What "should" I collect

You collect what you are drawn to, what inspires you or influences you or makes you happy.  I have a rule to never ever buy a doll because I think I can make money on it, unless I'm willing to live with it if it doesn't sell.  If you buy what you like, you'll still be happy if the collectibles market takes a nosedive, and it has been known to do that.  Every time I've ever bought something solely because I thought I could turn it for a profit, I got burned.  I've sworn off antique dolls.  They don't interest me, I don't understand them, and I don't want to learn about them.  I've been known to sell them on consignment, but I won't buy one to resell because I don't know what I'm doing and I always get burned.  I love fashion dolls.  I love the fashions for fashion dolls even more.  So generally that is what I buy for myself, and what I buy for resale. 

 I have a fairly specialized area of interest and consequently area of knowledge.  I know Vintage Cissy and her fashions from 1955-1962, and Barbie from 1959-1967 (and her other "family members") and the licensed products from that time period.  I know Vogue Jill from the 50's, and her clothing as I do collect her, and some about Chatty Cathy, Revlons, American Character Toni, Sweet Sue Sophisticate, and other fashion dolls of the period.   This is the era that interests me the most, and Barbie and Cissy from that era are really what I care most about in fashion dolls.  Over the years, I've picked up a little on some of the composition dolls, particularly Shirley Temple from the 30's, but Tennessee is not a good place to try to keep a compo collection.  Too much humidity, and too great a fluctuation in temperature.  It's hard on the compo.  But because the 30's Shirleys have such cool clothing, I have been known to buy them.  I love to fool with the clothes.  It all comes back to the wardrobe,  doesn't it? :-)

Strangely enough, there are some other weird things I like that I buy for myself  and to resell. I love Liddle Kiddles, so if I find them, I buy them.  I love to fool with them, I love their little accessories,  and if they don't sell, it's ok, I like to have them around.  I love 40's and 50's dollhouse furniture, up through Petite Princess in the 1960's.  I like to learn about it, I enjoy finding pieces I need as well as pieces I don't need. I have a few Keystone dollhouses from the late 40's and a metal house from the 50's.  If I find a lot of furniture at a sale, I'll buy it, pick out what I need for my houses and sell the rest.  I'm still on the lookout for the very very cool Petite Princess 6 room house.  I have the store display but this was a house, made like a 3 story townhouse, and I've never had it.    

So buy what you like, and it may retain its value, it may not, it may go up in value and make your children some money :-)  but whatever it does, if you buy what you like, you'll always be happy with it.