1920s Archives • Page 2 of 3 • Paper Thin Personas

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

August 25, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations:Montgomery Ward Catalog 1927

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 Poppet’s Printable Paper Dolls New Dress from 1923

May 19, 2020August 2, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Children’s Fashions 1900-1950 As Pictured in Sears Catalogs

First up, I wanted to thank everyone for their kind words on Monday. I meant a lot to me to hear from you.

So, I promised myself that the next batch of 1920s clothing for the Poppets paper dolls, I would make sure to note where each dress came from. Today’s 1920s doll dress is from a 1923 Sears catalog. Children’s Fashions 1900-1950 As Pictured in Sears Catalogs provided the reference image for today’s 1923 paper doll dress.

Sadly, the Children’s Fashions book is out of print. I wish there were more good reference works on children’s historical clothing, but that’s a different problem.

The original 1920s dress illustration was in black and white, as most of the illustrations in catalogs were in those days. The description just says a crepe dress which really doesn’t mean much.

I decided on a monochromatic blue color scheme, because I wanted to do something a little unexpected. I tend towards traditional when I think of flowers, but I love how this came out.

Meanwhile, you can see all the other 1920s Children’s Wardrobe Collection dresses and see what else your 1920s Poppet needs. I just bought a new book on the 1920s, Montgomery Ward Fashions of the Twenties, so there will no doubt be more of this series as I look through that one for inspiration.

If you have a moment, think about becoming a Patron or liking it on facebook. It really does help.

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

1920s Pajamas for Marisole Monday & Her Printable Paper Doll Friends

July 18, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: 1920s Fashions from B. Altman & Company

So, it was pointed out to me earlier this year that I had done very few sets of paper doll pajamas. As a result, I’ve been working on creating paper doll pajamas for the various series over the last year. Every paper doll needs pajamas, after all.

One of the things that always surprises me in my costume research is when I see something and I think, “Well, I didn’t know that was a thing.”

All of us, myself included, suffer from the tendency to see what we want to see in historical evidence. It’s very easy to get so used to a time period as to stop noticing it. When I found this pajamas in 1920s Fashions from B. Altman & Company, I thought to myself, “Wow, that’s awfully modern looking.”

Sadly, the illustration was in black and white, so I have no idea the true color of these pajamas. However, I know coral was a popular shade in the 1920s, so that is what I went with. I love the art deco floral design on the right side of them.

One pair a pajamas is hardly enough to make up for years of pajama paper doll neglect, but hopefully this pair helps a bit.

And I think it could pass as super comfortable lounge wear in the 21st century. I’d wear it.

(And I can’t say that about all the paper doll clothes I create.)

What do you think? Would you wear it? Let me know in a comment.

And if you want to support the blog, think about donating through Patreon.

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

A 1920s Children’s Playsuit for the Poppet’s Printable Paper Dolls

July 7, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: 1920s Children’s Clothing

Playsuits were the 1920s version of overalls for small children. Overall out start being worn by both sexes in the 1930s, but before that the play suit was the thing to do.

Playsuits are bloomers worn under a short dress like tunic. They usually have a high waist and a aline shape to the dress and then the bloomers just peep out the bottom.

It’s really a very girly look for play clothing, but still is pretty practical, all things considered.

Normally a style for younger children, I had some conflict about drawing a play suit for the Poppets.

In my head, the Poppets are between 7 and 9 years old. The playsuit is really a style mostly for younger children, but I found a few that were cited as fitting children up to 8 years old. I decided that they were on the edge of the age range, but I would go for it anyway.

I didn’t record where I got this design from. This is shameful behavior for a librarian and I swear the next batch of the Poppet’s 1920s Collection is all properly cited.

However, I am pretty sure this play suit is from the book 1920s Fashions from B. Altman and Company. I can’t say for positive, but I am pretty sure.

(Mostly, because I am too lazy right now to get off my couch and double check the book which is sitting on my bookshelf.)

If you feel like you need a Poppet to wear this outfit with the right hair or you are just feeling like you’d like some more 1920s styles, you can check out the whole collection under the “1920s Children’s Wardrobe Collection” tag.

So, what do you like today’s 1920s paper doll playsuit? Let me know in a comment. Always love to hear from y’all.

If you have a moment, think about becoming a Patron or liking it on facebook. It really does help.

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

Marisole Monday’s 1920s Party Dress In Teal

June 2, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: 1920s party dresses- Classic French Fashions of the Twenties, a book from Dover

So, sometimes I drew things and upload them and then I kinda forget they exist. This 1920s party dress was one of those things, I’m afraid. I finished it around the same time that I finished the 1920s golf outfit and then I completely forgot about it. I didn’t want to post it right after the gold outfit, I recall, because I wanted some variety.

I try to space out my paper doll posts. While I might get on a kick and draw several similar things, I know some readers come here for the historical stuff, some for the fantasy stuff, and some for the contemporary stuff. So, I try to make sure there’s something for everyone.

This week alone we’ve had Monday and Tuesday post apocalyptic paper dolls, Wednesday an Archivist paper doll and Thursday was a Lolita dress for a paper doll. And now, here we are on Friday (Happy Friday!) and there’s a 1920s party dress for a paper doll.

After looking through every 1920s fashion book I own, I retraced that the model I based this dress on came from this book, Classic French Fashions of the Twenties. The original dress was patterned, but I sort of decided that it was a lot of work to draw a pattern. There was no way that was going to happen.

Classic French Fashions of the Twenties is one of my favorite Dover fashion books. It is a reprint of all the plates from a French fashion catalog from 1929. Like most fashion catalogs of that era, it starts with casual day wear goes through evening wear and then ends with coats.

I have, at this point, built up a pretty solid backlog of content. So, my goal is to try to get the next few weeks scheduled quickly, so I can take a few days off to rest and recoup.

Plus, play with my cat whose frustration at my laptop consuming prime lap space is tangible.

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

A 1920s Poppet Paper Doll to Print and Play With

December 6, 2020May 1, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations:1920s Children’s Clothing & Frannie Fisher on PBS

So, with all the 1920s paper doll clothing I have been drawing lately, it seemed dumb not to have a 1920s Poppet paper doll to wear it. This is the first of what I hope will end up being two or three 1920s Poppet dolls, but for now I am calling one a victory.

I am also a huge Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries on PBS fan and it seemed to me that the best 1920s doll would be one with Phryne Fisher’s coloring which means dark hair and pale skin. This was very fashionable look for women of the 1920s thanks to the movie star Louise Brooks. The paper dolls hair is based on Louise Brooks.

I gave our 1920s paper doll a period slip with attached drawers and lace accents. I also wanted to give her two pairs of shoes to wear with any of the 1920s collection dresses or any of the other Poppet clothing. She has the same skintone as Poppy, Paradisea and my Vintage 1950s one.

Her side-glancing eyes are a nod to Lenci dolls, one of my favorite doll companies of this era.

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

The Poppet’s Get a 1920s Spring-Time Dress and Matching Cloche

May 19, 2020April 27, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations:1920s Children’s Clothing- One of my True Loves

Today’s Poppet 1920s Children’s Wardrobe Collection contribution is a spring time dress. I sort of thought of it as an Easter dress when I designed it, but Easter was a few weeks ago. I chose a pale color scheme with soft blue and pink for the dress. With the dress is a matching cloche, because lord knows the 1920s loved a good looking cloche.

I know I’ve spoken before about how much I adore 1920s children’s clothing. There’s just something about clothing of that era that I adore. I have equal love for children’s clothing of the 1930s, but I haven’t had as many opportunities to draw that.

Maybe that’s a project for another time.

I openly confess that I don’t have a good record of what I used as reference when I drew today’s dress. I am pretty sure I used Children’s Fashions 1900-1950 As Pictured in Sears Catalogs, 1920s Fashions from B. Altman & Company and/or Everyday Fashions of the Twenties: As Pictured in Sears and Other Catalogs. All of these books are from Dover which is a great source of reasonably priced fashion history books. I think I own almost all their 1920s fashion books.

The realization that fashion history books are a justifiable business expense has made it a lot harder to talk myself out of buying them.

I do realize that recently most of what I have posted for the Poppet’s paper dolls to print have been either from the Fairy Tale project or the 1920s project. Never fear, there are also normal clothing on the horizon. I mean, even paper dolls need jeans.

So, what do you think of today’s 1920s paper doll dress? Love it? Hate it? Wish it was purple? Let me know in a comment.

Meanwhile, if you want to support the blog, then think about becoming a Patron or liking it on facebook and tune in tomorrow for a paper doll outfit inspired by one of my favorite novels.

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

The Poppet’s Springtime 1920s Dress

April 25, 2017April 6, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: 1920s Children’s Clothing

This is the second dress of a bunch of 1920s stuff I have drawn for the Poppets paper dolls, so much so that I actually think I should really start a special series for it.

I mean, I already have two 1920s paper doll outfits and a doll finished to go up and I have another batch of it penciled. Basically, I think it is time to accept one simple fact, “I am completely obsessed with 1920s children’s clothing.”

So, I have created a new on-going Poppet’s series called the 1920s Children’s Wardrobe Collection.

I know, it’s not a very creative name.

And I failed to carefully note where I got the images for the batch of 1920s children’s clothing I have finished, but I am going to get better at citation in the future.

Also, because I am me.

Anyway, I’d love to hear what people think of a flood of 1920s children’s clothing, so let me know in a comment.

Today’s 1920s paper doll dress was based on one from I think a Sears catalog. I really loved the floral detail on the bodice and I chose bright fun spring colors. I probably should have made the shoes brown or black, but once I start coloring sometimes it gets away from me.

If you’d like to support the blog, then donate a little each month and become a Patron. It really helps.

Plus, if you haven’t checked it out yet there is also a new blog facebook page where I am sharing stuff from the Archives, as well as announcing new posts when they are posted.

I think that’s all my general announcements for the moment. 🙂

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

Marisole Monday in a Women’s 1920s Golf Clothes

March 1, 2017March 1, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Golfing Outfits from the 1920s

I can’t tell you how many times my father has dropped hints that I should draw some golf clothing. He’s a fan of the sport. So, today I am pleased to present some 1920s historical clothing attire for the Marisole Monday & Freind’s paper dolls.

The history of women’s sports attire has always fascinated me. By the 1920s, from which today’s paper doll outfit hails, women were participating in many different team and individual sports including basketball, tennis, archery, fencing, and, of course, golf. Golf was pretty popular in the 1920s and women’s 1920s golf clothes were being designed by big names like this golf outfit by Worth.

Most women’s golf outfits have skirts, but there were also trousers options, like the ones shown in this article about golf in advertisements. I based today’s outfit off illustrations from my two favorite 1920s fashion history books, Everyday Fashions of the Twenties: As Pictured in Sears and Other Catalogs and 1920s Fashions from B. Altman & Company, both of which are from Dover publications and are excellent resources on 1920s clothing. Sears was a more affordable company while B. Altman was much more fashionable and expensive.

Catalogs offer such a great window into what people could purchase in the past.

Anyway, I also had to draw a golf club for today’s outfit. Now, I will openly confess that I am not a skillful golfer, but I have taken a lesson or two. I based my golf club (I was not about to draw a whole set) on photos of 1920s golf clubs from Google Image Search. I know, I know. Not the best research practice.

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

Poppets: Ice Skating in 1927

May 19, 2020January 19, 2017

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Everyday Fashions of the Twenties: As Pictured in Sears and Other Catalogs, Bobble Hats

This is the first of a bunch of 1920s clothing I have drawn for the Poppets, so I hope everyone loves this era as much as I do. I originally drew the outfits last year when I was still doing sets and then I kinda forgot about them for a few months and rediscovered them while I was cleaning up my files at the end of the year.

I always do an annual file clean up and I often discover things I kinda forgot about or abandoned because they weren’t something I really liked. Boots wrote a really brave post on her blog, Pop Culture Looking Land, about failed projects. I wrote a follow-up over on my Patreon page for my Patrons.

Moral of the story: Sometimes, I abandon stuff and then find it again and go, “Actually, that’s not so bad.”

And this one of those things. I don’t even remember what I didn’t like about it. I think it was the ice skates.

Still now I look at them and I am like, “They’re okay. What was my problem?”

The human mind is a funny thing.

Can I make a confession? I have no idea how to ice skate. I think I have been on ice skates exactly three times and every time I ended up on my butt. It was not much fun. Still, I like watching other people ice skate, so that should be worth something.

Love the blog? Think about supporting it on Patreon (my sister just did and surely she has good taste) and I always love to hear what you think in the comments.

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

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