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brunette
Evening with her 1920s Dresses
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So, today’s 1920s printable paper doll was something I drew, because I was a little tired and the great thing about historical paper dolls from time periods I know pretty well is that they aren’t a ton of work. Especially because resources like Good House Keeping can be found online in their complete run. It makes this fun!
Some of you may recall from my Goals of 2022 was more historical paper dolls and more Dolls Du Jour, so I am super psyched that I got to kill two birds with one stone. Metaphorically speaking, I do not condone bird stoning.
This is my 10th historical paper doll for 2022! I reached my goal and it’s only August. It’s only my 6th DDJ paper doll, I still need four more to reach my goal. I like goals.
I digress.
So, today’s 1920s printable paper doll has two gowns designed to fit in with the theme of a 1920s wardrobe. The dress on the left is a blue and cream day dress and the dress on the right is a coral colored evening dress. It’s not really a super formal evening dress- more like something for an evening garden party. You know, if you have a lifestyle where evening garden parties are your thing.
The blue dress was based on this McCall 5120 sewing pattern from 1927. I assume this is a day dress, but I don’t know for certain. It seems to be more casual daywear. That’s a guess based on other dresses I’ve seen. Her clutch was based on this one, but I modified it to match the dress better.
The coral colored evening gown is from 1924 and was first published in Good House Keeping from June 1924. The dress is described as a light weight option for summer parties. I am always playing around with how to show transparency in linework. The purse comes from a French design and I made the color match the dress.
The paper dolls underwear was inspired by this combination from the Met Museum. You can see similar styles here and here. These teddies or combinations seem to have been pretty popular given the number that have survived.
Sometimes people ask me if my paper dolls are historically accurate and I wince a little. Not because I can’t tell you my sources (I clearly can, I just did), but because the entire idea of historical accuracy is sort of impossible. We simply don’t know enough about the past and we never will. So much about the clothing a person choses to wear has to do with unwritten rules that people conform to in society.
I have no idea how an actual woman from the 1920s would feel about these dresses and I never will. That’s impossible. As a result, I have no idea how accurate anything I draw really is. All I can do is tell you where I found my sources and what decisions I made.
And I hope you enjoy these little expeditions into historical clothing as much as I do.
DDJ: A Medieval Inspired Set of Fantasy Gowns
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So, I tend to categorize my fantasy paper dolls in my head based on the time periods that inspired them. This paper doll is vaguely medieval while last year I did a Renaissance inspired Twilight paper doll set. Evening is my newest member of the Dolls Du Jour family who I created because I wanted a more medium-brown skin-tone.
Evening has two dresses which in my head are a Winter Dress and a Summer Dress, though I suppose they could be anything you might want them to be. I had particular fun with this color scheme that I wanted to feel soft and muted, but also rich. I am of the Lord of the Rings Movies generation, so those costume designs have long impacted the way I have thought about fantasy gowns for paper dolls.
Evening, like all the Dolls Du Jour, was named with the help of my Patrons. So, as always a big thank you to those folks without whom this site would be a lot less fun. Also, tomorrow is a newsletter day, so sign up here if you want to get that sent straight to your inbox.
Meet Talia Tuesday & Her Retro Ski Winter Fashion
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I do not know where to start with this one, so let me start at the beginning I guess. Last year, I decided to just draw whatever I felt like for my 5 dollar patrons. One of the experiments that came out of that year was this paper doll pose. Inspired by a pose I’ve seen, but never tried to draw (and like it only looks correct because the amazing Julie Matthews saved me on foot placement- you’re the best Julie). I liked the doll, but the pose is totally new to me and is taking some getting used too. It’s making me stretch and I think that’s always a good thing.
So, I decided one of the things I wanted to do was a two page series, due to the paper doll’s pose and size. After I shared her for my Patrons last year, I reformatted her and did some adjustments to her face and came up with a name. Meet Talia Tuesday & Friends!
She’ll post not every Tuesday, because that would be bananas, but like some Tuesdays. This first Talia Tuesday is inspired by the retro ski trend that seems to be all over the place this winter with lots of 1980s and 1990s inspired ski wear. I don’t think any of this is really practical ski clothing, so I didn’t feel weird giving Talia a big silver earrings.
Don’t worry, Talia will have friends soon. If you love paper dolls and want more of them every month, I’ve got Patreon page where even more paper dolls happen (plus you get to see things like this in the early days) and a newsletter.
Happy Purim & A Paper Doll to Celebrate
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Oh, where to start… Okay, so Purim begins at sunset tonight and as it is a Jewish holiday where dressing up is a tradition, I’m sort of embarrassed I haven’t done a Purim paper doll since this one way back in 2011. So, here we are to rectify that situation. To be honest, I tend to forget about Purim until after the fact which is not really fair to what is technically one of my favorite Jewish holidays (which I am like 80% into because of the amazing cookies involved.)
So, what is Purim? Well, Purim is a holiday that usually falls in March or April and commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from Haman, who was planning to have all of Persia’s Jewish subjects killed, by Esther and Mordecai as recounted in the Book of Esther. There’s more to the story of course (some of it involving a lot of drinking and nudity, oh my!), but to make a long story short, the day that the Jews weren’t killed is now remembered as Purim. If any of this did actually happen (a subject of some debate) it would have been around 400-500 BCE in the Persian empire of the time. By the way, this is the cutest 4 minute video of this story ever, if you want a kid-friendly primer.
Reading the Book of Esther from the Esther Scroll (the Book of Esther doesn’t appear in the Torah) is a religious requirement of Purim, as is giving to the poor, exchanging food with friends, and eating a celebratory meal. Non-religious traditions of the holiday include making noise (using a noise maker or just booing loudly) when the name Hamen heard during the reading of the Book of Esther, dressing up in costume as characters in the story (or just costume in general), and making hamentashen. Hamentashen are a traditional cookie shaped like a triangle and filled with poppy seed, prune, or apricot filling (or, if you’re me, raspberry). It is said they looked like Hamen’s hat, but I think there’s no historical backing for that one.
I like this hamentashen recipe, though I sub out the brandy usually with orange juice, and I think it is better than my Grandma’s recipe. (Don’t tell!) I usually buy my poppy seed filling, because I’m a little lazy about it. However, you can make your own poppy seed filling which I might have to do, because poppy seed filling is super hard to find in the grocery stores around here. I would add that if you’re used to making cookies with butter, than traditional hamentashen will taste odd perhaps, because they’re usually made without dairy for kosher cooking reasons. I’ve been known to make hamantashen outside of Purim as a non-dairy cookie for friends who don’t eat dairy.
Anyway, as a kid, I loved Purim. I love getting to dress up as Esther, or one memorable year, as a hamantashen. I loved getting to use a noise maker, hearing the story of Esther, and the general feeling of celebration the holiday creates. There’s also something about the slow slog towards spring when everything still is frozen up here in Alaska which makes baking some cookies and having a party seem like a really good thing to be doing.
I didn’t want to make a paper doll of Esther, because honestly, that was way more research than I was about to undertake. What did Jewish people wear in Persia in 400BCE? No idea!
Instead, I decided to draw someone celebrating Purim with a hamantashen t-shirt (because that’s fun) and some Esther costumes. For some reason I had it in my head that this whole thing took place in 1400 BCE, not 400 BCE, while I was sketching, so these outfits are way too early for the actual period, but I’m not sweating it. The trim on the second costume is supposed to look a little like hamentashen. I also included a traditional noise maker called a gragger (or grogger, or grager, or… there’s like a million ways to transliterate Yiddish, I swear) and plate of hamantashen. (Note: Drawing a plate of cookies is hard!)
For anyone else celebrating, have a happy Purim! For everyone not celebrating, have an amazing Wednesday evening and Thursday! I’m spending mine baking.
A Whimsical Winter Paper Doll to Print
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In my world, it is still way below zero and the snow is still deep. People tell me spring will come, but I am beginning to have my doubts. I’m antsy and super tired of winter. Up here, some people call this feeling the “heebie-jeebies” – that antsy icky anxiety that comes from wanting winter to end. This time of the year time seems to blur together. There’s not enough day light yet and there’s not enough changes in the weather. You start wonder- will Winter ever end?
Different people deal in different ways. I deal by being deeply and intensely attracted to all things cheerful and whimsical. I want hats that look like pandas and pink shoes. So, I designed this paper doll set to capture the whimsy of winter- the things I seem to crave as the dark and cold feels like it will never end.
Other coping strategies this time of the year for me include covering my planner in flower stickers and sticking unicorn washi tape all over my journal . What do you do to deal with long winters? Or do you live in a place where spring is already on the way? I’m only a little jealous.
By the way, I have restarted my newsletter for 2022 quietly. If you haven’t signed up, you can do that here- Newsletter Sign Up. It usually goes out about every two weeks and there’s a paper doll coloring page in every issue.
If you’d like to support PTP in a more direct way (plus get extra paper dolls very month and access to a backlog of wonderful things as well) you can sign up to be a patron on Patreon. It was a slow start to 2022, so you haven’t missed anything new there.
DDJ: Sweet Summer Scallops with Dusk
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While all of my paper dolls have themes, I think my contemporary fashion paper dolls have themes that are sometimes more subtle or more defined by color than anything else. After all, there’s only so many ways a person can draw a pair of blue jeans. This set was inspired by summer florals and a pair of polka-dot jeans my sister used to own. In my head, I was thinking feminine silhouettes (hence the flutter, tulip and puffed sleeves) and scallops. I included the long denim skirt, because I feel like 1990s fashions are having a revival and long denim skirts feel so 1990s to me.
I wanted to keep the colors soft and pastel without feeling too… childish. I think pastels can go nursery room really fast. For those keeping count at home, this is my 7th Dolls Du Jour paper doll and my second one with Dusk. The last one was this very fancy evening gown set.
There’s also a new paper doll set up on Etsy if you’d like to go check that one out. It’s a three doll set with five pages of fantasy clothing. I imagine it would be super fun to color.
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As Winter Comes, Here’s a Viking Fantasy Paper Doll
Occasionally, I create a paper doll outfit and I know I want to continue for another outfit in another style. For this paper doll set, I wanted to take this Viking Woman Warrior inspired outfit from last January and create a whole Viking fantasy paper doll collection around it. The original design was inspired by this drawing, but I didn’t look at it until I was finished with these new designs.
Today’s paper doll outfits were based on Viking clothing, such as apron-dresses, but I also just had fun with the motifs on the first tunic inspiring motifs on the other pieces.
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The paper doll’s hair was pretty much inspired by stereotypes of Viking hair. I wanted it to feel fantasy, but not be overly elaborate. Actual Vikings were very into personal grooming and took care of their appearance. We know this from the number of combs, tweezers and other tools found in the graves of Vikings. This is Viking fantasy, but I object to the whole idea that they were scruffy.
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I did a lot of research on Vikings a few years ago back in 2015 and wrote up a quick over view if you want to read about actual Viking dress. I really enjoyed learning when I did that research. Though I openly confess that I don’t really go with historical Vikings very often. I know enough to know I don’t know enough.
But since I love playing around with different historical periods and creating fantasy paper dolls based on them, I don’t feel too worried about the historical accuracy here.
Meanwhile, if you’re a fan of the blog, than consider joining us over on Patreon. There’s ever more paper doll content. And who doesn’t want more paper dolls?
Retro-Beach Summer Paper Doll with Ruby
One of the interesting things about switching over to Jewels and Gemstones 2.0 has been getting to gather up related pieces from other sets and make them into new sets. I had fun collecting some of the summery clothing I’d drawn over the last year and transforming it into a new set for Ruby, though any of the dolls can wear the clothing. To my patrons, I’m sure these pieces look familiar, but I don’t think most of them have shown up on the blog before.
So, that’s kinda fun.
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I went through several color schemes with this set. Before I finally settled on one that I reminded me of a retro 1960s surf movie poster color scheme. Of course, I didn’t actually look at any retro surf movies for inspiration, but that was my concept. Ruby basically has my hair color here, because I don’t see that color in paper dolls much.
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In other fun news, I’ve got a published magazine paper doll. If you go grab the current issue of Doll Castle News, you’ll find my paper doll dedicated to “Doll-O-Ween” (shout out to my partner Adam for the title) in there. She was inspired by both BJDs and vintage Ginny dolls. Drawing dolls and not having them come out creepy is super hard. My respect for Diana Vining’s art grew immensely in that project. You can also see some pics on my Instagram.
Anyway, I keep meaning to do a longer post with photos of my sketches and such. However, in case that doesn’t happen (and who knows if it will) I wanted to share.
As always, if you love the blog, want to support it, and want more paper dolls every week- join us on Patreon. This is a one woman show, so any level of support is super helpful to keeping things rolling around here.
Fantasy Princesses and Their Gowns with Lapis
If I had to pick one thing I like drawing the most, I would have a lot of trouble, but it would probably be a tie between historical paper dolls and fantasy paper dolls. Historical because I love doing research and I am big costume history buff. Fantasy because sometimes I really don’t want to do so much research before I draw a paper doll. Of the fantasy things I draw, I think dresses are probably my favorite thing to create. I’m a sucker for a fantasy gown, what can I say?
This is funny, because in the real world, I am very much a jeans and t-shirts kinda girl.
Last year, I started a whole series of princess fantasy gowns I called the Princess and Their Gowns Collection. So far, there are two princesses and today’s paper doll is the third. They can not only share clothing, but the dresses are all in the same color scheme. Many mix and match options, I think.
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The specific inspirations for these two gowns are lost to me, though I did share this doodle and sketchbook version of the House Dress on Patreon. The House Dress was a Patreon piece from last year. Since it’s been over a year, I figure I can share it.
The Dinner Dress owes a lot to the dresses of the 18th century with the petticoat and the sleeves with ruffles. The “Rococo/Big Skirted Absurdity” section on my Fantasy Pinterest Board has more stuff in this genre. I have a fondness for 18th century inspired paper doll gowns.
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I’m really happy with how Lapis’ hair came out and I am glad to have her joining Sapphire and Opal. Between the three of them, there are six dresses which I think is a good beginning. I need to draw more though. I’m thinking maybe a sports outfit, perhaps hiking? And also maybe something for the seaside. I haven’t totally decided yet. Is there a theme for a gown you’d like to see?
Let me know in a comment.
Topaz With 12th Century Clothing
In my second Topaz paper doll of the week, here’s some 12th century clothing to go along with the Tudor paper doll from Tuesday. If I had a chose a period of fashion I both really like and know very little about, it would be the 12th century aka 1100s. 12th century clothing in Western Europe is both super interesting to me (I love the sleeves) and very alien.
As much as possible, I try to work from primary sources, ideally illuminated by well written analysis by scholars who know more than me. However, the books I have tend to start in 1200 which is more well documented period and leave 1100s out entirely.
Perfect historical accuracy is impossible, so knowing that I did my best on this paper doll and her 1100s dresses.
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Topaz is wearing a shift based one illustrated in Roman de Giron le Courtois on Folio 87v. The manuscript dates from between 1370-1380 even though this is 200 years after the 1100s. Illustrations of women in shifts are just super rare, so you have to use what you can find. I made my version shorter and tighter than the originals, because paper dolls have to layer. Paper doesn’t fold like fabric.
Additionally, Topaz’s shoes all come from Stepping Through Time by Olaf Goubitz, a book on archeological footwear finds. It’s fascinating, but very densely written work. Her hair and headdress are based on illustrations from Women’s Hats, Headdresses and Hairstyles by Georgine de Courtais. Her veil is based on the one seen on the Ushaw Virgin, a brass from the British Museum, as is the dress on the right. The statue, Enthroned Virgin and Child, from The Met, was another source for the dresses. I also used some of the manuscript images from this German site on the Bliaut. All the illustrations are properly cited and that always makes me happy.
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The bliaut is the subject of a lot of debate. Statues of the time show a very wrinkled, almost pleated fabric effect (like this), but illustrations by and large don’t. When they do show horizontal wrinkles across the abdomen they tend to be more subtle. I went with the more subtle option and the no wrinkles option. Inevitably, drawing fashions from history requires making editorial decisions, but I try to capture the silhouette of the period.
Books consulted in the creation of this paper doll included Stepping Through Time by Olaf Goubitz, Women’s Hats, Headdresses and Hairstyles by Georgine de Courtais, Medieval Dress and Fashion by Margaret Scott and Fashion in the Middle Ages by Margret Scott, though this last one was not helpful, particularly.
This is an era I’d like to learn more about. So, if anyone has a book recommendation I’ll happy accept it. Most of my books don’t cover this early period very well.
Today’s set was put together from pieces posted here on the blog last year and on Patreon.
A Tudor Clothing Paper Doll
The last time I did a Tudor clothing paper doll, many years ago, I focused on Henrician gowns. You can see that paper doll here. This time, however, I wanted draw a few other styles from that period. So, along with the Henrician gowns I drew several later styles which were popular in second part of the 1500s, but don’t have easy names (or if they do, I don’t know them.)
Today’s Tudor paper doll has two dresses. The dress on the left is from the 1560s to 1570s. I could find a name for this style of robe with hanging sleeves over petticoat, but you can see styles like this in this portrait of a Lady of the Wentworth Family from 1563, this portrait of an Unknown Lady from 1565-1568 and this portrait of Elizabeth Hardwick, Countess of Shrewsbury circa 1560s. Her dress on the right is a Henrician gown with a matching partlet filling in the low square neckline. These portraits of Queen Mary 1 and Lady Mary Dudley (c.1530–1586) show Henrician gowns with parlets.
Her underwear is a shift, which has been extremely simplified to deal with the sleeves of gowns (the sleeves would have been much fuller and ended in a ruffle/cuff.) Her pair of bodies are a combination of a set from an effigy of Queen Elizabeth in 1603 and those in a famous portrait of Elizabeth Vernon circa 1600. A well cited article about Queen Elizabeth I’s effigy bodies is Sarah Bendall’s Elizabeth I Effigy Bodies Reconstruction. The paper doll has a Spanish farthingale- cone shaped hoops to support skirts that is separate. Spanish Farthingale’s gave dresses their distinct triangular look.
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For much of Europe’s history, women covered their hair. In the Tudor era, women wore headdresses called “hoods”. As far I can tell from my reading, the popularity of hood styles switched in and out depending on the current Queen. With Henry the 8th, that’s a lot of queens. While the French Hood was worn before (and after) Anne Boleyn, it is definitely most closely associated with her. I chose go with the French Hood, but there was also the English (or Gable) Hood and several other styles.
Her hat is a taffeta pipkin- a narrow brimmed cap made of paper and covered in thin silk taffeta. To cover the hair a jeweled cap was worn, which is a style that was also common in Germany.
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So, let’s talk colors for a moment.
Black was one of the most expensive colors to dye fabric (in part because it look a lot of dye). Crimson and scarlet were also popular colors. I made one of her dresses primarily black and the other a very deep dark red, but it looks black depending on the computer screen settings I realized after I finished.
So, why a Tudor clothing paper doll, you might ask? Because my Patrons voted for it! The poll I shared with my patrons had a three way tie- Tudor, 1970s and 1890s. I’m still working on the 1890s and the 1970s.
I finished the Tudor clothing paper dolls first, because I had already been working on her underwear. Next up will either be 1970s or 1890s… I haven’t decided which one yet. Both are in progress.
If you’d like to get to vote on things like which paper dolls I draw, join us over on Patreon.