THE paper dolls were more like real people than any of the others. They were made by cutting heads from colored picture cards or from magazines and pasting them on cardboard bodies. Then double dress patterns were folded and cut to slip over the heads of the dolls, and on these patterns were pasted gowns of tissue paper in all colors and styles.
The children were very particular about dressing their dolls in good taste, for they knew that by making neat, sensible doll clothes, they would learn how to dress themselves tastefully when they grew older.
The little girl dolls wore either plain gingham dresses with fresh white aprons, or simple white gowns. Their hats were plain, without feathers or flowers, as little girls’ hats should be.
Lady dolls wore dresses that were more elaborate. The colors in these always harmonized.
dress and collar pattern
Pattern for paper doll’s dress and hat. The cut across the oval cardboard hat pattern fits over the top of the doll’s head.
Paper doll in gingham dress, white pinafore and wide ruffled sun hatA PAPER DOLL
A PAPER DOLL