You ever feel like your dolls are obsolete?

Honestly, I love my older dolls with the slightly anime vibe that was popular back in the day.

 

I think its a 50/50.. Sopmetimes i do, other times i don't. My old dolls are kinda like an era for me. They're yellowed, but one isn't sold anymore and the other you can actually still buy. It's hard finding a newer model to fit my old ones, i have considered reshelling the dolls. But what would i then do with my old ones? who would actually buy decade old doll at this point? Besides the few i had kinda makes me feel warm and fuzzy.
I think i sorta decided that i'd keep them, buy new and have two groups. New ones and old sentimental ones ^^

 

If they make you happy, they are not obsolete.
There are people who appreciate older dolls, or just dolls in general who aren't going to look down their nose just because a doll is not in the current fad.

 

Well shucks, maybe those that have been in the hobby a long time may feel that way, but really, I appreciate dolls that have been Loved from any time!
My 50's girls, compos from the 20's, and bisques from 1880+ second that emotion! Have you read the old children's book called Hittie ( her first 100 years)? A doll lost in time, and all her adventures and loves. By Dorothy P. Landthrop 1929. I'm glad so many love dolls, too. Your dolls are NOT obsolete, they are the history of an art form!

@BakaYukiko .
I can only afford decade old dolls, it seems. Hehe.

 

The thing about dolls is there will always be a chance to modify and perform maintenance on them. Although many people don’t bother, it’s 100% possible to make something gorgeous out of an old Bobobie or early Luts doll, despite their limitations. I’d love to make a project out of one.

This thread really alerts my Android fascination. I love to think of dolls as being mechanical beings, because they kind of are, in their limited way. Picking up a broken or discarded doll and making them new again is really a dream. I think people should look at them more like that. A doll is never “obsolete” - even in the technological world, don’t hobbyists restore and maintain old 80’s PCs and game systems? Why should a doll with outdated designs and components be different?

 

Obsolete?! No way!!! I think some of the most iconic dolls ever created were released at least 10 years ago. I think single jointing is more beautiful than the new double (or more!) jointing systems of dolls that are made today. I personally will take a single jointed doll over the most masterfully engineered posability. Maybe I'm behind with the times too, but I think there's a lot of us who are behind with the times so you're in good company. The style of dolls, fashion, and photography that we had 10 years ago is very nostalgic to anyone who enjoyed it back then!

 

There’s always going to be something new to buy. Time moves forward so everything we buy new eventually gets old. Look at computers, the newest iPhone, cars. As soon as you buy the newest gadget it’s already basically “obsolete.” They’re busy making the next one already. That makes for a lot of new choices on the market and good for people that are new to the hobby but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t like your older dolls just as much. I’m new into the hobby and I only know what I see about the newer dolls. I don’t know anything about the older ones at all. So I’m on the other end I don’t know anything about the older dolls and think they would be neat to see pics of and hear their history.

 

I don't feel like my dolls are obsolete style-wise (though I see other people's Dollzone Megi much less often than when he was my new boy. My doll is a teenager now! ), but two of my older heads have hook on head caps instead of magnetic head caps and I am glad almost everyone does magnetic head caps now. I feel like engineering on joints has changed a bit over the years.

 

My grail doll was an oldie; a Soom Gem "Dimo." When I was finally able to start collecting bjds, i ,ever thought I'd find the sculpt I'd fallen in love with over 15 years ago. But as luck would have it, I was able buy both the standard and romantic versions of the sculpt! He's still my favorite and his face just makes me so happy. I really love old dolls, and the newer ones, too! Do what makes you happy. Happiness is never obsolete ^_^

 

The cool thing about aesthetics is that it's never "obsolete"- it's *retro*. Nostalgia is a powerful emotion and a lot of people have very fond feelings for the trailblazers of the BJD industry.

But I understand the perspective of feeling like your selection was much smaller before. To me the whole appeal of BJDs is the wide variety of engineering styles, aesthetics and sizes... I joined the hobby about 4 years ago, so that's all I've ever known. But I know if I was in your position I might feel a little bummed... like, "I might not have even chosen these dolls if all of these other styles were available when I bought them!"

 

I think that after coming back to the hobby after a lot of years dormant I had similar feelings but it was more about how now I could afford dolls I had always wanted, or I saw new dolls that expressed something that spoke to me differently than previous dolls I owned. I've pretty much turned my whole collection over, and then grew it in the past two years. For me it was invigorating.

That's not to say what I bought were only "new" dolls. It's really a mix of older secondhand dolls and newer molds from all sorts of companies. For me it was time to shake things up, but for others maybe just a new faceup or a different piece of clothing would do it to kick that malaise.

 

There is something classical and a lot of wonderful history behind the old, and certainly there has been innovation and change with the new. Neither is superior, and I would definitely say that the oldies are not "obsolete". Obsolete implies that it outdated and no longer of use, and I think many collectors are still drawn to older 'classic' sculpts. I know I still appreciate them!

Unfortunately you cannot escape the materialistic aspect of this hobby. Doll companies/artists must constantly churn out something new, different, never seen before to keep interest alive and cash flowing. For this reason, it is easy for hobbyists to get caught up in getting the NEW SHINY thing that everyone's lusting after. So I totally understand where your feelings stem from when your dolls don't really reflect what's currently "popular".

However, it's healthy to temper those emotions and realize that this is a hobby that is meant to be enjoyed. Do you love your dollies? If so, then if they're not the newest or shiniest doll on the block... who cares? There are plenty of collectors who appreciate the older sculpts for what they are. In fact, many people enjoy seeing that those dolls are still around! So keep yourself from stressing to "keep up" with the trends... otherwise this hobby becomes more of a burden than a joy.

 

I'm kind of in the same boat, getting back into the hobby over the past two years after about a decade-long hiatus. My personal tastes changed, sure, but I think "obsolete" is kind of a harsh term? I prefer the terms "classic" or "vintage," lol.

It's true that BJD styles have drastically changed, and there are so many more makers now than there were when I first got into the hobby, but I think there's still room for the oldies as well as the newbies. And here's a little secret: ten years from now, the sculpts and styles and trends that are the "new hotness" right now? They're going to be outpaced by future trends. That's the great thing about this hobby: How dynamic it is, and how there's room for all tastes, styles, trends, and innovations. Trends moving forward doesn't mean you have to shun what you had in the past.

Also, to echo what @RinSetsua said: If it makes you happy, it's not obsolete. Look beyond trends to your own personal tastes and what makes you happy.

 

i dont think obsolete is a thing in this hobby, there are still older sculpts that ppl would love to have! I've been in this hobby since 2006, ive seen doll companies come and go and there is always someone out there who would love a certain sculpt. My grail for instance since I first entered the hobby was Volks Hewitt from 2005 and I just got him this month! I own one doll that I got back in 2009 hes around 12 now and I love him all the same! I two other dolls from around 2008 that I got second hand that I love as well! No such thing as obsolete if it brings you joy!

 

I don't think I will find my dolls obsolete, though they may not suit my taste in the future (even if that feels impossible right now haha). But it will be because I have changed, not because I compare them to new arrivals.

Sure there may be better jointed dolls, better stuff in the future, it's almost certain...but I don't think that's the thing that will make me stop appreciating the dolls from now.

That said, what I really love about my own dolls are the heads, so if there are better bodies in the future, I could look into hybriding them.

 

I don't think that the older sculpts ever really become "outdated"... there are always people who will want the old sculpts. Luts/CP dolls, Dream of Doll, DIM, etc. all have their passionate fans for sure, and even if you were to consciously pick dolls that are "popular" or "trendy", there are a lot of old sculpts that are much more popular than current ones.

I think it's common for people who got into the hobby early on to have fallen in love with the concept of BJDs, and picked out the dolls that were the *closest* to what they wanted, out of what was available. In that case, they're more likely to look at new choices, then back at their "old dolls" and feel like they're obsolete because newer dolls are closer to what they wanted when they picked what they had. I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

If you love the sculpts you have but feel disappointed with them compared to newer dolls you see, you might want to try out some newer styling. That's another area where you might have settled for what you could get at the time (I know I did), but there's so many great, high quality options out there for eyes, wigs and clothes. And doll fashions are, well, fashions. Clothing cuts and styles that were stylish 10 years ago are likely not to feel stylish now, but like with human fashion, it depends on your own personal style. It's not sustainable to keep yourself or your dolls "on trend" all the time, but I think it's only natural to have gravitated towards some stuff that's in fashion and fallen out of love when it fell out of fashion.

 

Not talking about my dolls here, but SOME dolls are DEFINITELY obsolete. You can see it in the details of the body, the quality of the resin or the semplicity of the features of the heads.

But my Delphine still looks good, despite the years!

 

Your dolls are not obsolete! I would say a collector's items depending on the dolls and companies they are from as opposed to obsolete. Besides, the value really is what you think of your dolls not how others think about them.

Depending on what life is throwing at me, sometimes I'm on DoA all the time and then there are big long breaks in between. I joined back in 2007 and it's surreal seeing all the changes, seeing who is still around, all the new members, all the different dolls out there as well as doll companies, what is considered off-topic, and just the sheer amount of talent now compared to nearly two decades ago (oi!).

I definitely see a difference between the dolls I got back in the early 2000s compared to now but I think it's fine having whatever you have and enjoying seeing how the world of BJDs has grown. It's like the world of collecting cars. There are those that only collect classics. There are Edsels collectors. There are those that only get the newest ones from the big brand names. And there are those that prefer certain cars from certain companies because they are reliable and consistent for the price you pay. The BJD world is like that, so whatever your niche is, own it and enjoy it the best you can. Tastes do change over time so no one would judge you for "upgrading," selling, exchanging, or even keeping what you have. Whatever makes you enjoy the hobby more, do it. That's what hobbies are for!

 

I'd say that it's a bit strange to consider dolls obsolete. The dolls you buy are mostly a matter of your own tastes and preferences, and if you like older dolls or newer dolls, that's fine.

If we're judging based on popularity, the days of seeing everyone's Delf El or Volks four sisters all the time are past us, but that doesn't mean the doll itself is obsolete, probably just doesn't rack up the internet points like it used to.

In terms of engineering, things have certainly changed and even faceup styles do change too. If you like single joints or old school faceups though, that's still perfectly acceptable. Nobody can force you to change tastes or keep up with anyone else.