Clothes

A Wintertime Steampunk Costume for the Mini-Maidens Paper Dolls

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: The Greta’s Trousseau Project
A wintertime steampunk costume paper doll coloring sheet for the Mini-Maidens paper doll series.
So, back in 2013, I started a project called Greta’s Steampunk Trousseau. The idea was to draw the extensive ladies wardrobe of the 19th century in a steampunk style. I added steampunk costumes to Greta’s Trousseau until about 2015 when I lost interest in the project and moved onto other paper doll things.

But, earlier this month, I was panicking. That the end of January was near and I didn’t have any Mini-Maiden paper doll posts ready for February. Searching for something to post, I discovered this wintertime steampunk costume which I had created for Greta’s Trousseau.

I thought to myself, “I swear I posted that.”

And then a through search of my archives informed me that I hadn’t.

So, because I am not one to waste a perfectly good paper doll outfit find and because everyone needs thigh high gaiters, I cleaned it up and here it is today.

As some of you know, I love Victorian fashion magazines. So, here’s me channeling my inner Victorian fashion magazine to describe today’s steampunk costume:

An elegant, but practical, promenade toilette for the colder months of the year. The jeacket has draped sleeves trimmed in fur, a high collar and a longer silouette with provides additional protection from the chilled air. The draped skirt is trimmed in fur. The long gaiters provide needed protection against winter mud and muck, while also being a practical alternative to high boots. The hat is a simple style and trimmed in wide ruched ribbon.

In case you doubt how old this design is, here’s the doodle it was based on from 2014.

So, should I take on another long term project like this? I have a few ideas for one which I am letting my Patrons vote on right now. So far the things that have been bouncing around in my head range from another steampunk thing (I do love me my neo-Victorian stuff) to a alien space princess. Everything is better with Alien space princesses.

Thoughts from y’all? Is another long term thing like this a good idea? Let me know in a comment.

Meanwhile, if you want to vote, then become a patron. Plus, the blog has a facebook page now which is pretty neat.

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

Mini-Maidens in some 1970s Fashions

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations:Simplicity 6931 from 1975
A black and white paper doll coloring page with 1970s fashions based on a vintage pattern cover. From paperthinpersonas.com

Today, the Mini-Maidens are visiting 1975 with an outfit and hair inspired by the looks of that era. I’ve never been a big 1970s fashion fan, but I confess the period has grown on my lately. I think it’s the sideburns.

One thing I do love are vintage pattern covers. Everything about them from the pose to the styles are so much of their era. A 1975 pattern cover from Simplicity inspired today’s paper doll 1970s fashion. The pattern had two options- a dress or a blouse, but I liked the blouse better. Somehow, the dress reminded me a little too much of a nightgown. A lot of 1970s maxi dresses remind me a lot of nightgowns.

If you’re a sewist, Wren Feathers has a super cute pattern for a blouse in this style sized for slim body 18 inch dolls. I haven’t sewn it up yet, but it has been in my “to sew” pile for a long time. Just in case your non-paper dolls need some 1970s fashion.

Greta, one of the Mini-Maiden dolls, is modeling the outfit and has a 1970’s shag haircut. The pattern cover inspired the jeans and platform shoes too.

One thing I find fascinating about 1970s fashion is that a lot of it looks very contemporary. Sometimes it is just the hair or the textile that gives away the age of the garment. You could probably get away with the jeans and shoes today. I’m not so sure about the blouse. Something about those sleeves kinda feels very dowdy to me.

What do you think? Are you a 1970s fashion lover or is it a decade you could see less of? Let me know in a comment.

Tomorrow there will be 18th Century Sprites Clothing. Yes, male historical clothing. Shocking, I know.

Meanwhile, have you thought about donating? It’s quick and helps keep the blog around. Sign up through Patreon.

Also, happy MLK Day to everyone who is celebrating.

Need a more outfits for today’s Mini-Maiden Paper Doll? Find More Clothing Here. 

Mini-Maiden’s Are Secretely Ninjas

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Ninjas and How Bad I am at Drawing a Katana
mini-maiden-ninja-paper-doll-outfit-coloring-page

Yesterday, I did a way more detailed explanation of why I drew this ninja outfit then I am going to do today. Mostly, it was because I didn’t have many ninja paper dolls. I especially wanted a ninja coloring page paper doll outfit. Why you ask?

Well, because I was asked for one.

Not recently, mind you, but years and years ago I was emailed to see if my Ninjas Vs Pirates paper doll set for Marisole Monday and Friends was available in black and white. It wasn’t and it won’t be, because I no longer have the master files for it. So, when I decided to draw ninjas, astronaut and circus themed paper dolls, I knew I needed to do one in black and white. Why those these topics? I explain in yesterday’s post.

So, here it is! Of course, my more recently Marisole Monday & Friend’s ninja is also available in black and white, but now there’s another option if you perfer Mini-Maidens to Marisole Monday & Friends. Everyone should have options.

Seriously, I swear this logic made sense in my head at the time.

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Also, I hope everyone has a great weekend. Mine should be quiet which, frankly, is exactly how I like my weekends to be.

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

Mini-Maidens Paper Dolls With a New Year’s Evening Gown

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: This Zac Posen Gown
A New Years evening dress based on a design by Zac Posen. It could also be a wedding dress. Free to print and color from paperthinpersonas.com

As I said yesterday, this week will be all about New Years gala sorts of gowns. Today, the Mini-Maiden paper dolls are getting their evening gown. This is based on a this gown designed by Zac Posen for David’s Bridal. The dress is several years old and I couldn’t find it on the current website, so I linked to my Pinterest page.

If you want to see more evening gowns and cocktail dresses that might someday turn into paper dolls, check out my Evening Gowns board. It is the home of gowns I like and may someday draw.

Heavily boned corsets like the one on this gown are very much a trademark of Zac Posen‘s designs and I love a good looking corset.

Plus, I think a New Years evening gown should be something sexy. By the way, I would never have the guts (nor the occasion) to wear something this fitted, but then what are paper dolls for?

I think I’ve mentioned before my guilty pleasure, Say Yes to the Dress. Thanks to that show, I can say mermaid dresses are very in style for weddings and this could easily be a wedding dress if you wanted that instead of a New Years dress.

I think Faye, Greta, Hazel or Isadora would love to get this gown, but since there are four of them, you might need more gowns. Therefore, I might I recommend this series of Prom dresses or this 1930s inspired evening gown.

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

Mini-Maidens are Off to Fight a Dragon!

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations:Plate Armor Like This and This
Fantasy women's armor for the Mini-Maiden printable paper doll series in black and white for coloring. Free to print from paperthinpersons.com.

The first time I ever tried to draw plate women’s armor, I was so nervous. Now, I find I still like to have reference photos, but I have a much better idea of how the armor goes together. Plus, I don’t actually expect anyone will be looking at my armor designs and being overly critical. Designing armor is something I really enjoy doing. Sometimes, I want to draw totally absurd women’s armor like I did a few weeks ago in this Xena inspired armor set for Marisole Monday & Friends.

Other times, like to day, I want my women’s armor to be a little more practical and realistic. I keep a whole board on Pinterest devoted to fantasy armors. This image and this armor from 1580 were both inspirations for today’s armor. I really did want something that felt like a lady could wear it to go slay a dragon.

Should, you know, there be a dragon out there that needed slaying.

The legging like thing she is wearing under her leg armor is really just there to make it easier for the paper doll to function. Plus, when I draw more armor (assuming I do) then you can mix and match the armor tops with armor bottoms.

Which brings me to this question: More armor? Yay or Nay? Let me know.

Also, today is the first day of Yule. Once, in high school, a friend of mine and I went in search of a Yule Log for her in the woods, because she had read that you shouldn’t buy a Yule Log. That, apparently, was bad luck. Needless to say, it was a cold, wet, rather miserable experience that involved Devils Club, a spiky poisonous plant, and falling into a snow bank. Now, whenever anyone mentions Yule, I think of that afternoon in December in Alaska.

So Happy Yule to anyone who is celebrating. May your search for a Yule Log be much less exciting than ours was.

And, as always, if you like the blog, consider  donating through Patreon.

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

Mini-Maidens Visit The 17th Century

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations:Severall Habits of English Women Plate 11 By Wenceslaus Hollar and Shoes from 1640
A 17th century paper doll dress in black and white for coloring and printing from paperthinpersonas.com.

Just like when I go clothing shopping, I am naturally attracted to tweed and cardigans, when I look at historical clothing, certain periods are more appealing to me then others. I have never found the 17th century to be a very interesting clothing era, which is odd considering how much I love the book Three Musketeers.

Part of the liberty of drawing “one” printable paper doll outfit at a time is being able to say, “Well, I can try this and I am not committing to something crazy.”

So, today I am showing off my first ever 17th century paper doll dress. This dress is based on this image from the 1640s. I don’t think the sleeves are quit right and drawing lace is always a challenge, but I have to remind myself that it is my first try, so I should probably be more forgiving of my own work.

The shoes are based off this pair from 1640, but I also used the book Mode in Footwear to help me as well.

I think I would like to do more research and try a few more 17th century paper doll dress creations, but I need to learn more about it. I feel like I just don’t know enough to really get into the 1600s when I draw.

So, would you like to see more from the 17th century? Do you like this attempt? Should I keep exploring this period? Let me know in a comment.

Also, you might have noticed I have been playing around with the blog format. It has been the same for like three years and I think I am overdue for a change. We’ll see if I still like it in a few days. 🙂

Please consider supporting the blog through a donation on Patreon. It really helps.

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

Mini-Maidens: Fantasy Gown

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Bliants, Dirndls, Bunads, and Decorated Corsets 
A black and white fantasy gown design to color from the Mini-Maidens. Free to print and color from paperthinpersonas.com
So, back when I decided to throw the shackles of themes off, I began by drawing five Marisole Monday & Friend’s posts and five Mini-Maiden posts. This is the last of those Mini-Maiden posts. It fells both good and a little odd to be at the “end” of that first run of content.

For those of you who don’t know, I tend to work in “batches” and I talk about this at length in my Behind the Scenes blog on Patreon. You can read the post here and a lot more posts like it on Patreon.

Meanwhile, today’s paper doll fantasy gown was a riff on this set I created for Ms. Mannequin a while ago though in a much more simple style. I love embroidered corsets/waistcoats like those worn with Austrian dirndl or the bunad of Norway and those garments influenced the underbust corset that she wears. The gown underneath it is 12 century France influenced, particularly the bliant, which is a 12th century gown style with long wide sleeves.

Think the stereotypical medieval gown and you’ve got the right image in your head.

Tomorrow there will be Ms. Mannequin paper doll coats and boots up for printing and coloring as my weekly, “Winter” post. Then the week shall continue with some modern spring looks for the Sprites and a fantasy armor set for Marisole Monday & Friends. Wow, it feels so odd sometimes to know exactly what the week holds. Amen for pre-planning. 🙂

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

Mini-Maidens: It’s The End of the World as We Know It

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Mad Max, Rupaul’s Drag Race, and Looking Good After the End of the World
Post-apocalyptic fashion fun with a black and white paper doll fashion coloring page celebrating what to wear at the end of the world as we know it.

So, I recently gave up cable. Along with saving me about 30 bucks a month, this move has allowed me to really start discovering some shows I never knew existed. One of them has been RuPaul’s Drag Race. Think Project Runway with drag queens, lip-sinking and a lot of adult humor. Anyway, I love the show and I just finished Season 4. One of the challenges was post-apocalyptic fashions and I was watching it while I wrote up this blog post.

I will confess I tend to fast forward the show through the drama parts and mostly watch the runways for the fantastic outfits. This is also what I tend to do with Project Runway. Clearly, I’m just in it for the clothing. In Season 4, which I just finished, there was a post-apocalyptic fashion challenge and that inspired me to create this paper doll outfit.

Meanwhile, the Mini-Maiden paper dolls are getting ready for the end of the world in style. Isadora has already gotten an End of the World set, but I think Hazel, Faye and Greta should have some options, too. Of course, any of the paper dolls from the Mini-Maiden series can wear today’s outfit.

Mad Max is also a major influence on anything I create that is post apocalyptic. I mean, how can it not be?

Read the blog a lot? Then think about supporting it through Patreon or following it on Twitter or telling a friend about it. Friends tell friends about paper dolls, after all. 🙂

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

Faye in Fall Fashions: Printable Paper Doll

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Fall Fashions 2016 and… Well, not much else

An elegant contemporary outfit based on the Fall fashion magazines with a black and white Asian paper doll. Free to print.

I love September fashion magazines. It’s when all the fall fashion magazines come out and it such a great time to see what is currently “on trend.” I am a huge believer in classic dressing, but I also believe you can’t start to understand fashion unless you know what is going on in it.

So, today’s Faye paper doll of the Mini-Maiden series is based on the September fashion magazines.

There is a real trend this year for romantic blouses. To go with that, I created a pair of skinny trousers and some ankle boots. I tend to think a person can’t have enough pairs of basic ankle boots.

My question for all of you is this: What is your favorite fall fashion item?

I am a sucker for tweed trousers and getting to pull out my oxford shoes.

As always, if you love the blog, think about becoming a Patron, following it on Twitter or telling a friend about it.

Need a more outfits for today’s Mini-Maiden Paper Doll? Find More Clothing Here. 

An Evening Paper Doll Dress with Shoes

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: 1930s Evening Gowns, Brooches and Strappy Shoes
A 1930s inspired printable paper doll evening gown with strappy formal shoes in black and white for coloring. Free to print from paperthinpersonas.com
Not every paper doll outfit I draw has some great origin story. Some are just the result of needing to draw something. Today’s printable paper doll evening dress I fear falls much more into that category than any other.

I will confess that after I drew the dress, I did end up thinking that it reminded me a little of 1930s evening gowns like this one and this one. There’s something so slinky about 1930’s bias cut evening wear. But I’ll admit that inspiration source is a bit of a stretch for today’s printable evening dress.

So, I created this gown at the same time to created several other Mini-Maiden paper doll sets. I was trying to create a diverse set of outfits, so I just felt like I “needed” a gown.

It feels a little strange trying to write about a gown that I don’t have much to say about. I suppose I could talk about the weather instead.

Alabama is in a drought. It has been hot and dry here, but it is finally getting cold. Actually, I broke out one of my fall cardigans today. Very exciting.

See, no much their either?

Well, not very paper doll dress post can be perfect and thrilling.

In the meantime, happy Thursday!

And, as always, if you like the blog, consider supporting it through Patreon.

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

Retro Suit from 1954 for Paper Dolls

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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: 1950s Suits, Obviously

A retro suit design from 1954 for the Mini-Maidens paper doll series along with slingback shoes and a beret.

When you think of the 1950s, there are really two common silhouettes. The first is the nipped in waist and the full skirt. That look is pretty flattering on myself and one I enjoy drawing, but there is another look that was equally popular.

That is the narrow skirted silhouette, like today’s suit from 1954 for the Mini-Maiden paper doll series. This design is featured in the Complete Fashion Sourcebook by John Peacock and is identified as being from 1954. My major problem with Peacock’s works is that he rarely states where he found the images he is illustrating, so it is very hard to know what the context of the suit is.

However, very similar designs can be found in many other places including the Everyday Fashions of the Fifties As Pictured in Sears Catalogs book from Dover publishing. Dover has a series of these books, one for each decade, and I could not recommend them enough.

A few more examples of this style from the 1950s can be seen in this vintage pattern cover, this vintage pattern cover and this vintage pattern cover. More 1950s fashion fun can be found on my 1950s fashion Pinterest board.

Sometimes, I think I wouldn’t mind wearing suits very day, because I love how they look. I don’t want to go back to the 1950s though, because as much as I like the clothing, I also like living in a era where the Civil Rights Act exists.

We’re on day three of our variety week and I want to know what you all think, so please let me know in a comment.

And, as always, if you like the blog, consider supporting it through Patreon.

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

Faye in the Woods: Fantasy Folkloric Paper Doll Fashions

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A folkloric fantasy paper doll fashion to print and color from paperthinpersonas.com

This is the last of Faye’s Folkloric Fantasy Fashions (say that ten times fast) and I am pretty pleased. I love the tulip circular border patters and I think every printable paper needs a blouse with checkerboard sleeves and flower design over her cleavage. Actually, this is probably my favorite blouses of all of them, I only make fun of what I really like.

Still, this has been a long week. Ever have one of those weeks when you hit Friday and you think, “Oh, I am so ready for this weekend!”

The funny bit is that I didn’t really have a super busy week. I got an oil change, vacuumed daily to work on the Flea Removal Project (FRP for short) and got addicted to the show Penny Dreaful on Netflix. Not really the most intense week I’ve ever had.

And yet, perhaps because I’ve been living in my new place for less than a month or perhaps because, well, fleas, but I am bone tired. I am ready to go home, watch a movie and eat popcorn while I don’t do anything. Of course, I will have to do something. I have to sort out what paper doll content goes up next week. 🙂

Faye’s Folkloric Fantasy Fashions: A Paper Doll to Print and Color

Normally, this is the point where I’d offer some kinda preview like, “Next week there will be…” But as I have no idea what there will be next week, I fear I am going to have to let this one go.

Anyway, I would love to hear what you all, my readers, thought of this week’s theme and paper dolls and everything, so leave a comment and tell me what you think of this week.