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Second thoughts about sizing up

Aug 10, 2019

    1. To preface, I've started working on shelling a character I've been wanting to have a doll of for a while and was sure that SD was the right size for them.
      Now I'm not so sure. Handling my first doll again, MSD, I can't really imagine having a larger doll. I think I had it in my mind that I would HAVE to get an SD to get the look I'm wanting but after giving it more thought, I don't think such a large doll would fit into my space and life.
      Has anyone else had second thoughts like this? How did you go about your decision making? Have you sized up in dolls and they were more than you expected?
       
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    2. My second doll was a Ceribus Project Dreaming Vampire Chiwoo.
      I wanted him soooo bad. Saved for a year to get him. And then I got him, and he was massive compared to my Peakswood Morimoth.
      I tried to enjoy him, but SD's are just too big for me. They're heavy and (for my small spaces) hard to store.
      They're beautiful, but I dislike their bulk. I collect YoSd's now. Easier to carry, display, sew, and make props for.
      I had never seen an SD in person before that(this was 11+ years ago). If you haven't seen/held one in person I'd wait till you have, if you can.
       
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    3. I’m the opposite. My first dolls were SD, and most still are. I’m getting some fashion sized ones and I’m scared I won’t like them as much.
       
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    4. I started out with a 62cm doll, and I was worried she might be too big, but the smaller sizes didn't have sculpts that appealed to me either so I decided to take the risk. Turns out I adore the size! I've since gotten more, including two 70cm girls that again, I was worried might be too big but found I really enjoy the size once they arrived. On the other hand, I got a YoSD recently and she's adorable, but she just doesn't appeal to me quite as much (though I don't dislike her either). I really like the presence of the bigger dolls, personally.

      At the end of the day, if you're not familiar with the size in person yet, it's hard to know how you'll feel. You might be surprised to find you really like them, or they might end up not being right for you. Worst case scenario, you can always sell it back, and lesson learned!
       
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    5. I've thought about this so much as well and had this happen the other way around about sizing down too. My first doll was a Fairyland Minifee so 43cm tall girl. I was a little afraid she'd be too big but I love MSD a lot. I felt that if I went any smaller or bigger it wouldnt work out. I ended up purchasing a Soom Petite Gem, which are about 13cm talls so much smaller and fell in love with them as well. I've still considered going to a large doll, and actually have a couple on my wishlist but I find storage to be my biggest problem with going any larger. I'd lve to hold one in person before getting them as well but there dont seem to be any doll meet ups around my area for me to do that.
       
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    6. I started with MSDs and smaller, SDs were too tall for me at that time. Besides, I didn't see one in person at that time. But I needed SDs for some characters I planned and still am planning. It had taken me quite a time to decide, I was afraid I won't be comfortable with them, a all. Going to art doll event helped, I seen several large dolls there and found out 65 cm tall dolls are fine for me, 70 cm ones, too but 65 are better. 80 cm is no, no for me.
      To buy SD without seing one before is quite risky in my opinion.
       
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    7. I started with MSD, but about three years into the hobby, I sized them all up to SD. Overall, I have no regrets and have realized I much prefer SD sized dolls, but it was so much easier finding furniture, props and setting up space for MSD! MSD is also much easier to pack around to doll meets or conventions. Still, I adore my SD crew and tend to prefer sculpts in the larger range. I did keep my very first doll, and he feels so tiny now!

      If you haven't seen or handled SD before, I strongly recommend going to a doll meet or convention if you can. Seeing one in person and having a chance to hold and pose it might help you decide if he'd be too big or just exactly what you want. I never thought I'd want SD until a friend sent her SD boy to stay with me for a month, and he had me hooked before the visit was even halfway through!
       
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    8. I was always into 1:6 figures, so when I first learned about these dolls I couldn't help but think of them as large baby/toddler dolls (like AG, or CPK). I was hesitant for a while due to that feeling. Not because that's how they looked to me aesthetically, but how I imagine owning/handling something so large would feel like (I never owned any of those toddler/baby dolls). However, mature smaller sized BJD weren't a thing back then, so my first dolls were all 60cm+. They were too big for me, but I loved their faces that I just kind of pushed that feeling to the back of my head. Nowadays, there are a few smaller sized mature dolls, not to my liking but there are a few more choices now than back then. If I had discovered these dolls just recently, I would have definitely gone for the smaller mature doll bodies and probably customized/modify the heads to my liking, instead of going for the larger ones. Which I love looking at, and modifying but not handling nor sewing for.
       
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    9. I only have one doll (70cm) right now (2 more on the way). I love him very much but I think he will be my only one of that size. He’s just too big and so unwieldy. I don’t have the space to properly display him and he’s very heavy. My next doll is a MSD. I haven’t seen the size in person but I think I will likely appreciate a doll in that size much better.
       
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    10. I have been wondering about sizing down myself. A few of my dolls (all, actually, except for the two purely aesthetic ladies) are shelling characters so I had particular looks in mind. It ended up being that the dolls I got to shell for some of my treasured OCs were 70cm and that was a big change from my MSDs! I don't think I'd be able to find a smaller sculpt I like for them, but now that fashion-sized mature minis are growing in variety I might have to rethink...though I'd never sell my SDs. They're so striking and though it's not easy to carry around, I've gotten so many good photos from them! They scale nicely for that side of the hobby (posing, modeling clothes, photography)
       
    11. I have no idea how I'll feel once my first sd comes in. It's definitely something that I'm worried about. Currently I have almost entirely msd and one yo-sd. Though the yo-sd showed me I at least want my dolls to be msd size.
       
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    12. I'm having a similar issue! I have tinies and MSDs but now I really want a Feeple60 Cygne (especially the vampire one!) But I have held SDs before and they're just... so big. I love her face so much and I think SD facial sculpts have a distinct and appealing look that can't be replicated in a smaller size, but the large difference in height and weight is holding me back. Looking at comparison photos between F60 and Minifee is super intimidating!

      I'm considering getting her and just having the one big doll next to my minis but I'm afraid that I won't like the difference. I would have to buy new clothes and shoes too, which adds both cost and inconvenience. If I find a vampire Cygne at a good price I might not be able to resist (since it was a limited head) but right now I've put that plan on hold.
       
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    13. My first doll was actually an SD sized delf Soony, and as much as I loved her, I after acquiring a few other SD dolls realized the size was a little difficult to handle in person. I also struggled because I was new with what sizes of clothing to even get them. Most of the things I bought were either too big or too small. It all seemed so confusing at first! I was always afraid to pose them, and they really seemed to like to try to collapse into gravity when I did. I ended up switching my entire crew to MSD and have been there for a little over five years now with no regrets. I do find the size easy to handle. Because of work, I move every few years, and find them quite easy to pack and take with. So just for my own circumstances I really prefer MSD. But I really do admire SD's and will probably cave and get into having one or two again one day. Just not anytime soon. I had both sizes for a bit, but I wasn't too keen on how the sizes didn't look like they went together. I also disliked how my MSD's seemed like children near them! Because my characters are not that young. I love looking at them however. My only complaints with MSD's is how hard it is to find mature seeming male sculpts. But over time I have worked around that too.

      If you are having second thoughts about sizing up, or switching, try going to a few meet ups if possible and checking them out in person! It really can help to be able to handle one.
       
      #13 Zodiac, Aug 12, 2019
      Last edited: Aug 12, 2019
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    14. That's definitely the dilemma I'm having right now. For the longest time I was certain my first BJD would have to be MSD sized or smaller. There's a few sculpts that are on my wishlist, but I'm more fond of mature male sculpts. I don't think I was 100% in love with some of the dolls I contemplated buying, but instead was just settling due to the size + aesthetically pleasing enough. I'm pretty picky, and ideally, I'd really want a handsome/muscular 20-plus-something year old doll, and most of my ideal sculpts are SD. I stopped myself from at looking at them because I don't really know where I'll store/display a doll that huge...but unfortunately I fell in love with an SD sculpt and I desperately want him! I keep getting excited, then fumbling with putting him in my cart and then rethinking purchasing.

      So now I'm battling with myself over this nonstop. :'D I'll be reading over this thread for awhile to get some insight, since it's a really interesting topic!
       
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    15. I really want a MSD but I am also scared of her size being so big for me. I only have a 16cm doll but I want one to dress more mature and more like myself. I also like to keep my doll in her box in my drawer and I don’t know where I would put a big mini fee box.
       
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    16. I'm worried about sizing in general, as I know I'm going to end up with a BJD at some point and am just waiting on the right time to get one now. It's so hard for me to physically imagine a doll being 45cm tall, nonetheless 60 or 70! I think once I get used to the metric system (one of the biggest benefits of this hobby is I'm learning the practicality of it, so thanks for that, American public school system) it will be easier but for now I often pull out a ruler and go "this and a half, that's how tall. twice this for an SD" and it's still so hard. I need to get to a few conventions or meetups and just go look and maybe, with permission of course, touch a few dolls. I think my first will be an MSD, that's the general gist I've been getting from my research into good first dolls, but it's so hard to choose!
       
    17. I bought an off-topic SD sized doll to see whether or not the sizing was my thing, and turns out it just wasn't. And that's okay! This hobby is all about testing the waters and finding what you like best.

      If it's in your funds, the doll world is your oyster!