Would you rather buy a 2nd doll instead of a doll item that cost almost the same as another doll?

I would rather have a second doll but my doll clothes aren’t limited or have special meaning. I don’t do a lot of the fancy full outfits but some people do enjoy those a lot so I really think it depends on if that outfit completes the first doll.

 

It very-much depends on the items in question. Limited items almost always take priority on my wishlist. But if money alone is the deciding factor, I'd rather spend $200 on a really gorgeous outfit/wig/eye/shoes setup for a doll I already own and love, than spend $200 on a new doll that I am buying just because of the relatively low price. There's no guarantee I'd love the new doll, or even *learn* to love it. In fact, I may resent it more if I always have in mind that I passed on items I truly knew I wanted and could have had if not for choosing the doll simply because it seemed more valuable as a single item.

 

I feel the same way @Lokinta does. Having nice things for already established dolls is very nice, especially if you don’t already have plans to bring home another doll. But if the affordable doll were something that really caught my eye, I would go for it, probably not over having the really nice outfit/eyes/shoes/wig combo, though.

 

I 100% have spent a dolls’ worth on wardrobes for my faves at times, and had zero regrets. I have more fun when the dolls I’m actively photographing have new stuff to keep kind of reinventing themselves.

I’ve seen people bring amazing Soom limiteds to meets naked because they had nothing for them to wear while they were paying off several more on layaway, and you do you, but I couldn’t stand that.

 

I'd rather buy another doll and that is why I own more dolls than shoes for them

It's a terrible habit! I don't recommend it and I'm doing my best to cut it out.

 

I want to be a person who spends a doll's worth of money on an outfit, but I have a really hard time making myself do it I don't know why. I absolutely believe the clothes are worth the price, and I know how much skill and time goes into them. But I have a much harder time rationalizing the price of clothes, shoes, wigs etc than I do the price of dolls. Part of it might be that I'm confident about how a doll will age, whereas clothes and shoes are unpredictable. I just bought an outfit that's probably around 15-20 years old, and it's almost perfect. Whereas you might buy a pair of shoes and they'll start cracking after 5 years.

 

It depends. I can't see myself ever spending the same amount on a single outfit or wig as I would a doll. That said, for most of my doll collecting history, I have spent way too much money on new dolls and not nearly enough on clothes/wigs/shoes/eyes. I'm learning that those things cost much more than they did when I first entered the hobby in '07-'08, but that's okay because they're super labor intensive to make and I love the way my dolls look when I invest in nicer pieces for them.

 

For me, it depends. I have spent money on outfits - some custom made - because I wanted my doll to have a specific look. I don't regret it. I also am pretty picky in regards to the dolls I buy. I would love to buy my dolls more furniture but the price of those pieces and the lack of storage space always dissuades me.

 

The real big brain move is to spend a doll’s worth on supplies to make outfits and then never get around to finishing any

 

So really I have two answers
In practice I have almost never bought anything for my dolls approaching the price of a doll I would typically buy. I think maybe once I might have paid up to $150 for an outfit? That was a long time ago when I wasn't so able to sew something more unique for myself. Usually I don't pay a lot for their clothes or anything or prefer to make stuff. I balk at how much more expensive a lot of the accessories like shoes and eyes have become (commonly).
But I mean theoretically, if one day I could reasonably afford again something I really loved that was expensive, if I still have this many dolls it shouldn't be more dolls it should be things that take up less space than dolls or enhance my experiences of them further. Maybe I'd buy some eyes that normally take the wind out of me from their price tag for someone special.
I think important context with my post is also that most of my dolls are "lower cost" and I can definitely imagine, if I was able, buying a beautiful outfit or commission work for a similar price. I love to support other artisans and would be excited to do it more. But we'll see if life is generous at some point.

 

I'd say unsure... I collect mostly mature tinies who have lots of affordable clothes available, so I'd be hard pressed to spend in the hundreds on one outfit. But I am trying to keep a small limit of how many dolls I collect so I would more readily spend $X00 collectively on several pieces of clothing/props/etc. than on a new doll at this time.

 

As someone who doesn't want to collect very many total dolls if the outfit fit my characters I would absolutely pick that.

I guess it also depends on what kind of doll cost we're talking since the prices can vary a lot haha, I would be hard pressed to buy an outfit for the price of Volks limited... but my doll wardrobe already is on track to outprice my dolls so my priorities are pretty clear.

 

Since I know I want multiple dolls and only currently have one I'd choose the second doll. I want dolls of similar size though so they can always share outfits and accessories.

 

Depends entirely on if I have dolls on my wishlist, or if my other dolls need things, and also the amount we're talking. Most dolls I buy around around $300-600. I would not spend that much on one outfit, but if it was between a pile of clothes and accessories or a new doll....most of the time, I'll take the stuff. I need a specific plan for a doll before buying, but I hate having naked, bald, eyeless dolls sitting around.

 

I'm somewhat obsessed with having a "minimalist" collection, where each doll has a perfect collection of outfits, wigs and accessories to match their character without having too many "extras", so... I tend to budget spending 1-2x the doll price on all of its knick-knacks. I also LOVE miniature things, not just dolls, so to me the accessories need to look detailed and high-end to match the doll itself. I had a doll sitting unpainted and naked for a couple years (due to health issues and lack of energy) and that was very sad times. I'd pull her every few months out 'cause I wanted to do stuff with her, but there wasn't much to be done in that state. Unless it's the absolute PERFECT doll that's super limited, I will always prioritize buying everything I need to have a complete doll over buying another naked, bald and unpainted doll.

I have a couple etsy shops bookmarked for a future doll that I can easily see myself buying a fancy outfit for or commissioning a felt pet that would cost as much as her.

 

My situation is a little different, I like to collect heads. The number of heads is far more than the number of body I collect, this hobby helps me saves a lot of money. I just need to buy clothes for the doll with the body.
So I don't need the full-set dolls or outfits that much. Unless I see a very delicate one...

 

It’s all about the fashion for me, and each of my dolls has a minimum of 3-5 outfits each, so yeah…I wouldn’t hesitate to buy an expensive outfit for my dolls. And in fact, I have! I enjoy the creativity and artistry of fashion very much, like I do the dolls themselves. And I sew, so I know exactly how much work goes into a particularly stunning outfit. On a limited budget it’s quite difficult to bring home a special outfit, so I do it very sparingly which makes them all the more precious to me. Each one is celebrated like a special little treasure. In fact, as an example, I have an entire collection of amazing hats by an artisan on Etsy for my SD girls. I’ve slowly collected them for many years and each one is an amazing and unique work of art. Added all together, I’ve easily paid enough for a limited Volks in those hats alone!

 

Depends. If I saw a doll that was limited I absolutely couldn't resist maybe? But i'm pretty content at my current doll amount so I think I'd rather focus on an outfit or something maybe. I don't think though I'd probably spend that much on one whole outfit maybe multiple.