Figuring out what doll size suits you.

Honestly, I have broken every rule I ever made about size. I made arbitrary rules at first to keep my collecting in focus: no dolls bigger than minis first, then no dolls over 60cm, no dolls under 26cm, no big elves, no mature minis, etc. I am a sucker for a pretty face (or sometimes a strange face) and have decided that all sizes suit me. The upside of this is that whatever doll I may buy, it will fit in somewhere. I regretted my indecision when I first started collecting dolls, but now I'm very happy with the ones I have. They really don't have to match each other; all that matters is that I really love them.

 

I started out with no rules or thoughts on restricting myself to one size. I had dolls of all different sizes on my wishlist. Then I saw my friends SD sized boy and realized that, in general, that size is just too big for me. My current wishlist is now exclusively MSD sized dolls.

All of that said... I just put in an order for a Soom Amber. So not MSD sized. Hahaha! I really think though that Amber will be the exception that proves the rule in my case.

I think that seeing, getting to hold and play with other people's dolls will help you figure out which size doll you prefer.

 

I just went through the process logically.

1. I would lose a Puki. I really would. So no, even though they're easy to travel with.
2. Tinies would be hard to sew for, and that's one of the main reasons why I bought a BJD. Easy to travel with. Not realistic proportioned.
3. MSD, easier to sew for, harder to travel with than Pukis and tinies, but easier than SDs. More realistic proportions than tinies.
4. SD, expensive, easier to sew for, hard to travel with, realistic proportions.

That's all my opinion, but deciding was just easy for me. I always see scuplts and go "Man, I wish that was MSD size..." but it isn't, and I'm sad for a bit, but we all can't get what we want always.

 

its not like i recommended this but small size are maybe better for starter ~
because i've seen many people bought a SD size for the first doll and its HUGE! and they can't handle it so they decide to sell it

though like linakauno said i also have broke rule once saying that for first doll i'm gonna get MSD size and end up getting SD17 size

but for most people these days just go with the doll you love , not because the outfit that doll wearing in display , no because the wig , not because the face up but because the 'face' ~

and its fine if you planning to get another size of doll like from SD to YoSD like that as long you love the doll ~

 

When I first decided to collect BJDs, I made up a back story (I chose the actual sculpts according to how well they could cosplay different anime/fantasy characters - more than just one, BTW). Anyway, I needed little kids, school-age kids, teenagers young & older, young adults & more mature adults.
Therefore, I'm getting all sizes (except the really tiny ones, & the ones sized out of synch, like Soom 51s). All sizes, ages etc

 

When I was buying my first doll I was mainly concerned with his face being as beautiful as I wanted it to be. I had no idea just how large 70cm was! At first I found him a little hard to handle and difficult to dress. But since then I've gotten nothing but 1/3 dolls because to me they suit me better, usually having more mature and adult bodies and faces than smaller dolls.

 

I gravitate towards smaller dolls because I simply don't have anywhere to put large dolls. Besides, I'm used to 30ish cm dolls. However, I don't like child dolls at all, so my options as to mature-looking dolls in 1:6 scale in resin are, understandably, rather limited. I don't know why there aren't more 1:6 resin BJDs, unless it's a stigma against "fashion" dolls. But hey, the original Super Dollfies were just large-scale versions of 1:6 dollfies, which were anime-themed dolls inspired by Western fashion dolls, so...*shrug*

I covet a ToYou Sara. Just sayin.

 

I started with a 70cm doll, and when I got him, I was surprised how big he was! But I have to say, I've grown to like the larger sizes more, not less. I've had the opportunity to see and handle smaller dolls, but as it turns out, I really prefer dolls that have more.. doll to handle! I've also found them much easier to sew for, and I'm pretty sure they're easier to paint on. Their weight has never bothered me, either, although EVERYONE else that has held them says they're too heavy. (I wanted to add this opinion because it's pretty much opposite to everyone else I've heard from.)

For a first doll, though, you might want to consider get a somewhat standard sized doll, since it'll make it much easier to find things for them, especially if you're on a budget.

 

It can't be said enough -- if you have a chance, go to a doll meet. Nothing quite beats the experience of hands-on interaction with various doll sizes if you've never had the chance to do so before.

I did mine via trial and error, really. My first two were minis, so I figured I'd stick with minis. Then I found an SD-size I REALLY WANTED. I'd been going to local meets, so I knew just how big those suckers really were; when I got a chance to have some hands-on time with a friend's 70cm Dollshe boys I knew that size was juuuuust a bit too big for me. I eventually sold off my first mini, and now the bulk of my collection is SD-size just because the sculpts I like happen to be SD-size. So much in this hobby is trial and error; you get what you think will work, then you find out there's something else you like better, and so forth and so on. Dolls, doll sizes, wigs, eyes, clothes, you name it -- it happens with everything. Don't worry about it and roll with what you really want.

 

I have to agree with Tez. A Dollmeet would have saved me time/money. I've got three of different sizes, pukipuki, msd, and 65cm SD (who I just received today!) but if I'd seen an SD in real life, I probably wouldn't have started off with a Pukipuki, which would have saved me money even though I love him! It's commonly said, but I think it really is true when every says that you don't really know just how big or small a doll is until you actually hold it in your hands. :/

 

Doll meet, doll meet, doll meet! As people have already said here, being able to interact with all different sizes really does help! At my first doll meet I was able to interact with everything from a Pukipuki to your average sized SD and pretty much all the types in between. It was then that I realized I will never limit myself to size, but you might be different. It really does help to see them in person--I know that I myself was still shocked at the sheer mass of my Angelheim 70cm boy having not seen anything bigger than an SD!

 

I own SDs, MSDs and tinies.
My first was SD size and I like that size. But I like my other BJDs just as much.
Every size has its pros and cons, I think.
For example, I find it's easier to make clothes for SDs, but MSDs and tinies are easier to carry.
And for taking pictures I think every size is good to work with.

 

I made up my mind that I always wanted SD or larger. Nothing else.

However, as time went by, I realized that SD were heavy, expensive to cloth (I'm super picky), hard to find nice furniture for that was within my price range, hard to bring to meets and the size didn't necessarily make them better than other dolls. I'd gotten it into my mind when I was a newbie that since they were bigger they were obviously better and more prestigious.

Now I'm getting out of SD and into MSD. I used to have no interest in dolls MSD size or smaller but since it isn't hard to find mature minis now I am sold. I don't think I'll go much smaller than MSD, but who knows. Tastes change.

 

When I first had contact into the hobby I was looking at MSD sized dolls a lot. For some reason I was sucked into the fact that they looked mature ish but not too "old". I guess I wanted a doll that looked similar to my age, plus I like to visualize things so I got a measuring tape and measured all the dolls I thought look nice out to see their height. Over the course of researching and looking at other companies and dolls I cracked and died, the tinies sucked me in. They just had really adorable faces and I couldn't resist. That's how I ended up with my first doll, though I think he's more realistically proportioned than most Tinies, IMHO.

I'm glad I got a smaller doll, he's fairly easy to take around the house (and maybe in the future out of the house) as I like to drag him almost everywhere with me. That, and I wouldn't have room for a bigger doll at the moment.

 

I started out thinking that SDs would be "too large" for me, so I only collected minis. Then I got to hold an SD at a meet, and finally got my own.. and realized that SD and up is the only size I really enjoy D:

I don't like tinies at all, and I don't really like the size of minis.. though I would never sell mine and still love them, I would probably never get a new one. I only collect dolls in the SD size range now - usually around 63cm (my shortest SD is 56cm, my tallest is 65cm).

Oops. Live and learn~

 

When you started this hobby and found a doll you liked, how did you figure out what size doll you liked?

I just bought a doll I really liked. It happened to be a 60cm boy. I felt I'd just keep to that size for the clothes. Then---
And, have you ever found a doll you wanted when you first joined the hobby then suddenly said, "You know... I want another doll size."
Then-I found a doll in a larger size I liked. And then one in a smaller size!
If so, did you kind of regret it after you got a different doll because of it's size and not just how really cute it was to you?
I have never regretted a purchase of a doll except once and that was because of the doll not its size. That doll didn't look like the promo pictures at all and I was disappointed but traded.
Interesting thoughts.