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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think its not weird to collect dolls at my age?

88 replies

AdriftOnMemoryBliss · 15/02/2016 21:06

I'm 35 this year.

I'm a big fantasy/fairy tale/magic fan, i love fairy tales and am a big fan of Alice In Wonderland and so on, this isn't a secret, i'm a hippy/goth/rocker and my house is full of dragons and fairies, there is even a massive sun catcher sticker on my front window of a dragon

I have started collecting some of the "Ever After High" dolls recently, specifically the Gothic style ones and ones relating to Alice in Wonderland. Yes i have watched the animated web series.

My friend called me weird because i asked DH to get me a couple as they're reduced from £25 down to £10 in Smyths right now, and he bought me Raven Queen and Kitty Cheshire.

She came over today and saw i had them, still in their boxes on a shelf and asked if they were for DD and offered to take them out for her.... i of course corrected her, told her they were mine and they were NOT being taken out of their boxes. The others i own are on a display shelf in my bedroom.

Apparently, its weird, and creepy and i should give them to dd to play with.

wth?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
Shesinfashion · 15/02/2016 21:52

Because it's weird. Why would a grown woman of sound mind push a dolly around in a pram?

user1455564583 · 15/02/2016 21:55

Because they want to?

Original poster
AdriftOnMemoryBliss · 15/02/2016 21:59

OddSocks, they'd have to actually climb on my chest of drawers to get to the shelf, its a really high display one!

I give up enough of 'my' things to them, so they respect the few thins i do absolutely ban them from touching!

OP posts:
LaContessaDiPlump · 15/02/2016 22:00

It's not to my taste op, and tbh the majority of people I know would find it a little bit of an odd hobby in an adult. However we would all have sufficiently good manners to not comment on the dolls in your presence or in a venue where it might get back to you.

This is a rather self-contradictory post but you did ask!!

Original poster
AdriftOnMemoryBliss · 15/02/2016 22:02

I don't like the reborn dolls, but i find lifelike dolls quite creepy and i never played with baby dolls when i was little either.

I wouldn't tell anyone else not to have them though!

OP posts:
BarbarianMum · 15/02/2016 22:04

Honestly - I think parents who don't share their toys with their kids are a bit mean. Thinking about my uncle who had the world's biggest, best, most exciting train set which was strictly and totally out of bounds to all children including his own. We weren't even allowed into the room with it Sad

InQuiteAPickle · 15/02/2016 22:09

I don't think it's weird, OP. They're really beautiful looking dolls, IMO. Sometimes I feel a bit sad that my DC aren't really into them.

My SIL collects coins, I think that's weird! She's probably a millionaire but has lots of "special" pound coins sitting in those display books not being spent! Shock ok, millionaire is probably an exaggeration but she probably has the deposit towards a house in those books Grin.

She often asks me to look out for a certain coin that's in circulation. Um...no. If I can spend it, it's getting spent - besides I need my change for the bus.

EssentialHummus · 15/02/2016 22:11

One of the great things about adult (working) life is the ability and means to indulge our inner children / teens in some way, sometimes. So much easier with a salary than pocket money! Crack on!

Original poster
AdriftOnMemoryBliss · 15/02/2016 22:12

Barbarian, i do mostly. but taking the dolls out of the boxes would spoil them, and bits would get lost.

the only other thing i have which they can't touch is my lego castle. Its a £100 set that's no longer in production, so if i lose bits i have to go through the faff of ordering them. They both have their own lego to play with, they don't need to be losing mine!

Everything else is fair game as long as they take care of it.

OP posts:
MetalMidget · 15/02/2016 22:15

I'm 35 and have a collection of a variety of Transformers, Star Wars and Marvel toys collectible figures...

wigglesrock · 15/02/2016 22:36

I think it's a bit odd, yes. But it's not my house, I don't have to admire them in their boxes not being used. It makes you happy, go for it but my initial feeling is one of oddness. I'm not sure so much if it's the actual dolls (they are nice, my 8 year old loves them particularly the Alice in Wonderland inspired ones), I think it maybe the whole idea of collecting things.

Onlytimewilltell · 15/02/2016 22:51

OP I love dolls and collected barbies as an adult before I had children , ( have probably about a hundred still in their boxes), I have a mad hatters tea party set !!
My 7 year old dd shares my passion and we have collected many monster highs and ever after highs. I bought myself a monster high doll which is still in the box. I'm 42.

shutupandshop · 15/02/2016 22:53

I have a reborn doll. Well I did until dd3 nicked it and changed its sex. I will have to have word with her about not rushing in and labelling toys kids as trans. Shock

BearFoxBear · 15/02/2016 22:55

Not creepy, but I think that collecting anything is weird. Why?!

TheNoodlesIncident · 15/02/2016 22:56

Shes I actually doubt she was "of sound mind". I do think that she had mental health problems. But why was her pushing a pram around with a toy in it doing anyone any harm? I'm not being snippy, I felt sorry for her and it seems a shame that people might label her creepy or weird when she's minding her own business.

Slightly off the the point of thread, sorry

SistersOfPercy · 15/02/2016 23:01

Adrift, I dress as a stormtrooper of a weekend so you crack on and do what makes you happy chick.

I try not to judge anyone for anything as long as it's not hurting anyone else.

BillSykesDog · 15/02/2016 23:05

Not weird, whatever makes you happy.

The only thing I would take issue with is having a shelf full of prominently displayed and attractive toys out where your DD can see them but her not being allowed to touch or play with them. I think that's a bit cruel.

Personally I would keep them out of sight until DD was old enough not to care. Otherwise it's like cooking a huge delicious feast to lay in front of someone who's nil by mouth. A bit unfair.

Alasalas · 15/02/2016 23:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Alasalas · 15/02/2016 23:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BlueMoonRising · 15/02/2016 23:31

YABU to think it's not weird - using the definition of unexpected or unusual. I suspect there is a small minority of women of your age collecting dolls.

But YANBU to collect whatever the heck you want to. It's your money, your space and your decision.

StitchesInTime · 15/02/2016 23:36

I can see how it might seem mean to have the dolls displayed where your DC can see them, but aren't allowed to touch them or play with them.

But as for the rest - collecting toys is not something I have any interest in personally, but there's no harm in it, and plenty of people have hobbies or collections that some other people might think weird. Try to ignore the disapproving comments from your friend and carry on collecting dolls if it makes you happy.

Those reborn dolls that are designed to look as much like a real baby as possible do creep me out though.

emilybohemia · 15/02/2016 23:37

It's not weird. I love Ever After High. I bought my daughter one for Christmas.

I wanted to collect Sindys and don't have the ones from when I was a child, so bought some from ebay to dress up and make clothes for, for me you understand. Sadly,my daughter nabbed them.

I make dolls, fairies and mice and have quite a few randomly sitting about the house. Some people probably think it's weird. Visitors have sniggered.

There are lots of people on flickr and instagram that collect toys that get it.

I would love a Blythe but my daughter would steal it.

StitchesInTime · 15/02/2016 23:42

SistersofPercy - we took the DC to a train museum yesterday, and there was someone dressed up as a stormtrooper wandering around among the trains, accompanied by a pair of rebel alliance pilots and (I think) a general.

SistersOfPercy · 16/02/2016 00:02

Not me stitches, but we do an event at our local steam railway in April. Did it last year, fully worth seeing the looks on the faces of the car drivers on the level crossings as a stormtrooper waved at them through the open window Grin

We do a lot of events and probably 90% of those are for charity so I do have a reasonable excuse.

Back on topic I rather like the ever after dolls myself. I was a big doll collector at one time with everything from blythe to pullip. I downsized a bit and sold the blythe (to buy part of a tie pilot) but I do still have about 25 pullips, though they are all boxed in the loft until I can bear to part with them.

glueandstick · 16/02/2016 01:43

Whatever makes you happy. Personally I can't stand collections of any sort as I hate clutter. The closest I come to that is a multipack of Sharpies.