An Elven Empress: A Paper Doll in Color

logo-empress-colorI collect costume history and dress books. I’ve been collecting them for years. I used to deny that it was a collection, but as it has grown I have grudgingly come to accept that “collection” is the the only word for it.

The colors in this set are based on a Japanese language book I have on Kimonos. I don’t have much of a clue what the book is about (I don’t know any Japanese), but I picked it up for a dollar from a booksale in college and its been traveling around with me ever since. I keep swearing I’ll give it away to someone who read Japanese, but somehow I can’t seem to part with it.

Funny how that goes, isn’t it?

I don’t have many other kimono history books, though I do plan to expand my “ethnic” clothing collection soon. (I put “ethnic” in quotations, because I find that term problematic for a whole slew of reasons that I don’t want to get into right now. Needless to say, all clothing is about ethnicity, even if you don’t realize it.)

Anyway, these colors are quite bright, so if I understand kimono color culture correctly, they would be most appropriate for an unmarried young woman. Of course, none of these are actual kimono, so I suppose I could just have decided that in the strange elven fantasy culture these are from anything I say goes.

elven-empress-paper-doll-color
{Click Here for a PDF to Print} {Click Here for a PNG to Print} {Click Here for More Marisole Monday & Friends Printable Paper Dolls}
I’ve had a lot of fun with this set. Next up is a contemporary fashion set and a naming poll. After that, I really haven’t decided what I am going to do. I need to buckle down and get some sketching done for my next few historical sets and give the Poppets some love. They’ve been neglected as of late.

Thoughts on what I should draw for the Poppets? Drop me a comment. Or just drop me a comment, because you care.

You do care, don’t you? (Imagine me giving you puppy dog eyes here.)

10 thoughts on “An Elven Empress: A Paper Doll in Color”

  1. (can’t resist puppy dog eyes and therefore must leave truthful and complimentary comment…) I love your website! I’m having a great time with all the different styles you do. I love steampunk, fantasy, and historical outfits in particular and I like that the dolls from one series can wear the different outfits of that series. So I may print off four paper dolls at a time and have all four dolls be wearing steampunk then futuristic then modern then medieval… Its really fun! And I’m happy to add another elf to my collection:)

    • It is very important to me that the paper dolls can share. I was totally one of those kids that got annoyed when my favorite doll in a set couldn’t wear my favorite dress in the set.

  2. I DO care! I absolutely LOVE your site! As for the Poppets… You don’t have any Elf Poppets yet… I mean, you have some Medieval ones, but no Elves….

  3. Being more of a realist, I love the historical gals and clothes the most. But the futuristic/fantasy style is interesting because my adult daughter is into sci fi. I show her those paper dolls and we chat about them. These gowns today – Elven Empress – are just excellent – blending the oriental with western. Great color choices too!!

    • I love the historical sets myself, but they take a lot of time for me, so I’m not always in the “mood” to do actual research or worry about details like “are these stockings really correct?”, so at those times my crazy fantasy stuff gets created.

  4. Ok, so I don’t know if this is a good idea but maybe you could do a musician poppet or something like that……….I really don’t know. Anyway, I love your blog and your paper dolls!! Marilee Mondays are my favorite and every Monday I get so excited to see what you have created. I love your work, and you are so amazing!!!! 🙂

  5. Oh,who_says_that_an_Empress_can”t_be_unmarried!?
    :)Queen_Elizabeth_the_First_was_never_married,after_all!))))
    Gorgeous_dresses!The_colours_and_the_shapes_are_lovely!

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