BlytheLife.com opened in July 2010 and is a blog and resource hub for all things Blythe!
Explaining the costs of Blythe to a Muggle
Written on April 6, 2012 at 12:00 pm by MichelleFiled under: Musings
I had this conversation with one of my sister’s friends recently. She had joined our family out for lunch because she and my sister had choir rehearsal afterwards. I had one of my Blythes with me in a carry bag and she had asked what was in it. So I showed her the doll that I had with me (a certain mouse doll) and then she started asking more questions about Blythe.
- What’s so special about them?
- How many do you have?
- Where did you get them?
- How much are they?
I explained the history and the eye mechanism (she thought the pinks were a bit “odd”). I have eleven. I mentioned getting them locally (Sophie was bought in an actual shop!), online, having them bought for me in brick-and-mortar shops overseas. And then I explained the overall range of prices. Which led to even more questions.
“Well, you said some people customize them, or whatever, why couldn’t you just get one doll and change her face whenever you want? Or put different hair on her?” which was followed by “What’s the most expensive doll that you have that isn’t a Kenny doll?”
Kenny doll. Oh bother.
Like parents do with their kids, I showed her photos of my Blythes on my phone. She didn’t really “get” the differences (probably hard for Muggles to tell from just photos anyways). And then there was the comment of “I think the newer ones look a lot better than the old ones. The old ones have more issues, why wouldn’t you just get the newer ones without flaws?”
She did seem to like Eden (Punkaholic People) though. And she did like the photo that I had of Mollie (Simply Sparkly Spark). But other than that, she seemed to think the rest were a bit too similar (EBL = SBL = RBL in her mind; Kenners were too ratty looking, hah).
Muggles.
I have been asked before why I don’t “just make one of those dolls”….um yes let me fire up the plastic molding system out in the garage. O_o.
Ugh, this just happened at work with one of my husband’s coworkers (which made it weirder, because I don’t want anyone thinking we’re rich or anything…we aren’t)
Luckily the boy had an expensive pair of sneakers on, so comparisons were drawn…lol!
I find there’s always something comparable with every one I’ve talked to, whether it’s expensive shoes, video games, instruments… etc. Most people’s first reaction seems to be along the lines of “OH MY HOW EXTRAVAGANT AND UTTERLY UNLIKE ANYTHING I WOULD DO” lol, which is actually rarely true.
Example: a lot of people I’ve met at uni spend more on alcohol a month than I do on dolls, but somehow this doesn’t count in their minds. I just feel secretly superior and frugal :3
I agree with Alice about the saving money on drinking.
My mum actually said once that she could make a blythe for me, out of material, because “Its just the big eye thing right?”. I think she is a squib now, she makes clothes for my doll.