THE DOLLFIE DREAM HOBBY

When I asked my parents to be on the look out for the postman, they both asked me what was I expecting this time. My father quickly rushed to say "another figure right"? "Kind of..." I replied. Then they were even more curious to know what kind of figure was it that it had to pay like 100 bucks in taxes.

 

At the point I thought it was better to let them see for themselves instead and just limit my words to "its a big figure"

 

When she arrived both were at home and I didnt even knew how to go with the unboxing ritual. Lucky for me they got to see her when she was all assembled and they were cautious to just say they thought she was pretty. I didnt want to rush things, so the very first couple of days I wouldnt talk much about her and was careful not to be seen playing with her too much if any...

 

It was a day or two after that when my mom came up to me with a few questions like why was I buying dolls now, what was my interest in owning a girls toy, and most importantly why did I had her watchinig tv and the like. She looked kind of worried but also very open to what I had to say about this hobby in general, I noticed she was making an effort to understand and get along with it but just in case I put her off for some days to let things settle.

 

Then I went back to try and slowly help them more used to her until one day my mother tokd me she was knitting a scarf for her because "its getting cold and shes wearing nothing but pajamas" . I felt very happy she was thinking like that, even my dad took a couple of pics when I was at work and showed them to me. Right now I see they are becoming much accepting of her and me spending time (and money) with her.

 

The thing is while they seem to be less and less bothered about her as days go by, I wish I had the words to describe it not only to them, but my self and most importantly other people. I took her to my office a couple of days back to show her all dressed up to my friends and coleagues and while most of them were saying nice things about her, they couldnt help but give the stares to me (single guy, 32). There even was this guy who came straight up to me and gave me a really hard time about her. And while I know too good how to tell people off when they get on my nerve, if feel sorry for people who just wont understand something different to what theyre used to.

 

Sorry for the earful, what i mean is that there are people I wish I could talk into this awesome, beautiful and funny thing we do, but I guess I fall short on words when it comes to describe or define what this is all about. I already got 2 of my close work friends who in the begining were making fun of me interestd and now they´re talking about the same things they once considered funny , but I guess that was consecuence of me talking about DDs all day for weeks and the fact that theyre into figures and anime too.

 

 

My question for all of you is, If you had to give a comprehensive description to someone completely outside about the Dollfie dream hobbie, what would it be?

A hobby for real men.

I guess I can tell my first dollfie experience. I had always pointed out dolls to my people. Talking about how you can change their clothes, eyes and hair and all the good stuff. I had my first dollfie shipped to my BF house. And all his family was curious to see what was in the box. His parent's think that the dolls are demonic...And when they asked for the price I just kinda stretched the truth....

 

How do I explain it to outside people? I don't. I smiply let them think what they want.

I found out about DD's when I was looking for some Touhou merch.

I saw DDS Reimu and Marisa and I was all "Woah! What a great representaion of them!".

So I told my mom and she was as "AMG THE PRICE NO WAY".

 

Then I found figure.fm and saw all these posts on DD's and I was amazed by how many diffrent ones there were!

 

So 6 months later here I am!

 

My mom has been VERY supportive. (Since i'm saving up for her myself!

Sometimes she brings home some cool little stuff she finds!

 

So, all in all, while this is an expensive hobby, I don't regret getting into it.

I came into this hobby via Balldylox at Figure FM, as he had Yoko that i liked.

 

It took me some time to decide on what to do. Do i buy a Character DD or do a custom build. I opted for a custom build and had her delivered to my place of work.

 

Being delivered at work was a mistake as poor Sae was looked at by my work colleages as a monster, ala frankenstein. One of them also called her Chucky

Theyasked me more questions than I liked, as they seemed more interested in my hobby than what they do with there life. This may seem all very well, but this is a bunch of people who thought to keep going on and on when about the Aston Martin DB5 that i am also building, which led me to snap at them and telling them where to go.

 

My Parents on the other hand looked at me, my Mum more so, and I just passed it of as Anime/Japan releated. No proce was mentioned. Dad never even spoke about her, but I bet they did behind my back.

 

When I went to Tokyo in Sept/Oct this year Mum didn't even notice that Sae was missing from my place and it wasn't till she picked me up at the airport and she saw I had an additional long bag with me, I told her that I took her with me, Hoping to meet others, but this never happened.

 

So Sae linked up with Aoi in Volks and had a 10 day holiday. Aoi returned with me to the UK.

 

When Mother saw Aoi she said nothing, other than "not another one".

 

I'll hate to think what she says when Yukino arrives in March 2012 and when she finds that a package will be coming from the states, thanks to Mitsuki which will hold the parts for my next custom daughter that is known as Tomomi.

 

Thankfully this hobby is under control, but I hate think what will happen if I can get my hands on the like of Yoko, Akira, Asuka, Moe or even Alna.

I came into this hobby via Balldylox at Figure FM, as he had Yoko that I liked.

 

 

Wow... I'm the source of your new money pit? Thank you for the mention sir, I'm flattered that my Yoko would get you interested in the hobby.

 

 

As for me, my hobby has met with mixed reviews as well. I never tried to hide it from my family tho. Since I live alone and away from any of them, it was much easier to "introduce" them to Manami. I basically explained her as a larger action figure that was customizable. Of course my Mom said she knew it was a doll so just say it is.

 

At first, my parents weren't all that into her. My sister however loves Manami. But since my Mom is big into cameras, she got more interested when she saw my photos of Manami and her adventures. Then she took a liking to all the small accessories that could be found for the DD's. Now she finds all sorts of stuff and buys it for the girls to use. My Dad humors me and sees the girls as an investment. When I show them a new girl, I always tell Dad what I paid and how much she sells for on the market. That usually makes him happy.

 

As for friends, I actually did "hide" the girls from them for a bit. Most of my friends know I love Japanese things, especially anime. So when I only had 3 or 4 girls, it was easy to show them one or two and explain the anime link. But when I have 10 or so, it's harder to make people understand it's a hobby like any other, just with dolls.

 

Some of my friends were really cool with it, others were like umm, ok I guess. But whatever. If you don't like my hobby, that's fine. You dont like DD's, I don't like duck hunting, fair trade.

 

So all in all, they have been met with fair reviews from family and friends. I just take each meeting with people as a new way to show people what I enjoy and explain it as best I can in terms that person can understand.

 

 

Billy

You dont like DD's, I don't like duck hunting, fair trade. Billy

 

this made me lol

You dont like DD's, I don't like duck hunting, fair trade. Billy

 

this made me lol

 

 

Glad you liked it. I have very redneck type friends so they hunt a lot. Ducks, deer, dove, you name it. My Dad hunts deer too so I shouldn't really say much. I enjoy the venison I get but I've tried hunting and it's just not for me.

 

I also have lots of friends who are into cars and so am I. So we still all have that in common. I also have some friends who collect stuff.... one collects newer Star Wars toys, another has Hot Wheels and another collects pool cues. And these are the guys who understand my collecting habits. It's the non collectors who have trouble understanding.

 

 

Billy

Some of my friends were really cool with it, others were like umm, ok I guess. But whatever. If you don't like my hobby, that's fine. You dont like DD's, I don't like duck hunting, fair trade.

 

I've had the same experience. Working in a factory I meet quite the wide range of people, mostly country types. They all like their guns...I like my dolls.

 

I don't talk about them too much at work though.

If you don't like my hobby, that's fine. You dont like DD's, I don't like duck hunting, fair trade.

 

Haha! I have to agree, that is brilliantly put. XD Duck hunting I think is a great stand-in for x other hobby. I am hereby tempted to nominate that we call non-doll people "duck hunters", even if they don't actually hunt ducks.

 

I haven't told many people outside my family about my hobby, and those I have told have been other art students, so they're more likely than the average joe to get the appeal. I do think however it helps that I refer to it as "Well, I have this kind of dorky hobby. . . " Totally casually though, which I think is the trick; it lets them know off the bat that you're aware your hobby is unusual, but if your tone is calm and unapologetic, then they know you don't care if they think it's weird, which gives them little fodder to make drama over. In fact, if I ever do run into someone who makes a fuss over it, I intend to retain that attitude, calmly explain that they're entitled to their opinion but I'm perfectly happy with my hobby regardless. If they press as to why, then I'll tell them that I think it's fun and that it's like unifying three or four hobbies into one epic mondo hobby.

 

As for family, my mom totally gets it. She sculpts fairy figures, and apparently quite a few other fairy sculptors are into resin BJDs and a couple have considered making BJDs. She also thinks my girls are adorable and loves looking for little props for them--in fact, she's the one who got their couch, for only $10 at a thrift store. I always send her links to my photostories when I do them. (Her best friend also gets it, and in fact made Rasputin the bug-bot not long after I adopted Agatha.)

 

My dad on the other hand totally does not get it and has even said flat out "I think this whole thing is weird." He doesn't much give me a hard time, though whenever I show him something new I've found or made he just gives me this flat, ". . . Oooooh. . .kay." I guess he knows I love it but with the full brunt of his reasoning just can't understand why.

 

My grandmother initially thought the whole thing was kind of silly, and still thinks the cost is kind of absurd (in fact, I sometimes will deliberately pull up expensive girls online around her because the face she makes on hearing the price tag is hilarious), but she's warmed up to my girls at least, and with Nanoha's arrival has finally backed off on her jokes about Agatha's cleavage. (I think originally she was worried that I wanted to look like that, but Nanoha's more modest figure dispelled that idea.) In fact she's going to Wal-Mart with me to hunt for obnoxious socks to use to make Nanoha a tacky Christmas sweater.

 

My grandfather I don't think quite gets it either, but at least enjoys that I enjoy it. He also seems to like that this has gotten me into photography to some extent; he's long enjoyed taking pictures too and I think that he's glad we have this new somewhat shared interest. However, we can't really talk about it because currently we're both stuck with point-and-shoots, so there's not much technical stuff to discuss. XD

 

Any other family members are only casually acquainted with my girls, and I think only a couple of them have seen Agatha in person. Only the four above have met Nanoha yet. Heh, maybe I should get both festively dressed and take them to brunch Christmas Day just to see what they say. XD

My Dollfie Dream hobby grew from an original Volks Dollfie hobby (12" dollfies) and my habit of customising figures and sewing costumes. Being the family nerd, and a long term interest in dolls (looks sideways at various Star Wars barbie figures on her shelves), my parents and sisters don't really have a problem with it, and if they think it's odd, well, they pretty much think all my hobbies are odd.

 

The only person I'd really want to be okay with it is my husband, and although he thinks /all/ dolls are creepy, he encourages me to just enjoy myself, and even suggested that I use my saved funds on the lottery for Mariko Plus he finds the mechanics of how the doll clothes are put together, and the use of my sewing machines, really interesting.

When my first DD came in my parents were curious of what I had bought. I use to buy figures all the time but they were normally in small boxes (nendoroids) so seeing a DD box made them even more curious. When I got her all dressed up I left her on my desk and the door to my room open. My mom came in and though she was beautiful and instantly excepted her. She is a fashion designer so she sews as a hobby and likes to making little clay dolls. When it came to the price however... there was no lying to her. >^< She has been on the Dream of Doll website before and knows the approximate price range. I just told her the truth and she seemed fine with it.

 

My dad on the other hand didn't say much at first. He saw it as an investment. But there will be time when he comes into my room secretly to look at her and try to pose her. They both think it's a very expensive hobby and didn't want to see me spend so much. I wonder what they will think when Saber, Sakura and my DDS body comes in >^<.

 

Aside from my parents I have a few friends who knows about it, along with my boyfriend. Some of my friends were fine with it since they were figure collectors and very anime obsessed. Others thought it was kind of scary to have them in the same room but they never gave me a hard time about it. My boyfriend didn't like the idea of them at first because he though they were creepy. But after helping me setup a doll stand and in posing her, I think he is starting to accept her. There was also a time when he got kind of jealous that I was willing to spend so much money on dolls and not myself. But I told him they made me happy and he understood.

 

I think I had it easy compared to some other users here on the forum. I am not too self conscious about bring my daughters outside with me. Maybe because I am a girl? I really don't know. But if I do go outside with them, I am scared of other people (who are not in this hobby) wanting to play with them.

My Dad hunts deer too so I shouldn't really say much.

 

Billy

 

So does my Dad.

He collects guns.

He says he has about 70.

And those are EXPENSIVE.

So when I bring home a doll, he can't complain!

So does my Dad. He collects guns. He says he has about 70. And those are EXPENSIVE. So when I bring home a doll, he can't complain!

 

Yeah, guns and firearms can be super expensive to get into. I know several people who collect them and some of them are 10 times as much as a DD can be. But they also hold value and are a universal sign of wealth and power. So lots of people accept collecting guns.

 

I think when telling people about this hobby, things are easiest when you can relate it to something the person you are talking to holds dear or interesting. That way, they are more open about it and can see more than one side of it. At least that's what I've seen.

 

I'm glad people think my "Duck Hunting" line was funny. It was pretty random but I'll gladly hand that term over as Poofiemus asked for all non-doll owners.

 

 

Billy

Well, here things are kinda mixed. Both my mom and dad like Beatrice, but hate how much she cost...

They find a little strange if they caught me playing with her, like, what this girl find so amusing in that?

But in the first time I tried to do a photo-shoot my dad took the camera for himself, and would not stop taking pics.... in the end, he did the photoshot all by himself!

 

My mom doesn't undertand why I am so interested on dolls now, if for the most part of my life I was more into boy's toys and tools (dremel, i love you!).... when I was into garage kits she seen they as "collector itens", but for her is hard to see a doll as anything but a toy...

 

As for my brother, well, being 17 means that he no longer wants to be so close to his older sister anymore... So I don't know what he thinks about DD.

 

Regarding my friends, some of them know, some not. Regarding those who knows, the overall reaction is "pretty, but expensive!". And being a designer, people half expect me to like "strange things"...

Ether way, for most of them considerer that if it makes me happy it is alright. or that they prefer hear me talking about dolls than about yaoi, so...

 

but, eve as I talk all this, I have an DD hidden in her box und the bed and no courage to take her out before Christmas...

I also have yet to tell my mother that I also want little Maria...

 

She will probably say "Another...? Well, it's your choice..." with that fed up look on her face that I don't like...

 

I will probably just save up for her in secret.

Yeah, that's a good plan...

Both my parents have sadly passed on so I will never know what they think...I am sure they are both looking down and saying something like "They are lovely, but she shouldn't be spending so much money on them". My siblings? Now they love my hobby. My brother especially loves my DDdy's and my sister my Super Dollfie males. LOL

 

I tell everyone about my hobby...its a big part of who I am and I don't care what anyone thinks anyway.

My mom doesn't undertand why I am so interested on dolls now, if for the most part of my life I was more into boy's toys and tools

 

That is so true about me and my Mom as well. She just suggests that my late doll-love is due to my tomboy childhood. She is my only family and I can't tell she accepts my dolls unfortunately. She's cold about them and though more realistic resin BJDs have more welcome from her animetic DDs have none. She tolerates all my hobbies (but computer gaming) yet never was she involved or enthusiastic about my dolls.

 

As for others… Until recently I’ve never hide my doll hobby from anyone. And in common if BJDs were overlooked as somewhat mystic and very beautiful toys by most of the people (others find them creepy), DDs were not welcomed, neither by commoners, nor by people from Russian BJD community. Surprisingly even my friends who are all anime-geeks are not so much affected by Dollfie Dreams. Though I did try everything I could to make my girls popular among them they do not react at all.

 

What is really bothering me is that I’ve found to myself with time that most people here are largely irritated not by the dolls themselves but by their price. This is awkward to admit but in Russia average doll’s cost (BJD, DD that doesn’t really matters) is somewhat bigger than average worker or office-assistant salary. That fact creates the slippy situation. When I tell someone about the doll they immediately ask “how many?” and I know pretty well about their reaction to the honest answer. Thus I’ve started to feel awkward discussing dolls and stopped talking about my hobby with anyone.

I always explain how any of the larger BJD dolls ( and DDs as well) are really a gateway or a "push" to help you do more creative things. For instance, I always enjoyed sewing, but I never really did much of it until I got some dolls around. Why? because there's really no reason for me to sew things in human scale, it's just cheaper to buy whatever I want from a store, but when it comes to doll clothes, being able to sew your own gives you so much freedom over the style your dolls have. ^^

 

When I bought my first doll ( a Resin girl, AOD Fei, for the curious) the reason was because I tended to have a lot of free time and wanted a project to create for. Of course, over time many dolls have made their way to me. Though DDs had always been the first dolls I ever drooled over, part of me always felt they were out of reach because when I first looked them up they seemed so impossibly expensive to me. Now I look at them and realize I could get 2 DDII bodies + heads for the cost of a RingDoll boy.

 

Of course, being a dollie and dollie clothes dealer means most people are aware of the dolls and such from the start with me, but those who aren't tend to find out pretty soon that my doll family are rather important to me. My boyfriend has his anime, manga and figure collections, I have my dollies and video games. It's just one of my quirks! ^^ My Dad and Stepmom love my DD gals because they seem so "friendly and charming", where as my Mom kinda dislikes all my dolls except for Kogemi. ^^ She for some reason has it in her head that all my other dolls are "hoochies" while Kogemi is cute. XD I guess to each their own!

Then I went back to try and slowly help them more used to her until one day my mother tokd me she was knitting a scarf for her because "its getting cold and shes wearing nothing but pajamas" . I felt very happy she was thinking like that, even my dad took a couple of pics when I was at work and showed them to me. Right now I see they are becoming much accepting of her and me spending time (and money) with her

This makes me so happy to read!! How wonderful of your parents to understand. Thanks for sharing it.

 

I'd love to share a story too, but I don't have a DD yet... but the experiences are very similar for those of us with resin BJDs.

 

Linda S.

galatia9

Thanks to everybody for sharing, in the end i think the bottom line in most cases is "the doll fact" right?

 

And it gets more difficult with us guys, because for me my parents they have seen me pour my money down the drain for quite some years now and they didnt seem to care much until now and lets be honest: its not THAT much...

 

I think in the begining must had been worried for me because i recently had a major break up with my fiancee and they may think im just loosing it, my mom even said once "are you feeling lonely son?" now they just seem to be ok about her but still give me the looks from time to time

 

What I really hate is people seeing us as pervs, I simply dont like it and could care less about what people think but sometimes I wish they were less judgmental and ignorant... From what ive heard recently people here in mexico think anime/manga=hentai, figure/doll=hentai and so on and I just cant see it. I feel sorry for them, really... guess is like they say "perversion is in the eye of the beholder"

 

What I really hate is people seeing us as pervs, I simply dont like it and could care less about what people think but sometimes I wish they were less judgmental and ignorant... From what ive heard recently people here in mexico think anime/manga=hentai, figure/doll=hentai and so on and I just cant see it. I feel sorry for them, really... guess is like they say "perversion is in the eye of the beholder"

 

It's not just in Mexico, even here in the United States, people think that anime = hentai.

I'm not super huge on anime, but there are quite a few I enjoy.

I just don't like being pulled into the "perverted anime" crowd because I don't watch anything perverted.

 

But i'm not a guy, so its's probably diffrent for you.