Marisole Monday & Friends in 1830s Fashion


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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: This 1830 fashion plate, Bonnets
A green 1830s paper doll dress based on a fashion plate from 1830 with a matching bonnet and shoes from paperthinpersonas.com.

I’ve written before that the 1830s are a period of fashion I find a little absurd looking. Yet, the more I draw clothing from those years, the more it grows on me.

I am starting to almost like the era. Just almost.

So, a quick overview of the fashions of this era shows an abundance of sleeves and bonnets. If the three decades from 1800 to 1830 were the era of the column silhouette, than the 1830s were the era of the oval. The sloping shoulders, wide-sleeves, round bonnets, and full skirts all give a oval shape to the silhouette.

Plus, the wide skirts and sleeves also emphasized the desirable small waist, often accented with a belt.  The invention of metal eyelets in 1828 allowed for a much tighter fit on a corset. There was no longer the danger of the lacing cutting through the hand-sewn eyelet due to tight lacing. So, waists got smaller.

Like the earlier part of the century, people were still super into the Ancient Civilizations.  So, references to the Roman and Greek civilizations abound. Hairstyles have names like Apollo’s Knot, one of the dumbest looking hairstyles ever. The hair in this fashion plate is an Apollo’s Knot style and so is this. It was very popular. And, clearly, not one of my favorites.

Anyway, this 1830 fashion plate from the Casey Fashion Plate Index inspired today’s outfit.  As hard as it is to believe, I actually simplified the bonnet from the original drawing. Bonnets are not my forte, so I have mixed feelings about how this one turned out.

All in all, however, I think I didn’t do a bad job on today’s foray into 1830s fashion.

What do you think? More of this era in order? Not a favorite?

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

Marisole Monday Goes to the Circus


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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: The Wonderful Paintings of Amy Lind and Circuses
A paper doll circus costume in teal and pink. Free to print in color or black and white for coloring.

A paper doll circus costume with a really rocking top hat. Free to print in color or black and white for coloring.

Today, there is a circus costume for the Marisole Monday & Friend’s printable paper doll series.

So, I use two things to sort the paper dolls. One is categories, like Poppets or Marisole Monday & Friends. The other is tags, like cyberpunk, Vikings or blond hair. Every few months, I go through the tags to make sure I haven’t misspelled something and/or made a tag I shouldn’t have. While I as doing that a few months ago, I noticed that some of my tags had only one item in them. This seemed sad, so I decided to draw sets for a few of those areas. The ones I focused on were Astronauts, Circuses and Ninjas.

Okay, kinda an odd list, but whatever. On Friday, there will be a new Ninja outfit for the Mini-Maiden series. Today, we have a circus inspired clothing for Marisole Monday & Friends. This will join the Ms. Mannequin circus outfit and the original Marisole Monday & Friends Circus paper doll set in color or black and white under the Circus tag.

Is all that clear as mud?

Excellent! So, today’s paper doll is really about embracing circus themed things, but not doing red and gold. I have done a lot of red and gold and I wanted to do something different. When I saw this panting by Amy Lind on my Circus Pinterest board, I knew I had my new color scheme for today’s circus costume. And then I gave her totally impractical shoes, because nothing says “performer of great skill” like shoes you probably can’t actually walk in.

Maybe that’s her circus act- walking in highly improbable shoes.

What do you think? What would be a good circus act to wear today’s circus costume in? Because when it comes to paper dolls, the costume is way more important then the actual act. Let’s be honest here.

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

The Sprites Go Contemporary in Navy, Olive, Stripes and Florals


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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations:  Flower Fairies, Cicely Mary Barker and the Book, Fairie-ality
The Sprites printable paper dolls get a pair of contemporary paper doll outfits. One is a skirt and a t-shirt with flutter sleeves, plus a scarf. For the gents, there is a long sleeved t-shirt and a pair of cargo pants. Print in color or black and white.

The Sprites printable paper dolls get a pair of contemporary paper doll outfits. One is a skirt and a t-shirt with flutter sleeves, plus a scarf. For the gents, there is a long sleeved t-shirt and a pair of cargo pants. Print and color.

Today, the Sprites printable paper dolls get a pair of contemporary paper doll outfits. One is a skirt and a t-shirt with flutter sleeves, plus a scarf. For the gents, there is a long sleeved t-shirt and a pair of cargo pants. Do guys even still wear cargo pants? I have no idea.

Drawing contemporary paper doll outfits comes with challenges that are unique. First of all, after a while, things start to look the same. Secondly, how many t-shirts can any rational person draw before going just a little mad? Probably not that many. I swear guy paper doll outfits exist just to vex me.

Still, I try to come up with ideas to spice things up whenever possible. With the Sprites part of the fun is coming up with a “guy” and a “girl” outfit that would go together. In this case, I settled on two casual outfits with Autumnal color schemes. The colors are really what ties these two paper doll looks together.

Color schemes are their own challenge, because most guys aren’t really keen on magenta. Though I must confess, I do think sometimes my idea of masculine colors is pretty old fashioned. I’ve seen a lot of male college students where I work in colors that I wouldn’t have thought they would wear. So, perhaps I need to open my mind to guy paper dolls and pink.

Meanwhile, I love that skirt and I would totally wear it, if it existed in my size and made of fabric. I think it is super cute.

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Looking for some Sprite paper dolls to wear these outfits? Pick out Sprite paper dolls here.

Violette: A New Ms. Mannequinn Printable Paper Doll


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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations:  The Disturbing Realization that I Had Never Done a Blond Ms. Mannequin paper doll

A blond paper doll with blue eyes who can wear any of the Ms. Mannequin paper doll clothing. Free to print from paperthinpersonas.com

A short haired printable paper doll coloring page who can wear any of the Ms. Mannequin paper doll clothing. Free to print from paperthinpersonas.com

So, I was looking through my Ms. Mannquin paper dolls recently and I noticed that I have never done one with blond hair. Ever.

Today, Violette is here to fix that.

Plus, a few weeks after I made her, I was asked my one of Patrons, Elizabeth, when I was going to do a blond Ms. Mannequin and I was like, “Oh, just wait until January 9th and I’ll hook you up.”

Which makes it sound like I am selling drugs rather than posting paper dolls.

Anyway, Violetta is my answer to the  blond Ms. Mannequin paper doll need. I wanted to give her a really modern hair style, calling back to the original “model” idea of the Ms. Mannequins.

She can share shoes withe other other Ms. Mannequin paper dolls with fair skin and red bases- Cerise and Natalie.

For the rest of the month of January, I am mostly going to be posting material I created in 2016, so the majority is dated with a 2016 copyright date. I just wanted to explain why that was considering that this is 2017 and all that.

And, as always, if you love the blog, then donate by join Patreon. And a big thank you to everyone is already is a patron.

Need some clothing for today’s Ms Mannequin paper doll? Pick Out Some Ms. Mannequin Clothing Here

Min-Seo With a Fur and Pearl Trimmed Winter Fantasy dress


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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Holiday Barbie, Pageant hair-dos and Fur Trim
A fur trimmed fantasy gown and an Asian paper doll with blue fur trimmed booties

A fur trimmed fantasy gown and an Asian paper doll color page with fur trimmed booties. Print from paperthinpersonas.com

So, back when I decided in December to do a winter paper doll each week, I did what I often do. I messed around on Pinterest and went looking for ideas. A lot of what I saw were those Christmas Barbies and I think a little of that went into this dress.

Today’s Min-Seo paper doll’s dress is sort of weird medieval fantasy meets an ice staking costume. Or, in other words, Camelot on Ice. Everything is better on ice.

And the thing you need to do with such a gown is clearly fur trimmed blue booties and a pageant sort of up-do. Why not? What are you losing? The dress is already absurd. So, I say- go for gold on the absurdity scale.

Plus, somehow in my head “winter = fur trimming” and I can’t seem to shake that.

Not even sure I should be trying to shake that, but that’s neither here nor there.

Meanwhile, if you like the blog, then consider donating through Patreon, plus there’s a behind the scenes blog and early paper doll previews and other fun content. For example, earlier this week, I posted my annual Year In Review 2016 post.

Also, to my Patrons, Patreon is having some issues with their email system. So, if you usually get an email to know when I post there, you might want to pop over and see if you missed anything. I will let you know when the problem is resolved.

And this ends Min-Seo printable paper doll week. Regular blog posting will continue next week.

Need a more outfits for today’s Marisole Monday & Friends Paper Doll? Find More Ladies Clothing Here

Min-Seo And Her Red Carpet Evening Gown- A Printable Paper Doll


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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: This gown from Pinterest
A black and white red carpet evening gown and Asian paper doll with an updo and matching shoes. Printable paper doll in color or black and white.

Punk paper doll

Every paper doll needs a look to wear on the red carpet, you know? Sure, jeans are useful, but they are not as much fun as evening gowns. So, here’s some paper doll red carpet evening gown love for Min-Seo.

As I often feel with paper dolls with black hair, the linework on her hair (which I am quite proud of) got quite obscured. Check out the black and white version to see it better. I think if you wanted, this updo would also make her a pretty good steampunk base doll. It feels sorta Victorian to me.

Anyway, I think I did this dress in a dozen color schemes, before settling on this one. I decided that I liked the graphic quality of the black and white. The original is in white and blue, but that felt too casual for a red carpet evening gown.

Also, I love her shoes. No shocker to anyone, I’m sure.

Tomorrow, there will be another Min-Seo paper doll (shocking, I know). She’s got a pearl and fur trimmed winter fantasy gown.

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Need a more outfits for today’s Marisole Monday & Friends Paper Doll? Find More Clothing Here

Min-Seo With a 1925 Dress


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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Everyday Fashions of the 1920s as Published in Sears Catalogs

A 1920s fashion paper doll with two hats, shoes, a 1925 dress and a purse. Available in black and white or color from paperthinpersonas.com.

A 1920s fashion paper doll with two hats, shoes, a 1925 dress and a purse. Color and print it from paperthinpersonas.com

I love love love 1920s fashion. I can’t help it.

Now, as I mentioned on Monday, Min-Seo is a Korean name. I really don’t know much about the introduction of western style dress to Korea. However, Korean immigration began to the United States in 1884, mostly to Hawaii. So, it’s entirely possible that Min-Seo could be living in the United States in the 1920s.

It is also entirely possible that I am way over thinking this. It’s not like I worry about the fact that the name Meaghan didn’t exist in the 1300s and she still has 1300s clothing.

Meanwhile, our Min-Seo paper doll has a 1920s day dress, along with two hats, matching shoes and a purse. A design from Everyday Fashions of the 1920s as Published in Sears Catalogs inspired today’s 1925 dress. I confess that the dress is for a teenager, but I liked it and clearly drew it anyway. The color scheme is based on this Afternoon Gown by Madeleine Vionnet in 1927

For those who have missed my other forays into 1920s fashion, you can find them all in the 1920s tag. There are two other 1920s Marisole Monday & Friends paper dolls. Jazz Age Baby in black and white or in color and Art Deco Goddess in black and white or in color.

I have several more 1920s dresses scanned and drawn, so there will be more from this era, but I don’t know when. As always, it can be a long slow period between drawing and posting. I have a golf outfit that is pretty darn cute, so I want to get that done soon.

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Need a more outfits for today’s Marisole Monday & Friends Paper Doll? Find More Ladies Clothing Here

Min-Seo’s Tudor Inspired Paper Doll Fantasy Gown


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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Abstracted Snowflakes, Tudor Women’s Gowns, and Pearls
A Tudor fantasy gown and a paper doll to wear it. Print in color or black and white from paperthinpersonas.com.

A Tudor fantasy gown and a paper doll to wear it. A paper doll coloring page from paperthinpersonas.com

Sometimes, I get to design fun and absurd fantasy gowns inspired by the Tudors. This is totally one of those times. I knew I wanted to do a fantasy Min-Seo paper doll, because I do so many fantasy dresses.

Because of the stiffness of the clothing, a Tudor fantasy gown is a really great opportunity to play with elaborate pattern. At first, I conceived of the pattern on her skirt being snowflake inspired. Since, I didn’t want to make yet another blue and white and grey winter gown. When I actually started coloring it, it stopped looking much like snow.

I do think the eggplant/magenta color on the gown does feel autumnal to me. I can’t imagine this a summer gown, but I’m not really sure it is a winter gown. What do you think of my color scheme? Should I have stuck with my blues and grays?

As often happens with paper dolls who’ve got black hair, I feel like the complexity of her hairstyle got a little lost. It’s much more clear in the black and white coloring page version. No matter how you slice it, black line-work tends to disappear against dark dark grey I use for hair. I also gave her black toenails, because it amused me. No other reason. Painted toenails were not a Tudor thing, but that’s why I say Tudor fantasy gown and not Tudor gown.

So, this gives us one punk Min-Seo from Monday. Today’s Tudor fantasy gown wearing Min-Seo. Tomorrow there will be a historical Min-Seo paper doll from the 1920s, so stay tuned.

As always, if you love the blog, then think about becoming a patron and/or leaving a comment. Always love to hear from you guys.

Need a more outfits for today’s Marisole Monday & Friends Paper Doll? Find More Clothing for the Ladies Here

Poppet Paper Dolls Party Dress For New Years


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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Rosettes and Kid’s Party Dresses
A child paper doll's Holiday party dress with black tights and shoes. Free printable paper doll dress in color or black and white from paperthinpersonas.com

One thing that super annoys me is when child dolls don’t get dressed like children. So, when it came to designing a New Years party dress for the Poppets printable paper dolls, I wanted to draw a holiday sort of child’s party dress.

I think if you recolored this gown, it could also be a Easter dress or a Thanksgiving dress or any number of other things. So, check out the black and white version if you want to try your hand and setting the Poppets up for another holiday.

You know what sort of amazes me? So, all of last year I posted 10 Poppets paper doll posts. This year I posted 18. That’s a lot more. Now, it is not a perfect comparison, because I stopped posting “sets” and started posting individual outfits, but still. Pretty notable increase I think.

And I can’t wait to keep posting for them. I have a bunch of 1920s stuff drawn and I want to do a fairy tale series for them as well. So if you are a Poppet paper doll fan, stay tuned for next year.

What would you like to see for the Poppets in the coming year? Drop me a comment if you have an idea.

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

B&B Paper Dolls Celebrate New Years in a Regal Gown


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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Evening Gowns
The B&B curvy paper dolls get to a New Years gown in color and black and white. Free printable paper doll gown from paperthinpersonas.com.

For the rest of the week, I will be posting elegant evening wear every day in honor of New Years.

For Today’s B&B paper doll series New Years gown, I wanted elegant, but not glitzy. Something sophisticated and almost Queen like. This is an evening gown for a woman who knows she is amazing and doesn’t need to show off with bright colors or spangles.

In keeping with the Royal concept, I chose purple and black for today’s New Years gown. The skirt is in soft pleats and the bodice wraps. Personally, I imagine it in something like taffeta or a thick rich mat satin, but since it is actually made of paper, who knows?

After I drew this, I realized I haven’t really given a lot of evening gown love to the B&B printable paper doll series. I might need to rectify that in the coming year.

What say you all? Do I need more B&B evening wear?

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