evening gowns

Jade in Her Evening Gown

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

Somehow I often come back to evening gowns when I’m feeling unsure of what to draw. I’m sure I’m not the only artist who has things they come back to over and over again, but I like drawing evening gowns and they don’t require a lot of thought. I think of them as like the chicken and dumplings of my drawings- comfort food.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper

This dress is based on a lovely gown from the Gabriela Hearst’s Spring/Summer 2019 Ready-To-Wear collection. The original is more of a sundress, but I wanted to make mine more of an evening gown. Jade’s hair was based on this picture of a black woman’s updo I found on Pinterest. I really liked the draped bangs look of the micro-braids.

Learn & See More

On the Blog: More Jewels & Gemstones paper dolls
Around the Internet: My Formal Gowns Pinterest Board

Last Thoughts on Today’s Princess Fantasy Paper Doll

If you want an extra paper doll piece every Friday, than join us on Patreon. There’s a bunch of great projects going over there including my 365 day paper doll project, extra Jewels and Gemstones and my lovely Vivian paper doll series. It’s super fun and I am so grateful to everyone who helps support my art.

Not exactly sure what will go up next week, but I’ll no doubt make some decisions as I start scheduling those posts.

Architectural Evening Gown for the Paper Dolls

A beautiful architectural eveninf gown in green with a origami style bodice for the paper dolls to print.

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

Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
I have themes I return to over and over again. Evening gowns are one of them. They are sort of the “comfort food” of my drawing life. I enjoy creating them and, best of all, they are pretty easy to draw.

The challenge of evening gowns is not always drawing basically the same thing over and over again.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
I really have been in love with architectural evening gowns lately. I love the complex folded patterns. They’re also fun to try to draw. However, they often need extra tabs, like the floating tab I created fr this one. You’ll want to attach it to the shoulder.

Specific Source Images: This dress which I think is from Hannibal Laguna, though I haven’t been able to match it to specific season.

Learn/See More
On the Blog:More Jewels & Gemstones paper dolls
Around the Internet: My Pinterest Board devoted toFormal Gowns and Cocktail dresses

Last Thoughts
It occurs to me I haven’t done a cocktail dress yet for the Jewels and Gemstones paper dolls. I probably should get on that. A project for another day, I think.

In case you missed it, I am changing things up in regards to scheduling. I’m just updating when I feel like it and time allows. If you want a weekly update, join Patreon. There will be a Friday paper doll outfit there every week. Also, you can sign up for email notifications and the will let you know when the site has updated.

Ruby Celebrates the New Year

Today's paper doll is a redhead with a gown based on the Marchesa designs, purses and matching shoes. She can be printed in color or in black and white.

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

Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
I try to walk a line between being specific in each of my paper doll designs and being general. So, today’s formal gown and shoes are both coordinated, but I chose colors and styles that could be worn with other future evening wear. I don’t have any more paper doll evening wear yet, but I will eventually. It’s not like this is the only paper doll with an evening gown I plan to draw ever.

Plus, I think her hair style could be either steampunk or wedding or evening or… there’s a lot of options in that hairstyle.

Also, can someone explain to me why evening clutches are always too small to actually hold anything useful? Sometimes a girl needs more than just lipstick and her phone.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
The name Ruby, because that seemed so fitting for a redhead paper doll. Cliche perhaps, but I can live with that. Plus I do love redhead paper dolls. Always have.

Something about New Years always makes me think formal gowns and when it comes to formal gowns, I love gowns by Marchesa.

Specific Source Images: Sofia Vergara’s 2016 Oscar Gown by Marchesa & this Wedding Hairstyle from my Hair Pinterest Board

Learn/See More
On the Blog: Paper Doll Evening Gowns, New Years Paper Dolls, & More Jewels & Gemstones Paper Dolls
Around the Internet: My Hair Pinterest Board, Boot’s amazing Marchesa Paper Dolls Gowns & Marchesa’s Website

Last Thoughts
I hope everyone who has today off is having a lovely New Years day.

There is unique content on Patreon, including a totally an exclusive Friday paper doll.

As always, I love to hear what folks are thinking in the comments. Do you love redhead paper dolls as much I do?

A Tiered Evening Gown For the B Pose Ladies

An evening gown for the B Pose paper dolls based on a design from the Marchesa Pre-Fall 2016 collection. The gown has a deep v neckline and a tiered skirt. There is a matching clutch.

Printable Black & White PDF Printable Color PDF More Paper Dolls & Clothes
I thought it would be fun to end the week with a fancy paper doll gown since I posted my paper doll tuxedo last week. So, here’s an evening gown for the B pose ladies based on this evening gown from Marchesa’s Pre-Fall 2016 collection. I loved the shape of the original gown.

In case you are wondering, the low cut neckline of the gown is possible because of the skimpy underwear of the B pose ladies. Without those handy leaves, the neckline on this dress wouldn’t be possible. That’s why I tend to draw such skimpy undergarments for my paper dolls. I don’t want to be limited in my neckline options.

Today’s gown isn’t a perfect reproduction of the Marchesa Pre-Fall 2016 evening gown. To start with, my gown isn’t made from lace and the skirts are a lot fuller. I wanted this to feel like a confection. The sort of light weight floating thing that would move beautifully when you walked if, you know, paper dolls could walk.

Marchesa is one of my favorite designers. I adore the elegant evening wear the line produces even though I don’t think I’m skilled enough to draw most of it. The highly detailed textiles they use are hard to render in ink. I think perhaps I just need more practice.

Secretly, I also like drawing evening gowns, because they tend to be complete unto themselves. I don’t have to think about tops and bottoms. I can just draw the gown and maybe a matching bag. They feel like less work than separates and, unlike cocktail dresses, I don’t feel a strange need to always draw two. One evening gown will do.

So, I guess you could say I also look at evening gowns as a lazy option.

I did draw a version of this dress during my #100dressesproject on Instagram. It was dress 41. I also shared the sketchbook page on Instagram back in July. Follow me there if you want more sketchbook pages or join Patreon if you want to help keep the blog on the internet and see behind the scenes stuff and get a totally different color scheme for today’s down. 

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

Paper Doll Collaboration May 2018 Animals and Pets

A paper doll clothing coloring page featuring an evening gown and snake wrapped around the paper doll's shoulders. Part of the 2018 paper doll collaboration.

Black and White Paper Doll PDF Paper Doll Collaboration 2018
This month just got away from me. I meant to get this one up on Friday, but it has been a whirl of a week.

This month’s theme was animals or pets. I have a pet cat named Dewey (who ends up on my Instagram on occasion) and I adore her, but I didn’t want to do a cat based set. I’m not a huge pet person. I spoil my cat, but it’s sort of like the different between loving kids and loving your own kids. I love my cat, but I don’t always love other people’s cats.

Instead of going cat themed (which I felt like might be cliche) I went with an animal who is much more maligned, but who I’ve always had an affection for. I’ve always loved snakes. They are both fascinating and largely misunderstood.

Plus what paper doll doesn’t want to accessorize their evening gown with a snake?

If you’re still feeling cat deprived, there was a cat sweater in my February outfit for this paper doll.

For more of our paper doll collaboration, check out Paper Doll School and Miss Missy Paper Dolls for more animal and pet inspired paper doll outfits.

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

Benedita On the Red Carpet in Her Green Evening Gown

Printable Black & White PDF Printable Color PDF More Paper Dolls & Clothes
Happy Friday!

Today’s version of Benedita, my Latina paper doll, has a formal hair style and an evening gown inspired by a design from Marchesa. Marchesa’s designs are usually elaborate and romantic. I simplified the gown a bit, bit kept the intense lime green color. Some of Marchesa’s stuff is a little too embellished for my taste, but I loved the drape of this gown.

I went back and forth on the shoes, but ended up deciding that one pair of black shoes and one pair of white shoes would be the most versatile for future designs. I try to think about what increases the play-ability of a set. Plus all of the Benedita dolls will have the same skintone, so Benedita 2 here can share shoes with Benedita 1.

Eventually, there will be a Benedita 3 (she’s already in progress and going to be a 1930s historical version).

Really what I wanted with version 2 of Benedita was to have a dramatically different doll than I created in version 1 of Benedita.

I have no idea how convoluted this will get when I’m at like Benedita 12 or something, but I’m up for it. 

Meanwhile, I hope everyone has a super great weekend. This has been a crazy busy week, but I am hoping for a quiet weekend of drawing paper dolls. Frankly, I’m kinda out of content, so I really do need to get some things done. However, the things in progress are pretty cool (I think) and feature a lot of historical content. 

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

Ms. Mannequin’s Elegant Paper Doll Evening Gown

{View Larger} {View the PDF} {View Black & White} {View the Black & White PDF}
{More Ms. Mannequin Paper Dolls}

Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: This Evening Gown from Pinterest

A long elegant modest paper doll evening gown in a rich orchid purple for the Ms. Mannequin paper doll series. Free to print from paperthinpersonas.com.

A long elegant modest paper doll evening gown in a rich orchid purple for the Ms. Mannequin paper doll series. Free to print from paperthinpersonas.com.

The gown today’s paper doll is based on was white and I felt like that wasn’t very interesting. Also, you can always use the black and white version of today’s gown to be the white version if you wanted too.

What I really wanted to try to capture with today’s gown was the drape of the fabric clinging to the body and then flaring on the ground.

Another thing I loved about the dress I based today’s paper doll evening gown off of was the modesty. It is rare to see an evening gown with such a high neckline and thick straps, but I think it ads to the beautiful modernist style of the dress.

A few house keeping things- If you like the blog and want to keep it on the internet and ad free, then please consider supporting it through Patreon. I haven’t been mentioning this as much as I was previously, because I worry that I’m bothering people. But consider this- 1 dollar a month is 5 cents per paper doll outfit.

If you think the enjoyment you get from this little corner of the internet is worth a nickel a paper doll outfit, than hop over here. 

If not, I totally get it. I know a lot of my readers are under 18 and I know a lot are not in the US, so no reasons need be given.

And if you’re wondering “where does the money go?” then check out this post from April about my first quarter income. It breaks all the expenses down.

I hope everyone has a super wonderful weekend. Leave me a comment and let me know what your favorite paper doll this week has been?

For me, I gotta confess a strange soft spot for the Space Pirates. Partly, because it is super fun to write the words, Space Pirates as often as I have gotten too.

Need a paper doll to wear today’s outfit? Pick out a Ms. Mannequin Paper Doll Here

Marisole Monday’s 1920s Party Dress In Teal

{View Larger} {View the PDF} {View Black & White} {View the Black & White PDF}
{More Marisole Monday & Friends Paper Dolls}

Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: 1920s party dresses- Classic French Fashions of the Twenties, a book from Dover
A 1920s party dress based on a French design from 1929 for the Marisole Monday and friends paper doll series. One of hundreds of paper doll designs from paperthinpersonas.com.

A 1920s party dress based on a French design from 1929 for the Marisole Monday and friends paper doll series. One of hundreds of paper doll designs from paperthinpersonas.com.

So, sometimes I drew things and upload them and then I kinda forget they exist. This 1920s party dress was one of those things, I’m afraid. I finished it around the same time that I finished the 1920s golf outfit and then I completely forgot about it. I didn’t want to post it right after the gold outfit, I recall, because I wanted some variety.

I try to space out my paper doll posts. While I might get on a kick and draw several similar things, I know some readers come here for the historical stuff, some for the fantasy stuff, and some for the contemporary stuff. So, I try to make sure there’s something for everyone.

This week alone we’ve had Monday and Tuesday post apocalyptic paper dolls, Wednesday an Archivist paper doll and Thursday was a Lolita dress for a paper doll. And now, here we are on Friday (Happy Friday!) and there’s a 1920s party dress for a paper doll.

After looking through every 1920s fashion book I own, I retraced that the model I based this dress on came from this book, Classic French Fashions of the Twenties. The original dress was patterned, but I sort of decided that it was a lot of work to draw a pattern. There was no way that was going to happen.

Classic French Fashions of the Twenties is one of my favorite Dover fashion books. It is a reprint of all the plates from a French fashion catalog from 1929. Like most fashion catalogs of that era, it starts with casual day wear goes through evening wear and then ends with coats.

I have, at this point, built up a pretty solid backlog of content. So, my goal is to try to get the next few weeks scheduled quickly, so I can take a few days off to rest and recoup.

Plus, play with my cat whose frustration at my laptop consuming prime lap space is tangible.

Need a Marisole Monday & Friends Lady Paper Doll to wear today’s outfit? Pick One Out Here. 

Hazel’s Runway Ball Gown for Glamorous Printable Paper Doll Events

{View Larger} {View the PDF} {More Mini-Maiden Paper Dolls}

Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Evening Gowns and Boots’ Paper Doll Series Catwalk Couture
A black paper doll with a natural hair updo and a beautiful evening gown and shoes. A printable paper doll coloring page from paperthinpersonas.com.
I think one of the great benefits of the internet is that it has created a world where people are willing to share their work. I try to visit all the active paper doll blogs I am aware of and comment on them as much as I can.

I love seeing what other artists are working on like Julie’s amazing bunny project from last week and Miss. Missy’s super cute Easter paper doll.

Boots has been working on a Catwalk Couture paper doll fashion series where she has been drawing the designs of some of the great contemporary designers. I was inspired by her work to create an evening gown that could have come off the runway.

I was heavily influenced by the designs of Marchesa one of my favorite evening gown designers.

Hazel’s hair is based on this beautiful natural hair up-dos like this one and this one. I’m worried it looks less like a natural up-do and more like a turban, but maybe I’m just being hyper critical.

Since I am not black, I always feel a little self-conscious when I draw things like natural hair styles.

As always, if you love the blog and want to help it stick around, think about becoming a Patron, following or liking it on Facebook, telling a friend about it or leave a comment.

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

An Oscar’s Worthy Dress for The 2017 Collaborative Paper Doll Project

{View Larger} {View the PDF} {More of the 2017 Paper Doll Collaboration}

Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: An Oscar’s Dress by Oscar De La Renta

An Oscar worthy evening gown based on an Oscar De La Renta design from Pre-Fall 2014.

The February theme was inspired by the Oscars and we all decided to draw an Oscars dress. Well, I went with an Oscar De La Renta inspiration last month and I might have gone for the same thing again. What can I say? I love his designs.

So, here is my 2017 Collab Paper Doll’s Oscar Dress. It’s Outfit 36 from Oscar De La Renta’s Pre-Fall 2014 collection. Here is another favorite from that collection.

I admit the put this dress together in a rush. Somehow February has completely gotten away from me, so here’s no wig to go with today’s dress, but you an use one of the wigs from the paper doll’s page, I think in a pinch.

And I am super pleased to announce the Miss Missy’s Paper Dolls has joined in the paper doll creation fun. So, here is her interpretation of the base doll.

Pop over to Paper Doll School, Pop Culture and Paper Dolls, Paper Doll School and Miss Missy’s Paper Dolls to pick up their versions of today’s gown. They should all be posted in the next few days.

Stay tuned for next month’s theme- Fashions from Space!

So, what do you think of my choice of Oscar gown? Too much? Just enough?

And, as always, if you love the blog, then think about donating to support it on Patreon.

Need a doll to wear this stylish outfit? Grab the Doll here.