Realizing you chose the wrong BJD scale/size

I know how you feel -.-

I collected SD size dolls for about 4 years and was happy about it until i tried out a fashion sized doll (dollshe 28m fashion rey) in 2016 and fell in love with the fashion size as soon as i saw him standing in front of me xD
They look like mature sd dolls but are in msd scale so i sold all of my sd dolls and now i´m just collecting fashion size dolls (35-47cm) and i love everything about them

It was a hard decision but i never regretted doing it

 

It’s definitely something that has happened to me multiple times throughout my hobby time.

Recently, I went from MSD to SD, but then I bumped into the trouble of owning stylized SD (dolls I consider look like dolls) and the more realistic SD... and thought I could do both, but I could not. And of course, now I’m back to thinking having MSD would be nice, since they’re definitely way more portable.

I hope you can come to terms with a decision that’s right for you! Just know you’re definitely not alone in these things.

 

oh dear think most come across this at some point hope you can decided take your time and go through all the pros and cons as I see your pointed out some already in post.
I had a BJD years ago before I started collecting seriously and cannot even remember which she was but boy was she big and even though I was excited about her coming soon as handled her or sat her on shelf knew she was way too big for me. I have sold her on and fast forward few years my size is littlefee or smaller and I am really happy with those good luck your boy looks fabulous by the way

 

I understand you perfectly.

For years I had several SD, until I decided to buy an Unoa, and the same thing happened to me, her size didn't fit with the rest and I sold her.
But I loved her size and handling, and in the end, I ended up getting rid of my SDs and reincarnated their characters in MSD size.
Sewing for them is a bit more laborious, but not impossible, and you can't imagine the amount of 1/6 size accessories that also work for them .

In the end, you have to stay with what you like best

 

i feel like this is an issue that happens to a lot of people in this hobby... i know i'm certainly feeling it.
though i guess my issue isn't necessarily with the size i chose, but with the kinds of sculpts i can find in the 1/4 size range. it's getting to be really frustrating to see sculpts i love and can see a character i'd like to shell in... only to find out that it's in 1/3. and on the off chance i find a sculpt in the 1/4 range it's waaaay out of my price range and/or i can't buy the head separately. and that's not mentioning the many other things i prefer in 1/3 scale. but... i love the 1/4 scale too much to want to consider changing though, i definitely think i'll get a lot more enjoyment out of 1/4 scale dolls than 1/3. i can definitely agree that the weight and small amount of space they take up is really nice.

but anyways, i do hope you end up feeling like you made the right decision and end up with a size you're comfortable with and enjoy.

 

If you really like your little guy, maybe you could recycle him into a different character, and have two sizes in your collection? Have an MSD version of your guys, and an SD version?

 

I think different people adapt to different sizes of dolls and that's okay not finding what is right for you the very first time. Not only size, also the looks (mature, realistic, stylized, anime)... I see many people go through this process of maturing and finding what they really like in the hobby, or even changing everything.

About size, I guess I was quite lucky about my first choice. I always had a clear preference for SDs, but when buying my first doll, I considered getting a MSD to "get used to having a BJD", but went for a SD instead. It was the right choice for me. I own a MSD and a tiny one nowadays, and I understand why people love them so much: cute, portable, easy to deal with... but I'm most comfortable with SD size exactly for being heavier, sturdier. That's the collector I am, and if I went for a MSD first maybe I would have been out of the hobby by now.

If space and having props is an important factor for you, consider it. Sometimes we really like -looking- at something, not -having- something. I love looking at pictures of centaur dolls, but surely wouldn't own one. You can still admire SD and bigger sculpts even knowing they're not right for you. And don't let the thought "I already invested time and effort" cloud the judgement of what you really enjoy.

Hope you make the decision that will make you the happiest!

 

i have let go of every sd size doll that came to me, and yet i bought another this year that i do intend to keep, but i much prefer the msd size.

i heard one story where someone redid their storyline from sd size dolls down to msd size,

i suggest being patient and seeing where your heart leads you.

 

I’ve started to change my mind several times, but eventually I went back to the first size I chose. My first doll was 61cm, an old Dream of Doll DOT. I didn’t really bond with him, but I did really adore my second doll who was a 43cm Dollzone Meigi. For a while I collected both sizes, and started to think maybe I would just size everyone down to minis so they would be easier to transport and store... but there are some characters that I had in SD size who were perfect and couldn’t really be replicated smaller, and in the end I kept fantasizing about how cool my Meigi’s character would be as a larger doll. I sized him up a few years ago and he’s still one of my favorites.

SDs can be annoyingly heavy, but I like how huggable they are and how much presence they have in person. I don’t collect smaller than 1/3 scale dolls now unless they’re pets.

 

I just recently pulled out my old 16" fashion dolls and with them an older CP Luts Minifee that I had bought right before I put my dolls away for a 'change in life' hiatus. While re-exploring these dolls, I was ended up surfing through many bjd sites and became mesmerized by a 70cm boy. Not knowing a whole lot about what is out there, I decided to take the plunge and ordered him as a fullset and faceup. So he was quite expensive in the end (just about to finish paying off his layaway.) While I 've waited for him to come home, I've been doing more investigating, as well as buying a few odds and ends for my Luts minifee. I really like her size (although I haven't quite broken out the sewing machine yet...maybe my thoughts will change?) She is nice to handle and doesn't take up a lot of space. Now I'm beginning to second guess my boy order. I measured him out before I hit buy, so I had an idea....but did I have a real idea? I don't think so. I had intended to eventually get a girl to pair him with (in fact I have a head on order)....but again, the size is beginning to bug me and he hasn't even landed yet. I am hoping that I will still love him when he arrives....and I'm hoping size won't be an issue...

 

Im still figuring out what sizes I really like. When I started in the hobby I started with dolls 26- 30cms for multiple reasons . I was a noob, smaller dolls can be cheaper, also easier to buy for in terms of options or price. They also take up less space so easier to display in a small space or carry . plus storage for their things is less but ever since I got my first msd though ive been smitten .I really enjoy handling her verses my smaller dolls , where I only really wanted to display them. Im now debating sd dolls to see how I feel about them. I only have a couple heads atm and one body on the way for a slim sd girl. I was trying hard to find a doll meetup group in my area though but havent had success. I was hoping i could meet with others who own different sized sd dolls to see how I felt about them first. Before committing to dolly purchases myself. Im really nervous about changing my mind after the time invested in my current sd collection. You know spending alot of money in buying the heads and their faceups .To finding the right bodys, just to decide sds arent for me .Its still all much a learning experience for me . I still love some smaller dolls but I think I love my msds a little more.

 

I started with MSD because I felt anything larger was just excessive. I kept only MSD for a couple of years, tried SD, always sold them. Then I paired one of my MSD boys up with an SD boy in online roleplay, scale didn’t matter because it was only online and we didn’t know if we’d ever actually meet in person anyway. But...we decided to mail dolls back and forth. So I bought the SD version of my boy, thinking I’d keep both sizes...nope. By that point, something just clicked and I decided I only wanted SD from there out.

Now I’m about to hit 11 years in the hobby, my crew is entirely SD except for two tiny anthros and it’s perfect! I still see MSD sized dolls I like, but if I buy one, I sell within a couple of months. They just don’t do it for me anymore. It’s definitely possible to realize you like a different scale better over time, and it might even change again one day. Tastes change over time.

 

Yes!!! I have had so many SD over the years and now I only have 2 and I am considering getting rid of one. I just leave the SDs as display and only 'play' with the MSDs cause the SD are just so big and heavy to me.

The only problem is that I have SD 'adults' and MSD 'kids' so I'd have to give up on all the adults in my storyline if I went to MSD only...

 

When I first started in the hobby and was planning to get my very first doll, I couldnt decide whether I get SD or MSD.

Until I finally decided to get MSD cause I was intimidated by the size of an SD, but then I thought to myself; Its either go big or go home.

I proceed with an SD doll.
And thankfully I did!! Cause who knew it will turned out to be my favourite size now? Infact all my dolls are SDs. Otherwise if I chose MSD Id be doomed of probably selling it to get to get an SD later, and I can already tell it will be a lot of work.

 

I started with an MSD and a really tiny one (DZ The Fairy). I now have most sizes, from 10 cm to 70 cm.
For me there's no 'wrong' size, there are just a lot of different sizes.

 

For me it was a bit different because I knew from the begging that larger dolls were probably not a good idea, I'm short, weak and scrawny. However, all the dolls I liked were only available as large dolls. I haven't purchased any new resin dolls in nine years, so all my dolls are older, there were no fashion lines at the time I stopped purchasing dolls of this kind (I did get a FL CL but he's smaller/off-scale). Despite that, I love the sculpts I own, so I would have purchased them regardless of the size, I just wish they were smaller scale sometimes. My favorite scale has always been 1:6 (not playscale, Fashion-dolls/Barbie with off proportions, although I do own some). However, that scale hasn't been a "thing" in this hobby as of yet, so I doubt it will be popular any time soon. There are dolls that are 30cm, but not necessarily true-to-scale (a bit more Barbie-esque maybe), and true-to-scale is what I am interested in. Although, I do own a large variety of dolls in many sizes (not all BJD), I have always preferred 1:6 and would love if all my current resin dolls were that size, but I can't do anything about it. The only way I could change that would be if I had a magical shrink ray, and that's not a plausible solution. I wouldn't sell my dolls just because of size; I wouldn't be able to find their sculpts in other sizes and that the whole reason I purchased them, because I love their facial sculpts (not their sizes). Having said all that, sewing for smaller scales than 1:4 is a huge pain in the gut for me, so even though sometimes I wish most of my resins were smaller, I know that's just because of their weight. If there were truly all 1:6, I would probably never ever make any clothes for them (much like I do now, thanks to old age/laziness).

 

I feel like it was the opposite direction for me than for most people.

I started out with a MSD girl. I loved her when I first got her. Took her out for photo-ops, named her, etc. I eventually lost interest in her (and the hobby), and got more into customizing Pullips for a while. (I took a long bjd hiatus at this point.) Over the years she was kept packed away in her box, and I thought about selling her so many times...

When I got back into the hobby, I went the route I'd originally intended to: I got into SD size. I recall admiring that size all those years back, and never found their size intimidating when I got my first couple boys. In fact, I liked how solid and sturdy they felt. I loved how substantial they felt in comparison to my MSD girl.

I took my MSD girl out more when I got the SD crew going, but I still felt iffy about her. I eventually knew she needed to go elsewhere, and found a new, loving home with a family friend.

It probably impacted my decision that I wanted my OCs shelled into more realistic sculpts. And I find working on smaller heads oh so freaking tedious and annoying when it comes to doing details (I'm an artist---I like to do all the faceups of my OCs myself ). Realistic MSDs have smaller heads from general MSDs, smaller eyes, smaller lips---which means having to be more meticulous when working on them. I have one of them, and I know for certain I couldn't work on that scale (thankfully he came with a faceup). Also, his eye size is torture to buy for. And realistic MSD options are also pretty limited, which is another turn-off for me.

If anything, I find MSDs and smaller bjds to be more intimidating than SD. They're easier to lose, they'll blow over more easily when doing outdoor photo-ops, my cat seems to be more fixated on knocking over smaller dolls (she absolutely loves [and sucks up to] my SD crew) than my SDs, they're harder to restring/suede because of their smaller pieces/channels (I swear minifees are difficult to restring just from this, never mind the neck mech and the feet attachments...), and harder to sew for.

As I said, my situation is the polar opposite to most everyone else's. I sometimes feel like a weirdo for this to be honest

 

I think that is why I was also drawn to the larger SD dolls (@jade-eyed-cat and @Enzyme ). The more realistic sculpts. I want characters that have a more mature look, and I find this is most common in the SD sizes. I also like the idea of sewing for the bigger dolls. So we'll see what happens when the first 70cm doll lands at my house.

My older Minifee is still watching me from beside my computer. I do love her. I can't see myself giving her up anytime soon!

 

I knew from the start I wanted the biggest dolls I could find, and each one has been about a centimeter taller than the one before. And the clothes selection smaller.
I'm still happy with my decision to get bigger dolls, but I'm going to have to seriously invest in my sewing skills to fully realize what I want. Until then, lots of sadness at all the lovely clothes that would never fit my dolls.