Do you ever speak of your doll-collecting hobby?

The doll hobby isn't something I usually dump on casual acquaintances, but anyone who gets closer to me than passing niceties is at least aware of my dolls. Most of my friends fall somewhere on the neutral-to-positive end of the reaction scale, even if they think dolls are creepy in general, and I have one notable friend who collects BJDs herself! I've always been an artsy/crafty-type person and I'm a bit eccentric to begin with, so it's not something that really surprises people to learn about me (as opposed to some of my other escapades, such as my long furby -- that one tends to alarm people!).

My family is aware that my hobby is a thing that exists and they tease me about it occasionally, especially about when I used to co-opt my dad's workshop for doll projects like blushing doll busts, but they're not rude or cruel. My mom used to critique it more vocally when I was younger, but that has less to do with disliking the hobby itself and more to do with her and I disagreeing heavily on what should have been important to me as a teenager. She's come around over the years to being marginally supportive and, if she has any criticisms to speak of, she at least keeps them to herself, which I consider to be a vast improvement.

The person who gets subjected to my doll rambling the most in real life is my husband, and he's at least happy to pretend to listen and to support my hobby financially lol. He doesn't "get it" necessarily, but he also collects Legos and can go on several-hours-long diatribes about Pokemon/Digimon if you ask the wrong (right?) question, so he's not exactly in a position to be casting stones!

I used to be insufferable about the hobby in that I would tell people everything about it even if they clearly didn't want to hear. Such is being autistic and a extroverted child lol. I'm embarrassed about how I acted but now I'm still pretty open about it, I just know when to back off on infodumping most of the time (some of the time? XD)

I remember back before the drama with Smartdoll really started I was doing a lot of outdoor photography and somewhat shilling for the company a little but mostly I just loved telling people what I was doing with these dolls? Now with the drama I'm less open about it because I know info that would make people cringe is just a Google away. But I still like my dolls and it's tricky not knowing how to be open while still recognizing the issues that the layperson... probably wouldn't care about honestly, but I get self conscious about it.

My other dolls are in various states of incompleteness, from needing restringing(resin) to needing yknow. Actual clothes. So I don't take them out much, but my newest which came as a fullset will be coming out for photos once it is actually warm outside again.

I used to take my resins out locally(like to the town green and such) but I've gotten a lot more self conscious about it these days knowing now that I won't be moving out of my parents' house any time soon so any impressions people get of me will stay as long as I'm here.

Online I'm pretty open about it, I post on tumblr (when I can remember to update it), occasionally Instagram (used to have a specific Smartdoll one before the Drama), and the Mastodon instance I'm active on. People in my Discord servers see "BJD hobby" listed in my hobbies at the very least. And on Mastodon I post fairly regularly now and people who know me and don't know a lot about the doll hobby still seem pretty interested and like the posts so that's good I guess?

 

TL;DR: in person I get self conscious if I feel people's long term impressions matter but I'm still pretty open abt it. Online I'm an open book re: the BJD/other dolls hobby in general.

And online at least, I'd definitely infodump if someone was actually interested in hearing more about it.

The only people that know is anyone that I have lived with because it's kind of hard to ignore all the dolls in my room otherwise and I won't shut up about it if they ask. I wouldn't talk about my hobby otherwise though, but I do bring them outside sometimes because I don't care or I need them to reference fabric/accessory/furniture sizing. Or just photos.

I have met some BJD collectors at a doll shop before and talked to them, but doll shops are fairly rare here.

Not really, mainly keep it to forums and other people that have the same general interest. If they ask, I will tell simple as that. Makes things less complicated ☺️

I am pretty used to being the "weird" person anyway, so yeah, I don't have any problem bringing up that hobby if it fits into the conversation at hand. I do like rambling about the things that I am passionate about a lot, haha.

I really love this thread and very glad a space like this exists to freely talk about dolls  with time I turned into the least closeted doll collector, I  started posting them on my socials which had a fashion following, my resin doll photos were reposted without permission on large following fashion accounts and without credit. the comments were extremely daunting with lots of hate and confusion which made me ask the account to pls delete my photos they posted without permission. 
Some comments directly on my photos would accuse me of perversion and more. In general it seemed the everyday person wasn’t prepared to see dolls the way I do, as I do faceups and make clothes for them, it’s truly a thorough & special hobby for me

I do continue to share my photos regardless and I’m finding comfort in making the world uncomfortable

Edited January 12 by Evy

For me, I usually talk with my friends about this hobby. I think it is normal to share their interests. Of course, I was afraid of being called abnormal or that they would take distance from me, but I thought if someone would tell me about a hobby that is not that usual, but it brings the person a lot of fun, and they love to talk about it, I would not take distance, I would enjoy that they had a topic what they are so passionate about. My best friend is very interested in chemical stuff and I can not really relate to that, and so it is with her and my dolls. But we really enjoy talking about our hobbies and always share new things. If someone talks about smth they like, it is just way more interesting to hear, and so I think about telling someone about the doll hobby as well. Of course there were people that raised an eyebrow and thought their things, but in conclusion, I don't really care about that, because I think everybody has their special interests. It is just about how open-minded you are to accept the interests of others.

Just be yourself and your friends will accept it! Knowing about your hobby does not change the character of yours they already know and like!

With new people, I try not to. But with friends and close family, I don't shut up about them. I know a lot of people find dolls "weird" and "creepy," so I'm always self-conscious about sharing them early on. I've had dates insist I give them my instagram, even though I've explained my only account was a hobby account. Then when they find out its dolls, they vanish. 😅 oh well, if they can't accept my dolls, they're not worth my time anyway. 

Once I'm comfortable with someone though, I'm always sharing my concepts, ideas, and dolls I like with friends. They don't always get it, but they're supportive and listen! 

I have a doll YouTube and I would say the comments have been mostly supportive. The biggest overall theme is the lack of awareness that anime dolls exist.

It's clear that a lot of people dislike dolls, as the videos get a fair number of downvotes (many more than my tutorials channel).

My two tween nephews are getting into anime and are both really talented artists. I don't know if they'll ever get into dolls, though they have a lot of Funko Pops.

After going crazy in 2022-23 I've come to the conclusion our doll family is a good size now.

I might take somebody to a doll or anime convention this year, so it will be interesting to see what kind of reception they would get.

NO!!!

People are very judgmental within the hobby I cannot imagine how much worse people outside the hobby would be. I kept my dolls to myself only. They are my place of comfort and to escape from the real world. So I don’t want to mixed up those two together.

But usually I like to collect dolls with big bust like DDdy and Angelphilia and I already have encounter 99% criticism from people within the hobby because I’m a man that collects big bust dolls. They always asume I’m some sort of pervert and want to use my dolls for sexual things even though I’m 100% gay and I just happen to like the way dolls with big boobies look like. I just find them so darn adorable.

I always encounter comments against my dolls in the place I’m using to escape the harshness of the real world. Comments such as “how much their backs might hurt” and worst than that. I honestly don’t want to experience the same negativity with other people.

Also, I’m an elementary bilingual teacher, so I think if somebody outside the hobby knows that I collect dolls that might even get me more negativity and it might have great impact in my work.

 

Edited February 25 by MrFjmg03

On 2/25/2024 at 8:33 PM, MrFjmg03 said:

NO!!!

People are very judgmental within the hobby I cannot imagine how much worse people outside the hobby would be. I kept my dolls to myself only. They are my place of comfort and to escape from the real world. So I don’t want to mixed up those two together.

But usually I like to collect dolls with big bust like DDdy and Angelphilia and I already have encounter 99% criticism from people within the hobby because I’m a man that collects big bust dolls. They always asume I’m some sort of pervert and want to use my dolls for sexual things even though I’m 100% gay and I just happen to like the way dolls with big boobies look like. I just find them so darn adorable.

I always encounter comments against my dolls in the place I’m using to escape the harshness of the real world. Comments such as “how much their backs might hurt” and worst than that. I honestly don’t want to experience the same negativity with other people.

Also, I’m an elementary bilingual teacher, so I think if somebody outside the hobby knows that I collect dolls that might even get me more negativity and it might have great impact in my work.

 

I fully understand you. I noticed during internship in my study in education, that as a man you are put under a magnifying glass already. Especially in primary education with children around the age of 4 to 6 years. It took months before I earned the trust of the parents. That in combination with them knowing about my dolls? That would have given a lot of trouble. 

A lot of people these days are very judgemental. Jumping to conclusions way too early.

Last year I was for the first time at a BJD convention and I actually was surprised how open the people there were. So I do believe there are still a lot of open minded people in the world. 

I'm secretive about my hobbies and I plan on keeping things that way with the doll as well.

As for when people outside the hobby say dolls are creepy, I doubt they're thinking of current vinyl or resin dolls when they say that. Right? The chances they even know they exist are slim. I figure they're thinking about the old, possibly chipped, toddler-faced porcelain doll they saw at grandma's house. Or perhaps I'm wrong and you show 'em Hatsune Miku and they still think Chucky.

Oh to say I am trying to share it is one thing, but the things I've seen.

 

It hath taken away the collection by now

😕

2 hours ago, Persiflage said:

Or perhaps I'm wrong and you show 'em Hatsune Miku and they still think Chucky.

Idk, my mom seems to think so and I love to terrorize her with them 😂 

She collects Barbies so it’s not even like she’s unfamiliar with dolls, but she seems to think my DDs are creepy. Azone Alice is okay though. Maybe it’s the eyes… 🤔 

On 2/25/2024 at 12:27 PM, Xiongmao said:

I have a doll YouTube and I would say the comments have been mostly supportive. The biggest overall theme is the lack of awareness that anime dolls exist.

I watch your videos, don't worry! I'm supporting you and I can say you're doing a good job!!

Personally, I agree with you YouTube wise, it's definitely due to the lack of knowledge they exist. 

 

For me... I find it is a mix of the masses ignorance and how expensive they can be.

There are more variables but I won't say them.

 

I, more or less, want to talk, but now, don't talk about my collection now after digging too deep into a rabbit hole.

 

 

 

 

I talk to my family about the hobby all the time. Mostly my twin and bf. 

Honestly, I'm a little curious how you'd bring them up. I've avoided talking about them because I'm never really sure how to describe them -- when you just say "dolls", or even "vinyl dolls", people think Barbies or cotton dolls. And playing with these feels so different from playing with those kinds of dolls...it's hard to explain how much customization you get, and how fun it is. Once I even just described it as making "custom anime action figures" when I didn't have a lot of time to describe it.

1 hour ago, blisseycake said:

Honestly, I'm a little curious how you'd bring them up. I've avoided talking about them because I'm never really sure how to describe them -- when you just say "dolls", or even "vinyl dolls", people think Barbies or cotton dolls. And playing with these feels so different from playing with those kinds of dolls...it's hard to explain how much customization you get, and how fun it is. Once I even just described it as making "custom anime action figures" when I didn't have a lot of time to describe it.

I tend to refer to them as "customizable art dolls" to people who aren't already in artist/anime spaces. It makes it clear that they aren't just for play and also emphasizes one reason people like me might be interested in them, for the art aspect. Sometimes I would refer to them as "photography models"  as well. I prefer to be able to be open about my hobbies, but I definitely understand some people just wouldn't "get it".

Ooh, I think I'll steal that one. So much of the hobby is customization and it conveys that pretty well.