Dolls in public in daily life ?

i just have her in my house i do not take her out but i wanna take her on my next anime convention

i just have her in my house i do not take her out but i wanna take her on my next anime convention

 

I've taken my Amora to Anime Expo, Disneyland for Bat's Day (Goth Day) and Comikaze 15. I didn't have any real problems.

 

At AX, it was very cool for 4 days. People didn't bother me, but they did ask a lot of fun questions. They never judged or anything, in fact they enjoyed her.

 

At Disneyland, people were nice and the staff was great (cause they have to be I guess). Only one teenager tried to touch her think he was funny, but I put him in his place right away.

 

At Comikaze, we (my wife and I) dressed her in a custom made Star Trek: TNG uniform. Again, we had no problems. In fact, people were so taken by her cosplay it was so much fun.

 

Not bad for a 47yo Latino male....

One of the reasons (amongst many) that I'm planning on getting a Smart Doll is that she's designed to be easy to carry with you. Light, big enough not to be delicate, and sturdy enough; I have some rather serious anxieties that my dolls help me stim out, mostly in the form of being something I can focus on or fuss with.

I've never been afraid to bring out plushies or 'oddities' in public. Perhaps I'm simply immune to the judging looks by way of being unobservant or maybe I just look young enough for someone to carry a doll with them. I'm proud of my hobby, and proud of my girls; I spent money on these things and hell if I ain't gonna show it off. I've brought plush toys to serious school events and no one gives me a problem.

And, hey, if they do, they can go and shove it.

 

I actually altered a purse to have long enough straps to carry a 60cm doll with me, and got one that had enough pockets for supplies like spare hands, hairbrush, and accessories for quick photoshoots. I don't even have Mirai yet,, and I'm not comfortable taking my resin girls out because they're heavy and delicate. =_=

I don't generally take my dolls out very often except for photography but that's out of concern they might be damaged rather than any sense of embarrassment.

 

My sense of shame at this sort of thing died long ago so even if I did feel a flicker of embarrassment at having a doll out in public I'd just roll with it. If you do things with taste, quiet confidence and style then most people tend to not mind or display neutral curiosity rather than disdain.

 

That said, I can understand the disdain. It's a mental shortcut and everyone has those. 'Doll' keys to 'juvenile' via 'toy' in most cultures. It's just not a part of everyday experience for most. Someone sees an adult openly carrying a doll around, their first set of reactions will be along the lines of behaviour does not fit adult expectation -> check behaviour for danger -> not dangerous, therefore contemptible. The closer resemblance to "play" the behaviour involving the doll has, the more likely the adult will be slotted into a negative category by association. That's just an occupational hazard of playing with dolls.

Mine don't leave the house a whole lot. Since I live in a dorm on my college campus, I'm so much more concerned that they'll be damaged or stolen if I bring them with me, especially since college students can be pretty reckless. For the most part, that's why they live at home.

 

I do make a point to bring one to my local anime con every year though (used to be my resin bjds before I transferred over to DDs). There's no shame there since almost everyone is in cosplay and you'll often see other dolls about. The brightest point is when small children get so excited at seeing such a big, pretty doll.

 

I can see how it can be interpreted as juvenile, and I used to think it was way back when I first discovered them, but after I turned 18, I decided to live by the rule of "I'm old enough to like things." Whatever those things may be.

after I turned 18, I decided to live by the rule of "I'm old enough to like things." Whatever those things may be.

Damn right! This sums it up for me:

“Critics who treat 'adult' as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adult themselves. To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence. And in childhood and adolescence they are, in moderation, healthy symptoms. Young things ought to want to grow. But to carry on into middle life or even into early manhood this concern about being adult is a mark of really arrested development. When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.”

To be honest, I'm kind of scared to take them outside... I got an office job and most of my colleagues are into; wife and house (We don't have females at my department ) and already got into some (bad) discussions with some of them about hobby, now I can live with that, but it makes me even more nervous about taking them outside my house.

I know I should care less about what other ppl think, but it still seems difficult for me

To be honest, I'm kind of scared to take them outside... I got an office job and most of my colleagues are into; wife and house (We don't have females at my department ) and already got into some (bad) discussions with some of them about hobby, now I can live with that, but it makes me even more nervous about taking them outside my house.

I know I should care less about what other ppl think, but it still seems difficult for me

 

I know what you mean. I myself am a 47yo Latino male living in California who automatically has the stereotype of being a "proud man who's into family (my familia), women, cars"... living the Chicano lifestyle. Even at work I'm suppose to behave a certain way because it's expected.

 

But I live my life my own way. I'm married to a great woman who loves and accepts me for who I am (a big nerd/geek/superhero/starfleet officer... and dollfie owner), and I don't need to explain myself to anyone else in the world, even family (although they're supportive of my hobbies). Although I do have some friends who are great supporters of mine and I'm very lucky.

 

BUT... I admit, I don't take Amora outside too often. My neighbors wouldn't understand or accept my hobbies and I have to live in the neighborhood. Even my coworkers don't know about my hobbies because of retaliation... it sounds stupid, but it does happen because people are ignorant and are so many.

 

SO.... I've been taking Amora out with me to some conventions (anime, comic book, gothic) dressed in attire that suits the environment. I've had a great time interacting with others who are curious or excited to see her out in public. And it's been through all this that I've meet other doll owners who are very supportive and I've gotten to hang out & know them firsthand.

 

In my experience, just because some circle of people in my life may not understand or support my hobbies, doesn't mean I can't go outside the circle to meet others... Anything can happen.

in my experience i have friends who know about it and are cool with it. i have some friends who find it odd but enjoy that its unique and know they also have no control over what i do or like. then there are friends and people i dont really talk about it with.

 

kind of like how i really like guns, hunting, cars, sports, etc...

 

i dont talk to some of my friends about those topics cuz theyre not into them so it wouldnt really be a productive conversation.

 

i guess what im saying is even tho im proud of my hobby and love it a lot, i also know some dont and arent interested in it and i also have friends who are into different hobbies or anime or generally geeky topics. so i just look at it as for some of them until they bring up whatever topic, i just leave it alone since i myself realize that tho i may be a person of many interests and hobbies, very few people will enjoy EVERYTHING i like. honostly most of my friends dont really know each other and for the most part i dont see anything to be gained at this point by introducing everyone at random so it will remain as seperate groups for now

1. it is weird for me to walk on the street with a huge doll (im 26)

 

that not "weird".. you are too young and haven't seen "weird" yet

 

Generally I only take my girls out for a photo shoot, meeting, or a con.

 

agree, i do the same

 

However, I did recently get my own office at work, and I display one of my DD's in there now.

 

wow.. your so lucky! My office environment has been retro...there a word for it, basically..

this retro is to increase productive efficiency/change the office environment (think IKEA). Now we have cubicle nazi... their job is to make sure ever cubicle looks the same. You put something up... you'll get reported and your item taken away. to lose a $$$ DD in this type of situation would be a beech

 

i just have her in my house i do not take her out but i wanna take her on my next anime convention

 

DO IT and ROCK IT OUT!!!

 

BUT... I admit, I don't take Amora outside too often. My neighbors wouldn't understand or accept my hobbies and I have to live in the neighborhood. Even my coworkers don't know about my hobbies because of retaliation... it sounds stupid, but it does happen because people are ignorant and are so many.

 

i understand.. i feel the same way.

 

i dont talk to some of my friends about those topics cuz theyre not into them so it wouldnt really be a productive conversation.

 

i agree, your just being smart about I do the same thing too

I don't personally have a DD, but I've taken my BJDs out before. I used to take my first MSD size one with me ALL the time. (He's quite yellow due to this fact.) At first my parents were more ashamed of them then I was, and made me keep him in his little carry bag, but after a while they got used to me carrying him around. I used to take him shopping all the time (and other places that he wouldn't be a hindrance.), and I did that with my odd shaped dolls too to look for items and clothes in scale for them. Sure, I had a couple strange stares, but I actually got a lot of people that came up to be and wanted to know what they were and see them too. My mom and I both collect Reborns too (dolls that look like real babies), and we take them out too. So I guess taking dolls with me is kinda second nature. My sister also takes her dolls out as well. We even took my MSD on vacation to the mountains, and I took one of my MSDs on a trip to Texas with me. I also am planning a trip to Japan and am 90% sure I will be taking a doll then too. For me, it's just fun and normal. Just like the saying "You can't let one bad apple spoil the bunch", you can't let a few people who give you strange looks spoil your enjoyment of your doll.

 

TL;DR: I LOVE taking my dolls out! x3

Just like the saying "You can't let one bad apple spoil the bunch", you can't let a few people who give you strange looks spoil your enjoyment of your doll.

 

TL;DR: I LOVE taking my dolls out! x3

 

darn right! It's not like your carrying assault rifle or 10 ft Rock Python (which are perfectly legal )

I've taken my girls to work a couple times, but I 1) work at a desk, so I can sit them on it and 2) am surrounded by geeks and nerds. Being able to set them down is definitely the more important of the two though, since if I couldn't I wouldn't have my hands free enough to actually do much.

 

That's the main reason why I don't take them out on errands etc: I need my hands free, so it's more trouble than it's worth to wrangle them AND my purse/wallet AND whatever the hell I'm doing at the time. If it's an event where I want to bring a doll (a doll show, Matsuri, convention, etc.), then I'll only bring one at any given time. I really only bring multiple dolls if it's a meetup where we're going to be largely in one place, like someone's house.

 

TL;DR: I don't really take my dolls out beyond meetups, photoshoots, or very special events, but it has much, MUCH more to do with the physical hassle than it does with what people think of them.

The only time I've taken my dolls out was to the back yard where I took quick photos of them and when I took Mari and Kaylus (DD Makinami Mari and SID Barahan) with me overseas. I've never taken them out since then (that was 2012). Mostly because, one, I was pregnant at the time and lugging a resin boy or a DD around gets bleepbersome when you have to consider maneuvering around a huge belly. Earlier in the pregnancy, I was just too sleepy to do much. Two, I had baby and that puts everything on the back burner. You almost need 4 sets of hands when you have a little one around and that's not even counting being too tired from just the daily routine of taking care of the adorable real life cutie. Three, baby is now a toddler and you need more hands so taking a DD with me would just be begging for trouble. Even after all that though, I'm not sure if I will be taking them out. Maybe if I was going to a doll meet or if I'm brave enough to take them to a CON when the kidlet's older. Or maybe the farthest they will go is the yard. I would love to take them with me to work but I have a cubicle and not an office where I work with a lot of older women who wouldn't really understand my hobby. Sigh. Maybe when I'm old enough not to give a dam? LOL.

I usually keep a doll in my purse whenever I go out (unless I'm out for grocery shopping) I feel happy just to have one with me,but usually it's one of the smaller ones (my Lati or Pipops)

Just once I took my SD boy around at a convention and people were curious. There was just this little boy who looked at me and said it was strange,but I smiled and thanked him

I normally take my girls out for meets or conventions where I get asked to display a doll. But I don't take them out much outside of that. I actually used to take a doll everywhere in my early days in the hobby, but I kind of grew out of the idea mostly because of how much of a hassle it is to bring a girl everywhere (I tend to lug them in a backpack along with several other things I normally carry, so just trying to get them out of my bag can get frustrating sometimes).

 

But if I'm not going far from my place like say, a nearby cafe where I normally study or to generally get out of my room I would consider tbh, since I've grown to enjoy of having a girl on my lap while I do my thing wwww. sometimes I take my MDD Aila, but most of the time I tend to bring one of my big girls haha.

 

 

I've never had much problem dealing with people when I do bring them out actually, since most of the time I've received nothing but positive comments from them when they do interact with me about them, occasionally asking me more about the dolls in question as well wwww

I had taken one of my yosd with me in a few places. Because their size they fit quite nice inside my bags. I normally wrap them in a face towel and they are just fine. Normally i just take the big ones on meetings and special locations where i take photos. Sadly is not every single place in Rio where u can go and take your dolls. They are very expensive, and you want them safe from robbers.

I love to bring my dolls out in public. I have never had any bad experiences with it. Aside from getting weird looks from people, but I don't pay attention to them.

I only take my Dolls out for meets and photoshoots. Normally the outdoor photoshoots are no problem most people look because they are curious and others ask questions its pretty cool. I've only had 2 situations where it ended not so cool.

 

I took Mirai out with me to a local Toy Convention and met some nice people that were curious about Mirai but one individual said something that didn't offend me or anything but just created an awkward situation. I approached him about an item he was selling to which he first replied "Dude! That thing is creepy as hell." Suffice to say I did not purchase anything from him lol.

 

Second time I decided to take both Mirai and Kizuna out for a photoshoot at the mall. However I went at 8AM before the mall opens stores to the public. (For those of you that has never worked in a mall, it usually is open super early for staff and seniors to walk around, mostly) Turns out one of the stores was having a super sale where the discounts start at 8am till official opening at 10am. Anyways sorry long story short as I was taking photos a woman walked right into frame behind my girls and sat down while I was taking photos. It was pretty obvious that I was taking photos but either way I politely asked if she could sit somewhere else to that I could take a few pictures. She replied with "Why? its a public space I don't have to go anywhere." So I picked up my girls and left.

 

Thats only 2 out of many many times of going out in public. Those 2 just stuck with me lol

I would love to take my girls out in public but i cant the ppl of my town are super rude and extremely closed minded (not to mention that if something looks expensive they'll try to snach it) so my girls don't leave my house unless its for a con or gathering

 

My town is not very kind

I would love to take Kaito out with me in public, but unfortunately I guess I've just gotten soft skinned over the years. I used to take a different plush with me to school every day all throughout high school. I stopped doing that once I hit college. I just became really self-conscious again for some reason. So I just haven't had the guts to take him outside. But I want to work up to it, I think.

 

I'm debating taking him along on a family vacation we're having later this year(If they're okay with it, that is.) The area would be more private and the strangers who are around will be too busy enjoying their own vacations to care about what I'm doing. Plus...then I can have the attitude of "This resort costs a good amount of money to be at, so I will enjoy it however I want. Screw you guys."

 

But we'll see. If that fails, I don't think I'd mind taking him to a con or anything. Cons are the only times I have no worries because I know for a fact that I am not the strangest one there.