The Pretentious Display of One's BJDs

Oh I am a doll show off. When I am taking photos I sometimes think of all of you here at DOA. I am like "oh I can't wait for them to see my new doll dress!" and yea I admit that I like comments and forum attention.

I also like giving attention to other people. One of my best friends customizes Blythe dolls and I love to tell people how awesome she is etc...even if they have no interest in dolls. I show off her cool doll to anyone who will listen to me babble.

I just think dolls are sooooo nice. Why not talk about dolls more? no?

 

I wouldn't say I'm a show-off-- I've been lazy and posting cellphone pictures for a while now in the gallery. ^^;;;; I do like to see the work that others put into their gallery shots though. It's nice.

 

I love seeing what other people do with their dolls.

I'm a big creativity geek, in the end. I love seeing what people do with them -- expensive or not, well-dressed or nekkid, anything that catches my attention is something I'm grateful someone posted. (Even the stuff that doesn't catch my attention personally, I'm glad someone posted it, because it could be utterly fascinating to someone else.)

Oddly, though, I look at this thread, and wonder if it's time to swap out the sig, because it grew with updates while I wasn't really thinking along these lines at all, and to me, personally... it looks a little nnngh.

 

The Galleries are all about showing off!

If you don't want to be blatant about it, then don't. But if you DO want to totally show off, then go for it!

Are you a BJD Show Off?
Maybe. I love my dolls. I wouldn't post in Gallery or bring them to Meetups if I didn't want people to see them!

What do you consider showing off in the BJD world?
Anything, nothing. I think it depends on the viewer, right? It's an opinion and everyone has one.

Is it okay to show off?
As I said, the Galleries and Meetups are all about showing off. Or just showing. But some people think showing is showing off. What can you do about it? Nothing. It's all up to the individual. Personally, I love people posting on the Galleries and seeing dolls in person at Meetups, so I hope people continue showing off in that manner. And I'm not offended by how people are showing their dolls, so I guess I have no concern about HOW people are showing their dolls... whether they are being obnoxious about it or not. I don't notice. It doesn't matter to me.

 

Are you a BJD Show Off?
No, not really. I have one rather unpopular MSD doll. Nothing spectacular at a doll meet-up. I love her to death though!

What do you consider showing off in the BJD world?
I think if someone has a large collection of BJDs and they only bring/show gigantic dolls that are very limited, that is showing off. If I know that there is a greater variety in a collection, I like to see what actually represents that.

Is it okay to show off?
Sure, why not. If I don't like it, I don't need to pay that doll/person any attention.

 

Are you a BJD Show Off?
Well, I am not sure if I am a show off ...I don't post threads in the gallery too often really.

What do you consider showing off in the BJD world?
Showing countless of pictures or talking alot about your dolls and very often.

Is it okay to show off?
Absolutely!!!!
Even though I don't post too much in the gallery, I LOVE it when people post their dolls alot and talk about them!! I love exploring the threads and characters and looking at other people's creativity. It's really cool!!! I say post your boys till you're blue in the face, I like seeing updates and new sets of pictures of people's dolls. I really think it's fascinating when their dolls change overtime too! Heh....I like observation and listening!

The only [show off] aspecta I don't like is bragging about how much was spent on the doll. >_<; Prices shouldn't really matter...
Or like someone else said the whole I "better-than-you"-kind of showing off. I really don't like that.

 

Are you a BJD Show Off?
I think my dolls are great but there are still hundreds of owners and thousands of other dolls I admire. I like to share my photos of them with people but I don't think I go to any lengths other members don't.

What do you consider showing off in the BJD world?
Only buying rare limiteds/unique dolls and outfits, only buying face ups from very well known customizers, and constantly posting monotonous photos of them. If someone has only extremely pricey/rare stuff I tend to doubt their sincerity and think they mostly just care about displaying their wealth or connections.

Is it okay to show off?
It's irritating and mostly just gossip fodder but there's nothing really harmful about it. If people get hurt by it then they have just as many issues as the show off.

 

I love my guys and I'm really proud of them because of all the hard work and patience I've put into them and because of that I love taking photos of them and putting them on the net.

But I'm not a "showing off" kind of person, I don't go to meetups maybe once on a blue moon, because they are still very private to me and I tend to adore them on my own. When I take photos of them I put them on my DA account and when I'm REALLY happy with the photos I put them on DoA too, but I can't make people watch them, when they do and maybe even comment on them makes me happy always.
And I still also adore sooo many other dolls from other owners

So imo showing off online is only possible when people actually look at them, but most people that "follow" a Dollowner/doll is because they like the doll(s) and won't mind the spamming of their favourite doll ^_^

Sabriell

 

I don't think showing off and being pretentious are the same thing. I think we almost all *show off* in the sense that we love our dolls and post our best pix (but that's not necessarily bad). One of my dolls, however, is pretentious -- my Alan Rickman/Snape minimee -- he has snobby taste in wine and only reads serious Literature (with a capital L) and generally looks down on the other dolls, so I guess I'm pretty pretentious through him.

 

As one who always wanted to be the center of attention but never succeeded, why NOT show off my dolls???? I love creating costumes for them, always trying to knock people over with their awesome appearance.
No grandkids (yes, I'm that old) so keep dozens of doll pictures in my wallet....
So is this too far? Absolutely not!
What is an excessive display? Truthfully if most people had ANY idea what we pay for dolls, they'd think it was excessive to say the least. Collecting is a passion. We can be passionate about our dolls. And telling the world is much of the fun!
We all have different preferences in dolls, I can't stand cutesy little dolls but am not thrilled with 3 eyed monsters either. Not into ruffles but love steampunk. But isn't it at least mildly interesting to see what others are so passionate about? Isn't that how we ended up here? Some show off caught our attention and we fell for it.....

 

there is a very, very fine line between showing off and just plain rudeness. if you want to show off the clothes you just made, the faceup you just did, the toe-shoes you just created, by all means! it's when posts start to display the attitude that what you're doing is far superior to others that it becomes a waste of time and hurtful to the others around you; and therefore unacceptable.

part of this hobby is being able to preen a little bit - and most of us are more than willing to support one another in our artistic forays into the unknown, that's part of the fun!

 

Are you a BJD Show Off?
Not really. I'm too lazy to even take really good photoshoots of my dolls. When I do take photos, it'll be days later when I do upload. And I've only posted once in the Galleries.

But if you mean showing off to friends and other people... I tend to show them off to people who doesn't know anything about bjds and are curious. Does that count as Show Off...? Since it's non-bjd people...

What do you consider showing off in the BJD world?
Hmm...always going on and on about your own dolls and hinting that they're better than other people's dolls? No idea...to me everyone will wanna show off their own dolls. It's just the matter of who's more extreme...?
Is it okay to show off?
As long as it doesn't irritate or annoy others...I guess it's okay...

I enjoy looking at people's dolls and how they get to pose their dolls or capture their expressions. But if the photos are posted for the sake of posting and to show/exclaim how much they spent on the face-up, clothes, shoes, accessories...then that's not okay... But posting to show off hand-made stuffs and face-ups...That's very ok in my terms...

 

I think the term show-off is really negative...and so far I really haven't encountered any 'SHOW-OFF's" but I think sharing is another thing, and sharing is really key to this community and to the BJD community as a whole.

Now I am new to DoA and new to BJD's for that matter but I haven't encountered anyone on DoA I would call a show off I haven't encountered anyone in the BJD community I would call a show off even off DoA and I think a lot of the previous responders hit the nail on the head I think the different between sharing and being a show off is rubbing something in someone's face

so in stead of posting something like "Look at this awesome sweater I made" because you are sharing even if the title is a little full of yourself....it is more a sharing thing but if it turned into something like "Look at this awesome sweater i made....too bad you can't sew" then it becomes show-offy .... but I am kinda...numb to show offs...I have two older brothers LOL

 

Hey, I WANT to see people's crazy, wonderful, obnoxious dolls! That is why I'm here, and I'll happily read about how limited, expensive and super someone's doll is..it's like reading about Paris Hilton. I enjoy her antics and when I am tired I can turn the page

 

Hah this has been interesting.

Are you a BJD Show Off?
Horribly actually, not because any of mine are perticularly limited, or even unusual but because the poor things can't sit for a week with out me deciding to mess with them. I love to work on them, change asthetics and such. I also LOVE playing with my camera so I do post alot of photos. I enjoy them alot and I think perhaps because some of my dolls arnt' always the most popular. (owner of now three alien eyed luwens) I enjoy seeing other peoples as well. I tend to actually seek out the ones that are perhaps not the most popular dolls... because its always so much fun to see what others do with them.

What do you consider showing off in the BJD world?

I think if your talking about the negitive tone of the term "Show off" then what I would find the most annoying is the constant pointing out of worth, or how rare they are. But.... honestly I have maybe only come across that once or twice in my life. The internet is a great place because if I get tired of seeing "x" doll then I just don't have to open that thread, or clear it from my da notifications.

Is it okay to show off?

So long as your not being demeaning to other peoples dolls by comparison then yes. Its the same with "ego" in people. Someone who proclaims they are great can be charming and amusing, so long as its contained to themselves. Its the person who says not only are they "so great" but that Other people are not. And uses the depreciation of other people/things to be hurtful.

 

I think that posting pics of your dolls so other can gush and drool over them is indeed showing off. I also think that it's okay, at least in this hobby. I htink that a big part of this hobby is about showing off, really.
People put lots of money, time and effort into their dolls- it's only natural for them to want some positive feedback from others, assuring them that their doll turned out as nice as they think it did. Everyone likes to know that they have something others perceive as beautiful, and getting compliments is always fun.
Personally, I don't remember posting many pics of my dolls. I don't usually have a good camera to take impressive pics with, and most of my dolls are still "under construction" . Personally, I feel good just looking at them myself and enjoying their beauty, and the entire process of creating their characters. So I enjoy them enough without posting their pictures and have a drool fest, lol. But I know that many other people find feedback from others to be very impotant in this kind of hobbies, and I have no problem at all with it.
When my dolls will be completed and I'll get a nice camera, I'll post pics for sure, and if I'll get any positive comments, I'm sure it'll feel good.

As for the other type of behavior you mentioned... I don't think it's simply "showing off", I think that's being abnoxious and narcissistic.

 

Sharing what is essentially your hard work and hoping to be rewarded with appretiation is not a crime. It is easy enough to look at other galleries or threads if you think nature of the content is obnoxious.

Unless the content is crossing the boundaries of ethics ~ I guess the question is: why would showing off art (whether it is photography, character development, esthetics or costume design) and looking for support and attention as a reward be "wrong"?

 

Am I a BJD show off? hell yes, am I a show off in my general life, why yes to that too, but do I think I am superior, or that my dolls are? not in the least, honestly, I generally think I am inferior and my dolls disinteresting.

I used to list all of my dolls in my sig, why? because that way if someone was interested they could ask me about them, some of them are fairly uncommon molds (not limited, just not that popular). I still do list them in my profile, and i will continue to do so. Why did I stop putting them in my sig? two reasons, the first is that I ran out of space, that made me consider how many dolls I have. I have a lot. I admit it. Many of you may think I have a stupid number. I just think I am really lucky, but I got to the point where I realized some people may see the list as boasting. I love my dolls, and I don't want to boast about them, and I certainly don't want people thinking I do. I also very rarely post about them on her, in fact no one here has even seen the majority of my dolls (or at least no one who has not seen them in reality)

 

I don't like to be in the spot light unless I'm in costume with a group. When I bring my dolls and talk to people and show my dolls off, I'm not in the spot light myself, my dolls are. And any attention garnered by my dolls is not a compliment to me but rather to the artist who sculpted the dolls in the first place.

Like Lilith, I'd only consider it pretentious if someone made sure to mention how limited and expensive their doll was, or if someone purposefully insulted other doll owners or myself and then started to enumerate why their dolls was so much better than theirs. Which has happened! But then, I ignore those people and move on, because it's only happened through the internet, and never to my face.

 

You and I basically agree.

I think that for just the common person EVERYTHING we do on a regular basis, if we do more than usual, can become a bad thing, not matter how good it is at first. The same rule applies to "showing off". What I am trying to say is if you display your doll in a BJD group's photos lets just face it you are showing off. Don't sugar coat it with "display where people can see" or "I just like to share my artistic views"

You know you are posting those pictures because you want other people to see them, so what are you doing you are "showing off".

But like others have said, doing it too much and in a cocky way can give people the message that you are a Grade A, Show Off.