Tips for Starting Pullip Collectors!

I have always wanted to write a post about starting a Pullip collection and to share all the things that I have learned so far. Getting into a new hobby can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to dolls and their many varieties. So this post will be particular about Pullips and hopefully you will fall in love with them just as much as I did!

A Short Introduction to Pullips

Pullip is a fashion doll on a 1/6 scale, her height is 27cm, and she has a proportionally larger head, which is on a 1/3 scale. You can change her hair, since she is wearing wigs, and she comes with an eye mechanism, which allows her to look from side to side. You can also change her eyechips to customize her even further. She is distributed by Groove Inc. in Japan and licensed by AGA in Korea. This year Pullip is already celebrating her 15^th anniversary with a special exhibition in Yokohama. In the last 15 years Pullip has had four body types and three different face molds. Every release, except if they are a special limited edition, is available for a while, but there are no permanent models. From time to time sold out dolls will be rereleased, but there is never a guarantee for that. The number of yearly releases varies, but you can always stay on track by checking out Groove’s blog! It will also tell you about the other so called ‘Groove family dolls’, who are Pullip’s boyfriend Taeyang, Pullip’s brother Isul and Taeyang’s sister Dal. In the past, there were also releases of Pullip’s daughter Yeolume and Dal’s best friend Byul, but they seem to be discontinued now. Next to stock dolls, there are also many talented artists all around the globe, who create fabulous custom dolls!

The Face Up is Key

When I started looking at Pullip dolls, I definitely was blended by lots of accessories and did not really grasp the importance of the face up yet. I was too afraid to change anything and was pretty sure that I would keep all of my dolls in their original stock. That being said, it took me a few months to realize that there are so many fun ways more to enjoy the doll hobby. And slowly, after changing their outfits first, wigs and eyechips followed. The one thing that stays the same, is the make up – which is why I completely recommend you to google a Pullip’s face up before purchasing first!

The example that is on my mind the most, is when I got my first Pullip doll Alice du Jardin Mint. I had done lots of research first and I have read everywhere that her whole stock was of the highest quality. While I still absolutely agree that Alice du Jardin Mint is a very high quality girl, after a few months I knew that I wanted to change up her style and make her more like my own doll. Luckily, her sweet and coral themed make up is very versatile and goes very nicely with her new blonde wig and pink eyechips. I only recognized her full potential after I had already purchased her, which was pure luck. Nowadays I check out the face up first and foremost! When a new girl gets announced, no matter how beautiful her stock, I immediately study her face up and contemplate, if she would bring something new to my collection.

Check Out A Doll’s Availability

I would highly recommend you to visit an online store that sells Pullips and to check out, which models are available right now or which dolls are low in stock and on the brink of selling out. In general, I would always recommend you to go with the girl that you like the most, but it is never wrong to know about recent Pullip models and about the dolls that are a bit older. The online store I would recommend the most is Pullip Style, the biggest Pullip supplier outside of Japan. For your first doll, I would also recommend you to go with a doll that is readily available, since it can be way more expensive to get a Pullip model that has been sold out. Especially since some sold out dolls get rereleased from time to time and will (most likely) be back to their old pricing. If you are interested in other Pullip sellers than Pullip Style, you can also click here to read an article on where to buy Pullip dolls!

Don’t Be Too Careful With Your Pullip

I know how that sounds: You are investing in a beautiful doll and then you are supposed not to be careful with her?! That is not, what I mean. I only want to encourage you to check out your doll’s poseability, since it was one of the things that I was afraid of the most. The type 4 stock body seems pretty fragile and many folks prefer to rebody their dolls onto an obitsu body. Still, you can make some super cute poses with your stock body. The things that scared me the most, were that I had no idea that Pullip’s hands were removeable and that their hips tend to shriek, when you move their legs upwards to get them into a sitting position. In short, I would say: Don’t be afraid to gently try to play with your doll to learn about all the posing abilities of the stock body!

Have Fun!

Ideally, your dolls should make you happy! You should be able to look at your dolly display and appreciate their beauty with joy in your heart! Collecting dolls and loving their beauty, is a very whimsical hobby, which is just what I love about it! It does not matter, if you collect Pullips to display, style or photograph them. As long as you are happy and you find out, what you love to do the most, there is no wrong or false in collecting. There are so many people, who love Pullip dolls out there, so don’t be shy and connect with fellow collectors out there! I was super lucky to have found amazing new friends through my hobby and sharing a passion of yours, is an experience that I would not want to miss for anything in the world!

I hope that this post was helpful and if you are interested in customizing your dolls, you can click here for my guide on how to change Pullip plastic eyechips and here for my post on how to change the rubber eyechips on older Pullip models!

Are you thinking about getting your first Pullip doll? And if you are already a collector: Who was your first girl? Thank you so much for reading!

Theri