Couple of questions from a newbie!

Hi there!

 

I'm completely new to the world of DDs, but I'm trying to gather some information before I take the leap and order my first MDD. I think some of the questions may have already been answered somewhere in the forum, but I may have missed them so please bear with me! >_<

 

• 1) What is the difference between acrylic and resin eyes? Are resin eyes worth the higher price tag?
  I have BJDs of my own and much prefer glass and urethane eyes for the vibrant colors and realism they can create; is this the same for DDs too?
   
  2) Are the DD heads all interchangeable between MDD and DD bodies?
   
  3) What would be the best way to prevent staining on the bodies without having to use a body suit? If that's not possible, is there something I can use to coat the body in so it'll be easy to clean?
   
  4) How stable are MDDs when left in a standing position? Is it recommended to use a stand?
   
  5) How susceptible are DDs to yellowing? I keep my dolls away from sunlight as much as possible, but I do take them outdoors maybe a handful of time a year for photography.
   
  6) Which skin color would be the least affected by yellowing? For example, if I kept the DD for a long time, which skin color would look the most mellow/natural even after they've yellowed?
   
  7) Is there a bust I could purchase to place a MDD head on while I'm waiting for the body to arrive?

Edited August 10, 2018 by Guest

2) As far as I know any DD head can be put on any DD body, but some heads may not look as nice on some bodies due to size.

 

3) I don't know of a good one other than wig caps and body suits. Coolcats has a variety of suits, and may have options that can be hidden under outfits. Like the shorts style suits look fine with skirts. Any coating you put on them will have to be removed in order to remove any stains. Stain removal is fairly easy with effort, but having to strip off a sealant layer adds to the work of stain removal. The part you really want to protect is the head, it's a pain to remove stains from heads, and especially the face since stain remover will remove the face-up.

 

4) I would suggest a stand with any DD. Not just for display, but it's a lot easier to dress them with a stand keeping them stable and leaving your hands free.

 

6) I don't know the least susceptible, but White Skin is supposedly the most susceptible to yellowing. That may just be because it shows up more readily than it would on normal skin.

 

7) The bust parts from Volks don't include the internal frame part so you couldn't attach the head to the bust with only a bust to work with. I don't personally know of any type of specialized doll head display stand that is sold commercially, but that doesn't mean they don't exist.

I can at least supply some input on this one.

 

3) What would be the best way to prevent staining on the bodies without having to use a body suit? If that's not possible, is there something I can use to coat the body in so it'll be easy to clean?

 

The best way to prevent staining without a body suit is to never, ever touch or let anything touch your DD.

 

That isn't very helpful, though, so moving on.

 

Always dress the DD with a layer of white next to their skin. An example would be white tights with a white blouse and anything with color on top only touching the white layer and not the doll skin.

 

Another way is to only dress the doll in light pastels. Pastels are normally pretty safe, particularly pinks.

 

Just about anything else stains, particularly reds and blacks. The more intense the color, the greater the likelihood it will stain and the faster it will stain.

 

Some people also wear cotton gloves while handling DDs as color from clothes has been known to transfer to hands and then to the doll.

 

Keep the doll from touching any colored clothing with it's hands. It will stain the hands.

 

Edit: And pay attention to Wolf in regards to stands. I put off buying a real stand for a LOOOONG time, and when I got my first Volks metal stand it made life soooooo much easier.

2) Are the DD heads all interchangeable between MDD and DD bodies?

 

Some collab characters' heads might look comically oversized on MDD's bodies, but any Volks generic head should fit a-ok!

The reverse, however, may not always work. If Volks made a specific MDD character (say.. Maria from Umineko) - that head will look utterly ridiculous on DD body

 

3) What would be the best way to prevent staining on the bodies without having to use a body suit? If that's not possible, is there something I can use to coat the body in so it'll be easy to clean?

 

do NOT coat the body in anything. Vinyl is fairly soft thus stains easily, but luckily it's just as easy to clean by 'bleaching' out the stain with heat & Benzoyl Peroxide (aka basic acne meds) Volks makes their own as well (Dream Rescue)

If you wanna play it super-safe: dress your girl in light colors. Never trust Volks-made items that are dark: deep blues, blacks and saturated reds

 

and this may sound silly, but wash your hands before redressing your girl. Sometimes oils from your fingers lead to mysterious stains

 

4) How stable are MDDs when left in a standing position? Is it recommended to use a stand?

 

if you're getting an older body, she may suffer from wobbly knees and not be most stable. Newer/current bodies are fairly solid

Stands are still recommended for peace of mind! Plus you could change her poses and not worry about proper balance (or get her a lil chair... much cuter! AmericanGirl and similar-sized big dolls furniture is very compatible)

 

5) How susceptible are DDs to yellowing? I keep my dolls away from sunlight as much as possible, but I do take them outdoors maybe a handful of time a year for photography.

 

Current dolls seem to be doin alright? My 'oldest' head was made in 2006 and isn't doin' too bad. Original (10+years old) white-skin girls yellow something terrible, no idea how semi-white skin stands up at the moment

 

7) Is there a bust I could purchase to place a MDD head on while I'm waiting for the body to arrive?

 

The doll bust part is an empty hollow piece that goes onto an internal frame. That frame is also what the neck-peg is part of it. So no, you'll either have to keep the head packed away or jury rig some kinda makeshift stand

Im my limited experience the age of the doll and clothes matter when it comes to staining. The newer the doll the easier it will stain.

 

Im a bit paranoid about yellowing myself, I have tried to find some concrete info on it but really never have. My oldest dolls from 13 and 14 are fine as far as I can tell. I always see people say that the normal skinned girls hold up well and the white skinned girls can yellow in the right conditions. I have seen a decent number of both types show up on auction sites with badly yellowed spots. You never know the dolls history though. With proper care and handling I think you should be fine for a very long time with normal skin. Semi-white skin seems decently safe too. I have never really heard of any Mikus yellowing for no good reason. Shes not quite so old though.

Thank you to everyone who has responded so far! It looks like I'll have to factor a stand into my budget too.

 

If anyone has any idea about the differences between resin and acrylic eyes are, I'd love to know that too. Otherwise, I'll probably just pick a couple of pairs I like regardless of material.

 

3) I don't know of a good one other than wig caps and body suits. Coolcats has a variety of suits, and may have options that can be hidden under outfits. Like the shorts style suits look fine with skirts. Any coating you put on them will have to be removed in order to remove any stains. Stain removal is fairly easy with effort, but having to strip off a sealant layer adds to the work of stain removal. The part you really want to protect is the head, it's a pain to remove stains from heads, and especially the face since stain remover will remove the face-up.

Would the additional layer from the bodysuit cause outfits, particularly the tighter ones, to look odd? Or would they be more difficult to put on?

 

Keep the doll from touching any colored clothing with it's hands. It will stain the hands.

Does that mean it's recommended to remove the hands before putting on or removing any clothes?

 

do NOT coat the body in anything. Vinyl is fairly soft thus stains easily, but luckily it's just as easy to clean by 'bleaching' out the stain with heat & Benzoyl Peroxide (aka basic acne meds) Volks makes their own as well (Dream Rescue)

If you wanna play it super-safe: dress your girl in light colors. Never trust Volks-made items that are dark: deep blues, blacks and saturated reds

Would dressing them in darker colors for just a couple of hours be fine? Or will there already be a risk of staining? I'd just like to know in case I want to dress my doll up in stronger colors for a photoshoot or something.

 

Also, what are the changes of staining from a wig? Not from the wigcap, but the fibers themselves. o:

 

Im my limited experience the age of the doll and clothes matter when it comes to staining. The newer the doll the easier it will stain.

 

Im a bit paranoid about yellowing myself, I have tried to find some concrete info on it but really never have. My oldest dolls from 13 and 14 are fine as far as I can tell. I always see people say that the normal skinned girls hold up well and the white skinned girls can yellow in the right conditions. I have seen a decent number of both types show up on auction sites with badly yellowed spots. You never know the dolls history though. With proper care and handling I think you should be fine for a very long time with normal skin. Semi-white skin seems decently safe too. I have never really heard of any Mikus yellowing for no good reason. Shes not quite so old though.

That's good to know. I'm actually looking at getting my MDD in semi-white because it matches the look I have in mind for her the best.

It looks like I'll have to factor a stand into my budget too.

These work just fine and won't set you back a lot. I've got 4 of them.

https://www.michaels.com/metal-doll-stand-white-10-inches/D074570S.html

 

Would the additional layer from the bodysuit cause outfits, particularly the tighter ones, to look odd? Or would they be more difficult to put on?

The additional layer can ruin the line of a tight fitted outfit, but it really depends on the outfit and the bodysuit. Same goes for putting an outfit on/taking it off.

 

Does that mean it's recommended to remove the hands before putting on or removing any clothes?

No, just hands touching some clothing for extended periods of time. Although removing the hands can sometimes make getting some long sleeves on easier. Also it is frequently easier to pull the entire wrist/hand assembly out of the forearm than it is to take the hand off of the wrist joint.

 

Would dressing them in darker colors for just a couple of hours be fine? Or will there already be a risk of staining? I'd just like to know in case I want to dress my doll up in stronger colors for a photoshoot or something.

This can be kind of hit or miss. I have had dark garments that have stained dolls in less than 10 minutes and I also have a number of dolls that have been wearing black socks for years without any trouble. See Staining 101 below.

 

Also, what are the chances of staining from a wig? Not from the wigcap, but the fibers themselves.

From a dark wig cap, pretty good. From dyed natural fibers (like mohair) it is also possible. Synthetic fibers not so much.

 

Staining 101. Although these are Smart Dolls in this tutorial, all the principles apply to all vinyls.

viewtopic.php?f=51&t=14388&start=200#p215925

Would the additional layer from the bodysuit cause outfits, particularly the tighter ones, to look odd? Or would they be more difficult to put on?

 

As K-2 said, it's going to vary on a case by case basis as well as personal preference. Some people simply don't like the way bodysuits make the dolls look.

 

Personally, it depends on how much "skin" the outfit shows. For the outfits I choose this is always the cleavage/neck area and the arms. The leg exposure doesn't bother me at all. My girls frequently wear stockings over the bodysuit, and when they don't I feel the skintone bodysuits give their legs a nice look anyway. The fabric blocking off cleavage and the extra fleshtone sleeves can be irritating, though.

 

As for whether it impedes clothing, I've had my girls in bodysuits with tights and a bunnysuit on top, and it worked passably well as long as I ignored the aforementioned flaws.

 

Does that mean it's recommended to remove the hands before putting on or removing any clothes?

 

I often remove the hands when dressing them in something long sleeved where the sleeves don't unbutton, or something which I'm worried will stain.

 

By "hands", I mean unplug the wrist joint and hand from the arm.

 

----

 

Staining is just going to happen. It's inevitable. You just want to handle the doll in such a way that staining is localized to the body. You never want a stain on a head (although the headcap isn't a huge deal), and want to avoid a face stain at all costs.

 

If anyone has any idea about the differences between resin and acrylic eyes are, I'd love to know that too. Otherwise, I'll probably just pick a couple of pairs I like regardless of material.

Volks eyes are acrylic, and artist made eyes are often resin. Poorly made resin eyes can have bubbles and other flaws, while well made ones can look very nice (and have a higher price tag). Some artists use DIY eye bases instead of casting resin--the effect* on these eyes isn't as nice imo, but it can be worth it for a good design. As long as there's no bubbles, just pick the eye style you want. You'll want to see photos of the eyes in a doll head to really know if you like it. I have all eyes of all three types myself.

 

 

* I'm not sure how to explain without pictures, basically, you can see where the lens meets the white of the eye, where the other types of eyes have clear plastic coating both the lens and the white in a smoother transition.

Thank you to everyone who has responded so far! It looks like I'll have to factor a stand into my budget too.

 

I think my order of priority would be a complete doll with some clothing to wear, then a stand. They're a must have accessory, but getting what you need to finish the doll and enjoy her is more important than a stand. As K-2 suggested if you are on a tight budget an inexpensive stand is fine as long as the size is right. Volks stands are nice, but they are a luxury item as stands go.

 

Would the additional layer from the bodysuit cause outfits, particularly the tighter ones, to look odd? Or would they be more difficult to put on?

As people have suggested it really depends on the oufit. I've put socks and tights on over bodysuits without any issue, but it will remove some body details like the outline of her butt.

 

Coolcats has bodysuits with short arms, short legs, white tights that just protect the lower body, stocking types that leave the upper chest / shoulders completely bare, and swimsuit types that just leave the shoulders bare.

 

I used a coolcats stocking type bodysuit with short legs on my Rin in her default outfit, and all you saw was the bodysuit's lace edge around the upper part of bodice. It looked like part of the outfit, or like she was wearing a lacy slip. For the shoulder straps and choker I put Volks normal skin protective tape on the strap and inside the choker. You had to look at her closely to even see it.

 

She wore the gloves briefly for photo's and they stained from just short contact.

 

Here is the outfit for reference.

 

 

Also, what are the changes of staining from a wig? Not from the wigcap, but the fibers themselves. o:

 

The only wig I know of that stained from the Fibers was Chihaya Kisaragi's, and that was because Volks used powder to give it highlights. It was the powder that stained, and not the hairs.

 

If you are planning on using a wig with a black cap, then the one thing I would have on hand even before the doll arrives is a protective head cap. Black Volks head caps can stain from very short contact, and then you are stuck with a headless doll while you stain treat her.

 

If anyone has any idea about the differences between resin and acrylic eyes are, I'd love to know that too. Otherwise, I'll probably just pick a couple of pairs I like regardless of material.

Volks eyes are acrylic, and artist made eyes are often resin. Poorly made resin eyes can have bubbles and other flaws, while well made ones can look very nice (and have a higher price tag). Some artists use DIY eye bases instead of casting resin--the effect* on these eyes isn't as nice imo, but it can be worth it for a good design. As long as there's no bubbles, just pick the eye style you want. You'll want to see photos of the eyes in a doll head to really know if you like it. I have all eyes of all three types myself.

 

 

* I'm not sure how to explain without pictures, basically, you can see where the lens meets the white of the eye, where the other types of eyes have clear plastic coating both the lens and the white in a smoother transition.

I want to elaborate on this part. For reference I'm going to use this article from Yenna's blog:

http://www.dimensiondolls.com/blog/archives/2898

and some other pictures. As none of this stuff is mine I will link rather than posting pictures directly.

 

Acrylic eyes mostly have a small round lens placed onto a white plastic base; since the lens is round while most animetic eyes have irises that aren't, there's a visible lens edge that is something that really shouldn't be there. The eyes look like this:

http://www.dimensiondolls.com/blog/wp-content/gallery/review_wds/review_wds_02.jpg

When in a head you can usually still see this:

http://www.dimensiondolls.com/blog/wp-content/gallery/review_wds/review_wds_04.jpg

 

Look at one of her closeup pics of resin eyes:

http://www.dimensiondolls.com/blog/wp-content/gallery/review_lizanna/review_lizanna_03.jpg

They're cast in such a way that you don't see anything that shouldn't be there when placed in a head:

http://www.dimensiondolls.com/blog/wp-content/gallery/review_lizanna/review_lizanna_06.jpg

 

Volks eyes and Smartdoll eyes are a little different. They're still acrylic, but the clear lens covers the entire eye, so that line is far less visible:

http://www.dimensiondolls.com/blog/wp-content/gallery/review_volks/review_volks_01.jpg

http://www.dimensiondolls.com/blog/wp-content/gallery/review_volks/review_volks_09.jpg

 

A couple more closeup pictures that illustrate what I'm talking about--first is White Dolly Story acrylics:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/94689291@N03/27212073212/in/album-72157689128496505/

Second is Smart Doll "Classic Kizuna" eyes:

 

Resin eyes can turn yellow over time. Practically speaking, if you don't live in Japan or visit there to go to doll shows, access to resins is pretty limited. Some of the really sought-after ones such as Hisyo-Hisyo are only sold at doll events, or can be bought at very high prices on Yahoo Japan auctions. Lizanna, praised in that blog, are long gone.

 

 

For anyone else reading I have my own question: Does anyone besides Volks and Danny make acrylics where the lens is like that? I'm sure I'm just too anal about it, but I really hate the look of that lens edge on other acrylics, which is further limiting the already seemingly limited selection of eyes available to me.

 

And I really wish Volks would restock a bunch of eyes that they're out of.

Would the additional layer from the bodysuit cause outfits, particularly the tighter ones, to look odd? Or would they be more difficult to put on?

 

oooh boy, this topic could go on forever!

There are different bodysuit options out there, from full-body coverage to sleeveless or 'pantsless' (think gymnastics leotards) Some go all the way up to cover the neck, some leave the cleavage area open and the lil lacey edge looks like part of the outfit

 

Depending on the outfit you could simply layer white tights or slip under it instead. Be wary of dark Volks clothes that appear to be lined - sometimes that white slip sewn into the black skirt will still have black threads on the inside, plus the zipper - all of it touching the doll and staining!

 

And most of us usually recommend posing the doll in such a way as to not have her fingers touching the outfit in question

 

Does that mean it's recommended to remove the hands before putting on or removing any clothes?

 

You pop off the hands (the entire wrist bit comes out the arm) if there's long sleeves to put on, or the foot for tight jeans... or the head itself for ease of dressing!

Honestly, compared to like... Barbies... being able to take parts OFF on a DD is a blessing when getting multi-layered outfits all lined up correctly

 

Would dressing them in darker colors for just a couple of hours be fine? Or will there already be a risk of staining? I'd just like to know in case I want to dress my doll up in stronger colors for a photoshoot or something.

 

Unfortunately, there's no easy way to tell. Especially with Volks!

Some clothes (black maid uniforms come to mind) start bleeding the dye onto your fingers while you're still unpacking them. Other outfits can be safely on the doll for literal months!

Sometimes it's utterly ridiculous like an outfit of vivid reds and purples is no problem, but a tiny gold garter-belt detail or elastic waistband on panties leave a stain

 

In personal experience - clothes made by 3rd parties have been much more colorfast & less problematic.

Just... always be mentally prepared for needing to bust out the stain treatments

I'm not sure how to explain without pictures, basically, you can see where the lens meets the white of the eye, where the other types of eyes have clear plastic coating both the lens and the white in a smoother transition.

I want to elaborate on this part. For reference I'm going to use this article from Yenna's blog and some other pictures. As none of this stuff is mine I will link rather than posting pictures directly.

Thank you! This is exactly the kind of information I was looking for. From the looks if it, I'll most likely either go for resin eyes or acrylics where the lens covers the entire eye.

 

Depending on the outfit you could simply layer white tights or slip under it instead. Be wary of dark Volks clothes that appear to be lined - sometimes that white slip sewn into the black skirt will still have black threads on the inside, plus the zipper - all of it touching the doll and staining!

Looks like I can't avoid a bodysuit if I want to reduce the hassle of having to clean my doll every few days. :'D I think I'll just look around and get as many different types of bodysuits as I can; just so I can properly mix and match them depending on the outfit. As an extra safety measure, I'll just get some Dream Rescue from Volks too.

 

@Everyone else: Thank you so much for taking the time out to answer my questions! I've just gone ahead and ordered a DDH01 today. She'll be going straight to an artist for a faceup, so she'll likely only be home sometime in September.

 

In the meantime, I'll be shopping for a whole bunch of accessories and care items for her while waiting for Volks to restock the MDD base body.

Congrats on starting down the path to DD collecting.

 

Here is the coolcats bodysuit page:

 

http://us.sk-coolcat.com/front/bin/ptlist.phtml?Category=415895

 

The thicker the material the better the protection it provides. They note where some of these are really body stockings and not protective gear.

 

You can get wig caps here as well:

 

http://us.sk-coolcat.com/front/bin/ptdetail.phtml?Part=ac_1&Category=158911

 

Or directly from Volks.

 

I'll try to take some photo's of my Rin with a few bodysuits under her dress this weekend, and post them here.

 

Even with a bodysuit & wigcap you will need to periodically check for dye bleeding through the cloth, and wash the bodysuit as needed if it's dye is starting to transfer. This shouldn't be a big issue if you change clothing and wigs periodically. My Mio got stained by her wig with a protective headcap on, but she wore it for 6 months, and I failed to check for color migration.

 

For the bodysuits and caps with lace edges, just be aware the lace isn't protective.

You can get wig caps here as well:

 

Or directly from Volks.

Would it be a better idea to get a cloth headcap or a silicone headcap? I have a couple of spare silicone headcaps that I use on my resin family, but are there any benefits of using one over the other? Or is this just a personal preference thing? o:

Silicone wig caps will fill some space for a loose wig or make one that slips grip better. They don't really protect from stains though. For a really loose wig you can use one of each as well.

Would it be a better idea to get a cloth headcap or a silicone headcap? I have a couple of spare silicone headcaps that I use on my resin family, but are there any benefits of using one over the other? Or is this just a personal preference thing? o:

 

Silicone doesn’t protect from color transfer. I’ve never used them for protection myself, only to help wigs stay on small heads. I’ve read here that they make color transfer worse instead of preventing it.

Silicone wig caps will fill some space for a loose wig or make one that slips grip better. They don't really protect from stains though. For a really loose wig you can use one of each as well.

 

Silicone doesn’t protect from color transfer. I’ve never used them for protection myself, only to help wigs stay on small heads. I’ve read here that they make color transfer worse instead of preventing it.

It's a good thing I thought to ask about the head caps then. I was about to just skip the cloth headcaps and use a silicone cap instead. :'D

 

If I'd like to use the silicone to keep the wig in place while also using the cloth head cap, would you suggest a regular silicone cap or one of those large kips that goes around the head?

 

If I'd like to use the silicone to keep the wig in place while also using the cloth head cap, would you suggest a regular silicone cap or one of those large kips that goes around the head?

 

I've never tried the kips one, and I've only ever used silicone caps to keep Kos-Mos default wig on her head.

Ok, this took an extra week. I went looking for my various bodysuits, and ended up embarking on a project to catalog all my doll stuff, and sort it into labeled & numbered boxes all cross referenced in a database. Been putting that project off for awhile. XD

 

The all metal stand is the Volks SD saddle stand, and the stand with the plastic base is coolcats. The coolcats stands are nice and stable and a bit less expensive than Volks, but if you can afford it I'd say to get the Volks stand. You can get C clamp stands that clamp the waist, and conceal better under some outfits, but the great thing about saddle stands is you can lift her right off and play with her. C Clamps take a bit more effort to get the doll off.

 

Hopefully this will help show how you can conceal the various bodysuits under clothing.

 

This is Asuna with a pair of thick white tights under her jeans.

 

 

Here is a link to the tights: http://us.sk-coolcat.com/front/bin/ptdetail.phtml?Part=sock_s_45

 

They're sold as pantyhose, but they are perfect to put under dark pants, and it just looks like she is wearing white socks. No reason you can't put socks over the tights either, but the shoes will be a tighter fit, and this won't work well with cheaply made shoes.

 

 

 

Here is Rin Shibuya with a shorts style body stocking under her outfit. You can see a bit of the lace edge just above the bodice if you look closely.

 

 

Here is a link to the bodystocking: http://us.sk-coolcat.com/front/bin/ptdetail.phtml?Part=DDPY-12

 

The bodystocking in this case is thiner so the protection isn't as good. It works fine with Rin's outfit which causes fairly minimal staining in the first place. She can wear it without one as long as the humidity isn't high.

 

 

 

Rin Tohsaka in her school uniform with a full white bodysuit on underneath.

 

 

Her uniform came with black tights, and she has those on over the bodysuit.

 

Here is a link to the bodysuit: http://us.sk-coolcat.com/front/bin/ptdetail.phtml?Part=DDPN-55

 

This bodysuit is thick and is probably the best protecting garment they have. If she didn't have black tights on you would think she was wearing white tights. Still, even with the protective outfit she got stains on the soles of her feet after I left her in the outfit for a few months. With the overcoat on it's a beautiful outfit, so I love to leave it on her. You can see a bit of the bodysuit poking out from under the sleeves, but it can be pushed back up out of sight.

 

 

 

Lastly, Yukiho with a regular white body stocking underneath her clothing.

 

 

Here is a link to the stocking: http://us.sk-coolcat.com/front/bin/ptdetail.phtml?Part=DDPY-08_a

 

This one is also thin so the protection isn't as good. Looks like she is wearing white stockings though, and it leaves her upper chest and shoulders bare which works well with the top she is wearing.

One last note: Both Rin's are wearing a white cap under their wigs.

Thanks to everyone for your advice!

 

So, no matter what the nature of the fabric is, there is a staining risk? I'm fortunate enough that most of the custom outfits I want to do to my doll can accomodate white T-shirt and panties underneath (jacket + skirt combo, I think I'm safe).

 

But if I want my doll to wear a sailor-styled striped shirt, do I still have to put a white T-shirt or bodysuit underneath?

Thanks to everyone for your advice!

 

So, no matter what the nature of the fabric is, there is a staining risk? I'm fortunate enough that most of the custom outfits I want to do to my doll can accomodate white T-shirt and panties underneath (jacket + skirt combo, I think I'm safe).

 

But if I want my doll to wear a sailor-styled striped shirt, do I still have to put a white T-shirt or bodysuit underneath?

 

Dark colors will be worse than light colors, and my own personal theory is that hot humid climates are going to have more issues with staining than dry climates.

 

I recently found stains on my Rin Shibuya's head from her wig in spite of the cap. She's worn that wig for long periods of time without any issues. I checked her for stains back in June, and she was clean. We did have a week of unusually humid weather out here between now and when I know she was clean.

 

My Rin Tohsaka got stains on the soles of her feet through her bodysuit. I suspect that this part of the foot is susceptible to staining due pressure against the fabric caused by the weight of the doll.

 

In both cases there was no corresponding stain on the white protective fabric. When my Mio Akiyama got stains from her wig cap the white cloth cap had corresponding stains.

 

My suggestion is always to periodically remove all the clothing, wig, protective gear, then check them over completely. Check the protective gear too and if you see any discoloration or staining on it hand wash it with a stain treatment like Resolve then rinse it thoroughly.

 

Sometimes stains will go away on their own. My Makoto Kikucho got a very small light stain just at the edge of her faceup, with no way to clean it without removing / damaging the faceup. I chose to wait and see if it cleared up and thankfully it did. The same was true of Rin's foot stains, and a light stain that my Rin Shibuya got on her back from her outfit.

Okay, thanks for the heads-up about the soles and wigs that can stain. Since it can get pretty humid (although cold) in Belgium, do you think I should rather have my doll wear thick white socks under her shoes, or just have her be bare-footed when not taking pics or going on a trip?

I always put white socks on if they wear dark shoes, and even white socks under dark socks if the outfit has dark socks.

 

There is a long standing recommendation to dress them in white outfits when they aren't being played with. I don't exactly follow this, I'd rather dress them nicely and just periodically check them for stains.

 

Things that stain will often do so after only a short time, so with dark blacks blues and reds I would always have something under the outfit.

 

Where I live it's hot and dry in the summer, and cold and wet in winter. We do occasionally get humidity in the summer. I can't say I've kept any sort of scientific record of what weather was present when stains appeared, but I generally don't have issues with a lot of outfits that are supposed to stain, even after long exposure.

 

If the materials involved are the same then environment seems to be the most likely factor in why one owner finds an outfit stains and another doesn't. Of course we can't know for certain that every thread and fabric Volks uses in a particular run of outfits has the same source.

 

Been to Belgium, nice place, good food, and great chocolate.