dress their dolls in either modern casual, Victorian, punk or Goth Lolita. I'm not saying every one just that's what I find the most online. It's really hard to find fantasy and medieval clothes I like that are under $100 which to me is a lot for a doll dress when I could fill my own wardrobe with that amount. Maybe I'm not looking in the right places but I can't find them. And don't get me started on shoes. Now on the other hand I find getting clothes for my self easy as I'm a fan of all different styles and will wear what ever fits that I like and going to the mall is a lot easier than guessing if stuff will fit. As far as living vicariously through my doll's outfits I would say I do a little. Not because she has a nicer body then me but more because a lot of the stuff I make her wear is stuff I would wear if it was practical and I didn't fear people's judgement so much.

 

I agree, shopping esp for the odd height or build ones is esp. hard. I had a Doll Chateau Belle hard shopping for doll, also the Dollstown Elf body girl was never an easy fit. I am now into the Dollshe boys on Pure Bodies and it was a lot of try on old stuff and a lot of buy new to see what worked not only size, but for style.

 

I do "buy" more clothes for my dolls then I do for myself (I actually try to make more clothes then buy it for them).
I hate shopping for myself, nothing fits right, as I want it to fit. Just give me a big sewater and I'm happy. I don't like my body shape very much, and sometimes I'm jealous of dolls who's bodyshapes never change, and they just stay exactly like that forever (childlike). And they most of the time look very cute in almost all of the clothes, which I can't say for myself. For me it's a lot easier and way way waaayy more fun to shop for my dolls!

 

I don't do a whole lot of shopping for either myself or my doll, but I do try to look my best on a daily basis (I just got married a little over a year ago and am still in the "broke newlywed" phase, lol). As for getting frustrated with shopping for myself, I just try to remember the lessons I've learned from watching a few too many episodes of What Not to Wear- style takes work, no matter which way you slice it. I like to dress well not only for myself, but also for my husband. That being said, I sew most of my dolls' clothes and search sales or clearance sections for most of my own. As for living vicariously through my dolls, the only way I do that is if I make one an outfit that I know I would never be able to pull off, but I think looks really cute (i.e. anything really short or belly-bearing).

 

I think that shopping for my doll is just as hard as shopping for myself. Not all shops have the same size as my kids so I still need to make comparisons.

But I do believe I live vicariously though my kids with clothes since if I wore them people would look at me funny. Nor do these clothes suit my body type.

My kids are more fashion forward than me and I don't mind.

 

As for myself, I haven't bought new clothes for me in a long time. My wardrobe is full and I wear the same few pieces only anyways. Shopping for clothes is not my best discipline...

 

It's just as fun shopping for clothes for myself as it is for my dolls because I love shoes and clothes in general! Shopping for dolls is just like... the miniature version, lol.
I'm trying to not spend so much on doll things because some items end up more expensive than the things I own...which is kinda sad. But I keep thinking to myself that most of the clothes I buy in stores are mass-produced in sweatshops and not worth their cost, and that doll clothes are made with nicer materials and a lot more work is required because of the scale. However, human clothes go through a lot of wear and tear because of washing whereas I never wash my doll's clothes because they're obviously clean all the time and don't sweat or anything!

 

I can admit I am guilty for buying alot of clothes for my dolls but the thing that is crazy is that I can go shopping for myself and buy shirts that are $15-$25 and think oh wow this is expensive for just a shirt! But when I see a shirt for one of my dolls at that price, I think oh not bad at all! Lol. It's weird. But I like to shop for myself and my dolls, maybe "shopping" is also another hobby of mine? I guess I am a bit of a fashion addict, both in dolly terms and in people terms ^^

 

I don't compare them. Firstly beacuse shopping for my dolls, IS shopping for me, since I own them. Secondly, i'm happy to spend more money on doll's clothes then on my own, becuase dolls just clothes just don't get the wear and tear my clothes do, and they don't need replacing as often. Dolls don't sweat, or move, or need their clothes washed reguarly. They sometimes wear the same outfit for months at a time, if I like what they have on. It's just not comaprable to my clohes.

 

I wished I was a bit thinner so I could wear more appealing clothing like my younger peers. And I am usually on a tight budget as well so I can only order for me or my doll every few months after saving. I prefer to make clothes for her myself. Sewing for dolls is definitely easier than sewing for me because I hand sew-- (I'm left-handed, I'd sew my fingers together with a machine). But I do like to be trendy, nothing ever fits. That doesn't mean I don't like buying for me when I see it.

 

i used to spend most of my money on clothes/shoes/accessories for myself, but as i had to spend more and more time at home i got bored and started collecting other things which eventually lead into collecting dolls. i have been shopping for clothes once so far this year, which was for basics like camisoles and underwear. which... anyone who knew me a couple years ago would laugh and ask if they were talking to the right person.

anyway, now i really like buying clothes for my dolls, so you could say it's living vicariously, but mostly because when i'm at home all day, you can bet i'm just in my underwear (especially in this hot weather). i have no need to really wear a lot of clothes and the money i was spending on them can go towards entertaining hobbies like dolls. if i actually get to go out somewhere more exciting than the pharmacy or doctor then i will want to wear something that looks cute and nice.

as for shopping, which is more difficult? neither, both doll clothes and the clothes i like to wear can be cheap or expensive, and sizing is also an issue for both dolls and me at times (i have had an XS/size 0 strapless dress FALL DOWN OFF ME when it was completely zipped up...luckily not in public. and i'm too tall to buy most kids clothes...) and some of my dolls have the same problem, some of them are too thin or too wide in certain places. even dolls can be non-standard sizes so it's nothing new to me.

 

Honestly when it comes for buying for myself I am more furgle. With dolls you have no choice. You can't go to no discount rack in the back and find something that actually looks good. The price is the price. Take it or leave it. I do have a slender farm and honestly would never dress like any male SD. I am really happy with my own look. If you feel that way about yourself I always recommend changing it. I myself was larger and just got tired of it so I changed myself. You don't want ever hold yourself from who you could be. Living your life threw your doll will one day not fill the void you have in your mind.

 

I buy more for myself, but that's because it's a necessity - a doll can wear one outfit for years if it's one I really like on them. I don't buy very good clothes for myself very often, though. I get stuff to wear to work (mostly boring clothes) and stuff to wear when I'm relaxing around the house (whatever is comfortable and cheap). I have to buy work clothes often because I wear a lot of black and most of it fades quickly. Last year, I bought about 10 black shrugs (different styles), and only about 2 of them are wearable now. My dolls always get the best quality clothes, but it's rare for me to buy them anything lately. I do occasionally buy myself something that costs a lot, but the type of clothes I like aren't the type of thing I could wear in public (where I live anyway) without getting stared at. So, if I got a Gothic Lolita dress, for instance, I'd only wear it when I'm just spending time with friends.

Size isn't really an issue if I shop in juniors. If I go to the misses section, everything is usually too large for me, but juniors items are usually cheaper anyway. I'm also lucky in that the outfits from Japan or China that only come in one size fit me well. I do have issues with my overall appearance that prevent me from wearing some clothes that I really like, which is something my dolls don't have to worry about because they're beautiful.

 

I enjoy buying outfits for my dolls more than for myself due to the fact that I'm always gaining or losing weight so my clothes will fit me well for some time and then they are all baggy >_> I tend to lose appetite with all the stress and College finals etc etc so why waste money on outfits that I will probably not use?

I don't wear make up either and I consider myself a simple person because I don't like jewelry...the rings I have are given by my mom, otherwise, I would not care to have pretty jewelry for myself. Everything is different with my dolls, and I get a feeling of pure happiness when I look at my dolls in pretty outfits.

They are my models after all, I enjoy taking pictures with different outfits/accessories too. I really have no issues with finding what I want for my dolls because I would commission it from an amazing artist from this forum (done it before!)

 

O M G totally. If I were still twenty something and still had a body like one of my boys I would dress compleatly diffrently. It's not so accecptable for a fortysomthing man to dress in the way I used to, People would stare! lol

 

Style comes from within, so it really takes no effort, except for the actual shopping. Fashion takes work, because you're attempting to keep up with ideas that've been imposed from outside; it's someone else's formula. If I ever caught myself wearing half of the hideola garments I see on those TV shows, I'd have to beat the shit out of myself.

Of course discovering one's own personal style-- or, channelling one for a doll/character-- can take some time and experimentation. While you're figuring it out, copying fashions is a fine way to get a sense of what you like. Once you've solidified the looks you know you want, and collected enough pieces to work with (in your closet, or the dolls' clothes-bins).... then it's as easy as playing with paperdolls. Try this on, cast this off, add just one more necklace, hair up or hair down, fur wig or fiber wig, these shoes & not those shoes, and *poof* your gut just knows when the look is ready to go.

I find that I have equally as much fun playing dress-up on myself as I do on my dolls. :3 I like shopping for all of us equally, too!

Do it, man! Do it! I dig Unacceptable. I'm a fortysomething woman, and I intend to keep wearing whatever makes me feel like Queen of the May until I can no longer fit into it. And I still fit into it, so, w00t!

 

Jenny couldnt agree with you more. I am also fortysomething and dress the same way I did 20 years ago!

 

My dolls will always be the same size, so it's easier to shop for them, in my opinion. I just put some weight on, and it's depressing that half my wardrobe doesn't fit now -_-. But then, if I lose it, this half won't fit. And a while ago I lost quite a bit of weight and NOTHING fit.

If I put a dress on my doll today, tomorrow, in a year, in 10 years, it will fit. Plus, she doesn't have to worry about "pulling it off".

Then again, I dress myself a bit weird and I think it shows in my dolls outfits sometimes o.o

 

This is a good question I'd have to yes in all topics I don't really go shopping for my self and when I do I get clothing that are sometimes up to 6 sizes larger than they should be but oddly the pant leg fit I don't really walk on them if I walk on them at all my doll on the other hand all the time I shop for anything and everything for her including furniture and props its crazy

 

Most people I know would tell me I shouldn't have bought BJDs, because I already have enough wigs and clothes to look like one. Now I've stopped spending on my stuff, and have started spending for my dolls. It's not so much prioritizing them over myself, since I end up buying enough fabric for their dresses and mine. XD

And just to clarify, my body is already pretty similar to my (first) doll's. I pretty much wear stuff off the rack, no customizing necessary.