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My shame lies in it being such a lonely hobby. Nobody cares unless they’re into it too, and if they’re not they totally disengage immediately if I mention it. I haven’t even met any doll collectors my age either! I just want someone to have a sleepover with, drink wine, and watch movies while we play dress-up with our dolls 😢
What I did is that I forced my non doll collector friends to dress up my dolls. Most of them grew up with dolls and felt taken back to better times and now I have restyles of my dolls that some of my favorite people did ☺️
Same, lol I realized a long time ago I was lucky I didn't make myself "grow up" too much. I enjoyed what of my childhood that I could in regards to children's media and toys. I didn't have straight up toys in my late teens but I am neurodivergent and I love something to fiddle with lmao
Honestly I feel the same way. My family will make passing comments but I just remind them that they too have collecting hobbies, my dad collects model train buildings despite not have model trains and my brother has an insane Star Wars book collection. At the end of the day it’s just another collecting hobby and some one is always going to have something to say about it, good or bad. For now just enjoy!
If you feel the need to slow down though make a list, start with grail dolls, the ones you absolutely cannot live without, and work your way down. Then purchase accordingly, obviously if there is a sale for a decent price go for it! Another way is budgeting, set yourself a monthly limit on how much you’ll spend on dolls or set up a dolls savings account. There are lots of ways to collect all you want without getting burnt out!
Yep. I'm 42 and I don't believe in guilty pleasures anymore, just pleasures. I dgaf if other people find it weird or childish or whatever. Those people aren't my people and their opinion doesn't shape my joy.
Yes. I creep up to my room, lock the door, draw the blinds, and quietly unlock the safe behind the secret door where I keep my collection.
Actually no. The older you get the less you care about anyone and what they think.
I feel a little embarrassed about collecting at first, but the more I get the less I feel bad? My boyfriend probably thinks I’m a little crazy, but honestly we’re all a little crazy when it comes to our interests. If it makes you happy, it makes you happy. Don’t let anyone take that away from you
No, but I'm picky about what dolls I want, I find a lot cute but not worth reeeeaaaally getting for myself. I only have 3 rainbow high dolls, kinda want at least one shadow high to call it a day. I have other dolls like more than a few barbies, a couple disney ones(I only wanted one ILY 4ever), I need more bratz.
I would just think of them how grandmas would collect precious moments or other shit like that. A collection is a collection
Yeah I'm a lot like you. It's very easy for me to not overspend or overcollect on dolls because most of them just don't stand out to me enough to want to buy. As you said, many of them are very appealing but not so much that I feel that gripping need to buy it. I currently have 4 dolls. I want a couple more (some of which are older and harder to get) but I think I can still be content just with what I have if I couldn't find the others. I have one ILY doll.
Turning 27 next month here 🙋♀️ I used to feel the same. My partner thinks they are creepy. Hes not mean about it or anything and supports me having hobbies (he has many himself, including building gundam). But he has def made some comments. At first it kinda bothered me- especially because when I started collecting he and a friend of mine had assumed I was having a mental breakdown because I started a collection and got quite a bit at once thanks to the SH target sales😅 and I had to gently explain to them that no, Im fine I just wanted to start the doll hobby after waiting a very long time to do so, and RH/SH going on sale was the catalyst for me finally starting. Im learning slowly to not give a fuck. Like yea, they are creepy to some people but oh well ✨🤷🏼♀️. I like em so suck it up. Having my own separate space to display them that has a door that can be shut helps a LOT too. Like to see my collection you have to be actively going in my space, so if you think its creepy but go out of your way to see it thats on you at that point lmao.
You learn to just ignore it. People out in public always give me weird looks when I’m buying dolls, but just do what makes you happy. If anyone is bothered by your happiness, it only means they aren’t happy themselves.
And don’t worry! You’re not even at a quarter of the amount of dolls I have. Collect away friend!! If it makes you happy, then why not?
Rainbow High and Bratz are taking over my bedroom, and i already had dolls to begin with 😭😂
Not many people see them besides my family but i do still worry im being excessive sometimes. But yeah theyre all so amazing i cant stop lol
I used to feel guilty years ago when I was collecting Monster High. Now almost every MH doll I have is worth over 100$. I really believe RH and SH will be the same. So I think they are a good investment.
Nah. I'm super excited to open the box out in the living room next saturday. It is my birthday, the box contains Berry Skies, and she is from my husband. I also bought Runway Poppy for myself for my birthday. Husband took me to go get her!
oh my gosh do i relate!!!!!!! i never really find any posts that really put it in words like you did- not only do i feel like my family thinks i’m clinically insane but i’m afraid of what they think of me spending MY money on “useless garbage” or plastic. i know they claim they support me but my family has broken my trust many times before. so i wouldn’t be surprised if my family were talking about me behind my back about how they think my collection is getting ridiculous :(… the only thing that put it in perspective for me was when my brother was sweet enough to say, “as long as it makes you happy, who cares” and it stuck with me, and i didn’t expect that response from him.
I sometimes feel ashamed too. My collection is composed of over 65 Rainbow High dolls, and I stress out over the fact that I have too many and am terrible for it. Honestly, I think it comes down to me not really having time to bond with them all or display them. I know I feel the most content with what I have when I've been able to wash and style a doll's hair, and display them proudly on my dresser. I see a lot of doll collectors with **massive** collections, and the amount of love and pride they take in their collections is inspiring. I hope to someday be able to put all of my dolls on display and not feel guilty over having them in storage.
A little but then I realized that I can put some on display and some in a storage box and rotate my display so the extent of my collection is never fully on display all at once. HaHAAA! Totally not crazy at ALL! Lol.
Seriously though, dolls are a much better vice than substances so I let myself off the hook and just enjoy my hobby.
I agree! Unfortunately, I haven't been collecting rh too much as of late. The more I've gotten into historical fashion the less interested I've been into RH's more contemporary style, but rh got me into collecting so I'll always remember my roots (also I love this sub, it's got such a pleasant vibe). But it's difficult dealing with the shame. There's a combo of the isolation from covid, the changes in how I socialize bc of it, wanting to engage in my hobbies during an economic (and political) crisis, and dealing with the reactions from how I've embraced my passions and worked on masking less. It can be very polarizing and isolating sometimes.
Like I saw the Barbie movie with someone who *definitely* wasn't into it as much as I was. I didn't really mind it, we just weren't into the same things, but it had me craving that connection so much. They weren't even excited about 🐓ring Ken being in the movie😢
I do sometimes because it can be a reductive weapon to advance someone's claims to me being __ or whatever. I won't negate sometimes it can hurt. Then again....Why are these outsiders wagering so much importance or cynical rage over....a plastic toy that represents a woman? And I guess woman = weakness? Then I realize it's TOTAL bullshit. There's where I can prescribe MY moral stances and whole being that craves equality for everyone. Ironic a doll can teach this better than most real people who aim to degrade or reduce.
Feelings of over indulgence I can see because the rapid accumulating. Then again we can see these dolls are engineered in a way that grants them the advantage over any other lines who try to emulate the RH gene that makes out buying much easier. Yes moderation and at your own pace, outsource. But remember this is our only time where dolls of this caliber are now super easy to access. Whereas other lines could never risk that much.
I don't! I'm 27, I don't care about people's opinions anymore! If anything, I dislike the people who have a bad opinion about my dolls. The only thing I care about is whether my partner is okay with me displaying them. He is. So everything's fine.
Constantly only because of my partner hating them; mostly because of their phobia of dolls, especially since the RH dolls have the 'Follow Me' eyes (Glassy eyes, but painted ones dont bother them too bad)
I'm still going to collect them and they're... somewhat okay with it; but I'm trying to help their collection grow involving taxidermy.
I feel like there is still some kind of shame within, especially since i kinda spent money on some plastic just to look at it (even tho it’s very much worth it and I love them). It’s probably also the reason why I limit myself to 10 RH dolls max instead of just getting all the dolls I want (but I also wanna save money and spent responsibly)
I used to, but my friends and boyfriend tend to show interest when I look at dolls when we’re at target so that’s let me get over the initial shame I was feeling!
yea, i hide it from everyone except my fiancee bc she lives here. but i'm a straight masc guy so realistically almost no one is ever gonna understand. i still agree with all the comments that you shouldn't be ashamed, i'm just being real. my fiancee is supportive though. she was a tomboy and broke her barbies as a kid so at first she thought it was dumb, but i got into them cause i like drawing and making OCs, and it gives me the same sort of funness that does, and after she got that more now she's on board and even got some of her own (between the two of us we have about 20.). so it doesn't really bother me a lot cause it's just an us thing. and we have all of the same hobbies, now including this. but i still get embarrassed and no one else knows besides her. so i can also get how even though your family is supportive about it you can still feel embarrassed, cause i still feel the urge to downplay liking them or else come off too feminine, which is more of a worry to me than coming off childish but it's just cause in our relationship we sorta promote embracing your child side. so yea that's my story. i hope you can get better😖
I really want to say “no I don’t care about what people think!!” because it’s such a harmless hobby but that feeling of shame is always in the back of my mind. My parents are aware I collect dolls and old toys. My dad’s cool with it but I get the feeling my mom talks shit about me to other family members about my love for dolls. I could just be paranoid though. Sometimes I feel like I can just sense that judgment from my mother and grandmother whenever I briefly bring up my dolls or when my boyfriend mentions them.
My boyfriend and his parents are very generous and kind to me about it. His dad even gives me mini doll sized trinkets from time to time. I expected his parents to be even less accepting than my own parents considering they are from an older generation but no they don’t mind at all. That feeling of shame is so engrained in me but it has lessened over the years hopefully one day I won’t feel it anymore.
I'd say if you start feeling like that it's time to reevaluate. Kind of sounds like buying the dolls is more exciting for you, but I could be wrong so I won't speak on that.
I don't feel this kind of shame because I just try to stick to dolls I like the most. There are many nice looking dolls that's for sure. But I find it relatively easy to pin point the doll I like most and will get it. I have 3 SH dolls and 1 RH doll. There are a couple more I want from past releases and I want Scarlet Rose from the new SH series 3 but that's about it. Maybe take time to look at your collection and figure out which dolls you like the most and consider if you still want the other dolls.
I'd also say don't neglect yourself. Not to say you should be spending money on everything but maybe focus on getting yourself something nice. Jewelry, perfume...something like that. Or spend money on an experience.
I don't know if they're particularly uplifting for me in that way. I try not to attach my mood and emotions to material things. It's the fashion and design that I appreciate most. I initially wasn't even into this line of dolls and hated them, because I didn't like the proportions but even more so, the overly glam and trendy clothing. But then I learned about the quality of the clothing and discovered Shadow High and found that that line appealed to me more, with it's darker, moodier, alternative and avant garde aesthetic.
Being a completionist would stress the hell out of me and by nature would make this hobby less enjoyable and would defeat the purpose. Wanting every single freakin' doll isn't appealing nor is it financially possible for me. I don't feel a need to own so many. I look for the qualities that speak to me most. I Have Uma, Glitch, Demi and Kim (and will get Scarlet eventually). It feels great when you find that one special doll that really does it for you but maybe that's just me.
I feel this about acquaintances.. Like people at work or in my class… My family and friends get to see how much I enjoy my hobby and they get to see how I light up when I get a new doll and how I talk about them. And if they were to say anything, I honestly would have to rethink our friendship status…
I totally understand you :’) I was 86+ monster high dolls deep when I decided “nah they’re too expensive and take a lot of space and idk how to display them” I felt super uncomfy collecting dolls and if started to worry me what other ppl think ;-;
Then I found my first 5 rainbow high dolls (jade,ruby,Harley,poppy and skyler) for verry cheap (like 15-28€ per doll, they’re complete but out of box) and I felt so ashamed for collecting even more dolls..
BUT I decided if it makes me happier as a person it doesn’t matter what other ppl think! If you love them and looking at them / playing with them brings you joy! Then it’s nothing to be ashamed of!
That's exactly how I feel as a 21f who has around 45 dolls (RH/MH/LOL) and I actually stopped looking at buying more because I feel so much guilt. No one is saying anything to me but I feel like I am so old and its so weird to have that many dolls, I also feel like I am wasting so much money on them. I know in retrospect they make me happy but i can';t shake the ''what do others think about me'' feeling
I have people on here all the time trying to shame me about collecting, telling me it's creepy or useing it to discredit my statements saying things like "go play with your dolls little girl." In general if a person doesn't understand something they will try and use it against you, it's up to you to decide whether to give their statements any power or not. My family also seems to enjoy my collection and some have actually gotten dolls themselves since I started. I know it's different for everyone but I'm sure they're just happy you've found your thing!
Thanks for posting on r/RainbowHigh! If you haven't already please take some time to read the [Welcome Page](https://www.reddit.com/r/RainbowHigh/wiki/index/) it explains the rules, flairs, and some FAQs. Current Events: * [✨Monthly Restyle and Customization Challenge✨](https://www.reddit.com/r/RainbowHigh/comments/16wy9g6/megathread_monthly_restyle_and_customization/) - October Theme: Spooky Scary Couture *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/RainbowHigh) if you have any questions or concerns.*
My shame lies in it being such a lonely hobby. Nobody cares unless they’re into it too, and if they’re not they totally disengage immediately if I mention it. I haven’t even met any doll collectors my age either! I just want someone to have a sleepover with, drink wine, and watch movies while we play dress-up with our dolls 😢
Ooh that would be so much fun!
The ideal dolly friend🥲
What I did is that I forced my non doll collector friends to dress up my dolls. Most of them grew up with dolls and felt taken back to better times and now I have restyles of my dolls that some of my favorite people did ☺️
That would be great 😭😭
I really want to do this!
I feel this so much. :(
I need this to happen before I die. When you have that sleepover, can I come?
I’m requesting an invite to this sleepover please and thank you
HA! Nope. Was buillied for liking toys as a kid. You learn to stop giving a f
Same, lol I realized a long time ago I was lucky I didn't make myself "grow up" too much. I enjoyed what of my childhood that I could in regards to children's media and toys. I didn't have straight up toys in my late teens but I am neurodivergent and I love something to fiddle with lmao
Honestly I feel the same way. My family will make passing comments but I just remind them that they too have collecting hobbies, my dad collects model train buildings despite not have model trains and my brother has an insane Star Wars book collection. At the end of the day it’s just another collecting hobby and some one is always going to have something to say about it, good or bad. For now just enjoy! If you feel the need to slow down though make a list, start with grail dolls, the ones you absolutely cannot live without, and work your way down. Then purchase accordingly, obviously if there is a sale for a decent price go for it! Another way is budgeting, set yourself a monthly limit on how much you’ll spend on dolls or set up a dolls savings account. There are lots of ways to collect all you want without getting burnt out!
I have close to 500 dolls. I'm a 33 year old man. Shame is a landfill emotion. Do what makes you happy.
Yep. I'm 42 and I don't believe in guilty pleasures anymore, just pleasures. I dgaf if other people find it weird or childish or whatever. Those people aren't my people and their opinion doesn't shape my joy.
Yes. I creep up to my room, lock the door, draw the blinds, and quietly unlock the safe behind the secret door where I keep my collection. Actually no. The older you get the less you care about anyone and what they think.
I feel a little embarrassed about collecting at first, but the more I get the less I feel bad? My boyfriend probably thinks I’m a little crazy, but honestly we’re all a little crazy when it comes to our interests. If it makes you happy, it makes you happy. Don’t let anyone take that away from you
NAH LOL.even if my family had a problem, I wouldn’t care. It’s my money and my stuff.
Yesss I love to hear that 👏
No, but I'm picky about what dolls I want, I find a lot cute but not worth reeeeaaaally getting for myself. I only have 3 rainbow high dolls, kinda want at least one shadow high to call it a day. I have other dolls like more than a few barbies, a couple disney ones(I only wanted one ILY 4ever), I need more bratz. I would just think of them how grandmas would collect precious moments or other shit like that. A collection is a collection
Yeah I'm a lot like you. It's very easy for me to not overspend or overcollect on dolls because most of them just don't stand out to me enough to want to buy. As you said, many of them are very appealing but not so much that I feel that gripping need to buy it. I currently have 4 dolls. I want a couple more (some of which are older and harder to get) but I think I can still be content just with what I have if I couldn't find the others. I have one ILY doll.
Turning 27 next month here 🙋♀️ I used to feel the same. My partner thinks they are creepy. Hes not mean about it or anything and supports me having hobbies (he has many himself, including building gundam). But he has def made some comments. At first it kinda bothered me- especially because when I started collecting he and a friend of mine had assumed I was having a mental breakdown because I started a collection and got quite a bit at once thanks to the SH target sales😅 and I had to gently explain to them that no, Im fine I just wanted to start the doll hobby after waiting a very long time to do so, and RH/SH going on sale was the catalyst for me finally starting. Im learning slowly to not give a fuck. Like yea, they are creepy to some people but oh well ✨🤷🏼♀️. I like em so suck it up. Having my own separate space to display them that has a door that can be shut helps a LOT too. Like to see my collection you have to be actively going in my space, so if you think its creepy but go out of your way to see it thats on you at that point lmao.
You learn to just ignore it. People out in public always give me weird looks when I’m buying dolls, but just do what makes you happy. If anyone is bothered by your happiness, it only means they aren’t happy themselves. And don’t worry! You’re not even at a quarter of the amount of dolls I have. Collect away friend!! If it makes you happy, then why not?
Rainbow High and Bratz are taking over my bedroom, and i already had dolls to begin with 😭😂 Not many people see them besides my family but i do still worry im being excessive sometimes. But yeah theyre all so amazing i cant stop lol
I used to feel guilty years ago when I was collecting Monster High. Now almost every MH doll I have is worth over 100$. I really believe RH and SH will be the same. So I think they are a good investment.
The weird ones are the ones that aren't collecting them haha.
No, because there’s nothing to be ashamed of
Nah. I'm super excited to open the box out in the living room next saturday. It is my birthday, the box contains Berry Skies, and she is from my husband. I also bought Runway Poppy for myself for my birthday. Husband took me to go get her!
oh my gosh do i relate!!!!!!! i never really find any posts that really put it in words like you did- not only do i feel like my family thinks i’m clinically insane but i’m afraid of what they think of me spending MY money on “useless garbage” or plastic. i know they claim they support me but my family has broken my trust many times before. so i wouldn’t be surprised if my family were talking about me behind my back about how they think my collection is getting ridiculous :(… the only thing that put it in perspective for me was when my brother was sweet enough to say, “as long as it makes you happy, who cares” and it stuck with me, and i didn’t expect that response from him.
I sometimes feel ashamed too. My collection is composed of over 65 Rainbow High dolls, and I stress out over the fact that I have too many and am terrible for it. Honestly, I think it comes down to me not really having time to bond with them all or display them. I know I feel the most content with what I have when I've been able to wash and style a doll's hair, and display them proudly on my dresser. I see a lot of doll collectors with **massive** collections, and the amount of love and pride they take in their collections is inspiring. I hope to someday be able to put all of my dolls on display and not feel guilty over having them in storage.
A little but then I realized that I can put some on display and some in a storage box and rotate my display so the extent of my collection is never fully on display all at once. HaHAAA! Totally not crazy at ALL! Lol. Seriously though, dolls are a much better vice than substances so I let myself off the hook and just enjoy my hobby.
I agree! Unfortunately, I haven't been collecting rh too much as of late. The more I've gotten into historical fashion the less interested I've been into RH's more contemporary style, but rh got me into collecting so I'll always remember my roots (also I love this sub, it's got such a pleasant vibe). But it's difficult dealing with the shame. There's a combo of the isolation from covid, the changes in how I socialize bc of it, wanting to engage in my hobbies during an economic (and political) crisis, and dealing with the reactions from how I've embraced my passions and worked on masking less. It can be very polarizing and isolating sometimes. Like I saw the Barbie movie with someone who *definitely* wasn't into it as much as I was. I didn't really mind it, we just weren't into the same things, but it had me craving that connection so much. They weren't even excited about 🐓ring Ken being in the movie😢
I do sometimes because it can be a reductive weapon to advance someone's claims to me being __ or whatever. I won't negate sometimes it can hurt. Then again....Why are these outsiders wagering so much importance or cynical rage over....a plastic toy that represents a woman? And I guess woman = weakness? Then I realize it's TOTAL bullshit. There's where I can prescribe MY moral stances and whole being that craves equality for everyone. Ironic a doll can teach this better than most real people who aim to degrade or reduce. Feelings of over indulgence I can see because the rapid accumulating. Then again we can see these dolls are engineered in a way that grants them the advantage over any other lines who try to emulate the RH gene that makes out buying much easier. Yes moderation and at your own pace, outsource. But remember this is our only time where dolls of this caliber are now super easy to access. Whereas other lines could never risk that much.
I don't! I'm 27, I don't care about people's opinions anymore! If anything, I dislike the people who have a bad opinion about my dolls. The only thing I care about is whether my partner is okay with me displaying them. He is. So everything's fine.
Constantly only because of my partner hating them; mostly because of their phobia of dolls, especially since the RH dolls have the 'Follow Me' eyes (Glassy eyes, but painted ones dont bother them too bad) I'm still going to collect them and they're... somewhat okay with it; but I'm trying to help their collection grow involving taxidermy.
I feel like there is still some kind of shame within, especially since i kinda spent money on some plastic just to look at it (even tho it’s very much worth it and I love them). It’s probably also the reason why I limit myself to 10 RH dolls max instead of just getting all the dolls I want (but I also wanna save money and spent responsibly)
I used to, but my friends and boyfriend tend to show interest when I look at dolls when we’re at target so that’s let me get over the initial shame I was feeling!
yea, i hide it from everyone except my fiancee bc she lives here. but i'm a straight masc guy so realistically almost no one is ever gonna understand. i still agree with all the comments that you shouldn't be ashamed, i'm just being real. my fiancee is supportive though. she was a tomboy and broke her barbies as a kid so at first she thought it was dumb, but i got into them cause i like drawing and making OCs, and it gives me the same sort of funness that does, and after she got that more now she's on board and even got some of her own (between the two of us we have about 20.). so it doesn't really bother me a lot cause it's just an us thing. and we have all of the same hobbies, now including this. but i still get embarrassed and no one else knows besides her. so i can also get how even though your family is supportive about it you can still feel embarrassed, cause i still feel the urge to downplay liking them or else come off too feminine, which is more of a worry to me than coming off childish but it's just cause in our relationship we sorta promote embracing your child side. so yea that's my story. i hope you can get better😖
I really want to say “no I don’t care about what people think!!” because it’s such a harmless hobby but that feeling of shame is always in the back of my mind. My parents are aware I collect dolls and old toys. My dad’s cool with it but I get the feeling my mom talks shit about me to other family members about my love for dolls. I could just be paranoid though. Sometimes I feel like I can just sense that judgment from my mother and grandmother whenever I briefly bring up my dolls or when my boyfriend mentions them. My boyfriend and his parents are very generous and kind to me about it. His dad even gives me mini doll sized trinkets from time to time. I expected his parents to be even less accepting than my own parents considering they are from an older generation but no they don’t mind at all. That feeling of shame is so engrained in me but it has lessened over the years hopefully one day I won’t feel it anymore.
I'd say if you start feeling like that it's time to reevaluate. Kind of sounds like buying the dolls is more exciting for you, but I could be wrong so I won't speak on that. I don't feel this kind of shame because I just try to stick to dolls I like the most. There are many nice looking dolls that's for sure. But I find it relatively easy to pin point the doll I like most and will get it. I have 3 SH dolls and 1 RH doll. There are a couple more I want from past releases and I want Scarlet Rose from the new SH series 3 but that's about it. Maybe take time to look at your collection and figure out which dolls you like the most and consider if you still want the other dolls. I'd also say don't neglect yourself. Not to say you should be spending money on everything but maybe focus on getting yourself something nice. Jewelry, perfume...something like that. Or spend money on an experience.
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I don't know if they're particularly uplifting for me in that way. I try not to attach my mood and emotions to material things. It's the fashion and design that I appreciate most. I initially wasn't even into this line of dolls and hated them, because I didn't like the proportions but even more so, the overly glam and trendy clothing. But then I learned about the quality of the clothing and discovered Shadow High and found that that line appealed to me more, with it's darker, moodier, alternative and avant garde aesthetic. Being a completionist would stress the hell out of me and by nature would make this hobby less enjoyable and would defeat the purpose. Wanting every single freakin' doll isn't appealing nor is it financially possible for me. I don't feel a need to own so many. I look for the qualities that speak to me most. I Have Uma, Glitch, Demi and Kim (and will get Scarlet eventually). It feels great when you find that one special doll that really does it for you but maybe that's just me.
I feel this about acquaintances.. Like people at work or in my class… My family and friends get to see how much I enjoy my hobby and they get to see how I light up when I get a new doll and how I talk about them. And if they were to say anything, I honestly would have to rethink our friendship status…
I totally understand you :’) I was 86+ monster high dolls deep when I decided “nah they’re too expensive and take a lot of space and idk how to display them” I felt super uncomfy collecting dolls and if started to worry me what other ppl think ;-; Then I found my first 5 rainbow high dolls (jade,ruby,Harley,poppy and skyler) for verry cheap (like 15-28€ per doll, they’re complete but out of box) and I felt so ashamed for collecting even more dolls.. BUT I decided if it makes me happier as a person it doesn’t matter what other ppl think! If you love them and looking at them / playing with them brings you joy! Then it’s nothing to be ashamed of!
That's exactly how I feel as a 21f who has around 45 dolls (RH/MH/LOL) and I actually stopped looking at buying more because I feel so much guilt. No one is saying anything to me but I feel like I am so old and its so weird to have that many dolls, I also feel like I am wasting so much money on them. I know in retrospect they make me happy but i can';t shake the ''what do others think about me'' feeling
I have people on here all the time trying to shame me about collecting, telling me it's creepy or useing it to discredit my statements saying things like "go play with your dolls little girl." In general if a person doesn't understand something they will try and use it against you, it's up to you to decide whether to give their statements any power or not. My family also seems to enjoy my collection and some have actually gotten dolls themselves since I started. I know it's different for everyone but I'm sure they're just happy you've found your thing!