Mini-Maiden’s 1935 Dress & Shoes From Sears Magazine

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Sears Fashions from 1935
A black and white 1935 paper doll dress coloring page with shoes. Free to print from paperthinpersonas.com.
The Mini-Maiden paper doll series are getting some attention today with a 1935 dress and a pair of 1933 Shoes. Both the shoes that go with today’s day dress and the dress based on designs from the book, Everyday Fashions of the Thirties As Pictured in Sears Catalogs.

One of my favorite series of fashion history books are the Sears Fashions set from Dover Publications. Each book is a reprint of pages from Sears Magazines from a decade long period. There’s not a huge amount of contextual information, but they provide a vivid window into the fashions of the decade for children and adults. Plus, they are super reasonably priced, so not bad place to start a collection.

(Says the girl with over 50 fashion history books on her shelves.)

The 1930s is a fascinating period. Skirts get longer than the 1920s and there’s a lot of fun details like the scalloped collar on this dress. There’s also a lot of asymmetry in the styles as well which you can see from the side wrap style of today’s dress.

Right behind the 1920s (which are my first love) is the 1930s. Again, it’s not a period where it would look terribly good on me, but I love the details in the styles.

There’s also a theory in fashion history that really modern clothing begins in the 1930s and the changes that follow this era are fairly minor. I think there’s a lot of truth to that.

Really fashion hasn’t dramatically changed in the last 80 or so years.

So, what do people think of today’s paper doll dress? I always love to hear from people in the comments.

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

A New 1920s Poppet Printable Paper Doll

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Children’s Fashions 1900-1950 As Pictured in Sears Catalogs
A paper doll of the Poppet series with brown skin, black hair and brown eyes. She has a 1920s set of underwear and two pairs of shoes.Today’s paper doll is a new addition to the 1920s Children’s Wardrobe Collection. My love of 1920s fashion is pretty well documented on the blog, just check out the 1920s tag.

So, for the last year, I’ve been drawing a lot of 1920s children’s clothing. The late 1920s to the early 1930s are perhaps my favorite era in the 20th century. None of the looks would look decent on me, but I adore them.

So far, I’ve drawn 5 dresses for the Poppet’s paper dolls 1920s Children’s Wardrobe Collection. It seemed high time that I added another new doll to the project. So, now my Louise Brooks clone paper doll has a friend.

Along with her shoes, today’s Poppet paper doll to print has a pair of combinations based on several different sets I’ve seen. I drew her so long ago, that I confess I’m not certain about my sources.

So, this may be a 1920s experience in feel, more than a precise act of historical research.

Anyway, I super hope you enjoy her and I really think she’d pretty cute. I’ve got a few more 1920s pieces drawn before I need to work on more. And there will be more.

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

Regency Paper Doll Clothing For the Sprites Printable Paper Dolls

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: I looked at a lot of stuff to design these, but here are a few this fashion plate, this jacket, this dress and these shoes
A set of regency paper doll clothing to print from paperthinpersonas.com with a man's suit and a woman's day dress and shoes. The pieces are designed to fit the Sprite paper doll series.

A set of regency paper doll clothing to print from paperthinpersonas.com with a man's suit and a woman's day dress and shoes. The pieces are designed to fit the Sprite paper doll series..

I wanted to dabble in regnecy men’s fashion today. In part, because I have been reading a lot of regency romance novels lately. The Regency is also an era where I really love the men’s clothing. I think the women’s clothing is pretty nice, but the men’s clothing really enchants me.

As many of you know, I’m not quite as comfortable with men’s fashions as I am with women’s fashions in history. I can pretty well eyeball women’s clothing from the last 300 years and make a good guess at the era, but men’s clothing remains harder.

It’s partly that I find the changes more subtle and partly that I’ve never had a much of a passion for it.

But since I do love drawing for the Sprites, so I have been slowly trying to face my fears of men’s historical clothing. Which brings me to back to today’s set of regency paper doll clothing, that I created using a variety of reference images.

The man’s suit was based on this suit, this jacket, this suit and this suit. The dress is based on this dress, this dress, this dress and this dress. Her shoes are based on this pair, this pair and this pair. Because the dates on the source pieces range from the early 1800s until about 1820, I chose circa 1810 as the best middle ground date to describe these pieces of regency paper doll clothing.

Every time I post something “new” to me, I feel a little nervous, especially because I know that this is a era of fashion history that many people are very passionate about. Still, I hope to do what I do which is learn more and keep improving my understanding of the fashions of the era.

After all, every paper doll I create is a work in progress.

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

Marisole Monday Goes Cyberpunk with some Amazing Boots

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: The white dress in this Sprite set and the dress on the right

An african american paper doll with blond hair and a cyberpunk inspired dress with thigh high boots. She's part of the Marisole Monday paper doll series and is one of hundreds of paper doll designs.

A fantasy princess paper doll ball gown to print, color, and play with. One of hundreds of paper dolls to print from paperthinpersonas.com.

There are styles I come back to over and over again. This dress is very much like the white dress in this set and this dress, both designs I did years ago.

This is by far the most complex thing I have ever tried to create with the “shiny” look. It’s not perfect and there are problems, but I am not unhappy with how it turned out. Finding latex or vinyl reference images for the full bell skirt was basically impossible.

Also, google image searching the phrase “vinyl full-skirt” sometimes causes interesting results that are probably not kid friendly.

As for her hair, I was thinking of retro 1960s styles. I really wanted something that felt a little retro sci-fi. I

As for the color, I can’t really explain, but somehow once that dress was drawn I just knew it was going to be bright orange.

It’s like someone went clubbing and said, “I know! I want to look like a piece of cartoon fruit.”

And before I forget, I want to wish everyone a Happy Labor Day! In the words of Mother Jones, “Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living.”

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

A new paper doll for the B&B Sorceress Gowns Project!

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Sorceresses and Flowers

A fantasy paper doll with a gown from paperthinpersonas.com.

A paper doll adventuring outfit with a belted tunic over a shirt, leggings and boots. She also has a sword.

Back in April I asked my Patrons what I could do for an ongoing series and they voted on sorceress gowns. So, my goal with the with the Sorceress Gowns Project was to create a series of gowns for a sorceress. That’s probably obvious.

I also thought I should make a few dolls to wear the gowns. So, I designed this one to go with my last one from April. There are plenty of B&B dolls that fit with the theme from before April of this year. I think this doll, this doll, and this doll both have a sorceress feel to them.

I thought about doing another over the top hair style as I did with last doll to go with the gowns. But I decided that the simple long hair was a nice counter-balance to the complex gown.

I had a lot of fun coloring the gown in these muted spring time colors. There’s something very spring feeling to me to this gown. I think it’s the light colors combined with the floral motif that gets me feeling that way.

Of course, she needs gowns to be a sorceress. There are four gowns so far, one for each elements. You can see them all here under the Sorceress Gowns Project tag. I do try to organize these things somewhat. It’s my natural librarian tendencies.

As always, I hope you’ve enjoyed the paper dolls this week and I always love to hear what you think, so leave a comment if you like.

Need to get some more clothing for this Bodacious & Buxom paper doll to wear? Pick out some clothing here

Vasilisa the Beautiful Paper Doll Costume for the Poppet’s Fairy Tale Series

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Vasilisa the Beautiful
A paper doll costume for Vasilisa the Beautiful to print and play with. The traditional Russian outfit includes a sarafan and blouse with a headscarf and boots. She even has a tiny matryoshka doll.

A printable paper doll costume for Vasilisa the Beautiful fairy tale. The traditional Russian outfit includes a sarafan and blouse with a headscarf and boots. She even has a tiny matryoshka doll. Color her anyway you like.

If I had to pick a favorite fairy tale (and how could I ever do that?) than Vasilisa the Beautiful would be in the top two or three. I’ve always loved Russian folklore and this tale is a wonderful one. It has Baba Yaga and skulls with glowing eyes and a matryoshka doll that talks.

What more could a person ask for?

Actually, I think my love of the tale comes from the lavish illustrations of Ivan Biliban. As a child, my mother gave me a book of Russian folktales with his amazing illustrations. So, it was probably the pictures that first drew me to these stories, but there’s something really magical about his work.

Vasilisa the Beautiful is a tale I had mixed feelings about illustrating for the Poppets, as the heroine is a grown woman rather than a child, but since I did Rapunzel (and Rapunzel gets pregnant) I though it would be okay.

The paper doll costume for Vasilisa the Beautiful that I designed is based on traditional Russian clothing. She wears a sarafan over a blouse. Here’s a lavish version from The Met. The headscarf was inspired by matryoshka dolls who you often see wearing them.

She has, of course, her own matryoshka doll as an accessory. I didn’t draw more than one, because one seemed enough.

When I was a child, my mother had a handmade set of matryoshka doll’s that came from Russia when it was the Soviet Union. They were precious to her and I remember playing with them as a child. I’ve always wanted a set of my own to display.

Anyway, I hope everyone has been enjoying the Fairy Tale and Nursery Rhyme series for the Poppets.

A Fantasy Gown for Marisole Monday

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Marchesa Notte Spring 2018 Wedding Dresses Collection

A lavender gown with full flared sleeves, a high waist and flowing skirt. To go with the gown, there is a crown and a book. Free to print from paperthinpersonas.com.

A fantasy gown with full flared sleeves, a high waist and flowing skirt. To go with the gown, there is a crown and a book. Free to print from paperthinpersonas.com.

Today’s Marisole Monday fantasy gown is sort of Ancient Greek inspired, but also a bit wedding dress inspired. A dear friend is getting married in November, so I guess wedding gowns have been on my mind. I’ve become particularly smitted with Marchesa Notte’s designs.

I’ve had as soft spot for Marchesa Notte’s work for a while. It’s so delicate and lavish, that I’ve never felt comfortable trying to reproduce it on paper. Her Resort 2018 collection and her Fall 2016 collections are pure eye candy.

(Actually, all her collections are, those are just two of my favorites.)

Boots took on the challenge and drew 2 plates of Marchesa Notte evening gowns (Plate 12 and Plate 14) for her Catwalk Couture Collection. They are glorious.

Anyway, for my fantasy version, I took off the lace (because I hate drawing lace) and added some additional sleeve details and jewelry. I wanted the gown to feel like the sort of thing you could walk on the beach wearing a perfume commercial. You know, the kind filmed with exotic music and soft focus lighting.

Accessory wise, she has a crown and a book, mostly because I love to draw books.

If you’re a patron, there’s a different color version of this gown up there to see. If you’re not a patron, consider joining. It really helps offset the blogs costs.

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

A 1927 Paper Doll Dress for the 2017 Collaborative Paper Doll Project

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations:Montgomery Ward Catalog 1927
A coloring page of a 1920s dress for a paper doll, based on Montgomery Ward catalog designs from 1927. The dress has a matching hat. Great for homeschooling history classes from paperthinpersonas.com.

As many of you know, this year on the last Friday of most months (we’ve also done the last day of the month), Julie of Paper Doll School, Boots of Popculture Looking Land, Miss Missy of Miss. Missy’s Paper Dolls and I are all posting a black and white outfit for a shared paper doll. This has been such a rewarding project.

I confess there were times I wondered if I would really get it done.

And there have been times when I’ve wondered if we would stick with it.

But, here we are in the 8th Month of the year, August, and here’s another paper doll outfit.

I couldn’t be more thrilled.

So, today’s Collaborative Paper Doll 2017 Project theme was Favorite Historical Period. I chose the late 1920s.

And choosing one historical era wasn’t easy, because I love all sorts of eras. I have so many favorites, I felt a little absurd being asked to pick just one. How could I decide?

In the end, I chose the late 1920s, because it is an era I have loved for a long time. It is an era that I know I could never wear. I have both hips and a bust, which means the 1920s will never look good on me. I also chose it, because there was something about the base doll’s pose that reminded me of the 1920s, as well.

So, here it is! The dress was based on an illustration from the Montgomery Ward Catalog of 1927, sections of which are republished in the book, Montgomery Ward Fashions of the Twenties. I just got the book which is the other reason that I drew clothing from this era.

This month’s Paper Doll Collaboration theme was was really fun. Head over to Paper Doll School, Popculture Looking Land and Miss. Missy’s Paper Dolls to see what other folks created to celebrate the theme.

Need a doll to wear this stylish outfit? Grab the Doll here. 

The Sprites Get Some Leather Armor and Fantasy Clothing

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Pinterest… This image and This imageA set of fantasy printable paper doll clothing. There is a dress with a leather breastplate over it for the female Sprite paper dolls. There is also a red tunic under leather armor with leggings and boots for the guy Sprites paper dolls.

A set of fantasy printable paper doll clothing. There is a dress with a leather breastplate over it for the female Sprite paper dolls. There is also a tunic under leather armor with leggings and boots for the guy Sprites paper dolls. The clothing can be worn by any of the Sprites paper doll series.

My addiction to Pinterest is pretty well documented on this blog. Partly, I like it, because it is a storehouse of images I find inspiring. There’s a bit of a myth that inspiration sort of just “appears” and that artistic work can only happen when you are “inspired.”

This is patently false and rather dangerous way to think about things.

Inspiration, or motivation, isn’t some magical force that will come to you if you just wait. Rather, it’s something you seek out by being disciplines and driven about what you’re doing. It doesn’t matter if your goal is to write the a novel or draw paper dolls, waiting until some thing happens to make you want to do something, is pretty much a sure fire way to never do it.

I’m not suggesting torturing yourself through hobbies you don’t enjoy, but I find the most inspiring thing to do is to be doing the thing already. The best ideas come when I’m already drawing, not when I’m thinking about drawing.

So, Pinterest, fashion magazines, my ever growing collection of costume history books, my doddle sketchbook, these are all tools that I use to help me get ideas, but none of them involve sitting about hoping ideas will happen.

Today’s Sprite paper doll clothing set is the first set in a Month. The Sprites are always a little harder than my other sets, because I have to draw a guy outfit to go with my girl outfit. Today, I was inspired by this image of a fantasy dress for the lady Sprites and this image of some armor for the gentlemen Sprites. Both images come from my fantasy armor Pinterest board.

What do you think of today’s paper dolls? Do you use Pinterest? How do you find inspiration? Let me know in a comment.

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

Summer Time Sun Dresses for Marisole Monday & Friends

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Sun Dresses
A pair of paper doll sundresses to print, cut out and dress up a printable paper doll in. The dress on the left is warm grey with a teal and pink pattern. The dress on the right is pale pink. There is a coordinating purse as well.

A pair of paper doll sundresses to print, cut out and dress up a printable paper doll in.

Personally, when it comes to sundresses, I am strictly a maxidress kinda girl. However, paper dolls get to wear anything I feel like, so we have a mix of two sun dresses today for Marisole Monday and her Lady Friends. These dresses will not fit the gents, I’m afraid.

I have been neglecting the gents of the Marisole series as of late. I should really do something for them soon.

Until then, I created these dresses for Marisole. They are both based on lightweight knit t-shirt sorts of dresses I have been seeing in the stores and in the magazines I read. I am very proud of the pattern on the warm grey dress, but not completely happy with the purse. It feels too structured for the dresses, but too late for it to change now.

I confess that until school starts, I tend to not get a feel for what students are wearing. I work at a college, so when the classes are in session, I feel like I get a good feel for what college students seem to be into these days.

(At least, college students at a small college in the South, which is a pretty limited sample size.)

As always, I love to hear what y’all think in the comments.

Oh, and I hope people take 15 minutes out of their day to go see the eclipse today! I’ve got my glasses thanks to my Mom and am ready for the event.

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