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Trends of 2019 and The First of the Paper Doll Collaboration 2019

Black and White PDF of the Dolls | Black and White PDF of the Clothing | More of the Paper Doll Collaboration 2019

Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
For the last few years, I have teamed up with some super talented other paper doll artists to create a shared paper doll project. This year, I designed the base doll and then everyone else got to draw clothing.

It has been a super fun project, as always, and I am looking forward to it.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
The dolls were all based on a sort of traditional paper doll pose. The theme for the clothing this month was Trends of 2019. I chose to illustrate what I think will remain popular in fashion on the left- sleeve detail and skinny ankle pants.

On the right, I chose to get a little more experimental. If there was one thing I noticed on the Spring 2019 runways, it was fullness. Huge skirts. Huge sleeves. High necks. So, I adapted those things into a cocktail dress.

Specific Source Images: Viktor & Rolf, Spring 2019 Collection, Valentino, Spring 2019 Collection, Giambattista Valli, Spring 2019 Collection, & Schiaparelli, Spring 2019 Collection
Learn/See More
On the Blog: There’s the 2017 Collaborative Paper Doll Project and the 2018 Collaborative Paper Doll Project
Around the Internet: My partners in crime- Julie of Paper Doll School, Melissa of Miss. Missy’s Paper Dolls, Boots of Popculture and Paper Dolls and Cory of Paper Dolls by Cory

Last Thoughts
My 2 dollar and up patrons, are getting an extra set of dolls today! I had a lot of fun designing them and hope you all enjoy them.

Also, this wouldn’t be any fun at all without my fellow artist, so be sure to check out the versions of this today’s theme from Paper Doll School, Miss. Missy’s Paper Dolls, Popculture and Paper Dolls and Paper Dolls by Cory. Cory did let me know he might be a bit late. That’s okay though. This is a fun project, not like… it’s not meant to be too serious.

By the way, what trends do you think will be in for 2019?

Opal In Sailor Lolita Fashion

Today's paper doll is a foray into sailor Lolita fashion which is a Japanese street style based on Victorian children's clothing.

Black and White PDF | Color PDF | More Jewels & Gemstones Paper Dolls

Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
Caveat: I am not Japanese. I have never been to Japan. I don’t really know what I am doing here.

I am fascinated by Japanese street fashion, specifically Lolita. Lolita is a Japanese street style heavily influenced by Victorian children’s clothing. It relies on outfits, known as coordinates, usually around a specific theme. Part of why I find Lolita interesting is that I am very familiar with how Europe reinterprets Asian styles. However, Lolita is how Japan reinterprets Western styles.

From a paper doll perspective, the heavy coordination that underlies the aesthetic is super fun. It’s not a strawberry covered dress, for example, but a strawberry dress with matching bag, tights, shoes and headpiece. Who doesn’t want to draw that?

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
There are dozens of sub-genres in Lolita fashion. I chose sailor Lolita for today’s paper doll. It’s a nautical inspired style, not to be confused with pirate Lolita or actual Japanese school uniforms which often are also sailor influenced.

Specific Source Images: Sailor Lolita Dress by Dear Margaret, Sailor Hat from Alice & the Pirates, & Shoes by CodeNoir (technically for a BJD, but I can live with that)

Learn/See More
On the Blog: More Lolita Paper Dolls & More Jewels & Gemstones Paper Dolls
Around the Internet: Wikipedia’s Lolita Article, My Pinterest Board of Lolita Fashion, Magical Girl Me (Fashion Blog), F Yeah Lolita (Fashion blog), & Lolilibrary (An Archive of Lolita clothing, very much work in progress)

Last Thoughts
You can see exclusive content & help support Paper Thin Peronas on Patreon.

Be sure to let me know what you think of the new paper doll series in the comments.

And this is certainly not my last foray into Lolita fashion. I love this style.

And 1960s Week Begins with Abigail!

This week's paper doll theme is 1960s styles and here's Abigail with shoes and beehive hair. She wears a body suit and has three pairs of period shoes.

Printable Black & White PDF Printable Color PDF More Paper Dolls & Clothes
I knew I wanted to draw a 1960s paper doll and I knew I wanted to do a beehive hair. And lest you think that this hair is “unrealistic” than I would refer to the Ronnetts (this photo) and the Supremes (this photo), both inspirations for today’s Abigail paper doll’s hair. As I’ve said before, finding historical references for black vintage hair styles is not an easy task and the copyright law nuances make it much harder.

Now, if Ebony would just digitize their entire archive and put it online for free for me, that would be fantastic… But since I don’t see that happening soon. I went with my usual “find famous people and copy them, technique.”

If there is one thing I will never fully understand, it’s 1960s hair. I mean, I get wanting a little lift in your hair, but seriously, the 1960s took the big hair thing to a whole different level. Unlike the 1980s, 1960s big hair was stiff. One might even use the term shellacked. At least, that’s what I’ve been told by people who lived in that era. I asked a woman once, after looking at her yearbook photo with her, how she’d gotten her hair like that and she replied to me, deadpan, “One hour and hairspray.”

Ask a dumb question…

Anyway, Abigail’s underwear is based on this Mary Quant designed body suit. Her shoes can all be found in the V&A. I did make them different colors, but the styles are here, here and here.

If you want to see all my 1960s inspiration, as we are heading into a week of 1960s content, head over to my 1960s Pinterest Board.

Need some clothing for today’s paper doll? All the A Pose Dolls & Clothing

A Pair of Akiko Dress Up Dolls

A pair of Asian dress up dolls in black and white or color with shoes. They can wear any of the over two dozen different clothing pieces from paperthinpersonas.com.

Printable Black & White PDF Printable Color PDF More Paper Dolls & Clothes

Today, there are two new versions of Akiko, my Asian A pose lady paper doll, to be dressed up. A pair of dress up dolls, if you will.

For me, a paper doll you can’t dress up has no interest. Don’t get me wrong, there are some beautiful jointed dolls made from paper out there. I’m in awe of the engineering that goes into these creations, but for me the whole point of paper dolls is that you can dress them up. It’s the ease at which a doll goes from being a princess to a ninja to a post-apocalyptic warrior that engages me.

I mention this, because I regularly sacrifice variety for versatility. I chose, when I began the Dames and Dandies, that I would focus on four skin tones for each pose and three poses to begin with. That’s not the end, of course, but I made that choice knowing I was limiting the whole glorious spectrum of human beings to 12 skintones, two genders and three bodies.

Sounds pretty limited when I put it that way, doesn’t it?

But within those limitations (chosen in part for my own sanity as much as anything else) I wanted to create as much versatility as I could. By choosing just three bodies, I thought I would be able to create a variety of roles for those bodies to take on from steampunk to goth to flapper.

And within the limitations of those three bodies, I wanted variety as well. So Akiko has gotten to visit the 1920s and wear Lolita street fashion. And here are two more versions of her to be dressed up. There’s a blond version and a glasses wearing brunette. My second paper doll recently with glasses.

If I have one major regret about my three bodies, it is that none of them are plus-sized. As a curvy woman, I regret that I didn’t start with a curvy figure as well. However, I’ve been on a curvy figure drawing kick lately and I have three curvy paper dolls in the works. One will be my model for Inktober. The other two… I’m not sure yet. None of them are to scale with the Dames and Dandies, so they won’t be part of that series. What will happen to them, I don’t yet know.

My patrons are usually the first to know about my activities, but I have been posting some to Instagram Stories when I’m sketching and inking. So, join Patreon or follow me on Instagram if you want the latest.

Meanwhile, let me know what you think of today’s Akiko paper dolls in a comment if you have a moment. Love to hear from you.

Need a clothing for today’s paper dolls? All the A Pose Dolls & Clothing

Celebrating the 1960s with the August Collaborative Paper Doll Post

A vintage styled paper doll dress coloring page based on a design from 1968 with matching shoes and wig for the 2018 Collaborative paper doll from paperthinpersonas.com.

Black and White Paper Doll PDF Paper Doll Collaboration 2018
So, the theme for August was Favorite Decade and I almost did the 1920s, because as you know, I love the 1920s so much. I just adore that era.

But then I thought, “But the 1920s is so expected.”

And you know, I have been drawing a fair bit of 1920s stuff for my 1920s Akiko.

Then I thought about other decades I really love- the 1880s and 1960s. Trying to draw a bustle dress was, frankly, more than I thought I could handle this month. Between my allergies (thanks Ragweed) and the start of school again (Hi, students), I just didn’t have the complex layers of the 1880s in me.

I did, however, have a simplicity of a 1960s shift dress in me. Today’s 1960s dress is based on Simplicity 7587 from 1968. The dress came in two lengths. Her shoes are based on this pair from 1962. And, of course, she has a big flipped hair style which you may need to add some floating tabs too.

If you want to see more “favorite decades” head over to Paper Doll School and Miss Missy Paper Dolls to see their August posts. I have no idea what decades they chose and I am looking forward to seeing myself.

Meanwhile, back in April, I started a project to draw 100 dresses and post my drawings on Instagram. It was more about completing my #100dressesproject than any kind of timeline. Of course, I did take a few weeks off in the middle. However, I am super happy that I posted dress 100 today! So, go check out all 100 dresses and let me know what you think of them in a comment there or here.

And, as always, I’d love to know what you think of today’s 1960s paper doll dress.

There’s a second, patron exclusive, 1960s dress over on my Patreon page. So, if you are a patron (thank you) and enjoy! If you aren’t a patron, consider joining. Any amount really does help keep the blog’s costs down.

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

Aisha in Two Different Styles

A pair of paper dolls to print from paperthinpersonas.com. Free to print in black and white or in color.

Printable Black & White PDF Printable Color PDF More Paper Dolls & Clothes
I think of these paper dolls as the- No-Nonsense Hair Aisha (left) and the Cotton Candy Retro Aisha (right). I went back and forth and back and forth about the color of Cotton Candy Retro Aisha (right) eyebrows. I mean, most people don’t dye their eyebrows to match their hair, but the black eyebrows just didn’t look right with the pink hair and brown eyebrows didn’t have enough contrast and… so, I went with pink eyebrows. Maybe she’s from some sci-fi universe and genetically engineered to have pink eyebrows.

I have some retro-space suits I have been working on, so maybe that’s the cause of her pink eyebrows.

Meanwhile, I designed two different pairs of shoes to go with these paper dolls. The blue shoes are scalloped which is a really popular design feature right now and the black and white sandals are dressed up flip-flops. I love slip on sandals in the summer time. I’d like to say because I go to the beach or something else “fun,” but really because it’s easier to slip into them when checking my mail or taking out the trash.

My life is not that exciting.

Meanwhile, enjoy the paper dolls! We’ll be back to outfits next week (with a Collaboration 2018 Paper Doll on Friday) and then it’ll be September. Don’t worry about other Dames. They have double sets too! I’m just feeling like I want to go back to some clothing for a few posts. All the new dolls need things to wear after all, but the rest of the girls will get up here soon.

Time has flown this year!  Meanwhile, if you’re feeling clothing design neglected, hop over to Instagram where I’m on dress 93 of the #100dressesproject. I’m so close to the end! I have no idea what I’ll post to Instagram when it’s all over. I need to come up with something… Thoughts? Let me know in a comment or let me know what you think of today’s paper doll!

Need a clothing for today’s paper dolls? All the A Pose Dolls & Clothing

Two New Alice Paper Dolls- A Brunette and Redhead

A pair of printable paper dolls. The paper doll on the left is brunette with green eyes and fair skin. The paper doll on the right is a redhead with brown eyes and fair skin. Both paper dolls can share clothing with any of the A pose paper dolls.

Printable Black & White PDF Printable Color PDF More Paper Dolls & Clothes

Because the first Alice was a blue eyed blond, I decided it made sense to make a green eyed brunette and a brown eyed red-head made sense for my next two Alice paper dolls. There’s also 18th century Alice, but she’s a bit unique, because she can’t share clothing with all of the other paper dolls. So, I’m not sure if I can count her, really.

The whole point of this “double-set” thing was to try to expand the number of dolls available quickly, so people would have variety. But I also have to remind myself that I can’t compare the Dames and Dandies to my other series. It’s only been around for nine months after all and things like Marisole Monday ran for years.

Instead, I am trying to think- If I could “start over” knowing now what I didn’t know when I began this blog all those years ago, what would I do? And I am trying to be smarter than I was the first time.

I like to think I am older, if not wiser than I was.

So, anyway, that means that this week will be all double-sets. So, we’ll have 2 A pose and 1 B pose. I know the C pose is being neglected and I do feel bad for the guys, but I can’t fit two of those dolls on a single sheet as far as I can tell. So, they’re going to have to wait, but fear not- I have a steampunk version, a fantasy version and an elf all in progress for them, but until then- enjoy the A pose dames and their shoes.

And if you love the blog, than please support it through Pateron, follow me on Social Media or leave a comment. I love to hear from y’all.

Need a clothing for today’s paper dolls? All the A Pose Dolls & Clothing

Meet Batari- The New B Pose Doll

Two asian paper dolls in color or black and white. The dolls have two pairs of shoes and can wear any of the B Pose paper doll clothing from paperthinpersonas.com.

Printable Black & White PDF Printable Color PDF More Paper Dolls & Clothes

Happy Friday! Today, I am super pleased to share Batari, a new B pose doll. Batari is an Indonesian name that means Goddess. Batari went through a few different versions and face lifts before I was settled on her. I don’t want to share things I don’t like, so I sometimes that means revisions are needed. I am very happy with how she came out in the end, even if the process got a little messy.

There might have been some cursing. I’m just saying.

As you might have noticed, there’s not just one Batari paper doll today, there’s two!

I realized I could fit two of any of the dames dolls on a single page and I decided that I would create double doll sets for all the Dames. That’s Abigail, Aisha, Akiko, Alice (in the A Pose) and Beatrix, Benedita, Bridget (in the B Pose). Since I was working on Batari at the time of this realization, her first sets is not one Batari, but two.

Maybe they’re identical twins.

I wanted to do two very different feeling paper dolls. So, the doll on the left has a casual hair style and the doll the right as a fancy up-do and painted nails.

Just like any of the other B Pose paper dolls, Batari can wear any of the B pose clothing, of course. I personally think the casual doll on the left might like some boho clothing while the doll on the left seems more like a gothic fahion girl perhaps. Of course, either could wear this super fantasy kaftan or this armored fantasy gown.

My paper dolls lead interesting lives based on their clothing options, I like to think.

If you love the blog and want to keep it ad free, than consider supporting it through Patreon. Meanwhile, did you know I have been working on drawing 100 dresses and posting the designs on Instagram? It’s been a super fun project and you can check it out on my Instagram feed.

Need a Doll to wear today’s outfit? 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.

Printable Black & White PDF Printable Color PDF More Paper Dolls & Clothes

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

Meet Bridget: A St. Patrick’s Day Paper Doll

A super fun St. Patrick Day paper doll to print in color or black and white.

Printable Black & White PDF Printable Color PDF More Paper Dolls & Clothes
One of my goals of 2018 was to try to do a paper doll for each of the major holidays. I missed Purim, but I have gotten most of them so far. Today’s paper doll is to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. I have only drawn one other St. Patrick’s Day paper doll, so here’s my second one ever.

As many of you know, St. Patrick’s Day is the feast day for St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland. St. Patrick was a fifth-century Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. It’s said that he used the clover to illustrate the concept of the trinity (father-son-holy ghost) and that he banished the snakes from Ireland. Interestingly enough, the earliest St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the United States happened in Boston in 1737 and in New York in 1762. That means that the holiday was being observed in the United States before there even was a United States.

Anyway, I had planned to do a St. Patrick’s Day outfit like I did for Valentine’s Day, but then it occurred to me that I didn’t have a redheaded paper doll yet and something about a redhead for St. Patrick’s Day just made sense. So, I did a full St. Patrick’s Day paper doll and an outfit. I named this new B Pose face Bridget, after the other patron Saint of Ireland, and she has jeans, sneakers and a clover t-shirt. She can, of course, wear any of the B Pose clothing, but she has a different skin-tone from Benedita or Beatrix.

I hope anyone celebrating tomorrow has a wonderful St. Patrick’s Day! I’ll probably be having a quiet day at home. Does anyone have neat St. Patrick’s Day plans? Let me know in a comment.

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