Month: November 2017

Marisole Monday’s Fantasy Peasant Costume

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Um… Not Suew What to Put Here
A paper doll fantasy dress with a corset top and full skirt. Matching shoes with white stockings from paperthinpersonas.com. Free to print in color or black and white.

A paper doll fantasy dress with a corset top and full skirt. Matching shoes with white stockings from paperthinpersonas.com. Free to print in color or black and white.

I’m not entirely sure how to describe today’s paper doll outfit. It’s a fantasy outfit, but it is not really a princess theme. I tend to think of princesses as being more formal. This is less princess and more something a charming milk maid wears in an opera.

Opera costumes are on the list of things I’ve never drawn, but kinda want to draw someday.

Anyway, I’d love to say something deep and meaning full about this one, but I really don’t have anything. I don’t even remember if there was a specific inspiration.

I’d love to say it was operatic milk maids, but it wasn’t.

(Also, is it just me or would Operatic Milk Maids be a pretty good name for some sort of feminist punk band? Sort of Emilie Autumn, but with more cows.)

Anyway, the top is kinda 18th century-ish. The skirt is sort of 1980s. The stockings and shoes have a vague 19th century thing going on. Mostly with the garters, as elasticized garters with metal fasteners were a thing in the 1890s.

Elastic is actually much older than most people think. It was invented in the 1820s for fastening gloves and such.

Oh, before I forget, there’s a second version of today’s design on the Patreon page for my Patrons.

By the way, this week is a themed week. I really enjoy sorting things and organizing them into themes. (Yeah, not really shocking given that I’m a professional librarian.) This week’s theme is fantasy and especially different styles of fantasy. So, today we have a fantasy peasant dress, tomorrow there will be an entry into the B&B Sorceress series and on Friday a medieval fantasy set for the Sprites.

Need a Marisole Monday & Friends Lady Paper Doll to wear today’s outfit? Pick One Out Here. 

The Mini-Maidens Get Some Bloomers & a Top Hat in Today’s Paper Doll Steampunk Coloring Page

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: This Steampunk Outfit
A printable paper doll steampunk coloring page from paperthinpersonas.com. The paper doll outfit can fit any one of the dozens of Mini-Maidens paper dolls

While I was never a big colorer as a kid, I do love creating black and white paper dolls, like today’s steampunk coloring page. I never liked coloring big expanses when I did color. So, the paper doll designs with more detail would be, I think, more fun to color.

(I maybe wrong of course. I don’t work in non-computer media much anymore. Someone who does should feel free to correct me in the comments about my coloring assumptions.)

So, I was very much feeling that I didn’t want to draw another steampunk fashion paper doll set when I saw this wonderful steampunk outfit on Pinterest and changed my mind. At first, I confess, it was the hair that got me, but I also adore the bodice.

So, I set to work on the paper doll’s bodice and the bloomers. Then I did the tights and invented some shoes. Striped stockings might be cliche, but I still really like them.

The hat was a last minute edition, because I thought the outfit needed something else. The set just didn’t feel complete without it.

Personally, the garters at the top of her stockings make me smile the most. I think they are just so fun! Though potentially impractical, because if you must lock on your garters that would just be a pain in the butt.

Still, as I have often said, paper dolls are not a place for practicality. If they did, I don’t know if I could draw them anymore. Half the fun is creating things I think look cool but would never wear.

So, love today’s paper doll steampunk coloring page? Hate it? Let me know in a comment! I always love to hear from you guys.

Need a Mini-Maiden paper doll to wear today’s outfit? Pick a Mini-Maiden Paper Doll Here.

A Pair of 1960s Vintage Paper Doll Dresses for the Ms. Mannequin Paper Dolls

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Simplicity 7203 and Simplicity 7852

A pair of 1960s vintage paper doll dresses based on sewing pattern covers from 1968 and 1967.

A pair of 1960s vintage paper doll dresses based on sewing pattern covers from 1968 and 1967. Free to print from paperthinpersonas.com.

The pattern covers for Simplicity 7203 and Simplicity 7852 inspired today’s 1960s vintage paper doll dresses. The dress on the left comes from Simplicity 7852. Described as an a-line dress, the pattern offered two different colors and sleeve lengths. I chose the bib and contrasting collar for my paper doll version.

I created Simplicity 7203’s tent dress on the right. The tent dress fell in a triangle away from the body and often featured a front pleat.

Because I wanted to showcase the transition between the 1960s and 1970s, I chose the stand collar and pockets to go with my tent dress which isn’t really as wide as maybe it should be. Drawing 1960s vintage paper doll dresses isn’t as easy as sometimes I think it should be.

Also, can we pause and consider the name “tent dress”? Has anyone ever thought to themselves, “I want to look great! I’ll go put on a tent”? I mean… really?

I digress.

As some of you know, I love the Vintage Pattern Wiki whenever I go looking for vintage pattern covers to draw. Pattern Covers provide a window into what the more everyday fashions of the decade might look like. Sure, I adore Yves St. Lauren and Rudi Gernreich, but most people couldn’t afford those looks. Plus, Rudi Gernreich could be a bit out there.

So, my question for all of you is this- Would you wear something called a “tent dress”? Let me know in a comment!

Need a paper doll to wear today’s outfit? Pick out a Ms. Mannequin Paper Doll Here