Back and no idea where to even begin

Welcome back and yes it can be overwhelming to get back into a hobby when it has changed so much in many good things. First just look at galleries, discussion threads and check out Etsy for clothing and shoes as many talented people there. As for companies always buy direct from them, avoid eBay as many recasts there that won't say they are. While some people sell there they are not always easy to deal with if you want people actually in the hobby. Reviews and feedback are key to read.
I personally like to see what dolls people are sewing for as company clothing can get expensive and the materials are not always what you want on your dolls.
As for the companies you have had experience with in past its always good to start again with something familiar if you loved it back then. Many independent artists but be careful you are buying an actual bjd and not an off topic doll.
I wish you luck and enjoy the learning process as it will save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars in the future. Always happy to talk more in PM.

 

Hello and welcome back! Here a good site for browsing dolls and clothes. Enjoy!

BJD - Alice's Collections - BJD Dolls, BJD Accessories

 

Welcome back! I have been in and out since I first discovered bjds in 2018, so I definitely know how it can be overwhelming. I would just start looking through tags on instagram and if there are sculpts that interest you do some research on them, find out the brands name and make sure you’re getting it off a legit website. Like mydaffer said ^, Alice’s collections is a good place to start for dolls, clothes, wigs, etc.

 

It can be so overwhelming. I took a break from 2012-2018 Re-entered for like a summer, and then was gone again till 2022. So much was different. Even though I tried to keep up on things the entire hobby shifted. Flickr and DoA were no longer the centralized locations for the Hobby, now it feels like it's mostly Instagram and Discord. As for the doll companies, oh my gosh. Fairyland closed it's old site and opened a new site and I don't even understand it's ordering system anymore. When people used to enjoy the MNF body it's now one of the least posable (can you believe that!) on the market now. And so many companies have closed or retired huge amounts of their doll sculpts - Latidolls is one of those.

There are a lot of independent artists these days (love to see that), but the general aesthetic of dolls has changed so much as well. Slim MSD are basically the main MSD these days.

Anyway all this to say that: I feel you. It was a hard re-entry. I feel the loss of people being on DOA so much because I still don't feel as if I'm a part of the hobby but sort of floating on my own outside of it. If you ever want anyone to chat with I'm down for that, because it was hard.

But take it slow, try to see where you can find some sort of community to be a part of, check out all the doll companies and the doll dealers. I know you're Netherlands based but Denver Doll Emporium in the USA is a good place to sort of see what companies are still around and active. Also Alice's Collections. I definitely encourage at least checking out Instagram (you don't need an account to view on desktop) because a lot of doll people are there.

 

Welcome back!! I'm glad you created this thread since I fell that I'm not the only one who returned and found that everything has changed!!
I remember Lati dolls very well and I didn't know about the company's dissappearance. I feel pretty lucky because most of the companies I used to buy from are still there (even if I feel very confused about buying on them).
I don't know if it happens to you but even the forum is a little confusing for me.
My plan is to go slowly reading and learning about what's new.
Good luck with your return and Iam really sorry that you had to sell your doll collection. I know how it feels