How you respond with public opinion about your dolls?

[twinage]

To all owner of doll in here
There must be a moment where you want to bring your doll to somewhere with you, with lot of different reason as well. I want to ask specifically about when you bring your doll in public place like airport, station, park, etc (not related with anime, doll convention or meetup)
I'm thinking to bring my doll for vacation and there will be flight. I want to bring my SD doll as carry-on but bringing 2 bags is not my cup of tea. Most people will suggest the L position in hand bag where the head will be seen. But I'm a bit afraid if people see with negative looks like 'She is a grown up but still bring dolls??' or 'Omg, that girl is crazy to bring such scary doll!', something like that. I can ignore one, two negative looks and opinion but if I become a spotlight (in bad ways) I don't think I can show my face to the world anymore

Now, I want to know if like how you shrug off such negative comment or looks like this in public place. Please tell us your experience about this matter especially if you're a pro in bringing dolls everywhere (especially big ones like MSD or SD)

[Tealove]

I would think most people would assume its none of their business and not care. Airports are busy places and they want to be on their way. Others will probably think it's for a kid. Adults lugging around children's things isn't that unusual. I would just be honest and say you collect. I've been embarrassed at a convention with the regular hotel guests from all parts of the world asking what was going on when they saw my dolls. But they were just curious after all and no one said anything derisive. In fact, I got compliments. I was blushing anyway. Haha. I think when people go out of their way to talk to a stranger, they don't suspect you're all that strange. Otherwise, they wouldn't make eye contact in the first place.

edit:
Oh, it just occurred to me that you might want to protect your dolls face anyway. It would be horrible if it got scratched. Plus, a thief might notice that you're carrying an expensive doll around.

[SetsunaKou]

Hmmm, every time we've brought our SD/70cm or any dolls out in public, we only ever get compliments and questions on how what they are, etc. People are always very interested in them in a good way, and really seem to love the dolls/want one of their own!
Once we explain what they are, they ask how they're made and what we did to them, etc. Everyone has always been extremely polite, and friendly and interested! I've never had any negative comments anywhere about the dolls. In fact, quite the opposite!

Everyone loves big dolls because they are so unique and rare. It's like a special item they'd not see anywhere else, so they're interested in everything about the dolls.

We've brought them to restaurants, car dealerships, department stores, libraries, trains, outdoor street/parks, and more. Everyone always wants to know more about them, smiling and happy and interested. Never with strange glances or derision.

I think if you don't try to hide the dolls, people are more comfortable because they feel you are comfortable, too. At least, that's our experience.

We just cart them everywhere and don't even try to hide or subdue them. ^^;;

[Siead]

standard response to being asked about any hobby:
after first negative comment: "while i respect you can have your opinions, i don't want to hear them"
second: "why are you still talking?"
repeat #2 until they give up or i walk away.

[K2!]

Too old for dolls? Something to think about (but not for very long!):
How many grown men "play" fantasy football?

[twinage]

Maybe this happen because different geographic location? Not too sure but once, I have read a thread about BJD owners in the country I'm going to visit, diccussing similar topic to this one. From what I read, there is 10x negative than the positive

And they're local who live there, already know how to cope with the situation. But me as a newbie, still can't hold much pressure...

Too old for dolls? Something to think about (but not for very long!):
How many grown men "play" fantasy football?

This is true lol!

[Alopecia No Hime]

I've brought my dolls out with me on different outings..From going to meet ups where last time we had a lot of questions and people taking pictures but nothing bad...Well except for the first time I took Avalon out of the house and was carrying him in his bag out and someone asked me what it was...I let them see and explained but then my mom blew up at this woman...Turns out she was just trying to peek inside my bag because she wanted to check if I was stealing stuff.. It was disheartening but I didn't let that get me down..Next store was WalMart and me and my mom freaked out one of her co-workers we ran into here...(We told them about Avalon's doll bits. >w> She flipped) Next few times was fun since it was to Big Lots and Fabric stores..Meet ups..Michael's..I took Kazumi since if she fell it wouldn't be that bad.

[MitisFeles]

I've brought with me in public here in italy only my smallest dolls (Yukina, my 11 cm Obitsu, Faye, my 27 cm Obitsu, and Iris, my Liv hybrid) and if someone managed to see them, they was mainly just curious. Anyway, I don't feel really at ease carrying my dolls around and I usually at least wrap them in some soft cloth if I have to take them with me.
I don't know how people can react to a big doll head peeking from a bag... but it's true that airports are full of busy people that will mainly mind only their own business. You can wrap your doll in cloth, it will give at least some protection and not only from unwanted glances.

[Iwa_Hoshi]

Dolls tend to attract attention wherever they go. I tend to pass mine off as a photography project model because thats excatly what they are when I'm shooting outdoors. When they ask I would only explain them as customisable dolls with a certain range in value depending on material and company as well as where to get them online.

However I'm not comfortable with people wanting to carry my dolls, partly justified when it comes to kids who can't really hold up my 1/6er long enough (I was watching the kid's arm coming down and hoping that Kula won't break her wings before I even test it). And mainly they're still my property and not an interactive exhibit

So far i only took my 1/6er overseas in their carrier bag. But as long as you don't behave suspiciously, you should be okay.

Oh and be wary around kids, some of them will try to grab your dolls

[Kirahfaye]

I rarely take any of my dolls out in public where there aren't other doll collectors in attendance. The exception would be a con where, while not common, they are easily accepted or when I get with members of my local group for an occasional outing (like meeting for lunch).

We used to meet at a library where we were fine having people come into the room and ask questions about our dolls. However, at no time, whether in the library, at a con or out and about do we allow anyone, adult or child, to touch our dolls. If someone asks or makes a move to pick up a doll, they are politely told that is not allowed. Then we discuss the hobby and make sure parents understand how delicate ball jointed dolls.

This goes for fellow doll collectors, also. Even having been friends with at least a dozen of the members of the local group for years now, we all respect each other enough to not touch one another's dolls without asking permission first - even if it's one for sale. I remember being horrified last month when, after looking as some LTL face plates a friend had for sale, several of them slipped off the tray they were on as I passed them back to her. Thankfully they were all fine, but that's just the kind of thing that worries me about handling another person's doll.