2023/02/25
Tips for Buying Doll Clothes
Preface
This section has been reworked a bit. My personal doll photo shoots and products used have been moved elsewhere. If you know, then you know. lol
Now this section will just have general guidance for buying clothes for your own doll.
Shopping for doll clothes and dressing them is really fun. I like to take pictures of my doll in cute outfits.
This year, I have started to take my doll photography more seriously and do it when I can. I'm not a professional and just take the photos with my phone for now. I retouch them in Photoshop to get rid of some of the crappy quality.
I tend to stick to Amazon because the delivery and return process is worry free if you're a Prime member. However, you can find affordable doll clothes in thrift stores and online stores such as Shein, eBay, and Aliexpress.
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Tips for Shopping Doll Clothes
• If you're a beginner, shop only for clothes that have a size chart available if the store you're using has no easy returns. When you buy a doll, the measurements of the doll should be on the page. It is a good idea to keep measurements such as the bust, waist and height handy, preferably written down somewhere.
• I recommend sizing up with children's clothes but you will tend to stick to size x-small or small (even this can be too big, depending on the clothing article) with adult clothes on small dolls if those can even be worn by your doll.
• I recommend sizing up with children's clothes but you will tend to stick to size x-small or small (even this can be too big, depending on the clothing article) with adult clothes on small dolls if those can even be worn by your doll.
• Cheaper children's clothes tend to come in Asian sizes, usually labeled as 110-150. For example, my 133cm doll should use size 140 clothes. 130 clothes will be too tight on him.
• For every day socks, I recommend white non-binding Diabetic socks for women, as these tend to be smaller. These are the ones I use in size 9-11 for my doll. Pull them all the way up so they don't bunch up.
• You should be careful with clothes that have binding elastics and not leave them on your doll for many hours. It can cause an imprint on the material, which is sometimes permanent. Yet non-stretchy clothes can be difficult to put on dolls, too. You should remove the head for an easier time. You should be wary of tight fitting bras, as well. Feel free to get whatever clothes you like but also keep in mind the limitations of dolls, as their skins can't heal like ours.
• Dark or black clothes can stain your doll, whether TPE or silicone. You can avoid many headaches and staining by just treating clothes with Retayne, though. It makes fabric prone to bleeding retain its color after a treatment. If you screwed up and didn't have Retayne, staining can be remedied by bloating the area with oil (only TPE dolls) or some doll shops sell stain remover, though it's very expensive. If you own a TPE doll, you should test the clothes on a TPE block that was hopefully included with your doll order.
• I keep my doll mostly in a baggy t-shirt made of cotton when not shooting photos. This way no imprints on the materials are caused by the clothes.
• For every day socks, I recommend white non-binding Diabetic socks for women, as these tend to be smaller. These are the ones I use in size 9-11 for my doll. Pull them all the way up so they don't bunch up.
• You should be careful with clothes that have binding elastics and not leave them on your doll for many hours. It can cause an imprint on the material, which is sometimes permanent. Yet non-stretchy clothes can be difficult to put on dolls, too. You should remove the head for an easier time. You should be wary of tight fitting bras, as well. Feel free to get whatever clothes you like but also keep in mind the limitations of dolls, as their skins can't heal like ours.
• Dark or black clothes can stain your doll, whether TPE or silicone. You can avoid many headaches and staining by just treating clothes with Retayne, though. It makes fabric prone to bleeding retain its color after a treatment. If you screwed up and didn't have Retayne, staining can be remedied by bloating the area with oil (only TPE dolls) or some doll shops sell stain remover, though it's very expensive. If you own a TPE doll, you should test the clothes on a TPE block that was hopefully included with your doll order.
• I keep my doll mostly in a baggy t-shirt made of cotton when not shooting photos. This way no imprints on the materials are caused by the clothes.
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Doll Photography Supplies I Use
Budget Ring Light
What I Personally Use: GearLight 10 inch Ring Light
I don't have a lot of room, so this small light is what I have to use. I recommend pairing this with an overhead light, which I sadly don't have at the time. If you have no other light source in your room, like me, this small ring light will not fully get you clear pictures but provides acceptable results which could later be improved in Photoshop. It's simply not strong enough to get rid of all graininess from a dark room but the compact size is great for tight spaces and I do plan to pair this later by installing an overhead light. I found it works best when it's very close to the doll and slightly overhead.
If you have a big room, you should get a more professional photography light instead. They're a lot bulkier and stronger.
Tapestry Clamps
What I Personally Use: Classy Clamps Wooden Quilt Wall Hangers
These are used to hold up the backdrop of my doll photos. They're easy to install and can be done by one person, though certainly easier with another one.
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