I’d like to preface this entry with a minor disclaimer: I don’t own any doll that were released with cardboard accessories. I just have opinions about them, like many others in the Blythe hobby.

Stock cardboard accessories first made their existence known with the release of Nekugutsu, the Middie with mushroom-printed cardboard purse, back in early 2013. Since then, cardboard accessories have been regularly included as stock items with the dolls. From the Sherlock Holmes-inspired Lorshek Molseh’s pocket watch and magnifying glass to Lydia Green’s suitcase, cardboard items are not restricted to only Middies as Neos are also being released with cardboard accessories as well.

This leads to guessing by community members about which cute item in promotional illustrations are made of plastic or cardboard. This also leads to sighs of relief when real promotional photos of Charlotte de Fleurs were released with what is not a cardboard flower in her hair. Have we all become accustomed to seeing cardboard accessories on the dolls that we’re suddenly happy and ecstatic when a doll doesn’t come with a cardboard accessory? To say nothing about the longevity of the pieces themselves – having accessories made out of plastic would increase the playability of the items, make the more durable and less easily damaged by stress (e.g. folding) or a spilled cup of coffee.

Is an increase of items with the doll an added value to the Blythe itself when the pieces are made of cardboard? I look back to the earlier releases of EBLs and SBLs when some dolls came with two pairs of shoes and two outfits, yet were not astronomically priced upon release. Having extra clothing items is an added value, for sure. Having two pairs of shoes? Awesome! Having a cardboard crown that you can bend out of shape and crease by looking at it funny? It may look great for a few photos, but it can be easily damaged and then it is no longer a great stock piece because you wouldn’t be using it anymore. Is that value added to the stock Blythe, or should there be more substance to the stock accessories?

I find that one of the best ways to avoid shopping on forums (and Etsy shops, and eBay) for new dolly clothes is to start shopping – in what I already have! Sometimes dresses can get tucked away under other dresses and be ‘lost’. When you unearth them it’s a little like finding something new again. That and making new outfit combinations with a handful of items means more mixing-and-matching (gotta love separates!) and less spending money.

Tights are fantastic and can add a great *pop* of colour to an outfit. Using existing items – like stock from dolls that you don’t use often, can be mixed and matched with newer items to make them ‘fresh’ again. Like that fur coat that came with Cappuccino Chat? Bam, new again. And why not? It’s a well made piece of stock that goes quite under-appreciated. Like most doll collectors, I own a fair bit of doll clothes. And like quite a few Blythe collectors, I keep the stock items that my dolls come with. Sometimes I even seek out items that come with other dolls. Knowing that I’m bad about letting dolls go, it would be a very expensive option to go ahead and buy all the doll that are released with great stock just to get a hold of their outfits on the idea that I would be able to resell the dolls afterwards (most likely, they would become permanent members of the household).

What I’d like challenge you all to do is to consider what’s the least worn item, and try to build an outfit around that. For me, it would probably be the Love Mission police outfit. I rarely use any of the pieces, so I decided to utilize the pants and the shirt-and-tie. Pairing them up with a different pair of shoes (remember, LM came with both heels and loafers!) and a different jacket, it’s possible to put together new combinations all the time and it makes for a fun exercise for making something ‘new’ from the old.

From head to toe, I’m going to be sharing the wardrobe staples that are used on a regular basis within my doll family. Staples to me means things that can go well with many outfits, can be classic designs that won’t go out of style (but it’s dolls, so who cares?) and mostly solid colours. Not that prints or designs can’t be wardrobe staples as well, but solid colours tend to go better with more things (such as black or white). Here are some of the things I’d come up with!

Basic black helmet (or hat). Just something good to travel in, it helps keep the bangs in check and the hair from going every-which-way when your plastic sidekick is in transit.

Solid colour tops – including shirts and cardigans/sweaters. We like a “classic” look here, so a white collared shirt and a cute cardigan is the way to go.

Jeans. Jeans, jeans and more jeans. Notice I’m not showing you dresses or skirts. I wear jeans on occasion and they are fantastic for just looking smart from day to day. Dark coloured ones are best to add to this ‘staple’ collection. (Please, for the love of all things Blythe, do not leave dark coloured clothing on your dolls for long periods of time or have on dark coloured denim on them without tights/leggings on first. Blythes can stain! Don’t put on a pair of jeans at the expense of her legs!)

Now shoes. We all know that I love a good pair of doll shoes. Today is no exception. I utilize the plain, solid-coloured ones the most because black and white go with so very much but never under estimate the beauty of a good pair of brown, yet detailed boots. The brown ones are stock shoes that came with Monique Magnifique and they are darling and I love them. I want a pair for me. And being brown in colour, they can go with quite a bit!

These are just some of the wardrobe staples that exist in my dolls’ ever-expanding closet! What are some of the staples in your dolls’ closet?

Besides weight loss, smoking cessation and the goal of not eating out as much, one of the common resolutions that people make for the new year is to be more organized. I am no exception when it comes to that one because I do want to become more organized and be able to find things a little easier. One of the areas that I wanted to organize a bit more were my doll things – the dolls themselves, clothes, shoes and accessories. Now the shoes were fairly well organized to begin with, I use plastic boxes that have built-in partitions to keep the pairs of shoes grouped together so it’s already easy for me to find full pairs at a glance.

I buy my plastic boxes at a chain craft store – you can find similar ones at different shops (hardware shops, dollar stores, other craft stores). I always wait for a sale though, unless you’re in a hurry you can always wait for a sale. I believe I got these at 50% off, so they came to under $1.50 before tax.

The clothes for my dolls typically live in two plastic drawer sets. Each drawer holds different things, and to keep things even more organized, I keep clothing sets and clothes made by the same designer in plastic bags. I picked up drawer sets at a hardware store and resealable plastic bags at a dollar store. Keeping like-items in bags makes it easier for me to dig through the copious amounts of doll dresses and it makes it easier when I get the urge to dress a bunch of girls in clothes by the same designer.

I want to further organize things. I have a small collection of eyechips that haven’t been given to a particular doll yet, and customizing items for the small pangs I get towards the notion of attempting to customize a doll. Plus I really want to start building up a wardrobe for my solo Middie, so I plan to get another box (not a full set of drawers…) for Middie items! Because I really don’t want to mix in Middie things with full-sized Blythe items.

A lot of people keep things a little bit more organized than me – I’ve seen those gorgeous shelves with dresses on real 1:6 sized hangers hanging on rods like a closet. That’s a little too organized for me, I’d much rather just be able to grab and go when it comes to dressing the dolls that I have.

My best tips: get boxes, or drawers, organize items with other like-items, remember where they are kept and always, always remember to put them back where they belong as not doing so it the best way to mess up the system.

Little ornaments on the small fibre optic tree… Christmas cards on the table… There was going to be two dolls in the photo, but honestly, nobody else wanted to wear a bath-puff dress. The bodice is made out of felt, I took apart the bath-puff to use as a skirt – I can’t tell if it’s too puffy though. But I do love the little hair-clip hat. Too adorable (and only $2!). I’m going to be borrowing it for a Christmas party next week.

I will, however, be on the lookout for a more traditional tree on Boxing Day this year. Something that can handle ornaments, for one, and is closer in height to the Blythes.