Paper dolls with clothes to cut

For the first time, paper dolls with clothes for carving appeared in the 18th century, but in those distant times they were used only by milliners, who were comfortable using these affordable inexpensive dolls to demonstrate new models of hats and clothes.

And then, at the beginning of the 19th century, paper dolls with clothes became available for girls who cut out dolls and clothes for them, thereby, from an early age, having the opportunity to be creative.

In the 1830s, the American firm McLoughlin Brothers created many affordable children's paper dolls and cutout clothes. Dolls with clothes were sold for only a few cents, and therefore became available to most girls.

Following the McLoughlin Brothers, other companies began to print paper dolls. True, not all of their products had affordable prices. For example, dolls from the German company Raphael Tuck & Sons Publishing Co. were quite expensive, because they were printed on thick paper, in excellent quality and packed in colorful envelope boxes.

These dolls were collapsible, the head of the dolls was removed in order to make it easier for the girls to change clothes. The dolls were produced in several sizes - large 20-35 cm in height, and small “postcard” versions that could be cut out and, if desired, used as postcards.

During the war, there was no time for dolls, and no one dealt with paper dolls. But after the war, the dolls returned again and played an important role, because everywhere there was devastation, there was a lack of the most elementary, including toys for children, and the production of paper dolls could be set up very quickly and with minimal investment.

The perfect Barbie beauty is coming!
Then the Barbie doll came, she conquered the whole world, filled not only store shelves, but also mini-books from where you can cut figures Barbie and clothes for barbie.

Soon the Guild of Paper Doll Artists (The Original Paper Doll Artists Guild, abbreviated as OPDAG) was created, which successfully works to this day produces paper dolls for fans of paper dolls, plus its own magazine called Paper Doll Studio Magazine.

Modern paper dolls for cutting.
All photos of dolls are enlarged by clicking, you can print.

There was a great idea in the USSR, but there was a lack of elementary things, including children's things, children's toys. Therefore, paper dolls with clothes were the most affordable joy for little Soviet girls.

The dolls were published in special books and were also printed in magazines. First of all, for children, such as "Funny Pictures", as well as in magazines for women "Rabotnitsa", "Krestyanka". Later, paper dolls began to be sold in the form of quality books, from which it was necessary to cut out the doll itself and its clothes along the contours.

Particularly caring parents themselves drew and cut dolls, new dresses, skirts, boots for dolls, thanks to this the girls had a huge wardrobe for their favorite dolls!

Today, the Celestial Empire industry produces millions of dolls, from small bobbleheads to 70 centimeter BJD dolls, one shoe for which can cost more than a pair of shoes for a real girl. Despite this, paper dolls are still with us and are not going to go down in history, because they have many advantages!

Advantages of paper dolls
One of the main advantages of a paper doll is its lightness and elegance.

Countless outfits can be created for paper dolls. This does not require much time from you, and from the point of view of money, it is an affordable hobby that does not require financial investments.

Making outfits for a paper doll is a real flight of creativity in which you can try yourself as a fashion designer.However, at first, you can simply redraw clothes from glossy paper magazines and fashion portals on the Internet.

A doll can be created without hair, then, in addition to outfits, you can also change her hairstyles by making wigs. Of course, wigs exist for ordinary dolls, for BJD, Moxie Teenz, but their wigs cannot be made by yourself, and they are not so cheap.

If you wish, it is easy to create a whole world for your favorite paper doll - a house, a summer residence, a car, an office, or even a servant. At the same time, a paper princess, even if she has her own palace, will not take up much space in the apartment. It can be stored in a bulky folder, and for ordinary plastic dolls, if they have their own palace, they will have to separate a corner in the room, or the whole room.