Does becoming a "crazy doll lady/person" concern you?

What do you mean "becoming" a crazy doll person Sorry I couldn't resist, 'craziness' is so subjective lol

I also admire many different styles of dolls, even though to me, my collection is quite small (8 bjd, similar number of MH, a few random others). My dolls are not out on display due to a lack of space and not wanting to embarrass other family members, because, yes they do think I'm a bit...eccentric^^ I find for myself a good rule of thumb is, I can admire as many dolls as I like, but I don't need to own them all. If you find yourself liking lots of different dolls, I think it's perfectly feasible to buy one here and there, especially if they're playline dolls. Then when you have had first hand experience, you may find your need to "have them all!" diminishes somewhat. I certainly think you can have an elegant, mature lifestyle and still collect dolls- I like to think I do^^

 

I probably am that "crazy doll lady", but I really don't care. I have 15 BJDs currently, am married with no children. So the spare bedroom is the 'doll room', set up with dioramas permanently. I also have 3 One Direction dolls, all 5 NKOTB, Justin Timberlake, Elsa, one Barbie and Ken, one Living Dead Doll set and a Justin Bieber, displayed in a case in my sewing room. It might be weird to some, but I just can't be bothered to care. Not many people visit my house and the ones who do know. I don't really think of it any differently than collecting action figures, gaming stuff, sports stuff, etc.

I've mentioned it before, but as a kid, my grandma's neighbor was an elderly woman obsessed with dolls, to the point of being a hoarder. She kept them all neat and clean and on display, but there were so many that some doors couldn't be fully opened and the whole house had a narrow pathway to walk through. I thought it was awesome at the time, but as an adult, I think that could definitely be the definition of "crazy doll lady" (though she was a very sweet lady!) So I guess, really, it's not a problem to have a hobby and indulge from time to time, but when it affects the lives of you and your family, then you need to re-evaluate what you're doing.

 

I'm too old to give a hoot anymore about what people think about me. It's just something that comes with age. You do I think get to a certain point in life where if you're not doing what expected of you when people make comments it just fails to sting. I like kids and enjoy sitting them but I don't want any of my own. I got all that maternal instinct, biological clock ticking stuff out of my system early on sitting other people's kids. By the time I was 30 I had changed more diapers than most parents ever will in their lives unless they're into having dozens of kids.

The doll thing my family is amused more than anything else. I've been asked if it's about the whole empty nest thing but honestly it's not about that at all. It's an ART thing with me. It's a fashion thing. It's a therapy thing. 90% of my dolls are not children. I do have a few but they are in no way substitute babies for me. The dolls that are, reborns, those dolls are among the few that can genuinely creep me out. I don't and never will want one of those. A doll to me is a DOLL, even the younger ones. If a doll is too much like a real child I'm not too comfortable owning one.

I don't want a traditional suburban life, with husband and children. I don't want the McMansion the SUV, the white picket fence etc. I don't want to have to keep up with the Joneses or have to care much for what other people think of me. Being mature has nothing to do with how you appear to other people. In fact the more mature you are the less you tend to care. Do what you love and don't mind so much what other people think. You only have so much time on this earth. Don't spent it trying to be so mature that you can't enjoy it. It's just not worth it in the end. Be a "crazy" doll person if that is what makes you happy. Better than than you go to your grave bitter and unhappy because you lived your live in a state of denial trying to look properly mature enough to the rest of the world.

 

No it doesn't concern me. I only show my doll craziness to my family and others in the hobby. However, strangers know me better as:

"the crazy girl constantly at the post office" and "the crazy girl asking if I can take empty boxes at Walmart".

 

I don´t think that having these dolls needs to conflict with an ´´elegant, mature lifestyle´´, I see them as pieces of art and display them in my house. Some people have paintings on their walls and sculptures displayed, I have dolls People who visit me seem to see them that way, too.

 

Do you pay your bills on time? Ensure that you have a roof over your head and food on the table? That's pretty mature stuff right there. Age of a person has very little to do with how mature a person is. You can also be mature and still have fun. What's the point of being an adult and able to set your own rules (for the most part) if you can't have a little fun now and again? We only get one turn around the sun so you should make the most of the time you have. Missed chances rarely have do-overs.

Dolls are like any other hobby. Somebody is always going to find it weird and it'll boggle someone's mind that you spent X amount of money on something that doesn't do anything (aside from give you joy, which, in my opinion, is a valid thing to spend money on if you can afford it). Some people collect baseball cards, some collect tea spoons and some people even go right off the charts and collect really BIG stuff like tanks and planes. It's all subjective and you shouldn't let other people's opinions on how useful/crazy/expensive your particular hobby is sway you from what you enjoy. We all have very personal reasons for why we collect the things we do or are involved in certain hobbies.

I currently own 33 dolls and will probably up that to 34 by the end of the year (floating head looks likely to get a body) and I have a grown son and grandchildren. My dolls have never been a substitute for kids (I actually don't like children all that much) and I'm quick to straighten people out on that. I'll talk people's ears off if they happen to ask about my dolls (which usually segues into discussions about my novels, my other passion, since my dolls are characters from my novels). Sure, people will say I'm crazy for spending that much money on them but it's no worse than someone who has season tickets to a pro-sporting team, buys all the jersey's, has signed memorabilia, etc.

 

I think people collect dolls for different reasons. Some like pretty things; some like fashion; some like handicrafts and making things for them; some like the artistry involved in faceup and sculpture; etc. I personally collect dolls as a child substitute - or maybe they are more like pets than children, in that I can't have a conversation with them, but they are still companionable and cheer me up, and I enjoy nurturing them and fussing over them.

None of these reasons are anything to be ashamed of! I have a child - he's 21 and now left home - I was deprived of pink and frilly stuff, and dolls - if I'd had a daughter probably not so much, but he was more into spaceships, video games and lego (and trust me I tried many 'girl's' toys on him right from the start - and even gave him a bjd 2yrs ago!)

As a child I always loved my dolls - I cared for them as if they were my pets/children, and have never been able to see them as inanimate objects. IMO this does not make me crazy - although yes, every other adult I know thinks my doll 'habit' strange and juvenile - which is why I love this forum of course - it's reassuring to me to 'chat' to people who don't think I'm crazy ^_^

Having dolls to love saves me from loneliness, depression and feeling redundant - if nobody else needs me, then my dolls need me - they may even end up in a skip if I die, because they are 'just dolls' to everyone else. If having dolls keeps me off anitdepressants, motivates me and cheers me up, then that's a healthy coping mechanism I think. Don't question why you need dolls, just accept that they fulfill some need in you somehow, and remember there are far worse addictions to have ^_^

 

@InkyBear, I felt the same way when I was your age. I'm glad that BJDs came along when I was old enough not to care so much about cultural pressure to be what I "ought" to be -- mainly because it was too late for me to check off some of the required boxes (*cough* babies *cough*).

Now that I'm on the other side, I think the years between mid-twenties and mid-forties are incredibly hard in all kinds of ways, certainly in the US (the culture I know best). The pressure to be what society thinks we (both women and men) ought to be is most intense then, because those are the prime working/childbearing/childrearing years, when culture has its most intense interest in managing how we work/create revenue and how we produce the next generation. On a deep level, the stories and stigma that bother you exist in order to bother you -- they're a form of social control, and their job is to reinforce the cultural norms that keep everyone in line. As a woman in her mid-twenties, you're under particular pressure to have children and then train them to be docile, productive members of society. If you put energy and creativity into any other role or interest, you're a threat to social order, and you need to be scared or shamed "straight."

I won't go on to burble about the pressures to buy what our society wants us to buy, instead of what we might really want and need, but those are part of the package, too.

Recognizing all this doesn't free you from the culture you live in, but it does give you some power to resist the pressures, so they don't batter you into submission and warp you into something other than your real self. If you want the pretty doll, and buying it won't take money that you need for life essentials, then buy it. If you choose to display your dolls in the more-public parts of your living space, you can do that -- and you can also change your mind anytime you like. If you choose to be a casual doll hobbyist for a while, dipping in and out of collecting and playing rather than being steadily involved, that's great. If you choose to pursue your doll hobby full-speed-ahead, that's also great.

Hang in there, okay? And let your fiance know which Yo-SD you want for Christmas before it's too late to put in the order!

 

No, and this sort of negativity towards harmless hobbies really annoys me. I don't think there is a perfect combination of traits you can adopt that will free you from societal pressure, so you might as well do what makes you happy. I've had people give me static for watching scifi, collecting dolls, playing video games, owning a cat -- none of those things hurt anyone, none of them really matter, but often those who spend their time worrying about making sure they're doing all the "right" things to be seen as normal have a very hard time accepting that not everyone else does. I get it, they're putting in a lot of work to be seen in a certain way, but once you start bending to avoid criticism it never ends, and half the time I feel like societal pressures are contradictory. It's not worth it.

 

It concerns me just a tiny bit, sometimes I feel like I won't know when to stop buying dolls so eventually I'll just end up with eighty of them or something. I'm only really concerned about having so many dolls that I start to forget their names.

 

Nah, not really concerned about that xD But I do see why others would.

 

Since I don't give a rat's - butt about what other people think of me - nope, doesn't concern me at all. If people got a problem with me and my hobbies, it's THEIR problem, not mine.

 

LOL Why would I? People think whatever. I just don't care.

 

No. My dolls don't dominate my life or dictate my level of maturity, it's a hobby. My favorite hobby, that I am very invested in, but still a hobby.
Everyone around me that I care about and happens to know about my dolls, seems to see the art behind them and is supportive and nice, same as I am with their hobbies. It's not all that special actually. And aside from that close circle, I simply do not care about any random people's opinions.
Really, there's far more important things in life.

 

As an empty nest adult, I embraced my doll collecting with wholehearted enthusiasm. If anyone wants to label me as "crazy old doll lady" they have my blessing. The dolls are a hobby, just like the traveling and the sewing -- an enjoyment.

 

Yes. I have a bad habit of collecting things. Though there aren't many sculpts I like, I'll probably end up with a million clothes and wigs and accessories. I already own almost ten pairs of eyes but only three heads.

 

I completely understand worrying that you'll be labeled a "crazy doll lady." It's hard for me to share my enthusiasm since all of my friends think they're creepy and that I'm insane for spending so much on them. As I get older (I'm 38) I'm afraid people will think I'm using them as child substitutes, since I don't have any kids. I ALSO struggle with wanting a mature aesthetic life and a funky fun life, but I really think bjds are so beautiful and unique that they can fit into either category. I'm not so self conscious now that I'm older, and I don't care how crazy someone thinks I sound as I gush about my newest doll. It's just the stigma of things women tend to like that earns the "crazy" designation. Men can be completely obsessed with sports or cars or hunting and that's fine, but if you're obsessed with dolls, or fashion, or crafting (or cats) you're crazy. Try not to let it get to you!

 

I'm 37, and I still ask myself, "When am I going to feel like an adult? When am I going to have my life figured out?"
The short answer is, of course, never! Don't feel bad about your dolls. I know how important wanting to fit in and be what society considers normal seems. But remember that normal is pretty subjective. I used to be a lot more worried about how other people perceive me but I'm not really bothered now. Collecting dolls is a great way to express your creativity and people who don't understand that are usually pretty boring individuals, so don't give them a second thought If you're concerned you might go overboard with your collection, try setting some hard limits on what to collect and what to admire from afar. Or give yourself a dollar amount to spend on your hobby each month, or quarter, or year to keep from over spending. Also, a lot of BJD collectors have a one in one out policy to limit the number of dolls they have.

 

You're definitely not alone in feeling this way. Although I have been interested in this hobby since 2007 it is first now that I've had the courage to buy a doll. I'm very excited about getting her, but also kind of nervous. I know, that I shouldn't care about what other people think of me or my hobbies, but I still do. I'm also in my mid-twenties and have recently been diagnosed with avoidant personality disorder, and one of my main problems is exactly that. I care too much and I always let other people's opinion get to me. Of course it's something I have to work on (for my own sake), but I wish that people would sometimes acknowledge the struggle that others go through and accept that we're not all alike. Not everyone is brave and confident, and some people just have to work a bit harder to get there.
Also, it's okay to be insecure, and caring about what other people think is not always a bad thing - I'm sure it also makes you a very nice and considerate person, which I think you should be proud of I hope it gets better and easier for you with time and that you find some consolation here with all the other "crazy doll ladies"

 

I can never understand the mindset that dolls are substitute children. I've never had it said to me, thankfully. I've just read anecdotes. Still, I have to wonder whether people who say this are just not very involved with their own children. I mean, do they think a child is just a plaything to dress in cute clothes and show off to others? Or do they think that dolls require food and emotional support?

When I was your age, I think I might have been a bit more self-conscious, but now I don't care. Plenty of random people know I collect dolls and sew for them. I am an adult. I pay all of my bills. I go to work on time, I get my job done, I stay late, and when I get home, I get to do whatever I want. Sometimes that includes photographing or sewing for my dolls. Sometimes that includes having a few dolls sit next to me while I play a computer game. Sometimes it doesn't involve my dolls at all (and you can't ignore children like that without getting a visit from your friendly neighborhood social worker). I don't have to answer to anyone about what I do on my free time since I am hurting no one and breaking no laws. People who don't understand that likely have some insecurities themselves, since they are so concerned with what hobbies are "normal." They are in no position to judge you

 

I joke to people about being a Crazy Doll Lady already. :P

 

No, I'm not worried about that. I don't talk about my dolls all that much to my friends and family, not because I'm insecure, but because there really is no need. They know about my hobby, but they don't fully understand it and that's okay with me. We have many other interests in common we can chat about, so that's why it never really gets brought up much. I also collect Pokémon merch and other figures and have never been called childish or crazy by my friends or family. Even if I had been, life is too short to base your interests on what other people will think of you.

 

Adults have been collecting dolls for hundreds of years. In the 1700s wealthy people collected dolls dressed in fancy silks and lace. These were not children's toys, but dolls created specifically for the amusement of adults. Many of them were articulated so they could be posed, or had clockwork mechanisms that enabled them to do things like play musical instruments or sit at a desk and draw pictures. They were very popular in the Royal courts of Europe.
Also as early as the 11th century in Japan dolls were displayed in people's homes as part of Hinamatsuri, the doll festival. Not as children's toys.
There are many other examples of adults owning and collecting dolls throughout history. It's definitely NOT something to be ashamed of or embarrassed about.
Here's a history of dolls: Doll - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I do understand your feelings, however. I've collected other kinds of dolls in the past, everything from Barbies to antiques. I don't advertise the fact that I collect dolls. It's not that I'm ashamed of them, but it's because they are a very personal and private part of my life.

 

Nope, I really just do not care what people think of my life. They do not have to live it. Only I do, and therefore, my opinion is ultimately the only one that matters.

I enjoy my dolls. I enjoy collecting action figures and comics and art. I love my cat. If someone is going to try and shame me any of these things, they don't need to be in my life, and honestly, it just makes me think they must be awfully unhappy and unfulfilled with their so called normal lives to feel the need to attack mine.

 

I know how you feel... I'm ten years older than you and a single woman with cat - and lots of dolls. That doesn't at all fit in with what my family - and large chunks of society - think I should be. They make all sorts of assumptions (that I'm lonely, frustrated, a bit batty, wanting a child...) based on what they feel people should want or be, but that doesn't at all match my own experience. I am really happy as a single with cat and dolls and books, and I don't feel my cat, my dolls or my books substitute for anything else I may lack. They are what I want, and I feel balanced and contented. But that doesn't change the fact that I do wish people would stop making their silly assumptions. It would be easy enough for me to ridicule their choices, but I don't, because it's their life.

I'm not sure why it matters what people think of me when I feel good being who I am, but it does. That's tough sometimes. But it beats trying to be what other people think you should be and feeling miserable because of it. I tried it. It didn't work. I prefer being a doll-and-cat lady. It feels right.

Also, I'm not sure who established that seriousness and a total lack of imagination is compulsory to adult life, but whoever it was, I'm quite sure it never made them happy - or creative! No, really. On my best days I wear my mild eccentricity as a badge of honour.

 

I already am a crazy doll lady. I got about 10 dolls in less than 1 year. At the moment I'm just missing a cat, but I was thinking of getting one. I'll see how that goes lol.

 

The area where I live is pretty closed off when it comes to most things. So, whenever a friend of mine sees a picture of my doll online they instantly message me asking what it is and telling me that they think its a bit weird. Even my closer friends ask me in person about my doll and I like informing them about what the dolls are, but my friends still express that its out of their comfort zone. My boyfriend doesn't show much disdain for it, but he doesn't much encourage it or want to hear about it. My family doesn't understand it either, but they never really have understood anything when it comes to me. Lol So, with that being my every day experience with being in this hobby, I'm terrified of being labeled too.

To me, the dolls are not much different than the art or crafts I make. They are just another media for me. Of course, I love making little personalities for them and I easily bond. But I will certainly agree not everyone is going to view it that way and that its just fine. What is more important is that you enjoy what you're doing and everyone else can get over themselves. We all have little quirks and weird interests, so we should just embrace each other :3

 

Myself, I'm not in the slightest bit bothered by what other's think. I'm a single mother by choice - I have cats, dolls and three daughters. I dabble in an insane number of hobbies, most of them terribly old fashioned, and I have a pretty ongoing

But for you - I think you have to determine where you want to be. You've admitted to your insecurities; that's a big step in itself. But where to from here? I believe you need to find your comfort zone, explore it, expand it until you're happy with it. My comfort zone and yours and different - so is that of all the other people out there. Try to not get caught up in what other people are thinking and listen to your own feelings, not what you think some unknown they thinks. Denial of your own self - your feelings and comfort - will make you unhappy and frankly the anonymous 'they' will not respect you for that either.

 

I agree with everyone who said "crazy" is subjective. My daughter (13) got me into the doll collecting hobby, and then dropped out of it because she wanted to pursue her own thing. So I continued to get my own dolls and I enjoy them as I would enjoy a work of art. Since when was appreciating a work of art or sculpture considered "crazy"? Or even immature? If you want to display your dolls for others to see then think about investing in a beautiful glass display just to show and keep the rest for your eyes only.

 

Nobody seems to raise the problem of the job interview.
I have been asked what were my hobbies in past interviews. In fact, I have found some interviews particularly intrusive. I have many hobbies and, presently, do not see why I should mention them to an interviewer. The last time I did, I wasn't believed. Obviously, my disclosure did not fit the info that particular interviewer collected from outside and/or out-of-date sources. I find the 'what are your hobbies' a particularly damaging question, as the view the interviewer will have of you will often be based on a subjective evaluation. One interviewer thought the word 'hobby' was similar to: 'being very good at it' and 'one and only hobby'. He couldn't handle the fact that I could go from one hobby to the other and then back without a problem. It just didn't fit with his vision of the world.

The 'crazy doll lady' sticker is a pretty big problem in my view if you are of working age.

There is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about the hobby as said previously. But I wouldn't advertise it either.

 

There really are strict rules about what may be asked in an interview. If it isn't directly job-related, they're not supposed to ask about your age, your marital status, chronic physical problems, or personal life things. And if they do, a recent AARP article suggested turning the question back to relate it to whether or not it would impact your performance of the job. It's perfectly ok to just answer "I have a number of interests."

 

@hobbywhelmed, thank you!

 

idk, man, idk... the other day I was walking back home from school (driving lessons :P) and my neighbour was walking there too and so we talked a little and she just told me that yet another of my ex class mates (so a peer is getting married. In my village (it's very small and everyone knows everyone else there were 5 more kids with whom I was going to the same grade. Nowadays, they're all either engaged or just married already. And what do I have? dolls and school. Nevermind i'm doing my PhD and the 'school''s one of the best unis in my country and I also lecture there while most of my friends work in a supermarket/roadworks-kinda stuff, plus the dolls are 'adult collectibles/artist dolls' that most of them would never buy bc the price, but, man... I just feel like that one weird kid on my way to become that one weird doll lady. Forever going to school and playing with dolls, while other ppl already dealing with diapers, electricity bills, washing the dishes and all this adult stuff :3 Am I afraid of remaining that 'crazy doll lady'? Damn, yeah... not gonna lie

on the other hand... idk, but i'd rather have fewer problems throughout my whole life, and if already - problems such as 'omg my bjd hasn't arrived yet omg' or 'damn, these eyes totally don't suit her character, dammit!' than some real life stuff... As long as i'm not looking like a weird hobo, with doll parts hanged around my garden on the trees, and my house emptied, looking as haunted as that from Faulkner's 'rose for emily' etc... then i think it's alright-ish :3

 

I've always been a doll collector. I tried being 'too mature for it' for a couple years, and then developed a hardcore MH addiction. i was also avidly trying to customize other dolls into a fictional character I'd been fond of. I found the doll, but I didn't have a job, and iplehouse Carina was expensive. I see my doll stuff as an offshoot of my addiction to creative writing, which, I guess allows me to justify it. I don't fear being a crazy doll lady, cause I'm already a crazy writer, haha

 

I wasn't until I started looking at getting another doll while waiting for my first one to get in.... D:

 

Not really. I am who I am, and if someone doesn't like it, then they probably aren't worth me knowing either. I learned a while ago that life is too short to not do and be who you really are.

 

I can totally relate to feeling conflicted between "elegant and mature" and "this thing is so fun and cute!" Plus, I'm really small and young-looking, so I have to work harder to convince people that I'm a competent adult. I often worry about undermining all that effort with Disney jewelry or an oversized sweater...

What I've decided, though, is that it's not so much a matter of what you buy or do or wear, it's how you do it. Almost anything can be made to look elegant by the way it's cared for and presented (or, on the flip side, a lack of care can make even nice things look cheap and tacky). With enough confidence and poise, you can synthesize all sorts of things into the lifestyle you want.

As for dolls specifically, I might suggest putting careful thought into how they're displayed. Don't try to hide them or tuck then away in a corner; if you display them as worthy objects, I think people are more likely to accept them as such, compared to if they're piled somewhere in your room like common children's toys. If possible, get some kind of designated shelf or display case. If you don't have the space for that, then at least keep them clean, groomed, and un-cluttered.

It may not work for you, but that would be my style, anyway.

 

like many of you i don't care. it"s my life and my hobby and I should enjoy it. besides I think i have veried enough interests and many different things in my life that keeps me busy so all of my time isn"t devoted to any one thing. I wish I had more time actually!

 

Back when I first told my fiance that I wanted to buy my first BJD, I was scared. However, he didn't care. I should have known given his interest in things like Warhammer 40K.

 

I had BJD fever before I met my fiancé, and at first I wondered what he'd think of it. I did worry he might think I was crazy. But he bought me doll shelves and built me doll shelves and before I broke my camera, he used to go with me to parks to take photos of them. I've never felt like the stereotype, yet his aunt with a living room full of porcelain dolls behind glass thinks I'm nuts for having dolls I change and photograph. In the end, I can't care. My hobbies don't hurt anyone, and they make me happy, so that's that.

But...Maybe there is a line for the sake of comfort. I found that I did indeed have a limit to how many dolls I could actually handle and keeping the ranks within that limit just helped.

OP, I hope you can find the peace not to worry too much about what other people think of your pursuits and can be happy with your hobby. I can't offer much advice, but I have confidence you'll be fine.

 

Some of my friends definitely think it's a bizarre hobby and they just don't comment on it at all. Whenever I've made a tentative mention of my dolls they've just not reacted in any way. So I do tend to keep it a secret from most people as the likelihood of bumping into another BJD enthusiast isn't very high. However, I don't really care about people judging me, I just hate being met with those pointless silences. If other people have hobbies I'm not interested in I at least try to ask them questions about it so that they can talk about what excites them.

As far as my own self esteem goes, I don't worry about my interest in dolls. They're pretty and give me a creative outlet - there's nothing wrong with that. I'm more likely to become a fanatic old cat person In all seriousness though, creative play is for all ages, not just children. I will never understand people who have to cut the joy out of their life to feel like a competent member of society.

 

Nope.

My house is full of dolls, I bring dolls to work with me most days. I've collected dolls and bears for as long as I can remember. Anyone who knows me knows about the dolls.

Teddy

 

To be totally honest, I think I'm already there.

 

InkyBear, I think Cynthia in FlintHills put it the most eloquently. When you're in your twenties and still trying to find your place in the world and juggling responsibilities you've probably never had before, it's easy to be swayed by external forces. While it's not always a bad thing to look for guidance from others (though hopefully these are people you trust), also keep in mind what you want/need. There really isn't a straightforward or right way to becoming a functioning adult, so give yourself a little slack and have confidence that your interests are completely valid.

Kittzel also makes a very good point about how you present your hobby. It's basically faking confidence until you have it: if you act apologetic or ashamed, people will feel like they have a license to openly judge you; whereas if you act like it's perfectly normal and awesome, others will feel less confident about sharing their negative views, if they even have any.

Also, you might be interested to know that many of the world's most renowned designers (who generally aren't accused of being immature or un-elegant) played with dolls as a child and still do (though they might call it creative inspiration). I remember watching a video where the creative head of a major fashion house showed off his vintage Barbie and wardrobe with obvious pride and affection. Alexander Wang designs dolls in conjunction with Integrity-these dolls are geared solely towards adults; Karl Lagerfeld designed a Barbie that sold out pretty much immediately, and I have a feeling there were some pretty "elegant" people shelling out a pretty penny for it. I'm just saying there're probably people you admire (and might think project a very elegant presence) that collect dolls, and you just don't know it yet.

 

I am a crazy doll lady.

 

Not at all. I have loved dolls my whole life so far and will for the rest of it I am sure. It is part of who I am.

 

I am about 300% more likely to be a "crazy cat lady" than I ever would be a "crazy doll lady", so I've never even worried about. The important people in my life have no concerns with my hobbies (or my cats, for that matter), and they're the only ones whose opinion I'd care about. My mom, my grandmother, my husband, my friends - they all just want me to be happy and do what I enjoy. My best friend is the one who got me into BJDs in the first place.

 

Yes! But hey, if that's the way it's going to go, so be it. If you spend your life trying to maintain a facade for the neighbors, wow. What the heck kind of life would that be?
I'd much rather be a CDL than a hoarder, or animal hoarder, or any other horrible thing ie. drug addict, Satan worshiper I could think of.

 

Everyone is entitled to collect what they like. My mom collects glass figurines her friend collects TYs my fiance collect monster high dolls for faceups. Me I collect cute things! I too am in my mid 20's and from one person to an other Im leaving you with this advice "do you booboo", if someone does not agree with your hobby thats okay! If they start poking fun at you Thats a different story. Surround yourself with positive people choose your friends wisely. I have a friend who used to collect porcelain dolls but when I told her about my new BJDs I just ordered she said she grew out of that phase which was followed by why do you collect what you collect? my response was "Its what makes me happy i enjoy this about the hobby just like how(insert her hobby here) Brings you joy" showing someone confidence in your hobbies or what you do gives you respect and admiration. now every time I visit her she asks if my dolls are here yet and shes really supportive even if its not her thing. And were still best buds. Give it a go step out of your shell and dont be afraid of what someone else may think because at the end of the day it doesn't matter what they say, listen to you. Also, adulting is hard don't push yourself, at our age were not suppose to have all the answers we're still very new to the adult world. My mom said she didn't get it till she was in her late 40's lol

On an other note keep track of your collection and do some spring cleaning once in a while to prevent clutter there can be a balance with elegance if your space is tidy. =)

 

If you have no more space in your home to display your collections, then do not display them in your bathroom.

 

I have bjd and blythe and they are part of my bedroom decoration. I love it when I can look around and see so much beauty around me, it's awesome. I'm in mid twenties and I don't care what people would think of it. However I don't talk about them either, only to people I trust. So I guess I'm a bit insecure about it somehow.

If I'll become a crazy doll lady, ugh whatever so be it! Hahaha

 

Sounds wonderful to see your dolls before sleep.

 

concern me? I'd consider it more of a goal! I've always been eccentric though, I used to need to fit in and tried so hard during my elementary and early teen years but then I realized that it's my weirdness that I like. Sure, I enjoy having other people that also share my eccentricities with me but I definitely embrace it now. I am also in my mid-twenties.

 

No because it is one of many interests I have, I'm into my artwork, I like my music, I like anime and manga and I feel like doll collecting is in line with a lot of my interests and hobbies. I think I'm more likely to be known as a crazy creative.

 

I don't really care. If you're "weird," you're "weird" and thank god for internet because you will always be able to find your people hahahaha

.............and the enablers who talk you into even more dolls.....

My dolls are just an extension of my creative endeavours anyway. I can sew, I can paint, I can make wigs and style hair, and I'm getting into hat making!

 

I'm probably already going to be a crazy cat lady, so why not take the title of a crazy doll lady too?

 

I'm not concerned at all.
I really doubt that I'll ever get to the point of it becoming a real problem (although some people seem to think that by having one doll that was so expensive and buying her more than one outfit that I have already crossed that line).
If someone has a problem with my doll hobby and/or any of my hobbies or me in general then they are more than welcome to stop associating with me.

 

Nope, I'm way past the point of no return on that one! I started making cloth dolls when I was 11 and have been known to be eccentric even before. Everyone who knows me beyond just meeting me is pretty aware of my craziness for random things. Most of my friends are so accepting of it, I often forget that it's considered strange.