Jump to content

puxlavoix

Politely Nefarious

AnnaNeko

Xiongmao

Mandie

BeyondTime

DesertPhantom51

F-15

sunlightandtea

ateliervanilla

The Ecchizonans

Zoom Meetup

Tierparkzone

Frollywog

Veravey

MagicalRozen

Baldylox

Sign in to follow this  
control

Favorite/Least favorite parts of the hobby?

Recommended Posts

control

Curious to know what people like and dislike the most about Dollfie since it's usually not seen as something challenging or rewarding. Do you like collecting licensed characters? Doing your own faceups? Do you dislike transporting them? Or how niche it feels?

For me, my favorite thing is definitely keeping them as company. Because I have two DDs, I like having them sit with me around the desk while I do things on my computer or whatnot. My least favorite thing has to be dressing them. I swear this is how parents feel with babies. Things getting stuck on sleeves or just generally are difficult to figure out since it's not going on yourself.

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Giallo_Gatta

I'd have to say my favorite part of the hobby is a tie between the creativity it allows, and the "bond" that one can form with their dolls. 

Whether you're making your own character, or recreating an existing one that you love, putting them together really does feel like an accomplishment once you're all finished. Personally, I'm also rather sentimental, so I get really attached to the dolls and who and/or what they represent. Both Ludovicas have helped me cope with some pretty serious life events, and working on them/buying stuff for them has often given me something to look forward to when I'm dealing with just my everyday mental health stuff. 

My least favorite part of this hobby, on the other hand, has got to be how stigmatized, or at least misunderstood, by the outside world.

Granted, pretty much all "childish" hobbies have at least some stigma and shame attached, but stuff like video games and anime seem to have gotten to be a bit more mainstream nowadays, compared to doll/toy/BJD collection. To be honest, even within the BJD and broader doll enthusiast circles, the vinyl "anime dolls" that this forum is focused on seem to have somewhat of a bad rap. I've seen/heard quite a few comments about them being sleazy, or somehow a lesser version of their resin counterparts. Obviously, all dolls have kind of acquired a reputation for being creepy, but doll owners expect this, to some degree, from outside of the hobby. The call coming from inside the house, so to speak, might actually be worse.

  • Like 10

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
MoiBakaDesu

My favourite parts have to be the the joy about having my favourite characters around as small 3D renditions of them. Doing faceups is another part that I enjoy greatly. And dressing them up, sitting down and getting them a change of clothes has something almost therapeutic to me, it's calming.

Least favourite when it comes to vinyl dolls in general has to be the risk of staining, I am always glad that I don't have to worry about this with my resin boys.

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Yeka

So I'm newer, take my opinion with a grain of salt.

For me, my favorite part of the hobby is how customizable everything is. I have ideas for multiple dolls, characters that never got any sort of licensed merch in the past, original characters, etc. I think it's awesome that I can create a doll based on my favorite niche character that never even had a chance to be featured as a figurine, plushie, or statue. 

What I dislike the most, again, as a newer person, is the expense. Especially when I fall in love with dolls that were made long before I got into the hobby. Yes, the customizability means I can make my own. But it's also frustrating that I was not able to support the original release, and now I'll need to drop a mortgage payment if I want that doll. Lol 

  • Like 2
  • Haha 3

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
control
3 hours ago, Yeka said:

What I dislike the most, again, as a newer person, is the expense. Especially when I fall in love with dolls that were made long before I got into the hobby. Yes, the customizability means I can make my own. But it's also frustrating that I was not able to support the original release, and now I'll need to drop a mortgage payment if I want that doll. Lol

It's so funny that the cost wasn't even something that occurred to me when I was thinking of negatives, but yeah I definitely am glad I haven't gone down an older/out of production doll rabbit hole haha
 

6 hours ago, MoiBakaDesu said:

Least favourite when it comes to vinyl dolls in general has to be the risk of staining, I am always glad that I don't have to worry about this with my resin boys.

Staining is always a huge fear of mine even with stain suits on. I don't have a resin doll yet but I'd love to see the difference someday.

 

18 hours ago, Giallo_Gatta said:

To be honest, even within the BJD and broader doll enthusiast circles, the vinyl "anime dolls" that this forum is focused on seem to have somewhat of a bad rap. I've seen/heard quite a few comments about them being sleazy, or somehow a lesser version of their resin counterparts.


I'm a bit newer to the community so I haven't seen it first hand but I totally understand how people get that idea, even just with looking at the outfits Volks offers (or the Dynamite line as a whole). I do enjoy the anime aesthetic and some of the more revealing outfits, but I also enjoy some of the refined looks of resin dolls. I'd rather be open minded as a whole since as you said the doll hobby is already stigmatized in different ways. Hopefully more people will be open to seeing how it's just different tastes. ☺️

  • Like 3

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Roserolls

My favorite and least favorite parts both have to do with the fashion and dress up parts of the hobby. I LOVE dressing up my dolls and seeing other ones in super cute, fashionable, over the top, or niche outfits that I feel like I can't wear in real life (due to things like cost, comfort/sensory issues, social pressure/expectations, etc) and I love that doll fashion is such a fun, creative outlet for me! I feel like I can live my fashionista dreams vicariously through them!

On the other hand, sometimes the clothes can be a downright pain lol. Clothes not fitting correctly, having to take preventative measures for staining, buttons/zippers/seams/accessories breaking even with delicate use, fake leather peeling, subpar quality/construction for high cost, etc can be really annoying. Even just the process of changing their clothes can be so time consuming for me with the amount of work it takes to undress them, figure out a cute outfit and grab all the different stuff for it, redressing them without damaging the dolls or the clothes, and then posing and putting them back into place. Plus, I've tried making their clothes myself to try to be more creative and budget friendly, but I get frustrated because I kind of hate sewing and my skills aren't high enough to make the pieces that I would like, so it can be a bit frustrating.

The same goes with the photography aspect of the hobby as well. I love to see people take beautiful pictures of their dolls, but when I try to do it with my own, I feel like they never come out right. There's always hairs out of place, or dust in the background, or the lighting or angle or posing sucks and I feel too insecure to post them lol. I know both the sewing and photography skill issues could fixed with practice and time investment, but I also have a bunch of other hobbies that require practice and time investment as well, so those 2 aren't really high priority for me currently.

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
ragnamuffin

My favourite aspect is the way my dolls look, they’re all so beautiful I just wanna cry whenever I look at them 😭 

My least favourite aspect is how much space they take up. The boxes, their clothes and accessories, the dolls themselves. I thought I wouldn’t have the space for more after my first one and now I have 8 big dolls with a couple more in the works and I’m seriously running out of space for real now 🥴

If they were all ob11 size I would never stop, but alas…

  • Like 3

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
BeyondTime
31 minutes ago, ragnamuffin said:

now I have 8 big dolls with a couple more in the works and I’m seriously running out of space for real now 🥴

I have 87, it’s their house, I just live there and wait on them hand and foot.

 

For me the least favorite is the $$$, and the scalping. 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
  • Haha 7

The difference between Dollfie Dreams and Heroin? Heroin is illegal, Dollfie Dreams probably should be.

“Empty wallets, full hearts.” That’s probably an apt description for the effects of DD addiction

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Thespian

My favorite thing is how Dollfie Dreams and resin BJDs are hobbies that can accommodate basically any creative outlet you can think of. Bored of taking pictures? Try painting a faceup! Or sewing clothes! Or making eyes or a wig or props or furniture or writing about characters and stories or [insert ideas here]. The possibilities are only as limited as your interests, funds, and materials. It's a great way to try out new hobbies, too.

Outside of the cost (RIP my wallet), I do loathe the FOMO that comes par for the course in this hobby. Well-liked releases tend to skyrocket in price on the aftermarket, so it's generally more cost-effective to go for a girl when she's (re-)released. However, it's very easy to like a girl in promo photos just to dislike her in person, just like it's easy to dislike a girl based on promo photos but fall in love once owners start posting photos. It puts us in this unfortunate buy-buy-buy sort of mentality that just isn't sustainable, imo.

  • Like 5

Kiyomi DDS DDH-06 🧡 Miyuki DDS DDH-06 🧡 Shiori DDS Mariko Summer Festival 🧡 Kanade DDDy DDH-07 🧡 Honoka DD DDH-09 🧡 Priyanka DDS Anthy Himemiya

Any pronouns are fine

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
chef_mai

What drew me into this hobby was being able to bring her my comic's main characters to life in ways I could only dream of. Both of them sits on my desk in direct view every day and bring joy and inspiration to my life. 

What do I dislike?

The stigma, not just the part about dolls being creepy or childish (for adults), but in some circles, particularly otherwise anime loving ones, they have an 'unsavory' reputation. I don't quite understand it myself since anime and fanservice go hand in hand a lot of the time, and plenty of figurines out there are uh, pretty questionable, so what makes dolls any different?

Edited by chef_mai
  • Like 4

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
denpagirl

favorite is just how big 1/3-1/4 dolls are (big enough to feel "real" enough for my brain to see them as "human", not too big to be a burden to carry around / have in the house). seriously, the size is PERFECT, ive never felt a connection with "size" before in any hobby before this one. does anyone else understand what i mean?

also, i love how customizable they are. different eyes, a different wig, hell even swapping body parts can be the difference between a bond or not. i think that's really cool!

 

least favorite is, as i am a woman in my 20's, ive gotten the "are they supposed to be stand-ins for children" remark... sometimes put in a much *meaner* way 😠

thank god for the block button lol!

im sure male collectors get all sorts of terrible comments too, and they DEFINITELY have the bigger stigma against them being owners from outsiders... but in my experience, women get the "wow, that's a sad replacement for parenthood" comment a LOT (always the funniest when the owner actually DOES plan on having kids/has kids)

anyone who thinks that purchasing a doll equates taking care of a living, breathing human is a moron and honestly shouldn't have kids. i seriously can't believe people don't understand how vast the difference is in a non-living object that you CHOOSE to personify vs a decision that changes your life permanently... (should we make it illegal for doll owners to "get rid of" their bjds because would it be "abandonment"? lol)

Edited by denpagirl
  • Like 3

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
BeyondTime
3 hours ago, denpagirl said:

does anyone else understand what i mean?

Yes, I tend to anthropomorphize them, and I’ve never done that with figures. I know they’re plastic, but feel an emotional connection. 

  • Like 2

The difference between Dollfie Dreams and Heroin? Heroin is illegal, Dollfie Dreams probably should be.

“Empty wallets, full hearts.” That’s probably an apt description for the effects of DD addiction

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
meltychoco_BJD
On 1/9/2025 at 9:02 PM, Thespian said:

My favorite thing is how Dollfie Dreams and resin BJDs are hobbies that can accommodate basically any creative outlet you can think of. Bored of taking pictures? Try painting a faceup! Or sewing clothes! Or making eyes or a wig or props or furniture or writing about characters and stories or [insert ideas here]. The possibilities are only as limited as your interests, funds, and materials. It's a great way to try out new hobbies, too.

This is definitely one of my favourite things about the hobby as well and is a big part of what really keeps me in the hobby long term! -- Aside from the novelty of having mini versions of my favourite characters of course.

Originally my interest in dolls was just because they can be really beautiful and are kind of like pieces of art in a way, but that interest can easily be satisfied by looking at nice doll photography and not necessarily owning them.

The creative aspects are basically endless and are what always keeps me coming back after a period of waning interest (as many of my hobbies tend to be, I'll be super obsessed with them for a few months, then forget they exist for another few, then return to it and repeat cycle...)

Dolls are honestly what got me into sewing, diorama crafting, and serious photography too!

  • Like 1

☆⋅⋆ ───FIND ME ON─── ⋆⋅☆

DoA | Twitter | Instagram

☆⋅⋆ ────── ⋆⋅☆

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Xiongmao

Aaargh the expense 🥵. I should have just stuck with praying mantises 😁. But I have always collected and valued physical stuff.

Also of course [almost] everyone on the planet thinks it's a strange hobby for a guy. I don't really care about that though.

I do love my tribe and they've got me into all kinds of stuff. We had a go at movie making, app making and oddly they also got me into quantitative finance. I guess I'm also learning Japanese given how much anime we watch (right now it's 2.5 Liliel/Ririsa and Ergo Proxy).

Aside from unboxings, I think the best part is bringing some of them into the living room in the evening... they absolutely love the TV and look so disappointed when it's not on. The DD (and SD) kind of are like real little people, much moreso than the smaller Azones. Tonight Uzuki, Hana, Chisato, Misaki, Takina and Shin Sato (obviously) are in. It's such good brain exercise remembering all their names.

Edited by Xiongmao

 

My Dollfie doll family December 2024 😊. Towa believes they are 34 in number.

Dollfie-Everybody-2024.jpg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
c_aw_miko

my favorite things about the hobby is how customizable it is! i've had nendoroid dolls and sewing custom clothing for them was a nightmare, so i am looking forward to practice my sewing even more and make plenty of clothing for my doll! i just love dress up dolls and feel like DDs and SmDs are the perfect size for it~  

parts of the hobby that i like the least is how expensive it can get because i live in canada. everything has to be imported and given our very low duty-free allowance, it can add up pretty fast. i wish we had a doll distributer nationally, but i can keep dreaming... :(  

also, i don't like encountering scammers. i've been lucky that i've gotten out scot-free from all my interactions with them. i even got this hilarious masterpiece:

spacer.png

but the non-zero possibility of being scammed is unnerving.

  • Like 3

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Amapola

Least favorite part is the cost 😅. Outside of that, my favorite and least favorite part is the customization. So many options, so many different pieces and parts that you can get/make to create a doll, but there's so many different options it can get hard to choose. Another is finally assembling your character....only for better options to suddenly pop up. For vinyl, there's less options than resin but there are still a lot of heads and bodies out there despite having less options. If you can't get something you like, you can 3D sculpt and print it. Can't find an outfit, wig, or eyes you like? Make it! Although, I don't have the skill to properly execute the idea most times. It make me over ambitious and now my backlogs are full of incomplete doll projects due to me being too zealous. But that's part of the fun and at least I will not be bored for a loooong time.

Also the space they take up. God, those boxes. So damn cool due to their scale, but so much space. Not to mention the crafting materials that pile up in my room...it looks like a hoarder's den due to all those boxes. But I need the materials for projects...gurgh.

Edited by Amapola
  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
chowchowqueen

I love hybridization to see how parts can combine, the sewing, the painting, the sculpting and the community.

My least favorite part is the expense and the lack of space lol.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Skygirl
On 1/11/2025 at 3:05 PM, denpagirl said:

favorite is just how big 1/3-1/4 dolls are (big enough to feel "real" enough for my brain to see them as "human", not too big to be a burden to carry around / have in the house). seriously, the size is PERFECT, ive never felt a connection with "size" before in any hobby before this one. does anyone else understand what i mean?

also, i love how customizable they are. different eyes, a different wig, hell even swapping body parts can be the difference between a bond or not. i think that's really cool!

 

least favorite is, as i am a woman in my 20's, ive gotten the "are they supposed to be stand-ins for children" remark... sometimes put in a much *meaner* way 😠

thank god for the block button lol!

im sure male collectors get all sorts of terrible comments too, and they DEFINITELY have the bigger stigma against them being owners from outsiders... but in my experience, women get the "wow, that's a sad replacement for parenthood" comment a LOT (always the funniest when the owner actually DOES plan on having kids/has kids)

anyone who thinks that purchasing a doll equates taking care of a living, breathing human is a moron and honestly shouldn't have kids. i seriously can't believe people don't understand how vast the difference is in a non-living object that you CHOOSE to personify vs a decision that changes your life permanently... (should we make it illegal for doll owners to "get rid of" their bjds because would it be "abandonment"? lol)

It's too bad that male collectors get such a bad rap. Some of it I can understand a little, but stop for a moment and think about how many of the most famous, successful fashion, make-up and hair designers and classical artists have been men. Dolls in this hobby really are 3-D works of art that you can customize.

  • Like 3

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
bubblysoda

Favorite part of this hobby is the ability to customize the doll, it's way easier customizing a vinyl doll or resin bjd compared to like playline dolls 😄

Least favorite is the expense, lack of space and staining.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
frollywoggy

For me, the best part of the doll hobby is the creative aspect. It's like developing ocs, but it's a physical thing I can hold in my hands! I really want to dive deep into the customizations, not just the doll itself, but especially making custom clothes/accessories and other fun projects for my dolls. I love being able to personalize them so much and savor the creative process. Not to mention the fun of taking them out on errands or to events, it's such a blast!!! I want to do it all!!!

The worst part is the pressure of the hobby. There are so many kinds, whether it's internal pressure to enjoy the hobby even when I'm not feeling it, pressure from other hobby members to constantly put more money into the hobby when they show off their impressive collections and beautiful creations, pressure to put in work! put in time! get those things checked off of the list, do the photoshoots, sew all of the clothes, sell that and buy this! It's what has flipped the hobby from a relaxing activity to something incredibly stressful and disappointing. I want to do it all!!! ...but I can't. and that's where a lot of stress comes in.

(I will say, for anyone who has felt the same way, that I've spent the last year or so figuring it out a bit. The key to lessening this stress and enjoying the hobby like before is just put away the social media!! Yes, it's amazing to see what other collectors are up to and be inspired, but it adds to the pressure, too. You can't find the happiness of enjoying your own dolls by watching how other people enjoy theirs, because you're not them, and you'll figure out your own way. Just have fun! Get messy! Do silly things just because! Even if you're not a kid, dolls are meant to be played with and enjoyed, so enjoy them without worrying.)

  • Like 4

"And after the artist has been long gone, turned to dust, the art remains." -Spiritfarer

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Poofiemus
On 1/20/2025 at 10:50 PM, Amapola said:

 Although, I don't have the skill to properly execute the idea most times. It make me over ambitious and now my backlogs are full of incomplete doll projects due to me being too zealous. But that's part of the fun and at least I will not be bored for a loooong time.

Also the space they take up. God, those boxes. So damn cool due to their scale, but so much space. Not to mention the crafting materials that pile up in my room...it looks like a hoarder's den due to all those boxes. But I need the materials for projects...gurgh.

Oh man I relate to this so bad lolol. ADHD makes my hoard of both materials and half finished projects pretty intimidating lol.

I'm another one who bonds with/anthropomorphizes their dolls. In fact, if I don't feel that inspiration to anthropomorphize them and get a sense of their personality, I don't end up bringing them home. I've still wound up with 16 chaotic plastic midgets in my house over the years though lolol. The personality has been extra nice the past few years because I work from home now. Means I have at least the illusion of some company that isn't customers on the phone!

I do have to agree that the creativity is a huge draw to this hobby. Dolls got me into photography, and made sure that my time working for Shutterfly didn't ruin photo editing for me forever. It got me into sewing, too--if I hadn't gotten a doll I probably wouldn't have found the motivation to start, and if my first hadn't been a Dynamite back in the days when Dynamite clothes barely existed, I probably wouldn't have been as ambitious. Now here I am doing things like hand embroidery, which I would have been terrified of when I got my first doll back in 2010 lol. I've also done multiple faceups, made some eyes, and done some light wig styling. I did try making shoes once, too, but ugh, that was a bit too sharp of a learning curve for even me!

People wise, yes I've run into a few people who have been rude or weird about my dolls, but luckily those people have not only been the minority but absolute strangers who I never have to speak to again. :lol: I've actually made several really great friends through this hobby, which is one of the things I'm the most grateful for.

I did expect everyone to complain about the expense and the space issues. I do also struggle with those, but I specifically struggle with having to make decisions and say "no" because of expense and space issues. :lol: Like. . .there are two extremes of doll collecting: the revolving doors, whose collections are constantly in flux with dolls coming and going, and then there's the extreme I'm on: the black hole. Or maybe Hotel California, where they can check out anytime they like but they can never leave. @onion36@So, knowing how things go here, I have to be pretty strict with who gets to come home to begin with. . . and sometimes saying "no" to a cute face and/or a good deal is SUPER hard! Deciding on clothes, wigs, and accessories is even worse, because so much of it you buy online sight unseen, and you just kind of have to hope that the colors are what you expect and that the fabrics/construction are decent. Sometimes you get surprised in a good way--like the Ali Express store Dream Fairy--but other times even well made things end up being used less than you expected. So getting clothes etc can turn into a case of analysis paralysis.

. . . man. I guess this question made me super sentimental lolololol

  • Like 1
  • Haha 2

In this household, sanity is considered a tresspasser.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
gj581g

Extremely specific least favourite part: PLEATHER DOLL CLOTHES. Why oh why. They always disintegrate after a few years, and often some pretty one-of-a-kind sets are made of pleather meaning you can't just get a replacement. And unlike cloth clothes, there's no way to sew them up again and get them looking brand new.

Actually speaking of which, something that mildly annoys me about the adult collector doll hobby in general is that most things aren't made to last, despite the huge cost of dolls, clothes, accessories etc. Skeletons breaking, plastic staining and yellowing, clothes falling apart, glue coming undone... it's worse than mass produced playline stuff. QA is clearly not a priority for many manufacturers (not talking about indie productions or hobby crafters), and customer service can be horrible too (no I am not buying a brand new identical $300 doll just to replace a broken chest piece). I just want to be able to enjoy my dolls for years and years without worrying that say, my Momoko's ankles are going to shatter just because I breathed on them wrong.

In a way I get it (economies of scale in manufacturing, material logistics and chemistry, niche hobby yada yada) but sometimes it feels like things are made cheaply and sold at a premium just because there is a dedicated group of people who WILL buy them. TBH I've been guilty of looking past quality issues just because I like the design too. I'm trying to be pickier about the dolls I buy these days, precisely because of this though.

Edited by gj581g
  • Like 3

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
PlasticJester
2 hours ago, gj581g said:

Extremely specific least favourite part: PLEATHER DOLL CLOTHES. Why oh why. They always disintegrate after a few years, and often some pretty one-of-a-kind sets are made of pleather meaning you can't just get a replacement. And unlike cloth clothes, there's no way to sew them up again and get them looking brand new.

Big agree with this as the worst part! They also stain like crazy I've heard. Still looking for a mythical non-pleather Miku outfit to shell my girl. Ofc I'm not thrilled by the prices or wait times for things either, but I've started to accept those in my grieving process.

My favorite thing is the ability to mod, mix and match, and make completely unique dolls! Loveeeee seeing people customize collab heads, make hybrid bodies, make third-party parts and the like. Shoutout to someone I know making a doll with completely color-mismatched patchwork parts! The creativity on display and the skill to execute it is astounding. I've done a few eye and mouth mods, and they're not easy!

  • Like 1

592108676_DollGroupPixel.png.059a2d02f02ccb8975d8c8461ef7b1cc.png

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Poofiemus
12 hours ago, gj581g said:

Extremely specific least favourite part: PLEATHER DOLL CLOTHES. Why oh why. They always disintegrate after a few years, and often some pretty one-of-a-kind sets are made of pleather meaning you can't just get a replacement. And unlike cloth clothes, there's no way to sew them up again and get them looking brand new.

Ugh YES. This is a huge part of my analysis paralysis when getting doll clothes! Especially because I'm a sucker for steampunk. I have to basically sit here and ask myself, will I use/enjoy this piece enough before the pleather dies that I feel like I got my money's worth? This is even harder when you consider most doll SHOES are pleather too, you can't escape the stuff.

At this rate I may have to find some classes or good online tutorials and add leather working to my list of doll-motivated skill acquisitions. :lol:

  • Like 3

In this household, sanity is considered a tresspasser.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy.