summer

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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Want to support the blog and access to more paper dolls every month? Join us on Patreon!

Summer Crop Tops with Jade

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I am fascinated by the return of crop tops in fashion these days. Unlike in my teenage years, they are now paired with high rise pants which I think is a much more flattering look than the low hip-huggers of the early 2000s. 

All the colors in this set are based on the Pantone 2021 Spring color scheme. 

You will need to cut along the dolls shoulders to fit these items on. I have put a dotted line there, but with the long dark hair it can be hard to see.  

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.

Paper doll coloring sheet with mix and match wardrobe from paperthinpersonas.com

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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.

Brunette printable fashion paper doll dress up page with 8 mix and match clothing options.

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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.

Vertical Curves: Contemporary Clothing!

Fashionable paper dolls with jeans and a striped top! Super Cute. Easy to color paper doll clothing page!

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Every year in March during Spring Fashion Week the big fashion magazines bring out their issues on the trends for the next year. It’s one of the few times I buy fashion magazines, because I love getting to see what’s on the runways.

I know there’s lot of websites that do the same thing, but maybe it’s because I stare at a computer screen most of the day (and even more now that I’m working from home!) that I really find myself craving something that isn’t digital to look at. So, I still pick up my fashion magazines and crack them open.

Inspiration

So, I was pouring through the fashion magazines for March and I noticed a lot of these sort of soft tie-dyed stripes. Well, I can’t draw soft tie dye very well in pen and ink, so I decided to do this instead. It’s sort of an soft semi-monochrome stripe.

Also, just fyi, the new Jewels and Gemstones 2.0 I mentioned last week will debut next week. I am super excited about this.

Ask me if you have any questions!

And if you want more Jewels and Gemstones clothing, check out the Patreon page.

Summer Fairy Costume for the Paper Dolls

A summery fairy costume for the paper dolls with four mix and match pieces. A great unplugged toy for children of all ages. A great unplugged toy for children of all ages. A wonderful faory coloring page.

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There’s something fun about designing flower fairies. I think it might be, because the dolls leafy undies always make me think of fairies.

It’s very cold up here in the sub-arctic where I live. There’s still snow and it’s been over 20 below more days than I like to admit. Did you know that when it is -40 is the temperature where Celsius and Fahrenheit meet?

I sort of wish I didn’t know that.

However, nothing for a cold, snow covered March like imagining spring and flowers are a sign of spring.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper

There wasn’t a specific source image for these fairy paper doll clothes. I sort of was inspired by a bunch of images from my Fairies and Fauns Pinterest board.

Learn & See More

On the Blog: More Jewels & Gemstones paper dolls & More Fairy paper dolls
Around the Internet: My Fairies & Fauns Pinterest Board

Last Thoughts on Today’s Fairy Paper Doll

So, I do enjoy Cicely Mary Barker’s flower fairies, I also confess an affection for older, darker fairy folklore. The book Fairies in Tradition and Literature by Katharine Briggs is a great study of the darker views of fairies and their stories, if you want to read some more grim thoughts on the fairy world.

Also, please everyone stay safe right now. Things are stressful, but we can still be kind to each other. Also, wash your hands.

As always, if you like my paper dolls and want more of them, I do share a paper doll piece every Friday for my patrons along with other fun things. Head over to Patreon to learn more.

Ruffle Sleeves and Crop Pants

Summer time paper doll clothing with a coral blouse with ruffled sleeves, crop pants and a wrap skirt. Free to print from paperthingpersonas.com.

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Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
You spend anytime watching fashion, as I do, and you pretty quickly see that sleeves are the THING at the moment. Sleeve details are everywhere. Personally, I think a lot of them are pretty fun- also a lot of them are pretty absurd.

Anyway, today’s post is, like the ruffled tunic, the preppy summer polka-dots (patron exclusive) and the tropical mini-dresses one I designed after looking at a lot of summer fashion magazines and wanting to make sure the Jewels and Gemstones got some fun summer fashions.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
As with the other paper doll outfits I’ve made in this summery collection. I based the colors off the Pantone 2019 Spring Color trend report. It predicted the coral would be the color of the season, so I wanted to make sure I used that color.

Specific Source Images: I used Instyle March 2019 issue– their big Spring Fashion report.  Sometimes it is super nice to get away from screens, you know?

Learn/See More
On the Blog: More Jewels & Gemstones paper dolls
Around the Internet: Pantone’s Spring 2019 Color Report (I know I’ve linked to it before, but it’s kinda the reason I did these, after all.)

Last Thoughts
It’s been a super hot summer here in Alabama. I am not a heat person. I hate the heat. I grew up in Alaska. I am a cold weather soul. You can dress for the cold weather. At some point, you can’t take off more clothing (and not get arrested.)

By the way, while I am not prioritizing keeping blog posts regular (too much in my life), I am making sure I get my weekly Patreon Paper doll up, so head over there to join and see those.

A Long Ruffled Tunic, Peddle-Pushers & Shorts

A ruffled tunic inspired by the Spring 2019 fashion trends for the Jewels and Gemstones curvy paper dolls series. Also, shorts and cropped pants.

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Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
I really love how clothing changes with the seasons. Maybe, because I grew up in Alaska where there were really only two seasons- rain and icy rain. But then I moved to the midwest and there were four seasons and I was quite happy to discover fall and spring.

Now I live in the South where, I confess, there really are once again two seasons- chilly and so hot you want to die. There’s a short period between these that is relatively pleasant, but this spring has been brutally hot.

So, I try to pick up the big fashion magazine issues in March and September, which tend to be thick with forecasts on what is coming down the pike in the fashion world. Not coincidentally, this lines up with Fashion Week in New York.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
The color comes from the Pantone 2019 Spring Color trend report which predicts the popular colors each year in home goods and fashion. One of the trends that is very popular at the moment is ruffles, so that was part of my inspiration here. I added in some shorts and white peddle pushers, because I was also thinking about paper doll wardrobe building and those are such great basic pieces.

Specific Source Images: I used Instyle March 2019 issue– their big Spring Fashion report.  Often when I draw, I like to get away from screens.

Learn/See More
On the Blog: More Jewels & Gemstones paper dolls
Around the Internet: Pantone’s Spring 2019 Color Report & An Article about the Importance of Ruffles

Last Thoughts
I have fun drawing all sorts of things, but I try to mix it up. I know my favorite paper dolls as a child were historical or fantasy, but I like drawing contemporary fashion. It feels real and meaningful for paper dolls to be reflective of their time-period. Plus, not all my readers are me.

Love the blog? Want to help support it? Become a Patron.

What’s your favorite style of paper doll? Let me know in a comment. I’m super curious.

Tropical Mini-Dresses

A pair of mini-sundresses with ruffles inspired by the Trends of 2019 for volume and ruffles. One is printed with a tropical print and the other is high necked and two layers. Both can be printed for the Jewels and Gemstones paper doll series. There is a matching purse as well.

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Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
It seemed long past time that I created some summer time casual clothing for the Jewels & Gemstones, since summer is fast approaching. It’s already May after all.

Every March and September the fashion magazines usually report on the Spring and Fall New York Fashion weeks which means those magazines are the big fashion issues for the year. This is getting less and less true with the internet, but I still like to pick up magazines in those months.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
My fashion magazines tell me that Tropical prints are still in style this next year and volume seems to be a real trend as well, so I designed these two dresses. The color scheme comes from the Pantone 2019 Spring Color trend report.

Specific Source Images: Nothing I can link to this time, because I used Instyle March 2019 issue, which is their big Spring Fashion report.  Sometimes I like doing paper research.

Learn/See More
On the Blog: More Jewels & Gemstones paper dolls
Around the Internet: Pantone’s Spring 2019 Color Report & Harper’s Bazaar on the Spring 2019 Trends

Last Thoughts
While I love drawing fantasy things and that tends to be my usual style, I also really enjoy taking breaks for forays into contemporary style. My favorite paper dolls as a child were historical ones and that’s also a favorite style, but it usually requires research and sometimes I just want to draw.

This is actually the first of several pieces I have drawn that are summer contemporary fashions. Some of those sets are going to be for Patrons and some will show up here.

So, are you happy for summer fashion? I personally am more of a fall person, but that’s just me. Let me know in a comment.

1955 Summer Dress With Hat and Purse

A lovely Mid-1950s Summer Dress with hat. The dress is from Vogue in 1955. The hat is from Montgomery Ward in 1950. The purse is from Sears.

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Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
There’s a few silhouettes one tends to associate with retro 50s fashion. There’s the tight waisted, full skirt look (like this) or the narrow fitted suit look (like this). There’s also a few variations on this and one of those variation is the dropwaist version of the full skirted look.

A dropwaist is when the waist (aka seam where the bodice meets the skirt) is lower than the natural waist on a person. A highwaist is when the waist is raised above the natural waist, but below the bust. An empire waist is when the waist of a dress is located right under the bust.

More than you maybe wanted to know about fashion terminology. I digress.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
Summer is coming rapidly to Alabama. I love the Fall in Alabama and I like the Winter. I could leave the Summer without any sense of guilt at all. It’s hot and humid and my allergies are exploding. Ugh!

Anyway, I always think women in retro spring fashion ads look so wonderfully cool and calm and it probably sucked living in Alabama in the 1950s when air conditioning was rare and petticoats were common. None the less, I loved the concept if not the reality.

Specific Source Images: Vogue 8596, Montgomery Ward Spring/Summer 1950 hats pages and Sears (I used Everyday Fashions of the Fifties As Pictured in Sears Catalogs)

Learn/See More
On the Blog: More Jewels & Gemstones paper dolls & More 1950s Paper Dolls
Around the Internet: Closet Historian regularly posts images from vintage catalogs in her collection and they are fascinating.

Last Thoughts
I’ve done two more 1950’s paper doll dresses and shared them with my Patrons. They are a 1950s suit and 1950s day dress. Join Us on Patreon if you’d like to support the blog (and get more paper doll content!)

Also, if you’re thinking- Well, I wish I had a 1950s paper doll to wear this stylin’ 1950s dress, I’ve made a version of the ever delightful Sapphire in 1950’s underwear. So, you can print her, but, as always, this dress will fit any of the Jewels & Gemstones paper dolls. Retro 50s fashion is so popular right now.

Some Super Non-Seasonal Summery Minimalism

Minimalist fashion paper doll clothing for the B Pose printable paper dolls from PaperThinPersonas.com. A blouse, pants and bag.

Printable Black & White PDF Printable Color PDF More Paper Dolls & Clothes
Years ago, I was asked if I had ever explored minimalism fashion for my paper dolls. Minimalism? I thought. I love layers and ruffles and over the top gowns, why on Earth would I want to explore minimalism.

But even as I thought this, I realized that was the reason to explore it. Because it is not what I am naturally drawn too. And because it is a style where one badly drawn line out of place can make a huge difference in how the finished paper doll dress looks.

There is no hiding in details in minimalist styles. They are so simple that they reveal all my messy linework and misshapen pieces.

So, when I come back to fashion minimalism, as I do on occasion (and I am today), I am reminding how critical every line is in pen and ink based art.

Every line matters when there are very few of them.

While there’s a simplicity to today’s paper doll clothing, there is also a challenge to drawing it. Sometimes the simplest things are the most difficult to illustrate. Today’s top, pants and bag were harder than they look and that, I suppose, is the whole point.

Besides, as hard as they were to draw, they were so simple to color. There’s something to be said for that as well. I went with white and blue, because I didn’t want to obscure the line work by going with black (the favored color of many minimalist designs).

If you’re not sure what minimalist fashion is, here’s Vogue’s article on it. (I really hate all the ads on the Vogue website, but the gallery there does give a good overview I think.)

And if you have a moment, think about becoming a Patron or following the blog/me on Instagram or telling a friend about it.

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

A Boho Fashion Paper Doll Mini-Wardrobe for Sunny Summer Days

Paper doll fashions inspired by boho fashion brands. Eight different pieces of paper doll clothing that can combine into over 18 combinations.

Printable Black & White PDF Printable Color PDF More Paper Dolls & Clothes
At work, I dress in slacks, white shirts and cardigans, but at home I am a lover of maxi skirts and boho blouses. I love embroidery, texture and handmade looking details. I know some people manage to have a wardrobe that switches between “work” and “home”, but I’ve never really wanted that and would much rather just have a work wardrobe that I wear to work and a home wardrobe that I wear outside work.

I digress.

The point is I really like hippy/boho clothing and I knew I wanted to draw some for the blog. So, here’s a little paper doll boho mini-wardrobe of eight pieces of paper doll clothing. There’s four tops, two bottoms, a romper and a bag. That means (ignoring the bag), there’s about 9 clothing combinations or 18, if you count the bag. 

 In the process of doing this, I also really got to thinking about what makes a Mini-Wardrobe and what just makes a paper doll outfit. I think the answers are: At least six pieces and more than one top and/or bottom. So, that’s my criteria going forward. I feel better when I have criteria. It is probably the librarian in me. 

A little bit of important housekeeping- As you may know the EU recently passed a law called General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which is meant to help people with online privacy (a cause I strongly support), so I’ve been working to make the blog GDPR compliant. You will now need to opt into cookies when you come to the site and opt in to retention of your information (email address and name) when you comment. Nothing about how I handle your information has changed. I have updated the site’s Privacy Policy with more details that will hopefully help illuminate how your data is used on this site.

If you have any questions about any of that, you can ask in a comment or through email. I’ll try to answer the best as I know (but I am not an internet privacy expert or a lawyer).

Or you can let me know what you think of today’s post in a comment and to support the blog, think about donating through Patreon.

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

Summer Shorts for the Paper Doll Men with Stripes

Paper doll men's clothing. Shorts and two t-shirts with stripes. Free to print in color or black and white from paperthinpersonas.com.

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

Every guy I know from my brother-in-law to the students I supervise seem to live in shorts and t-shirts. In the South, this seems to be a year around even when it is snowing.

This is the third shorts set I’ve done for the C pose paper doll men. There was the 4th of July set and this set from June.

So, I am going to keep this post short as I am trying to slip it in under the wire of Midnight Central time. Here’s a link to the second color scheme I created on my Patreon page. It’s available to anyone to print and play with.

Meanwhile, let me know what you think of today’s paper doll in a comment (I love to hear from y’all) and consider supporting the blog on Patreon if you want to help off set the costs of keeping it on the internet.

Tune in Monday for the first dress from the 1920s! It’s super cute.

Need a paper doll to wear today’s clothing? All the C Pose Dolls & Clothing