The Pretentious Display of One's BJDs

I don't know if it's been said before, but I think there's a huge difference between sharing your doll and showing off. Taking tons of pix and posting them is not necessarily a bad thing at all. And sometimes it just so happens that some people are better at taking pictures, doing poses, etc than others. But that's all right.

It's when people start being rude about it is when it becomes a problem. I've found that some people are downright nasty when it comes to how they treat other dolls. "Well, since your doll isn't a [insert super duper expensive limited doll of awesome here], then it's not really worth anything, is it? Lucky for me, mine is." Maybe in not so many words, but the attitude is just that. Luckily there aren't that many of those kind of people around, so.

That's just my opinion.

 

Carrying your dolls in public, propping them on your desk at school, and so on ... those are showing off.

Taking pictures and displaying them is just ... sharing. Generally if you're showing pics it's on your private blog or on an art forum or a doll forum. Unless you're a total spammer, it's not LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME.

I get annoyed by flaunting in public for the sake of attention (my mom does this with other stuff, so it's always bothered me and made me uncomfortable just to watch her doing it), so I get annoyed when people bring their dolls around for no reason. Sizing them up for doll furniture or going to a doll meet I can get. Parading around a doll show, sure. You should. But just ... carrying them around Wal-Mart for the sake of making people look at you funny (and then complaining when people look at you funny) is just ... yeah, that's trying to show off. And emphasizing to strangers how EXPENSIVE they are. Definitely showing off.

I can't make a judgment whether it's "okay" or not. I don't think it's morally wrong (except it is a bit ego ego ego) per se, but I certainly don't want to associate with that sort of person or have anything to do with them.

Pictures are great. Toting is not. Share your doll with the world in a non-obnoxious fashion, please. And keep the distractions out of the classroom. As an educator, nothing bothers me more than when a kid brings in some toy or kids cell phone and all the kids get distracted by it during my lesson. Dolls should stay in the bag or the desk or in the SOMETHING during class. If you want to share, you can share after/outside. Although I question the need to bring such a thing to school. Especially high school. Unless you are, as I suspect, trying to be an attention hog.

My two cents.

 

I know i'm not a show-off. Personally, I don't even like people that aren't my friends or family or people that HAVE the dolls even looking at mine. Because most of the time, they just don't understand it.
So I prefer to keep my dolls to myself.

 

i dont think im a doll show off.
my photostorys tend to have odd titles, and sometimes odd pictures,
but i have these not for the showing off reason, but more to stay true to my girls personality. she is a very outgoing sexual girl, and im trying my hardest to stay true to her character, whether that gets comments or not. sure, i like to get comments, who doesnt? and yes i love my girl and think shes pretty and want to share, but i dont think shes better then anyone elses dolls. i love looking at all the differnt dolls and commenting on how pretty they are. as has been stated, i think thats part of the reason most of us have joined here, to have people see our little works of art and to look and what everyone else has.

 

I figure this one thing, bjds are normally very costly and more so than most any other type of dolls. I view it this way, you want to show off not because of what you paid for, but what you worked hard for what you love. I don't think it's pretentious unless they act all snobby about it, like "Mine's better than yours" kind of thing. In general I love to see what other people has, because I love art. And what better way to express any art form than showing the quality of your love for art.

 

Are you a BJD Show Off?
No.. Atleast I dont think I am. ^^; I love my bjd's and I have no problem posting them everywhere, but Im not looking for compliments, or fans. Im looking for recongnition. As they do.

What do you consider showing off in the BJD world?
I suppose fanclubs would be a little bit of a turn off to me. It is showing off. But heyyy, I think if you got a beautiful bjd and its loved by others, why not? Just dont be all cocky and start saying your bjd is the most loved. And I only think its okay for some people because I have a horrible, horribleeee obsessesion with Frozen Wings bjd's. ^_^;;;

Is it okay to show off?
Like I said, if your not cocky and just want to show off your bjd's. For whatever reason, so be it. Whats the point anyway? Its not like we can stop em.

 

I think this is a hobby that goes hand in hand with showing off, but not in any kind of egocentric, cocky way. We're all here to admire and talk about the dolls, so of course I want to see a gallery crammed full of pics of, well, every sculpt under the sun. I want to hear their reasons for loving a particular sculpt or company. I definitely want to go to meets and look at all the variety this hobby offers. Seeing someone a doll in person has definitely caused me to re-evaluate my own initial impressions of some companies or sculpts.

I definitely don't think people are showing off because they make a lot of gallery threads or because they talk about their doll on the forums. Unless they are doing so at the expense of some other sculpt or company. But I haven't seen a lot of that on DoA at all.

However, people who bump their own gallery threads (as in actually stating they are bumping, and not just posting to thank people for commenting or answer quetions) do kind of make me wonder.

 

Sugah, I am a TOTAL show off! I can always be found easily cuz I'm the one climbing on something or acting like a clown...

So yeah I'm a bjd show off and DAMNED proud of it!

 

Phfft, I'll take my dolls anywhere I darned well feel like taking them with AND without YOUR permission. And I will darned well ENJOY every minute I spend with them no matter where I am.

 

Er, toshirodragon, she wasn't saying "OMG Don't take your dolls out you're an awful person!" she just said it was showing off-and it is.

Otherwise, if you wanted to take them out you'd just tuck them in your bag and never taken them out. Showing off can be perfectly fine-in fact, I like taking my dolls to crafty stores and that sort of thing, because in showing them off a bit I've gotten other people interested in the hobby, and had a few people who had seen them on Ebay actually get to touch them and see what the fuss is about.

 

Are you a BJD Show Off?
me no thinks so. could possibly because there's only about 5 pics available to public and no one gets to see my doll unless I watch over with my claws in their back.
What do you consider showing off in the BJD world?
like..showing off? lol it's the same in the fashion industry and everywhere else. omg look look look at my fab tan and gucci shoes omg omgomgomgomg

*goes bonkers*
(thank god no one I know does this. even in bjd world.)
Is it okay to show off?
Is it okay to go peepee in a washroom?

-_- they can do what they like. I actually like it when people show off worthwhile things because I get to peek at them >.< satisfy cravings AND it's better than pictures:P
well that's only until some smartass steals the doll or something.

 

I was a show off for a while, mainly by sharing lots of photos, because I didn't see many photos of my preferred mold and I wanted to show everyone how great the mold is. I also wanted to share what I consider good photography with everyone. It was sort of to get comments but moreover just to share a doll and a look that's not seen too much around here.

Now, though, I'm just too lazy and busy to show off. Also, I've gotten much more interested in looking at other people's dolls and seeing a wide variety of dolls. After all, I can look at my dolls whenever I want. So I'm no longer a show off. Just really proud of them.

 

I don't believe pride in one's posessions is a bad thing, if handled maturely. Many of us have worked very hard to simply get these dolls, and then much more work is put into the customization and personalization of said doll. Naturally, people would be proud of their dolls and want to share that joy with others. That's how I am, and I believe you only cross a line if you take it from 'I think my doll's so pretty..' to 'My doll is prettier than yours.'

 

I honestly don't think carrying your dolls around in public is necessarily showing off. Back in the days that I had a whole doll, if I was carrying him around with me, it was because I was having a bad day and carrying him made me feel better. I didn't care one way or the other if people looked at him.

That said I don't think it's really wrong to get a bit of pleasure out of other's appreciating your doll. Being a bit of a show off is fine as long as you aren't taking it to extremes or needing the attention of others to enjoy your doll.

 

I disagree, at least to some extent. I take my dolls to work ALL THE TIME. Sometimes I pose them sitting on the back counter playing cards or reading, sometimes looking like they're cleaning or putting away CDs. I don't do it for attention (most people don't even notice them), it just makes me happy to see them. My boss thinks their good luck. I've had them in restraunts after work, too, on occasion... feel guilty leaving them locked in a dark empty store while I have fun. I think it would be great if EVERYONE took their dolls around!!!

My dolls even have their own website! (I won't post it here, because that would be super-lame.) I don't consider myself a show-off, though.... Just a fanatic! I like everyone's dolls! I think true show-offs are in it for the glory, or are malicious in their doll obsession towards other collectors, while fanatics are just really REALLY into their dolls.

 

I think it is perfectly natural to want to show off something you are proud of or love. People show pics of their children, animals, cars etc... not to brag and say they are better than you but because they want to share their joy with others. I love taking pictures of my dolls and sharing them and I love looking at other peoples doll pics. I also see nothing wrong in taking a doll to work to sit on your desk if you can. It's just part of personalizing your work space and they are a great talking point. I think most people are like this but there are always a few who show off just for attention or to cause conflict but you get that in all walks of life.

 

Are you a BJD Show Off?
Yes, I guess if you really want to put it that way. The extent I do it is to bring my doll, pull him out of the bag, put on his wigs. The people I show it to can look, touch and ask questions. I answer them as well and as truthfully as I can. How else are other people going to learn about BJDs if they don't see one in person? Luckily, most of the people so far KNOW these things don't come cheap. If I tell them, "The doll came completely blank with no eyes, no face, and no wig". Then I leave it to them to imagine the pain it took for me to deck them out.
I also like to take pictures of them. I put them in a setting which reflects part of the story and their character. Some characters are lonely and empty so they don't have much of anything around them. Some are ostentatious, some are messy. If the setting is glamorous and over-the-top, then it's for a good reason.

What do you consider showing off in the BJD world?
Posting in the waiting room to say you ordered something and then forget about it, leaving others to worry about whether you got your doll or not.

Is it okay to show off?
Sure it is. How else am I going to learn that there are such wonderful sculpts or accessories available if I don't ever see them? I know at meetups and cons people will request to see a particular doll. I'm just happy they took the time and effort to cart the doll over so I can see one in person.

 

You put that very nicely Kavarr.


I think there's a big difference between showing (as in sharing) and showing off. I don't see anything wrong with people putting photos in galleries, I quite enjoy seeing photos of other peoples dolls and I always have a doll in my studio for my own benefit, it makes me feel good to see one sitting there on my computer or sewing machine.


i did have a little chuckle at this comment though.

I have been guilty of this, but at my age you forget about a lot of things!!!

 

Are you a BJD Show Off?
Absolutely not. I do love my guys, I do show them to the world (forum etc) but I do not flaunt them everywhere. I just don't have the feeling to do so.

What do you consider showing off in the BJD world?
Forcing your doll(s) up onto others. "look look he/she's the best thing ever and everything is amazing about him/her and you doll's looks aren't that great, I have all these L.E's and expensive clothes....."
Spamming the living daylights out of everything.
Claiming that this thing (clothes, face up...) is the only good thing there is and that nothing can compare to it.
Flaunting dolls everywhere you can to be the centre of attention.

Is it okay to show off?
I think sharing you doll, and the love for him/her, with everyone is not a problem at all it's part of the hobby. And I do not think that should be called showing off. Also taking your dolls with you is okay if you enjoy having them around you.
The thing I mentioned above, that would be a big no-no.

 

I don't think, I'm BJD Show-off... For me showing off means, try to compare their doll with others in pretentious way like always repeating how limited, how expensive and...etc...of their dolls. I don't decide a doll with their name or limited or worth. I just like to take their photos and enjoy making something for them, that's all.