Your true reason for having a doll?

I have wanted doll versions of my imaginary friends for as long as I can remember . I am inventing stories all the time, and the characters in them are ... about as real to me as real people? But they don't exist outside my head. So I draw them and write them down. Being able to have miniature 3D versions of them around is the icing on the cake. Before I knew that BJDs existed - or actually, before BJDs existed at all - I tried to make my own dolls, but I lacked the skills to make them properly. Years later, I discovered these amazing customisable dolls, and off I went.

My characters are people from the middle ages. It is extra nice to try and make medieval clothes for them - and to have to think about how those are constructed. It is one thing to draw costumes (anything is possible there), but when you actually *make* them, you have to think about how, say, a cloak is fastened. This is the kind of fun that can only be had in three dimensions!

Anyway: my characters, that is how I started off. Since the first one came home, he has rekindled my love for dolls as dolls, so since then I have, I admit, also bought dolls purely because I like them, or because I was curious about a company, or because I love just about anything the artist makes. For some dolls, that is my true reason for having them .

 

I don't know if I can put and explanation as to why. It's nice to have something beautiful that is yours alone. And I guess it's a little bit of an escape from the real world every now and again. I don't have a doll yet; but when I'm looking at them online or thinking about the one I want to get it takes my mind of work and other things in my life that I don't enjoy as much.

 

I Love my dolls, and they bring me pure joy. I think the reason that I buy dolls, is because I can't have kids. So they are my kids. I can dress them up, change their hair. Make it perfect for me. I've always wanted kids, but have realized as I get older it's not going to happen for me. But I love my "kids" and my partner. I love what I do for a living. So, I guess they fill that void.

 

I love my characters, the ones I roleplayed with. I wanted them to 'live on' since their roleplays keep on dying and my rp partners keeps on leaving me. It is a bummer but I have grown attached to these characters. However, I have another reason I considered buying a doll for the first time. I used to be a cosplayer, I enjoy dressing up but not once did I feel pretty or beautiful in any way. There are people who ask for my photos and stuff, but It never gave me the happiness I wanted....there is just so much negativity. I end up comparing my body to every cosplayer and my costumes too. It got me depressed since I have never been with anyone nor have I ever felt beautiful - not once in my life. I found this hobby and I decided to make my first doll purchase. I was so happy when I got her, I felt happy that I could dress her up with anything and it would look good on her. I felt happy that she was always beautiful and that I could be in control of her looks unlike my own body. It's weird >.<; but this is one of the real reasons I got into this hobby. Not just for my lovely characters, but also for my own self comfort. Growing up, I was never the first choice nor has any man looked at me in a loving way [except my dad of course]. I was always the 'ugly friend' and I hate that I could not control my looks or my body. My little girl right now makes me happy. It made me happy that I can be in control of her - from her looks to her story/life.

I am sorry for the negativity >_<; that is just me, I am also sorry if I have offended anyone in this! I sound like a depressed and desperate single girl. I really am not, I am not in a hurry for a relationship or anything. I just never felt loved by anyone else except my family...

 

I have bjds because they're everything little girl me wanted in a doll all those years ago. Self standing, incredibly poseable, and crazy customiseable. The only limit with these is your imagination! Little girl me would have thought she'd gone to heaven if one of these dolls was placed in her hand and she was told to go nuts. ^_^ That makes it kinda sad, then, that I prefer not to change things on my dolls. I made myself "grow out" of chopping Barbie's locks and redoing her make up to prove to myself that I could have nice things and be a "proper" adult collector. Sigh. XD Joke aside, grown me may not cut wigs or do much with faceups but I get a lot of joy in hunting for the right wigs, clothes, and accessories to make a doll into whatever I imagine.

 

Various reasons, but the most mundane of them is the clothes. I've always been fascinated with fancy and elaborate costumes, especially the kind in video games that would result in a severe wardrobe malfunction in real life without tons of superglue and well placed tape and wires. I just loved how imaginative they are and I've always wanted to make my own, but designing clothes like that for people is both expensive and finding the right model...it's work. But with a doll I can dress it up however I want when I want. Plus less material means I have to spend less and can afford to experiment more.

 

Interesting question, and responses!

For me, it started out as a way to flesh out the characters I made up in old stories; I was a pretty good writer, but never an artist, and it always frustrated me that I could never flesh out the characters outside of my head, since they were always my favourite part of story-making. The first time I saw these dolls, I couldn't believe my luck, finally being able to make them 'real' in some way.

Since then, as well as continuing to flesh/resin out my characters, they really do make great companions, and just as great motivation for my down days.
As a loner, and a depressive who is sick a lot of the time, I was so pleasantly surprised by the positive effect they had on me' being with them and changing/improving them is a lot of fun and also very rewarding.
I'm very grateful to have these little ones in my life.

 

Honestly, It's so I could have a physical friend. I'm unable to leave the house and all my friends are online. I purchased my doll as a friend, and so far she's been a big help to me. Even if she isn't a real person, she brings comfort to me. I'm hoping she'll help me get out of my comfort zone and be more active with my life, and I guess she already has seeing how I am was able to post this.

 

The first time I bought a doll I did it because I felt lonely and I wanted 'someone' to talk to that would actually listen. I know that's a little silly because dolls aren't alive and can't actually listen but it helps to just vent my feelings. I also love caring for them and spoiling them whenever possible. It helps me take my mind off some less pleasant things. I have a chronic disease and am in constant pain but I still have to work full-time because I need the paycheck to pay the bills and feed myself. That however means I have no more energy left to actually do something in my spare time which leads to me having no real friends anymore. I'm not sure how long my partner will stick around anymore either. I'll probably never have children in the future so my dog and my ball-jointed dolls will be all I ever have.

Sometimes I wish it would be different but my ball-jointed dolls and my dog are somehow a reminder it could be even worse. They cheer me up in some way... It's nice to have my dog greet me every time I come home from work and my dolls keeping me company when I'm trying to sew for them or just need someone to talk to. I don't think it's weird, you could compare it to a child and it favorite stuffed animal. I don't mind being childish, growing up seems so boring.

I also have a million characters in my head and I love to turn my favorite ones into a doll. It helps me to visualize them better and write stories about them. Needless to say I really need to sell off some dolls because some actually refuse to be turned into an actual character which is a must for me.

 

Basically, I bought the ball jointed dolls because they are eye candies to me ^-^
I cannot really think of any back stories for them since I am not a very literature creative nor full of imagination kinda person...
So I tend to sew/buy clothes for them, dress them up and take photos.
They are also like pets to me cause I am allergic to lots of stuff and couldn't keep any real furry pets.
One stormy night, my parents were out of town and I was all alone... it feels so good to have my BJDs around to keep me company!!!!!!!

 

I'm a member of the aimless artists club And having discovered mmo RP a while back, started dramatically expanding on the intricate little details of my otherwise unexplored book characters. I so badly wanted visual representations but... I can't draw. So aside from buying commissions, they were my way to have my physical characters, as well as being able to put my artistic desires towards a goal. A sense of purpose. A sense of 'okay, I have this idea in my head, now I need to do this, this and this to make it happen.' It gave me a feeling of direction.

 

I need a reason?

Seriously though, I've always loved dolls. Playing with them, dressing them, posing them, making them clothes, all of it. Even just having them on my desk looking back at me makes me happy. They're my dolls! Customizing them has been the best! I love dolls. They're a creative outlet. They amuse me when I'm bored. I just plain love 'em!

 

This, this, this. Minus the 'wallowing in despair' bit on my end, though.

 

Well for one thing I have always really liked women's fashion. I don't cross dress and my wife likes to dress herself so my dolls are an excuse for a middle-aged man to look at and buy nice clothes!

Psychologically there's a bit of a tinkerbell thing going on I suppose. I don't think they have souls, or are alive, or anything like that. But they do have a sort of personality that I guess I project onto them. I don't really put much thought into their characters or plan them, I just go with whatever they feel like to me. In that sense they feel like little sidekicks and keep me company.

 

There are many reasons but the main one is being able to shell an OC that has been in my head for ages. I have a very active imagination and they are a great creative outlet and I also love photographing them. Just looking at them everyday makes me happy

 

I think the reason I have my dolls is pretty much for the creative side I'm an illustration student and having my characters in a physical from really helps with coming up with ideas. I'm also a jack of all trades so love doing face-ups and plan to open commissions in May, I have just started trying to make clothing for them and jewelry. At some point I want to take them out and photograph them since I live in the countryside there are plenty of nice little places to have photoshoots.

 

I saw one and said," Finally... the perfect person to sew costumes for, where can I get one?!"

 

Because I thought collecting figures of my favourite manga or anime would have been too expensive. Jup, I thought that would have been expensive. 10 dolls later that sounds really ironic *snort*

Anyway it started off with just my Dollzone Hid who I thought I would buy wigs, eyes etc for and made clothes. He would be all my favourite male characters. Like cosplaying I guess.. Well that plan failed. He became a character on his own. So did my other dolls. I still don't collect figures tho, since I still feel like i'll rather dress up my dolls if I want to show my appreciation for a specific character I like.

 

Nothing complex or deep - they're beautiful, they make me happy and they're another way I can have fun and be creative. That's all.

 

I've always been a collector at heart, and I loved their beauty and the ability to customize them to make something awesome. I also love to write about them, create stories, develop characters, and photograph them.