Paper doll of the month: July Water Lily Paper Dolls

July is one of those months that seems to arrive carrying the full force of summer behind it. Up here in Alaska, July is usually our warmest month too, although “warm” is a somewhat flexible concept. It can get up into the 90s here, but it is nothing compared to what I used to experience back in Alabama. We had a heavy snow winter this year which means the mosquitos are out in full force. You’d think a week of -40 would kill them off, but sadly, that is not the case when there’s enough snow to insulate the little annoyances.

While I am up for drawing things I didn’t think I “could” draw, do not expect a mosquito paper doll costume anytime soon. I do not like mosquitos that much.

Anyway, this month’s Cuties coloring page is inspired by July’s birth flower, the water lily. Like all of the floral monthly Cuties, this design started life during last year’s 100 Day Project. That was back in 2025 when I tried to create a new paper doll design every day for 100 days. It went pretty well, actually.

For this set, I borrowed details from both water lilies and lily pads. One outfit has layered sleeves and floral accents. The suit jacket I thought the collar would feel a little like the slits in the leaves? Okay, I admit openly that I am not sure that one worked too well. One trick I like to use when designing two fantasy outfits to go together is using two different time periods. So, while the suit is a Nehru suit-esque design and the dress is a regency-esque design, the water lily motifs connect them.

One thing I particularly enjoyed while drawing this set was experimenting with texture and layering. Paper doll costumes often involve figuring out how to translate real-world objects into clothing. Flowers are especially fun because they already come with so many dramatic shapes built in.

If you’ve been collecting the monthly floral Cuties, I hope you’ll enjoy adding this July design to your collection. Each month explores a different birth flower and a different approach to fantasy fashion. No two sets end up looking quite alike.

And if you’re staying cool during the summer heat, I hope you’ll find some time to sit down with your favorite coloring supplies and give this water lily-inspired doll a little color of her own.