Printable 1640s Paper Doll: Dive into Baroque Elegance with the Cut & Color Couture Paper Dolls

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And today’s creation is a 17th century paper doll printable and I’ll be the first to confess that the 1600s isn’t my favorite era of historical fashion. But maybe that’s exactly why I chose it. I’d already explored the art deco silhouettes of the 1920s and suits of the 1940s for the Cut & Color series. It felt time to venture into deeper historical waters and to stretch myself creatively, and yes… finally wrestle with drawing lace. So. Much. Lace.

Lace is the thing in this era. It was painstakingly handmade, expensive, and time-consuming to produce all of which made it a powerful symbol of wealth and social standing. And fashion, after all, is often about signaling social status. When I say social status, I don’t just mean money. Fashion helps people visually place themselves within (or outside of) certain groups.

My lace drawing owes a huge debt to Charles Ventura and Larry Bassin, both masters of pen and ink whose lace I have examined closely. Do you have any favorite artists whose work you go back to over and over again?

This 17th century paper doll printable reflects a typical silhouette of the 1640s with broad shoulders and gowns that hint at the transition to the 1650s. Bodices fastened with stomachers, usually, matching the dress fabric. Sleeves in this era were everything. Billowing, gathered, often tied with ribbons or adorned with decorative rosettes. The cherry on top of Baroque splendor was lace and ribbon rosettes. I made sure to include at least one gown with these statement sleeves in the doll’s wardrobe.

Explore More About 1640s Fashion

• 1640s Fashion from the FIT Institute’s Fashion Timeline
• My 17th Century Pinterest Board (where I collect all my images for when I draw things like this)
• Ornatus muliebris Anglicanus, or, The severall habits of English women : from the nobilitie to the contry [sic] woman, as they are in these times, 1640 by Wenceslaus Hollar, Bohemus, fecit Londini, ano. 1640 (the source for both these gowns)

While I probably won’t wake up tomorrow feeling like, “I love the 1600s” I do think I’ve gained some appreciation for this time period through the two paper dolls (you can see the other one here) that I’ve drawn for it.