historical

Florence’s Spring Costume: 1870’s Victorian Paper Doll Clothes

A spring walking dress for Florence, my paper doll from the 1870s.

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It is late. I am sleepy. I wish I had something intelligent and in depth to say about this paper doll, but I’m afraid I don’t. The pattern took a long time to draw on the dress, but I think it was worth it. I don’t remember if I based this gown on any real costume. I drew it a while ago and then it languished while I tried to decide what sort of pattern I wanted to decorate the dress with.

I walked home from work today and it was lovely. The walk is mostly flat which is nice and there was a slight breeze. I’ve learned how to walk to avoid the busy street that smells like car exhaust. I am finally learning my way around my Illinois home. Still, I miss Alaska so much.

I am going to bed now, because I am sleepy.

Before I do, Florence is the paper doll that’s mean to wear this gown. You can find her here.

Florenceā€™s House Dresses: Victorian Paper Doll Clothes

Houses dresses for Florence, my paper doll of an 1870s French fashion doll.

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So, here I am all slacking after everyone was so gracious about my little foray into steampunk on Monday. Oh well, that’s just how things go sometimes here in Library School Land where I spend most of my time. I hope, in some small way, these two Florence costumes rather then one make up for it. They are both based on fashion plates from the 1870’s. House dresses were worn often in the mornings or in the afternoon if the lady of the house wasn’t planning on visiting and didn’t expect to be receiving any visitors except those whom she could be casual with such as family. Neither costume has a hat, though the one of the left does have a decorative head covering. The dress on the left comes from this Victorian fashion plate and the dress on the right from this Victorian fashion plate.

You can get Florence, the paper doll who wears these outfits (and her nightgown) over here.

Florenceā€™s Winter Walking Costume: Victorian Paper Doll Clothes

 

A winter walking costume from 1874 for Florence, my Victorian paper doll. The dress features a train and fur trim. She also has a matching hat.

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New thing for the Florence paper doll today. It’s very exciting. Well… I think it’s exciting…

(I might need to have more thrills in my life.)

So, this dress was drawn off this fashion plate from the LA Public Library’s Casey Fashion Plate Index. It’s a fantastic collection of plates.

In case you missed Florence, the paper doll who wears these outfits, here she is.

Florenceā€™s Afternoon Dress: Paper Doll Clothes to Print

An afternoon dress for Florence, my French fashion doll paper doll.

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Imagine there is a witty intelligent blog entry here rather then some random sentence I wrote before going to bed early since I have a horrible headache.

In case you missed her, here’s the paper doll to wear this afternoon dress. šŸ™‚

Florence’s Promenade Dress: 1870’s Paper Doll Clothes

A promenade dress for Florence, a paper doll from the 1870s.

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This promenade dress for Florence is based on an image from a Godey fashion plate in Feb. of 1873. The gown was purple, black and white, but I’ve left it uncolored, so it can be any combination you like. The skirt is shorter then the carriage dress allowing for easier walking, though such things are rather subjective. It is the 1870’s after all.

I don’t think I would want to dress like a Victorian lady.

Here is Florence, in case you missed the first post in this series.

Florence’s Carriage Dress: Victorian Printable Paper Doll

Today, we have a carriage dress for Florence. Carriage dresses differed from walking dresses for the Victorian lady because they were intended to be worn while riding in a carriage. So, they often feature long trains and longer skirts.

A carriage dress for Florence, my 1870s paper doll. Free to print and color from Paperthinpersonas.com

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It’s odd to realize that the bustle was originally considered a more rational solution to the huge width that crinoline skirts had grown too.

Fashion can be such a funny thing.

Outside, the snow has coated the ground and it is a beautiful white covering. It makes everything look so peaceful. Unfortunately, it also makes everything so very cold. I avoid spending much time outside in this icy Illinois winter.

Here is Florence, the paper doll that wears this series of gowns.

Regency Teddy Bear 2: Printable Coloring Page

A wardrobe of early 1800s dresses for the Regency teddy bear paper doll including a swimming costume and a riding habit, along with several ball gowns. Free to print and color from paperthinpersonas.com

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This teddy bear paper doll is one of the oldest I still think is well drawn. I drew her back when I was an undergrad. I’d been drawing a lot of dark things, so when I started this my roommate said to me: That’s cute. What are you going to do to it? You don’t draw cute things.

Well, I left it as is in order to prove that I darn well could draw cute things. (Truth be told, I had planned on keeping it a simple line drawing.) Though, I must confess, cute has never been one of my personal goals for my paper dolls and I tend to dislike most art which people label as either “cute” or “adorable.” Never the less, I do think it’s important to stretch the sort of paper dolls and doodles I draw and I am always looking for something new- though in some ways teddy bear paper dolls are actually an older trend of mine since I remember draw them as a child. I thought I couldn’t draw people, but drawing bears was much easier.

So, if you want to get a teddy bear paper doll to wear some of these stylish dresses, I posted her on January 10th.

Florence: 1870’s French Fashion Doll in Paper Doll Form

French Fashion Dolls were dolls made in the 19th century to help educate young ladies how to dress properly for adulthood. They often had a complete trousseau of clothing which makes them a great subject for paper dolls.

Florence, a paper doll of a jointed Victorian fashion doll from the 1870s.

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Florence is a combination of several different dolls. Her face is based on the dolls of FranƧois Gaultier like this one from the Carmel Doll Shop. Her body is based on a wooden bodied Bru doll which is one of the most highly prized types of French fashion dolls. I think she sure does make a beautiful Victorian paper doll for printing and coloring in.

Since I didn’t want to end up drawing clothing from the entire French fashion doll era (it ran from about the 1850’s through about 1885, though there are some from as late as 1915), I decided to limit myself. This printable paper doll and her wardrobe is from between the years 1869 and 1875. Today, the paper doll has her night gown, dressing gown and night cap.

Next Friday, Florence’ll get her underwear and then after that she’ll start getting dresses to print. Since Florence, like Curves, is a printable paper doll hold over from the old blog, I do plan to post a mixture of dresses some people have seen and some people haven’t. I am still proud of a lot of the dresses I drew for Florence last year (this isn’t true of a lot of things I’ve drawn), so I have no intention to not keep them as part of the paper doll’s trousseau.

Regency Teddy Bear: Printable Paper Doll Coloring Page

regency-teddy-bear-1

{Click Here for a PDF to Print} {Click Here for a PNG to Print} {Page Two of the Regency Teddy Bear Paper Doll}

Yay. It’s a first post and it is a Regency fashion teddy bear paper doll- because everyone needs a teddy bear with Empire era dresses, right? I mean that’s totally normal. (Don’t judge me!)

So, I am very excited to reveal here the mostly finished new version of Paper Thin Personas. Yes, I lost everything, but now is a time for rebuilding and creating new things. (This is me trying to be positive.) There’s still some work to be done and it’s not perfect yet, but it is on it’s way. I’m excited.

(No one else might be, but I totally am.)

So, enjoy the Regency Teddy Bear paper doll.

A more coherent post may come on Monday, but no promises.

Edit: I’ve posted the second page of this paper doll. You can get the teddy bear’s other clothes here.