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Permanent outfits vs Redressing

Nov 24, 2020

    1. This is something I’ve always been curious about: do people frequently redress their dolls or do they leave them in one outfit for anywhere from months to years? I have an Integrity Toys Tulabelle doll who has stayed in her default outfit as long as I’ve owned her, and I couldn’t imagine redressing her ever. But, she came as a full set, and many BJDs do not, which gives the owner a lot of freedom to customize them. I wonder if when you customize a doll and come to be quite familiar with it if that makes it easy to change things about it’s appearance frequently, as opposed to being worried about changing factory default too much.
       
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    2. I don't redress often unless I'm sitting there trying to find an outfit for said doll.

      Often, my dolls will sport one set of outfit for awhile until I can afford another outfit for them or I get tired of it. I usually change them with the season if possible. I would hate seeing them dressed in turtlenecks during the summer. Looking at them makes me so hot. I know this isn't the case for everyone. I say my dolls will get a redress at the very least once to 4 times a year if not more depending how infatuated I am with the doll.

      I go through phases where my favorite is a different one here and there and it goes round robin. lol
       
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    3. None of my dolls came as a full set, but once I figure out their "look" they tend to stay in one outfit most of the time.
       
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    4. I change all 40+ of my dolls once a month, about. Otherwise, I feel like I’m neglecting them for some reason. I have maybe 2-3 who I keep in their “default” outfits, and I definitely have some clothes that belong to particular dolls, but I switch things up pretty consistently.
       
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    5. I reset mine after playing cos I don't display, so they rest naked and eyeless in their cases. It's so they dont accidentally get stained or yellow unevenly
       
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    6. Most of my dolls have one set of outfit but about 4 or 5 out of 60ish has multiple outfits and I change them once in a while when I feel like it. One doll does have the most outfits because she my favorite and I keep making her clothes when inspiration hits.
       
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    7. Mine depends on the doll. I have two that are in outfits that define them, the others I change frequently. I love to sew for them and create a whole look, so they are my muses :)
       
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    8. My dolls tend to have signature outfits that I usually keep them in for months or even years at a time.
       
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    9. I collect a lot of other toys, from mass-produced Barbie to Hot Toys action figures; when I purchase full-set 1:6 action figures, I never redress them, I keep them as they are. If I kit-bash parts, and I'm not being a lazy bum, I might make an outfit or two for the particular figure depending on who they represent.

      My original intention with BJD was to learn to sew, so I could sew for them whenever I felt like taking photos of them, and they didn't have to wear the same thing over and over again (like a portrait). However, that got old by the time I got my fourth BJD. I wasn't that young when I got into the hobby, and old age has only helped in making me lazier. I don't like sewing as much as when I was younger, it used to be relaxing, now it just stressed me more. However, if I still had the energy and patience, I would still make an outfit for my five complete (humanoid) BJD, whenever I would feel like taking photos of them. I have enough pieces for each to dress them in slightly different outfits, but everything is black, so it' probably looks like the same outfit anyway. I know it's the same pieces however, and it does bother me sometimes but laziness/procrastination wins over every time I set out to make something new. DX

      Edit to add that my BJD are kept nude, wigless inside their respective boxes, inside my closet. So I have to redress them anyway, if I want to photograph them. Most of the time I take nude photos, because I love their body sculpts, but also because I'm lazy to make something new, and it does bother me to reuse the same clothe over and over.
       
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    10. My dolls stick to a certain style that fits their characters, but I do change their clothes somewhat often. None of my current dolls were fullset, and it bothers me to leave them in the same clothes for ages. It seems dirty and uncomfortable to think about never changing clothes, even though they're dolls and don't get things dirty by wearing them for a long time! It's just a weird thing I feel. (And no, I don't wash their clothes regularly anyway, so it makes even less sense. haha)

      In all my time in the hobby, I've only owned one fullset, and I changed him out of it almost immediately. I bought the fullset because of a sale where the fullset was about the same price as just buying a blank, naked doll, but ended up actually using that outfit maybe twice at most. I preferred him in casual clothes, the uniform didn't look comfortable at all! Even though it was a very nice set.
       
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    11. After I complete an outfit that works for them, I leave them as they are.
       
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    12. i think they need a seasonal outfit acoording on the theme, like easter, spring, summer, independence day, autum, halloween and so... also changing hair style of course if you have long wigs:XD:
       
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    13. Everytime I take a new picture of a doll, they have just gotten a new outfit change (unless it’s a group photo.) I try to post a new pic at least one day on Instagram, so after reading through other people’s replies, I guess I change them quite often. :sweat
       
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    14. Cherry is a little clothes horse! She has so many outfits and I'm always making and planning more. I change her clothes almost daily.
       
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    15. My dolls tend to ward having a huge variety of outfits (the boys less so because they're the "poor-relations" when it comes to clothing choices - harder to shop for and I'm not as keen on sewing boy clothes as i ma girl clothes).

      Having said that, they all have favourites that, in effect, become their "default" outfits, which they tend to gravitate back to, and get left in for longer between changes to other outfits, so sometimes stay in for months (also, I sometimes don't get around to changing them as often as I intend to.

      But for me, having multiple clothing options is a BIG part of having the dolls - it's not that tI change their whole look/style. They each have their own preferred style, but multiple outfits that fit within that style.

      My large family of SD-sized Victorian children, for example, have multiple Victorian-style outfits each (including summer and winter clothes, Play clothes, best clothes, special occasion clothing etc). Even Hannah, the tomboy, while happy with her play-dress and beige pinafore (doesn't show the dirt), has a "Sunday best" dress, and has been known to dress up more for dressier occasions.

      Teddy
       
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    16. Depends on the doll. Some have been in their outfits for years, some I redress every couple of weeks or months, some less frequently.
       
    17. I’m completely in agreement with Teddy.:) For me, what drew me to BJDs in the first place was the ability to create diverse characters and explore multiple fashion styles. 14 years and 45 dolls later and I’m still exploring my inner fashion designer and absolutely loving it! So each doll has at least 3-5 complete outfits that suits their individual personality, and I change them on a whim whenever I feel like it. I have multiple drawers and boxes full of doll clothes and accessories.

      But I know there are many, many collectors whose dolls are strictly displayed in a single fabulous outfit...and that’s equally as wonderful. One of the best things about the BJD hobby is the sheer diversity of collectors and their methods of enjoying the hobby.
       
      #17 PoeticSoul, Nov 25, 2020
      Last edited: Nov 25, 2020
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    18. My goal is that all my dolls should have their own wardrobe where everything that their characters "should" have.
      So, underwear, sleepwear, everyday wear etc. All my older dolls do, more or less, but some of the newer ones are not quite there yet. And there are many exceptions as well. Almost none of my dolls have proper outer wear for cold weather, for example. I have one doll that I know will never have a lot of clothes, simply because he has a personality that is tricky to work with. One doll is a bit of a minimalist and a vagabond, so his clothes are rather limited.

      I make most of my dolls clothes myself and whenever possible I try to keep it to making things only when I feel like it. This is a hobby, after all. This also means that I sometimes make clothes that the dolls characters would never own or wear "in their world", simply for the pleasure of making it.

      That applies to how often I change their clothes as well. I do it whenever I feel like it and it varies a lot. Most of the time the dolls are on display in my sewing room and they will tend to be dressed in relaxed everyday wear, as would a group of friends hanging out. I often pose them so that the seem to be in a conversation or with a book or some other prop, reflecting their relations and personalities.
      Many of them do have a few "signature" outfits that I tend to use if I want to dress them and don't have any inspiration or if I'm short on time, but even then I like to put some variety in what accessories I use.
       
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    19. I don't have a specific outfit for my dolls but instead a small bunch of clothes, so I change them now and then. Different t-shirt, jacket on or off, pants or skirt (I only have two bottom pieces :lol:).... I usually change something when I want to interact with my dolls and have a little bit of time. I'd like to redress them more often though once I have more stuff. I don't like to dress up myself, so I kinda want to let my dolls wear it instead :3nodding:
       
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    20. I have several of both. Some are my character dolls - Link, Harry Dresden, John Constantine - they don't change clothes. Like ever. Neither do the Riddler or Penguin (Penguin more because I don't have other clothes for him...Riddler because how many green suits does he really need?). Very special agent Aloysius X. L. Pendergast used to only have one outfit, then I read the most recent book in the series and bought him a white suit to go with the black, so he has an option. Moon Knight has two options, and if I ever get his non-suit costume made for him he'll have three!

      Then I have dolls like Harley, Joker, John and Alex who I change often and have a ton of clothes. John is probably my most changed doll. He's my most handled doll also, so that goes along with how often I change clothes.

      Some dolls I wish I had more clothes for, but due to their character or size there aren't many options (all my close-to-EID sized dolls and Bruce who is an EID), and everything is super-expensive and do I really need it that much?? Probably. I'll buy them all clothes eventually...maybe.
       
      • x 1