Black & White

A 1920s Paper Doll Dress With Hats to Print

A 1920s paper doll dress with hats for the Dames and Dandies paper doll series. The dress has a dropped waist, side bows and a pleated skirt. The hats are both cloches. The designs come from 1927.

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As promised, today I have a 1920s dress to accompany poor Akiko from last week who needed something to wear over her slip and girdle. Today’s 1920s paper doll dress and hats are from Montgomery Ward Fashions of the Twenties edited by JoAnne Olian. The book is a selection of the 1927 Montgomery Ward catalog. I wouldn’t recommend it as anyone’s only 1920s book, because it only covers one year. However, 1927 is a good year to choose, because the later 1920s are what most people picture when they imagine 1920s styles.

Also, the late 1920s are my preferred part of the decade as well.

I really wanted the hats to coordinate with the 1920s paper doll dress. And if you hop back to Akiko from last week, you’ll see one pair of her shoes match the colors in this dress as well.

Part of why I chose this dress to draw is that I liked it, but also because it has so many elements that are typical of the late 1920s. There’s asymmetrical design elements- the neckline and the bows. The line down the side of the body would be flattering on body. 

And given how hard the dropped waist look of this era was to wear, you need any help you can get. 

I also really like the pleated skirt. Pleated skirts were pretty popular. I think, because they provide some movement in a silhouette that can feel a bit like you’re wearing a sack otherwise. I’ve always wanted a pleated skirt, but I haven’t found the right one yet.

Need a doll to wear today’s paper doll clothing? All the A Pose Dolls & Clothing

Summer Shorts for the Paper Doll Men with Stripes

Paper doll men's clothing. Shorts and two t-shirts with stripes. Free to print in color or black and white from paperthinpersonas.com.

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Every guy I know from my brother-in-law to the students I supervise seem to live in shorts and t-shirts. In the South, this seems to be a year around even when it is snowing.

This is the third shorts set I’ve done for the C pose paper doll men. There was the 4th of July set and this set from June.

So, I am going to keep this post short as I am trying to slip it in under the wire of Midnight Central time. Here’s a link to the second color scheme I created on my Patreon page. It’s available to anyone to print and play with.

Meanwhile, let me know what you think of today’s paper doll in a comment (I love to hear from y’all) and consider supporting the blog on Patreon if you want to help off set the costs of keeping it on the internet.

Tune in Monday for the first dress from the 1920s! It’s super cute.

Need a paper doll to wear today’s clothing? All the C Pose Dolls & Clothing

A Paper Doll Pirate Outfit for the B Pose Ladies

Pirate costume with hat, sword and treasure map. Free to pirate printables in black and white or in a color.

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Back when I posted this pirate set for the C Pose guy paper dolls, I asked if people would like to see more pirate paper doll outfits. And since I got an adamant ‘yes’ from Annemarie, I decided to go to for it. After all, pirate printables seemed like a fun thing to explore through paper dolls. 

So, here is a lady pirate costume for the B pose paper dolls. It’s totally an exercise in fantasy, but than a lot of my paper dolls are. Along with her stylish outfit, our lady pirate has a treasure map and a handy sword. After the agony of trying to draw a flintlock pistol, I wasn’t doing that again. 

I’ll openly confess that I think part of my love of pirates is directly linked to my love of boats. I adore being out on the water. I grew up in a family that commercially fished, so I grew up on the water. I find it very soothing and peaceful to be out in the ocean- though I am prone to seasickness on the open water. 

I’ve had requests for pirates from a lot of parents who are throwing pirate themed birthday parties. I think this set of pirate printables and my other set for the guys would be really fun for kids. Paper dolls are great ways to encourage storytelling play.

That’s really all I have to say about this one. Tomorrow, there will be some clothes for the C Pose guys. 

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

Need  a doll for today’s clothing? All the B Pose Dolls & Clothing

Akiko’s 1920s Underwear and Shoes

A set of 1920s underwear and shoes for an Asian paper doll named Akiko. She's free from print in color or black and white for coloring.

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I love 1920s fashion. I love the shapes of the dresses, the hats and the shoes. Seriously, I would wear most late 1920s shoes today if I thought I could get away with it. I love the the hair, the art and the literature. I also realize that I would look awful in 1920s dresses. I have curves and this was the era of no curves.

But that’s what paper dolls are for though, isn’t it?

So, for every Monday for the rest of July there will be a 1920s era paper doll or dress (okay, so one paper doll- this one and then dresses).

Akiko is the model for the 1920s underwear. Her hair is based on the hair cut often sported by Anna May Wong, a Chinese American film actress in the 1920s. She was also considered a major style icon, so borrowing her hair style seemed only fitting.

Her undergarments are not entirely accurate. I based her slip on this brassier from The Met without realizing that the cut of the top was not very accurate for a slip. Slips of the era were mostly straight across like this one from the V&A. Anyway, her girdle is based on designs from the early 1920s from my various reference books on the subject.

Her black shoes are based on this pair of evening shoes from 1924. The originals are brocade, but I made mine simple so they’d match more things. The other shoes are based on these shoes from 1920-1925, these shoes and these shoes.

That’s a lot of shoes, but we all know how much I love shoes. If you want to see more 1920s shoes, underwear and dresses than I would recommend hopping over to my 1920s Pinterest board where those things live. If you think you’d like some more 1920s paper dolls than I’ve got quite a few in my 1920s category.

So, tune in next Monday for the first dress for the A Pose Dames from the 1920s. And if you would like to support the blog, then donate through Patreon. It’s always appreciated.

Need a doll to wear today’s paper doll clothing? All the A Pose Dolls & Clothing

A Medieval Inspired Fantasy Gown for the A Pose Dames & The Beginning of a New Collection

A Fantasy Medieval Princess gown for the A Pose printable paper dolls with matching shoes. The gown has an under-gown with long sleeves and an over-gown with flared sleeves. The shoes have attached stockings with garters at the top.

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Some of you who’ve been reading the blog for a while may recall that I’ve done series around specific themes a few times. There was my 1920s Children’s Wardrobe collection and the Fairy Tale and Nursery Rhyme series for the Poppets which I drew for last year. This year, I’ve decided to do a new collection around fantasy medieval princess-ish gowns for the A Pose dames paper dolls and today’s is the first medieval princess gown in the collection. I’ve creatively titled the series- Fantasy Maiden Series. Inspired, I know. 🙂

I’m retroactively adding the first medieval fantasy gown I drew to the collection. I probably should draw some crowns if I want to consider this a medieval princess gown rather than just a medieval fantasy gown. I always forget to draw my princesses crowns. I should get on that. Maybe for another set. 

Today’s gown was inspired the allique designs I often draw on tunics when I’m drawing fantasy men’s clothing- examples include this paper doll set, this paper doll set or this paper doll set. The color scheme was born out of a desire to steer clear of the primary colors I usually use and instead dabble in secondary colors- hence the orange, purple, and green accents with the pink base. I’m quite pleased with this dress in part, because I don’t think it looks like much I have ever drawn before. The shape of the neckline and shorter flared sleeves are both different from many of my other medieval inspired fantasy gowns.

What do you think? Excited about this new collection?

Love the blog? Want to help out? Consider donating through Patreon, liking the facebook page and/or leaving a comment.

Need a doll to wear today’s paper doll clothing? All the A Pose Dolls & Clothing

The C Pose Dandies Get a Suit For Their Formal Occasions

A suit for a paper doll man to print in color or black and white from paperthinpersons.com. In color, the suit is grey with a multi-colored striped tie.

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I wanted to draw a suit for the C Pose Dandies of the Dames and Dandies paper doll series, because I think a suit is just a basic piece of clothing every person (male or female) probably needs. Most of us don’t wear them daily (though I would if I could), but I think a good suit is handy. It’s great for dates, cocktail parties, weddings, job interviews or just because you want to feel dashing.

There is nothing quite as dashing as a well cut suit. As my mother is fond of saying, “A well cut suit can hide a multitude of sins.” So, any man (or paper doll man) needs a good suit. Plus I find drawing men’s suits a little intimidating, so it is good practice for me to work on them. 

In fact, both a suit and a tuxedo (which I haven’t drawn yet) were on my initial brainstorm of paper doll clothing “basics” that I thought I needed for the gents. That original list also included pirates and post-apocalyptic, so I have gotten a lot of it drawn. Despite my best efforts, the C Pose boy paper dolls still trail behind the ladies in numbers of sets. I just can’t help it. I like drawing ladies clothing more than gent’s clothing.

Well, what do you think? Are you a a fan of suits? Hate them? What else do does the well outfitted paper doll man need? Let me know in a comment. I love to hear from you. 

Need a paper doll to wear today’s clothing? All the C Pose Dolls & Clothing

Here Comes the Bride… A Paper Doll Wedding Dress

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Despite being more than a trifle obsessed with the idea bridal trousseaux, I very rarely draw wedding dresses. I think I just have never been that into weddings. Despite living the South (which tends to give a whole new meaning to the idea of big white wedding), I just don’t really get the appeal. I’ve never been one of those girls who was planning my wedding day since age ten or something.

So, when I draw wedding dresses they tend to be historical (regency or 1870s) or fantasy like this steampunk one. I don’t think I’ve ever actually drawn a contemporary wedding dress until today. I probably still wouldn’t have, but that was the theme for this month’s Collaborative paper doll. The whole point is to break out of comfort zones, so this is certainly breaking out of mine. 

So, for this paper doll wedding dress, I knew I wanted a few specific things. I wanted a crown of flowers, as that was what my mother and my sister both wore at their weddings. Also, I wanted sleeves. Personally, I really like wedding dresses with sleeves. I didn’t want to go “modest” wedding dress (because a lot of those just look dowdy to me), but I did want sleeves. I like sleeves and I think wedding dresses shouldn’t look like a prom dress in white. They should have some elegance.

If you want to see more bridal paper doll fashions, check out Paper Doll School and Miss Missy Paper Dolls my partners in this collaboration.

Need a paper doll to wear these clothes? Grab her and more clothing here.

A Summer Time Princess Paper Doll Dress With Matching Hat

A fantasy princess paper doll dress with matching hat decorated with roses and ribbons. Available to print in color or as a paper doll coloring page.

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I always think of these big full skirted dresses as ‘princess dresses’ even though princesses wear all sorts of different dresses across time. It’s probably the influence of the 1980s on my childhood along with movies from Disney that makes me think of these dresses in that context.

I’d say there’s a bit of the 1860’s in today’s summer paper doll dress, but I’m not really sure there is. No lady of the 1860s would be caught dead during the day in a dress that showed off this much shoulder.

Usually, this is the point where I link my inspiration, but frankly this one came mostly out of my head. I don’t even think I did a thumbnail pre-sketch, which is a bit unusual for me. I do remember drawing the top of the dress first and then deciding I needed something on the skirt to fill up the empty space beneath the over skirt.

I wanted this dress to feel summery like my last foray into this style (back in February) felt wintery. I do think both this dress and the February dress come from the same universe, so to speak. I see them as sister dresses.  

I have been debating drawing more of these dresses. I think there needs to be an autumn and a spring version as well. What do you think? Big skirted princess dresses? Let me know in a comment. 

Need  a doll for today’s clothing? All the B Pose Dolls & Clothing

More Casual Paper Doll Clothing For the Gents

A set of casual clothing for the guy paper dolls consisting of a pair of slacks, Henley shirt and polo. Also a cell phone accessory. Free to print from paperthinpersonas.com.

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Since it’s Friday, C Pose Guy Paper Dolls Week is wrapping with this set of casual guy paper doll clothing. I feel like I haven’t done as many contemporary paper doll clothing sets for the Dames and Dandies as usual, but maybe that’s the three day a week updating schedule playing tricks on me. I am really hoping I can return to a daily updating schedule soon. I really do miss it.

Okay, so today’s paper doll set was inspired by the realization that I hadn’t drawn any slacks for the C pose gents. They have jeans and short, but no slacks. So, I felt like a bit of a slacker in that regard. (Sorry, not sorry.)

Anyway, so that’s kinda it. I’d love to be like, “Here’s the deep reason I drew some pants.” But honestly, I felt like drawing pants.

The fact is that guy paper dolls just aren’t as easy for me to work on than lady paper dolls. I tend to have sudden flashes of inspiration for the ladies, but that rarely happens for the guy paper dolls. Maybe I need to read more men’s fashion magazines or something. I mean, men like being fashionable, too.

Plus, there’s a second color scheme for today’s casual set over on my Patreon page for patrons. Join if you want to help keep the blog running and see more content!

Need a paper doll to wear today’s clothing? All the C Pose Dolls & Clothing

A Set of Pirate Paper Doll Clothing for Sailing the Seas

A set of pirate paper doll clothing designed for the C Pose guy paper dolls in color and black and white for coloring. Pirate paper dolls are so much fun!

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C Pose guy paper doll week continues today with a pirate paper doll outfit.

There are themes I tend to come back to a lot- cyberpunk, post-apocalyptic, contemporary fashion, medieval inspired fantasy, and steampunk, of course. And then there are themes I like, but I don’t seem to feel the same connection too. Pirates are firmly in this category. I love a good pirate movie and I’m all for swashbuckling and adventure, but I tend to not go back to pirates with the same regularity as I do some other themes.

I’m not entirely sure why.

A bunch of illustrations on Pinterest inspired today’s pirate paper doll. You can make sub-boards and you can see my Pirate board which is a sub-board of my Fantasy Clothing board. This image was a specific inspiration, but I also looked at lots of photos of flint lock pistols. They are hard to draw.

When working on pirate paper doll clothing I tend to think in layers. I imagine pirate outfits as sort of pieced together from different items that don’t totally match. Plus, I try to give at least a nod to the 18th century when pirates sailed the high seas. Of course, there’s no scurvy in my paper doll universe and it’s generally a much cleaner time period.

Being an actual pirate, I suspect, would be a rather horrible existence, but the fantasy Hollywood version is very romantic. There’s boats and freedom and swords, after all.

If you’d like to see more of my pirate creations, I have a whole tag devoted to pirates, some of which are space pirates. 

So, my question to all of you is, do the ladies need pirate outfits too? Let me know in a comment. 

Need a doll to wear today’s clothing? All the C Pose Dolls & Clothing