winter

Paper Dolls & Their Coats

So, this has apparently been the coldest winter on record where I live in Alaska. Long stretches of over 20 below is not exactly my idea of fun. I am working my way through the whole experience the best I can with a good parka, a hat lovingly knit by my mother and thick warm gloves. Gear makes all the difference when it is cold outside.

It’s finally above freezing (yay!), but the roads are awful (boo!). It’s April, but there’s still so much snow on the ground. It’s nice enough for long neighborhood walks wearing my homemade cotton mask, hat and light coat. Happy to be out of my parka, for the moment.

This got me thinking about papers dolls and their coats. One of the problems with paper doll coats is that unlike fabric, paper doesn’t squeeze down to fit in a coat sleeve. So, not everything can layer under a coat.

Paper Dolls & Their Winter Coats

I probably missed one or two sets with coats, so if you know of one I missed, please drop me a note in a comment. 

I know it’ll be spring soon (or so people tell me) and at least I can see blue sky out of my home office window.

Wintertime Nightgowns

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Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
Sleepwear is something I don’t seem to draw very much. I don’t know why, but it just doesn’t seem to happen. Both of these nightgowns could also be dresses, I suppose, if one was feeling super casual.

I specifically wanted to do a whimsical design on the pink nightgown to feel like something you might see as a novelty print.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
Well… night gowns? I mean… I don’t draw a lot of paper doll sleepwear, so I wanted to make those, plus I’ve been working on some paper doll sleepwear for my Etsy paper dolls.

Specific Source Images: Nothing particular today.

Learn/See More
On the Blog: More Jewels & Gemstones paper dolls 
Around the Internet: Well, I tried to find a history of Novelty Prints and was totally unsuccessful, so nothing today… 

Last Thoughts

I hope everyone is having a great December. I’m taking a little holiday break from the blog here from the 15th until January 2020. I’m off to visit family! Meanwhile, there’s plenty of paper dolls here to explore.

Winter Coats For Paper Dolls to Stay Warm

Winter coats for paper dolls! Paper dolls need to stay warm too and they can in this tailored wool coat and puffer coat, with accessories like gloves.

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Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
Winter fashion week was last week. I posted a bunch of stuff, but I didn’t have space on the pages to add the coats I had created. So, the coats got to wait until this week. These coats can, of course, stand alone, but they are in the same color schemes as this post, this post and this post.

And, of course, this version of Jade with her booties.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
I love beautifully tailored coats and while I don’t love puffer coats, I can not deny they are warm and very much in style right now. I keep seeing them all over the place.

Specific Source Images: This coat and this coat. I found them on Pinterest.

Learn/See More
On the Blog: The Winter Fashion Week Posts ( this post, this post, this post, and this post) and More Jewels & Gemstones Paper Dolls
Around the Internet: Hmmm… They’re winter coats. I’m not sure what else to link to here.
Last Thoughts
Okay, I know I said today would be the Collab 2019 post and that’s because I seriously thought that today was going to the 31st. I got all confused with my dates yesterday. My bad! So, the 2019 collab will go up on the 31s5, forgive me.

For my 5 and 10 dollar patrons, your new Vivian gowns are up on the Patreon page. I hope you all enjoy them.

Do you like winter? I have mixed feelings. I like winter coats, but I can take of leave the cold weather. What do you think? Let me know in a comment.

Winter Fashion Week: Skirt & Boots

Paper Doll clothing! A skirt and boots and super cute triangle covered top. Print these in color or in black and white for coloring! Super Cute Coloring Pages for Kids or Adults who like to color.

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Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
As I was working on Winter fashion week, I knew I wanted a set of mix and match clothing options. So, a dress, jeans, sweater, skirt and top all seemed like logical pieces to include, plus I liked the idea of something else that could be worn with those super cute navy tights I drew for Tuesday’s outfit.

I’d already done black boots do with with Wednesday’s outfit, so I wanted brown boots to go with today’s outfit.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
I wanted to mention that I use Pinterest a lot for collecting source images. So, I knew I wanted a skirt and boots, both of those come from Pinterest. The top was my creation. I wanted to keep with my geometric patterns that have been such a strong part of this collection.

Specific Source Images: These boots and this skirt, both of which I found on Pinterest.

Learn/See More
On the Blog: This is my first ever belly dance costume! But here’s More Jewels & Gemstones Paper Dolls
Around the Internet: Wikipedia on Zill, a fascinating history of belly dance, an article on appropriation in belly dance and an equally interesting response to said article
Last Thoughts
I’m super psyched to say that tomorrow, I am posting the first outfit and doll for Paper Doll Collab 2019. It’s going to be super fun. Also, there will be an exclusive outfit on Patreon that matches this week’s winter fashion theme.

Have you enjoyed this week? Ready for a break from contemporary fashion? Let me know in a comment.

Winter Fashion Week: Sweater & Jeans

Sweaters and Jeans for printable paper dolls today. You can print these in color or black and white for coloring. You decide.

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Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
So, today’s paper doll outfit is the one that inspired the whole idea of doing a winter fashion week. I came up with the idea for the sweater and then the pants. And then I thought, well one contemporary fashion outfit doesn’t make a whole wardrobe, so what if I did more…

And winter fashion week was born.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
Confession: This whole sweater happened, because I rediscovered my shapes stencil. Meant for technical drafting, I am totally in love with drafting stencils like this one. You can pick them up at most office supply or craft stores like Micheals. I love mine.

Specific Source Images: Nothing really this time.

Learn/See More
On the Blog: I’ve done other sets with sweaters before. Here is one of my favorite sweater heavy sets and here is another. Aso, more Jewels & Gemstones Paper Dolls
Around the Internet: Hmmm… I got nothing.
Last Thoughts
Normally, I try to come up with interesting related links to my paper doll outfits, but today I’m pretty much drawing a blank. This paper doll outfit really was basically because I have a drafting stencil and I wanted to draw jeans. Every paper doll needs jeans.

Maybe not the most thrilling source images heavy post, but there you have it.

Over on Patreon voting is still open to help me prioritize my drawing plans. Poor fantasy armor week does not look like it is going to win. The four way time between Regency, 18th century, Lolita and Space Princess is thrilling. If you are a patron and haven’t voted yet- do so here– if you aren’t a patron, join and you can vote too.

Tomorrow, tune back in for a skirt and boots combo. In case you’re wondering- hey, where are the coats? Those ended up getting their own post. And that will probably go up next week.

Winter Fashion Week: Chic Dress & Tights

Today's printable paper doll outfit is a dress with tights and shoes inspired by Dutch wax print fabrics and winter clothing.

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Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
I knew I wanted to do a dress with tights and I wanted the dress to have a really strong pattern on it. I also figured that shoes with tights could then be worn with other clothing pieces (there will be a skirt later this week) and that way people would have more mix and match options.

It’s really important to remember when creating paper dolls that they are meant to be dressed up and played with. That’s the whole point, so I try to think about that when I’m planning out my outfits.

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
I love and delight in dutch wax print fabrics so much that I have a whole Pinterest board for them. But the patterns are often such large scale and so interconnected that they are really challenging to render. So, I tried to simplify those designs to create the pattern on the dress.

Specific Source Images: Patterns like this one, this one and this one.

Learn/See More
On the Blog: More Jewels & Gemstones Paper Dolls
Around the Internet: My Dutch Wax Prints and African Fashion Pinterest Board

Final Thoughts
I grew up in such a wet place (Southeast Alaska) that I never really understood the idea of a winter dress until I moved to the South. Now I love a nice winter dress, but they aren’t that warm most of the time.

If you want imput in what I create for the blog, join us on Patreon! The funds keep the blog around and you get to vote on things I create. I’m always super grateful for my Patrons.

Winter Fashion Week: Meet Jade & Her Booties

A curvy black paper doll with curly hair and three pairs of boots. Each paper doll can wear any clothing from other paper dolls in the Jewels & Gemstones collection.

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Thoughts on Today’s Paper Doll
I wanted to do a collection of contemporary fashions that were all winter themed and all in coordinating colors, so everything this week can be mix and matched. I also wanted to practice drawing tight curls (something I always need practice on).

Inspiration for Today’s Paper Doll
So many things… Okay, so for this paper doll I was kinda obsessing over open toed booties. I’ve linked to the reference images below.

Her hair comes from one of my favorite resources for hair which is hairstyle magazines. Sophisticate’s Black Hairstyle and Care Guide shows lots of different hairstyles (updos, natural hair, treated hair, weaves, the whole nine yards). These magazines are a great way to help built a photo reference collection. I pick mine up at the local grocery store, but if you live in a place without a large black population, you might need to order it online.

Specific Source Images: Theses booties, these sandals, which I thought felt kinda wintery, and these booties.

Learn/See More
On the Blog: More Black Paper Dolls, One of my favorite Winter paper dolls, and More Jewels & Gemstones Paper Dolls
Around the Internet: Did you know that Oprah’s stylist Andre Walker developed a hair typing system for curly hair? There’s some controversy around it (isn’t there around everything?), but it’s an interesting idea. I liked this guide, because it has photos.

Last Thoughts
Don’t expect me to continue this “theme week” and then “random week” pattern. It just happened, because this was what I had finished. I don’t want people to think there’s going to be a pattern, because then I’ll feel pressure for there to be a pattern.

My Patreon have been helping me plan for my next few theme weeks by kindly voting on ideas. If you are a Patron, please vote here, if not, than join us! Patron support keeps Paper Thin Personas around.

Tomorrow there will be another contemporary winter outfit for the ladies and then we’ll continue from there all week! How do you feel about the winter? Are you a fan of cold weather or do you prefer the summer?

Purple Ice Skating Costume for the B Pose Ladies

Ice skating paper doll clothing with a performance dress and practice outfit and, of course, ice skates. Available to print in color or black and white for coloring.

Printable Black & White PDF Printable Color PDF More Paper Dolls & Clothes
Ice skating, like most things that involve coordination, is not something I’m very good at. I occasionally watch other people and think, “That looks like fun.”

However, upon attempting the activity, I end up falling down a lot.

Never the less, I do like the clothing people wear to go ice skating and since I draw paper dolls, it seems to me that the clothing is the important part. Plus I thought these ice skating clothes would be a fun winter coloring page. It’s cold and dark outside, so coloring in front of a fire sounds like a pretty good time. 

So, here we have a set of practice clothing for ice skating and a performance dress. I chose purple and black, because I like purple and black.

Not being an ice skater, I can’t speak to the accuracy of today’s ice skating ensembles, but I hope I didn’t screw up too badly. Maybe someone who does ice skate can let me know in a comment.

Love the blog? Want to help off-set the cost of keeping it on line and free? Have a dollar a month to spare? Than pop over to my Patreon page and become a patron.

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

Trendy Winter Styles For The A Pose Dames

Trendy winter clothing for paper dolls with a sweater, and two different bottoms.

Printable Black & White PDF Printable Color PDF More Paper Dolls & Clothes
I love fashion magazines, particularly People Style Watch, because it has really clear clothing photos that make it super easy to draw paper doll clothing based on the styles.

Yes, I judge fashion magazines on how easy it is to draw paper dolls based on their photos.

Anyway, one of the things I enjoy in the fashion magazines is seeing what is considered trendy in any given season. This winter two big trends have been sleeve details, folkloric florals and embroidered jeans. I love embroidery, so I am not at all upset about this trend.

Today’s A Pose paper doll clothing covers all these trends. There’s a bell sleeved sweater, a folkloric printed skirt and a pair of embroidered jeans. To accessorize each outfit, I also added a pair of ankle boots. The pattern on the jeans is based on traditional crewel embroidery designs. I’ve always loved crewel embroidery.

It’s one of those things that I feel like if I had time, I would want to learn how to do. I never seem to eke out the time to do it, though.

(Also, because I was curious, the phrase “eke out” dates back to the 1590s and means to “extend or make last longer.” Who knew it was that old?)

Anyway, this is the first contemporary fashion set for the A Pose girls dames.

Need a Doll to wear today’s outfit? All the A Pose Dolls & Clothing

The Winter Princess Fantasy Dress For Pose B

A fantasy winter princess dress designed to fit the B Pose printable paper dolls from paperthinpersonas.com. Free to print in color or black and white.

Printable Black & White PDF Printable Color PDF More Paper Dolls & Clothes
When I was first drawing and prepping content for the new Dames and Dandies series, I made a list of what I thought might be the first nine clothing sets to draw for the new paper dolls. Both my Patrons and folks who follow me on Facebook got to see this list at the top of which was “Winter Big Princess Gown.”

For those of you who don’t know, “big gown” is my short hand for these sorts of full skirted over the top dresses I am fond of drawing. Wenesday’s Valentine’s Day dress is another “big gown”. I just like to draw things with huge skirts, because the size of the skirt allows for layering and over skirts and all sorts of other decorative elements.

It’s hard to draw a super over the top mini-dress. You just don’t have as much room.

So, anyway, I wanted to create a winter princess dress. You know, a sort of  over the top, full skirted dress that would feel like the sort of thing a fairy tale princess might wear while wandering through a snow covered landscape. Possibly to meet a prince or possibly just because, she felt like it. Princes need not always be involved. 

Today’s winter princess dress is trimmed in fur. The bodice feels a little military influenced, with the trimming, buttons and cuffs. The skirt is three layers. There’s an over skirt, an under skirt and a wide pleated bottom skirt. 

The motif on the over skirt is supposed to be a snowflake, but I’m not sure that’s obvious. In fact, the first color scheme had a gold snowflake and it looked more like a star to me. So, I ended up recoloring the whole dress. I was thinking of snowy winter days when I colored this- blue-grey is a color I associate with the winter time. 

You can see the first color scheme over on the Patreon page. Let me know which color scheme you liked better. I’m super curious. 

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