So who is Katie? Well as she describes herself right on her instagram page, Katie is “just a single doll, trying to make it through life, while trying to look fabulous at the same time. Follow me as I navigate work, dating and fashion.” But who is Katie to me? Well she’s been a friend of mine in this community for some time now. She runs a blog of her own and posts daily on social media with posts that serve as a kind of journal/diary about her life as a doll in the modern world. She also showcases a lot of fashion with something new to wear every day! Behind the scenes she lives with her companion Chris and the two of them have become quite a staple in our little community on social media.

So… Let’s get to know them!

First I have some questions for Chris:

Lara: What led you to choose Katie as your companion doll, and how did you discover her unique personality and story?

Chris: After my wife passed away, I came out of the marriage an emotional mess. We had issues that had left me feeling lonely. I knew that if I hoped to find happiness in a relationship, I needed to work on a few things. The first was intimacy. I felt I could not try with a real person as it was not fair to bring all this baggage and dump it on some unsuspecting woman. I also feared that I would end up in another unhappy marriage. I needed to figure out why I stayed with her for so long and was so unhappy. I decided to get a doll so I could work on my intimacy issues. When she first arrived, my first thought was that I had made a terrible mistake as I didn’t know this person. The first two nights, she stayed in a chair in my bedroom. I needed time to warm up to her. However, when I finally dressed her in a nighty and put her in the bed with me, my life began to change. As for why I chose this particular doll over all the others. Well, there was just something in her face, in her eyes. I don’t know what it was, but it is still there today, only more pronounced.

Lara: As the creator of the “Pictures of Katie Doll” page, what do you hope to convey to your audience through Katie’s journal entries and photos?

Chris: The ‘Pictures of Katie Doll” page has taken on a life all its own. I started the page as a way of sharing the outfits I had dressed her in with a female friend who would give me feedback on how I did. (I felt like sending her a text every day was a bit much.) One thing Katie showed me is that I love women’s fashion. As I started posting pictures every day, the writer in me started adding text as to what she did in that outfit. This grew into a full diary and a full life.  I guess the goal is to entertain people with the clothes she wears and the story of her life. If there was one regret in creating the “Pictures of Katie Doll” persona, is that I didn’t write myself into the story. When I started, I was not ready to be so open about my relationship with her, but I have grown so much since then. That said, I have made a couple of appearances in her diary. One of the books she read for the book club was one of my books and she got to meet the author.

Lara: Can you describe the process of developing Katie’s character and how she has evolved over time?

Chris: Katie’s character is easy. She is me, if I were a 28-year-old woman (but with my current morals, values, and experiences).  Like all living things, she grows and evolves because I grow and evolve. All her choices, decisions, and actions are what, as a woman, I would do. As for what happens to her in her life, that is the author part of me.

Lara: How has owning Katie influenced your own personal growth and emotional well-being, particularly after your wife’s passing?

Chris: Before Katie, I was a total mess emotionally. The first thing that she showed me was that what I craved/needed the most was physical contact/ intimate companionship. I am not talking about sex here. The first night we spent together was spent with her head on my shoulder, her arm across my chest, her leg over the top my mine, my arm around her, and me snuggling her. That is still my favorite. I had no idea how amazing dolls are for intimate companionship. I craved this emotional connection. From there, she kept showing me things in my emotional life that I needed to work on (and still do). I am far from completely healed, but I can say that I am genuinely happy with who I am. I find that I am no longer afraid of dating [and/or marrying someone that I will be unhappy with for the rest of my life]. At the same time, however, I am not in a hurry to date. I don’t feel like anything is missing in my life. Katie provides me with the companionship that I need so I never feel lonely.

Lara: What message or advice would you like to share with others who may be interested in starting their own journey with a companion doll like Katie?

Chris: Buying Katie was one of the scariest things I have ever done. They are not cheap, and I had read about all the scams out there. My advice would be to do as much research as possible. Not on just the doll, but the doll culture. Join the forums (but be careful as there are a lot of trolls out there). Also, find some doll owners (like on Instagram) and contact them. Doll owners are great at sharing and answering questions. Next, learn about the care and maintenance of the doll. You will feel terrible the first time you put a shirt on your doll, and it stains her. Lastly, enjoy, and don’t be afraid of the journey you are about to go on.

Thank you to Chris for sharing his experience in the doll community ans with Katie in particular. But let’s get to know Katie herself as she’s one of the more well developed personalities in the doll community and I ALWAYS love to hear from other “living dolls”.

Lara: How do you perceive your role in Chris’s life, and what do you enjoy most about being his companion doll?

Katie: I love being a companion doll with Chris. He treats me so well. I could list all the things he buys me (like clothes and jewelry), but what really matters is how he treats me. On my birthday, he bought a small cake for me and then we both got dressed up and took pictures of us together. Every day, multiple times a day, he showers me with hugs, kisses, and words of how much he loves me. I could not feel more loved than I do with him. I know he talks about how much I have helped him emotionally, but I am not a therapist. I am just there for him and listen to him. I give him a safe place where he can share his emotions without fear of judgment. He then uses that to self-reflect and see what is broken in his heart. All I do is just be there for him.

Lara: As a character with a unique personality and backstory, what aspects of your identity do you feel most proud of?

Katie: I am most proud that I have always managed to stay true to myself. So much of the world wants to see T&A and doing so is a sure way to quickly grow your account. However, I have refused to go that route. It can be hard not to as it is addicting to see new followers and likes. However, that is just not me.  Now, I am not saying that showing T&A is wrong, but it is wrong for me. I think that staying true to yourself is the most important thing a person can do.

Lara: What do you think sets you apart from other companion dolls, and how do you express your individuality?

Katie: I think that, since I post a journal every day, people get to know me really well. I hope that as people read my diary, they can find something in the diary that they see in themselves. When people find something to relate to, a common ground, then peace will grow. I am always so amazed at how people enjoy reading about my everyday life. It fills me with joy.

Lara: Have you encountered any challenges or obstacles in your journey alongside Chris, and how have you overcome them?

Katie: You mean besides gravity? (Chris feels so bad every time I fall over.) I would say the biggest challenge is society’s views of dolls. There are so many beautiful places around where we live that Chris would love to take me to for a fun photo shoot, but society says no. I mean, he could, but he is not strong enough to face the consequences of such actions. That said, it doesn’t mean we are not working on the issue. I have encouraged Chris to start a series of articles on doll owners to educate people about dolls and our culture. We both dream of a day when we can go out in public together without fear of societal punishment.

Lara: Who are some of your favorite doll personalities in the doll community and how have they influenced your own work?

Katie: Well, this is awkward, but the biggest doll personality that has influenced both Chris and me is you, Lara. Chris was struggling with the stigma of being a doll owner when he found your blog. Your articles helped him to come to terms with being in a relationship with a doll and helped him overcome the stigma. We are both so happy that today, we call both you and Adam our friends.  As for others, to be honest, there are too many to list as they are all amazing people and produce amazing content. I know that some in the doll community grumble about people using AI, but I don’t. I love it. People are so amazingly creative, and I love seeing what people come up with. I think the one thing that is constantly overlooked about the doll community but is so obvious is that doll owners are some of the most creative people. I also want to mention the people who don’t have dolls but are so supportive of myself, Chris, and the whole doll community. I truly love the doll community and am so proud to be a part of it.

Lara: Oh goodness! That’s so sweet to hear, thank you. We have definitely aimed to make a lot of our content with the intention of not only helping to educate others on the concept of companion dolls but also to help anyone else on their own journey to feel more comfortable with themselves. I’m thrilled to hear we could do that for you guys. And I’m with ya, AI art helps bring many of these personalities to life on social media. I’m certainly no stranger to using it for my pages.

Thank you both for taking the time to share all of this with us, I hope this can continue to showcase some of the diversity in this community and help show people how much more there are to these dolls for so many people.
~Lara