Lady's Clothing Archives • Page 5 of 30 • Paper Thin Personas

Marisole’s Fresh Summer Fashions: Watermelons & Crop Tops

May 28, 2020September 16, 2016

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We are closing the week with watermelons, because I really don’t think there’s anything more summery than watermelon. I have fond memories of spitting the seeds off the back deck to see who could get it the furthest into the woods.

Of course, the watermelons in question are on a paper doll skirt rather than an actual melon, but that’s what you get when you come to a paper doll blog, right?

It would be kinda off if I was offering actual watermelons.

When I was designing pattern motifs for this series of paper dolls, I really got to thinking about summer symbols- watermelon, citrus fruits, flamingos, suns. All things I associate with sand and summer.

I made this skirt more of a middie length so it could be worn a little more formal if you paired with the right top. I was thinking of the pink one for that look. That pink top would also be very cute with the white cropped pants from Tuesday or the denim top with the white shorts from Monday.

Marisole’s Fresh Summer Fashions: A Paper Doll & Her Clothes

As usual, I tried to make sure all the pieces could mix and match together for this week. I am considering abandoning weekly themes though and just posting random stuff. Thoughts about that idea from my readers?

A friendly reminder, that you can follow the blog on Twitter and support it by becoming a Patron.

I hope everyone has a delightful weekend.

Marisole’s Summer Clothes: Accessory Thursday!

May 28, 2020September 15, 2016

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Happy Accessory Thursday! The day when I get to do what I like a lot which is show off paper doll shoes! (Everything is better with paper doll shoes. There’s been a study.)

I designed these shoes to go with Monday’s paper doll, but since I use the same set of seven skin-tones for most of my paper dolls, these shoes should also work with A Little Retro, Beautiful Boho, Sweet and Saucy, Secret Agent, Prima Ballerina, my Divergent Paper Doll and Hearts, Denim and Bows since they all share the same skin-tone as Monday’s Marisole paper doll.

I designed these shorts and I added them in with these two sandals. I colored them and I like their pattern of suns, but I couldn’t decide what they went with. So, I decided to post them with these shoes and bags. I think they could go with the yellow crop top from Tuesday.

The back strap on the cross-body purse is designed to tuck behind the paper doll’s body. That’s how that works incase anyone is wondering what that white tab is for- it’s just to hold the purse against the doll. Nuances of printable paper doll design you never knew you never knew.

Now, if you’re thinking… I’d really like to support PTP than consider joining Patreon if you want.

Meanwhile, I always love to hear from my readers.

Marisole’s Fresh Summer Fashions: Flamingos and Lemons

May 28, 2020September 14, 2016

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Every week I seem to end up with a favorite set of printable paper doll clothes. It’s not on purpose, it just seems to happen. This week, these are totally my favorites. Hands down. No question. I mean, who doesn’t want a sundress covered in lemons or one decorated with flamingos? I want one! I totally do.

I confess I probably wouldn’t wear it though. I am much more of a maxi-dress kinda girl.

If you’re thinking, but where is a doll to wear these fantastic whimsical sundresses, than here’s Monday’s paper doll, but any of the Marisole Monday & Friend’s printable paper dolls can wear these clothes.

As usual, the black and white coloring page version is linked at the top of the post. I have gotten several emails asking where it is lately, so I am wondering, is it really that hard to find?

I wanted to do a flamingo covered dress, because I have a strange fondness for plastic lawn flamingos. When I was a kid, there was a house that faced the main road that had a flock of plastic flamingos that would be arranged in different styles. During the 4th of July, they would be marching with flags and around Christmas, they were festooned with Santa hats.

I never met the people who owned the house, but I’ve always thought I would get along with them. Anyone who arranges their lawn flamingos in thematic displays is my kinda person.

So, when I moved into a townhouse down here in Alabama which was identical to every townhouse next to it, I ended up being given a lawn flamingo by a friend as a gift. It got broken when a nasty storm knocked it over and then I moved into a place where a lawn flamingo wasn’t really viable.

Now that I am back in a place with a yard, I am looking forward to picking up a pair of flamingos. After all, if I just have one, it’ll get lonely. 🙂

Meanwhile, enjoy the paper doll dresses! I don’t have any stories about lemons to tell you, but I had fun doing the lemon dress, too.

Thoughts on lawn flamingos? Cheesy? Or fun?

Marisole’s Fresh Summer Fashions: Yellows & Whites

May 28, 2020September 13, 2016

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Before I moved to the south, I just didn’t get white pants. Now I have discovered them from living down here, I totally love them. Nothing looks quite so crisp as white pants and I know it’s after labor day and there are rules I think about white and Labor day, but I don’t remember what they are.

Anyway, today we have a crop top, a tunic top and a pair of white capri pants for the printable paper dolls. I have a “no frump” rule for my paper dolls. I think they should get to be stylish and fashionable to the best of my ability. Of course, either of these tops could be paired with yesterday’s white shorts.

Now, I did design these to go with Monday’s paper doll set, but if you feel like you want some more wardrobe options, than might I recommend Denim and Bows or Seagulls and Seaside as other options.

Of course, the clothes can be worn by any of the Marisole Monday & Friend’s paper dolls. That is, after all, the point of having a paper doll series.

And if you’re interested in the black and white versions, they are linked at the top of the page, so you can color them yourself. One of the nice things about these pieces is that they are versatile

Now, if you want to support the blog, please think about joining the Patreon page. It really is helpful to defray the costs of keeping PTP on the web.

Meanwhile, tomorrow there will be some fun sundresses (my favorites this week, I confess) and then Accessory Thursday, of course, and then we’ll wrap this week. So, things should putter along here.

As always, leave a comment if you like! I always like to know what y’all think.

Marisole’s Fresh Summer Fashions: Jumpsuit & White Shorts

December 6, 2020September 12, 2016

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Originally, back when I was making plans, I hadn’t planned on doing two contemporary fashion sets in a row. I thought I would do something else between, but then I ended up needing to move and life has away of laughing at our best laid plans.

So, here I am posting two contemporary fashion printable paper doll sets in a row, but they couldn’t be more different. Last week, I forayed into Hip-Hop paper doll fashion. This week we are sticking with what I am far more comfortable with, summer fashions from the fashion magazines like In-Style and Vogue.

This week, our paper doll model is Marisole. As some of you probably remember, Marisole is the first of the Marisole Monday & Friend’s paper dolls and she leads our charge. Today, she has a strapless jumpsuit and a pair of white shorts. I swear later on there will be top options to go with her shorts.

This week’s theme is fresh summer fashions- expect a lot of whimsical prints including lemons and flamingos, plus sundresses and cropped tops.

And of course, there’s Patreon if you want to help support the blog, plus PTP is on twitter- @paperpersonas. Twitter is a great way to ask me questions, because I tend to answer them faster than comments.

Meaghan’s Fantasy Gowns: Her Final Gown

May 28, 2020August 26, 2016

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First of all, Happy Friday to all!

This it the last of the fantasy dresses for paper dolls this week and it is actually one of my favorites. I’ll confess it wasn’t one of my favorites when I first designed it, but it has grown on me and now I’m sorta loving it. (That might be the teal talking. I have a deep affection for teal.)

Sometimes my fantasy sets come with a well formed world in my head and other times they are just a chance to play with a specific silhouette that interests me. This week’s series of garments certainly falls more into the “silhouette” that intrigues me category. It would be inaccurate to suggest that I started with a clear idea of the “world” and then created the dresses.

Never the less, seeing them all together as I get to do on Friday, some idea of the universe from which these dresses come can be formed.

Given the paper dolls delicate shoes, I think it is safe to say that she either rarely goes outdoors, it is the middle of summer or she is living in a place where foot protection isn’t needed. So, I think we are dealing with an urban enviorment. Hiking through the woods in those sandals? I do not think so.

All her dresses are long and most are quite flowy. While this is beautiful, it sure isn’t practical. I think therefore we can assume that she is wealthy enough to not be concerned with practicality.

So, in the end, I think we’re dealing with a princess or a noble woman in a society where she doesn’t have to worry about hurting her feet and can spend time practicing her flute. Not a bad life I don’t think for my paper doll.

A Fantasy Paper Doll & Her Gowns

So, my challenge to you is, what do you think of her life? What stories do you think this paper doll collection tells? Let me know in a comment and have a fantastic weekend!

Meaghan’s Fantasy Gowns: Her Third Paper Doll Gown

May 28, 2020August 25, 2016

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Clearly, this is not Accessory Thursday. This, “Hey it’s a dress” Thursday which, I will confess, does not roll so smoothly off the tongue.

I put the accessories, which were shoes, on Monday with the doll, because they were NOT very interchangeable among the various Marisole Monday & Friends. I am soliciting opinions about this decision in a poll below.

One way in which this week’s dresses have diverged from my other dress is that I didn’t have a specific color scheme in mind. I tried to stick to colors that all sorta went together, but I didn’t start out with a clear plan. Since I am spreading things out over a week, I don’t feel as beholden to a color scheme as I once did.

This paper doll gown is actually the design that inspired the whole set. In my head, the vest she wears has the long skirt attached to it and is made from a thick black velvet trimmed in gold braid. The berry pink fabric is a heavy cloth, but the cream fabric is softer.

Her circlet is made from soft leather with decorative beads. I intentionally made it longer on the sides, so that you can adjust it to the dolls head as needed to get a good fit. If you missed her, here’s the doll from Monday.

By the way, just out of curiosity, I have a poll about Accessory Thursday.

[poll id=”19″]

Tomorrow, there’s an elegant teal gown and, as usual, the round-up of the whole set of printable paper dolls for your ease of printing.

As always, I love to hear what people think in a comment.

Meaghan’s Fantasy Gowns: Her Second Paper Doll Dress

May 28, 2020August 24, 2016

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As I promised yesterday, today there’s some music to do with yesterday’s flute.

The process of designing fantasy paper doll dresses usually begins with a silhouette. For example, I wanted all these dresses to be high-waisted and very full at the hem making a distinct a-line shape. Each gown also has an “over-robe” and an “under-robe” creating a consistent look. This is part of what I think about each set. I’m really not designing “four dresses”, rather I’m designing a week of themed dresses, so I try to think about a connecting thread either with a time period (like I did for the Poppets of the 1860s) or a stylistic choice- like making all these similar in their silhouette.

I’m not suggesting for a micro-second that this is always easy, but I find I think better in themes, though once in a while, I am tempted to just do a random week of whatever occurs to me; however, I don’t know if that style would be sustainable for me for a long period. I like being organized, what can I say?

I blame it on the librarian in me.

The librarian in me is also why I like drawing books for my paper dolls so much. I tried something kinda new here in that I drew an open book, rather than my usual closed book. I know basically nothing about music, except how it was printed and that’s hardly much to use when one is trying to play it. I faked my “music notes” here just to give it something that clearly wasn’t text. I think this might be my first music book, so maybe the other paper dolls with instruments just play by ear?

If you missed Monday, here’s the paper doll to go with this dress, though it will fit all the Marisole Monday & Friend’s paper dolls, so there’s no reason not to share.

By the way, I am currently collecting people’s thoughts on the new format after six weeks. If you haven’t tossed in your two cents, please do in a comment. If you have already tossed in your two cents, feel free to toss them in again. I won’t mind.

Meaghan’s Fantasy Gowns: Her First Gown & Flute

May 28, 2020August 23, 2016

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I used to feel a little guilty about princess paper dolls. I love fairy tales, especially classics like The Twelve Dancing Princesses and East of Sun, West of the Moon. Yes, the whole commercial empire that is the Disney Princess phenomena made me uncomfortable. I wondered, and still do wonder, about the messaging little girls receive about femininity, relationships, and power.

On the other hand, I like drawing fantasy dresses. I enjoy them and I have been asked by little girls if I have any “princess” paper dolls. When they ask this, they aren’t really asking for the sociopolitical role that a princess play. Rather, they want a girly doll with pretty dresses. So, I’ve learned that sometimes it is important to categorize things as “princesses” for the ease of people looking for “fantasy gowns.”

That brings us to this week’s theme of fantasy gowns for Monday’s paper doll, one of the many versions of Maeghan. I have no idea if she is a princess or not, I leave that up to all of you too decide.

What I do know about her is that she is a musician, because with today’s printable fantasy gown we have a flute. I played the flute briefly in Middle School. I was not a very skilled flue player, but that’s neither here nor there. As it happens, I have no musical talents to speak of.

If you missed the paper doll, here she is, but I also think any of Marisole Monday & Friend’s girls- Marisole, Monica, Mia, Maeghan and Margot would look good in this paper doll dress. I particularly think this Mia paper doll with her red hair would look great in that dark periwinkle color.

Tomorrow, there will be another fantasy gown and a book of music, so that’s fun.

As always, I’d love to hear what you think in a comment. Currently, I’m soliciting opinions on the new format six weeks in.

Meaghan’s Fantasy Gowns: A Paper Doll & Her Shoes

May 28, 2020August 22, 2016

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This is the second Meaghan printable paper doll of 2016, which seems surprising to me, but I checked the archives and its true. When my real friend Meaghan allowed me to name a paper doll after her, she demanded fantasy dresses, so I do my best to provide them as often as I can for her paper surrogate.

I’ve been thinking a lot about what the best ways to break up a paper doll across five days really are. Shoes are often an issue in paper doll creations, because skin is exposed. While any paper doll in the same pose can share dresses, only paper dolls with the same skintone can share shoes, especially shoes like these where even and exacto-knife couldn’t make some of these sandals work on my Edwardian Mia from the week before last, for example.

So, rather than start out with a paper doll and a dress this time, I am starting out with a paper doll and some fantasy sandals. There won’t be an accessory Thursday this week, instead each day there will be an accessory to go with the dress on display.

Also, I have a question for all my lovely readers, now that we’re five or six weeks into this new format, what do you all think? Please let me know in a comment.

Marisole’s Fresh Summer Fashions: A Paper Doll & Her Clothes

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A Fantasy Paper Doll & Her Gowns

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