Do you prefer overflowing shelves that fill your home or a modest collection of special favorites? Certain species, colors, materials, types, or time periods? Handmade OOAKs or mass produced? Specific hair colors or outfits? Are you loyal to certain companies/artists or do you prefer a bit of everything? Has your collecting style changed over time? Tell me all about it!
I've never been picky about sticking to certain brands, companies, or even styles. My first love as a doll collector was Pullips but I dove into Jun Planning Ai dolls, Dollcena, Blythe, Susie Sad Eyes, and Pullip pretty much all at once when I first got into dolls. For years I never so much as looked at a modern playline doll. Liv was pretty much the beginning of the end for me and for years I focused on modern playline dolls. The best part? I don't even like Pullips at all anymore! I think they're extremely overpriced and not at all worth it even though I once dreamed of completing a 20+ Pullip wishlist. As you could probably guess from that wishlist, I'm not big on teeny tiny collections :P
This year I decided to stop with modern playline for the most part because of the rampant quality issues and degradation. I find it hard to pay for dolls that are falling apart before they leave the factory when so many dolls from the 50s and earlier are still in amazing collecting condition today. There are a few brands I still actively collect, like Cutie Pops and the retro re-release Strawberry Shortcakes, and I may pick up a few randoms here and there but in general I'd rather buy vintage or high quality modern dolls now.
Until last year it was all about articulation for me. I wanted the best articulation, the most poseability, the prettiest joints, the most potential. Cutie Pops in '12-13 warmed me up to the idea of looks over articulation but I was still drooling over those prototypes with elbow joints. I planned for last year to be the year of Monster High but fell head first into American Girl instead. You can't really get much less jointed than that! I don't know what it is but I just find myself so enchanted with them. I can't get enough!
As far as specifics go, I don't really care all that much. I prefer to limit blondes to as few as possible but that's about it. I'd be happy to add any doll I love to my collection no matter who he or she is, even if they're blonde! However I'd be lying if I said I didn't have some obvious preferences. Redheads totally have my heart because they were almost completely nonexistent when I was a child. The variety of beautiful, natural redheads (and some of crazy "obviously dyed" shades) is just amazing! One day I'd love to have a shelf just for ginger dolls of all kinds.