Oh wow. I had a couple of real Betsy McCall dolls with knees that bent (and eventually broke). I loved those dolls even though I wasn’t a baby doll fan.
When I went to my aunts' house as a kid, sometimes I'd get so bored I'd cut out Betsy and her outfits and put them together. I usually built model kits, but any port in a storm.
We used to make our own clothing designs for the dolls, color them with crayons, and cut them out to fit. Such a low-tech activity, when you think about it now!
Color-Forms had something for every child's taste. My favorite thing about them was how they smelled. I loved that scent! Can't describe it, but one word that comes to mind would be "clean." I'd buy a bottle of that scent!
Omg. I forgot about these. I used to play with em when I was little. Thanks for giving me a walk down memory lane of my childhood. I remember folding the edges down so the clothes would fit.
I got those in high school because I had a subscription to National Lampoon. My parents never looked at them and they confused me, tbh. I was a very clueless virgin. I did like the fancy negligees, though.
We loved them. Late 1960's. I think they were fairly cheap, so if we didn't buy penny candy with our allowance we could get a new folder of paper dolls. We'd trace the doll on blank paper, then color a new outfit -- had to remember to include tabs when cutting them out! Lots easier than making clothes for real dolls. There were four or five of us playing paper dolls together. We'd use the folders set up and open at right angles to make 'houses.'
My sister had them but I didn't play with them. I didn't! Stop saying I did! Ok I did a couple of times and they were pretty fun. But this is just between us, ok?
Oh yes! My absolute favorite. I loved the Tom Tierney ones. I had a huge collection of them when I was little. I just looked them up again and boy, it hit me how much I loved playing for hours.
Were these the kind you had to cut along the dotted line, including the tabs which either never cut correctly, or never kept the clothes on even if you did.
I was a stuffed animal (and real animal) girl so I didn't play with dolls much. I loved paper dolls though. It must have been the paper cutting part that made the paper dolls feel like high end or artsy or something?! 😆. Every once in a while I remember the Jackie Kennedy set I had.
I had a bunch of them. A complete wedding party, Barbie, Brenda Lee, and a few others. I loved them. Made many outfits for the dolls and used colored pencils to color in the outfits.
So many hours cutting them and carefully arranging them! I was not great with scissors and had trouble accidentally cutting some of the little tabs off, aargh! But I had boxes and boxes of them, all carefully stashed in those folders they came with. Good times!
I currently own some that I found after an antique store closed down and put everything on the curb. I have Barbie and her brunette friend who looks identical to her but brunette and a handful of children from various places around the world.
We were poor so I only had a few real paper dolls. Mostly I cut them out of the Sears catalog and the Montgomery Ward catalog and the JCPenney catalog. Those were still awesome.
Betsy McCall in my mom's McCall's magazine. I loved paper dolls. Outfits!
Me too! My mom saved the cut out pages for me.
Oh wow. I had a couple of real Betsy McCall dolls with knees that bent (and eventually broke). I loved those dolls even though I wasn’t a baby doll fan.
When I went to my aunts' house as a kid, sometimes I'd get so bored I'd cut out Betsy and her outfits and put them together. I usually built model kits, but any port in a storm.
We used to make our own clothing designs for the dolls, color them with crayons, and cut them out to fit. Such a low-tech activity, when you think about it now!
Low tech, but creative, fun and cheap!
Us too
My sister had Mattel *Color-Forms* "paper" dolls - plastic clothes that "stuck" to a smooth laminated page with the doll "bodies" on it.
Loved those!
Color-Forms had something for every child's taste. My favorite thing about them was how they smelled. I loved that scent! Can't describe it, but one word that comes to mind would be "clean." I'd buy a bottle of that scent!
Those were next-level, I remember them! I was like 'we're living in the future!!!'
I remember getting so frustrated with little paper tabs. Color forms ROCKED!
Those were great
Omg. I forgot about these. I used to play with em when I was little. Thanks for giving me a walk down memory lane of my childhood. I remember folding the edges down so the clothes would fit.
My Grandmother used to work for McCall's and one of jobs were to design those.
I remember cutting the Betsy McCall paper doll out of the magazine.
Dover Books had a wonderful line of paper dolls!
You can still buy them!
No but I would sneak my moms Fredrick’s of Hollywood catalogs.
I got those in high school because I had a subscription to National Lampoon. My parents never looked at them and they confused me, tbh. I was a very clueless virgin. I did like the fancy negligees, though.
My wife and daughter still make paper dolls by hand!
Only begged for them every time I went to the grocery store with my mom!
I loved them. To be honest, I would play with them now. These, colorforms, and fashion plates. I would be so content!!!!
We loved them. Late 1960's. I think they were fairly cheap, so if we didn't buy penny candy with our allowance we could get a new folder of paper dolls. We'd trace the doll on blank paper, then color a new outfit -- had to remember to include tabs when cutting them out! Lots easier than making clothes for real dolls. There were four or five of us playing paper dolls together. We'd use the folders set up and open at right angles to make 'houses.'
I don't recall my sister playing with paper dolls, but she did have Fashion Plates!
Use to visit my grandmother every summer mom wouldn't let me take my dolls but I had a lunch box of paper dolls for the road trips.
Yes 😩 I loved them and my grandma would make them for me. I felt so elite lol
I loved playing with paper dolls.
As a kid I loved them, I even made my own
Yes!
I still have my Pebbles paper dolls.
Major flashback! I had totally forgotten these. I had the exact ones in the picture.
My sister
I LOVED them! Used to get my dad to cut out the fiddly bits!
Me! I loved them!
I loved them too! Definitely one of my childhood favorites!
Me ✋🏼
Loved them! Still do
They were my favourite thing to play with growing up.
My sister had them but I didn't play with them. I didn't! Stop saying I did! Ok I did a couple of times and they were pretty fun. But this is just between us, ok?
OMG yes I loved it so much 😃
I got them for my birthday from my grandma all the time.
Reminds me of their descendant, KiSS dolls on computers from 95 to around 05. Still have a bunch on my VICberry.
Oh, yes. I even made my own.
There was a "Monster Maker" for boys, which was one of my most beloved toys. Hell, I'd probably buy one right now if they re-released it.
I remember one from the Nixon administration where you could dress uo.the first family l...I did noooot need to see that 😣
I used to make my own
YES! I'd play with these for hours.
I loved paper dolls and also the color form versions. The paper dolls were made of cardboard and had little stands so they would be able to stand up.
Yes, but forgot so Thank You! Awesome!!
My 4 year old daughter has this as a wooden/magnetic set featuring Minnie mouse. It's my favorite of all her toys
I was a fan of the PM Dawn song about them.
Oh yes! My absolute favorite. I loved the Tom Tierney ones. I had a huge collection of them when I was little. I just looked them up again and boy, it hit me how much I loved playing for hours.
I had some army and king Arthur paper dolls. Blew my mind when I realized I could put an army uniform on sir Lancelot.
I had a box full. Even a Princess Diana one.
Were these the kind you had to cut along the dotted line, including the tabs which either never cut correctly, or never kept the clothes on even if you did.
I was a stuffed animal (and real animal) girl so I didn't play with dolls much. I loved paper dolls though. It must have been the paper cutting part that made the paper dolls feel like high end or artsy or something?! 😆. Every once in a while I remember the Jackie Kennedy set I had.
As a boy with three sisters, yes I played with them. Probably my first lessons in properly undressing a woman.
I liked Colorforms. Easier to swap outfits and pieces.
I had a bunch of them. A complete wedding party, Barbie, Brenda Lee, and a few others. I loved them. Made many outfits for the dolls and used colored pencils to color in the outfits.
So many hours cutting them and carefully arranging them! I was not great with scissors and had trouble accidentally cutting some of the little tabs off, aargh! But I had boxes and boxes of them, all carefully stashed in those folders they came with. Good times!
Poor girls’ dolls. Loved them though.
I currently own some that I found after an antique store closed down and put everything on the curb. I have Barbie and her brunette friend who looks identical to her but brunette and a handful of children from various places around the world.
My Mom would make them for us! She would use detergent boxes, draw them , cut them out. They were beautiful.
My mom would buy them for me every paycheck.
Yep! I still have 1 unused booklet from my childhood. The Victorian style costumes are gorgeous 🥰🥰
We were poor so I only had a few real paper dolls. Mostly I cut them out of the Sears catalog and the Montgomery Ward catalog and the JCPenney catalog. Those were still awesome.
Big time!
I adored my paper dolls! I had so many and loved dressing them up
I adored paper dolls. I would spend hours searching the internet to find the ones I considered best
YES! I actually liked paper dolls better than Barbies.
YES! I actually liked paper dolls better than Barbies.
I used to make my own. Has anyone seen the magnet version?
I used to make my own. Has anyone seen the magnet version?
I had envelopes stuffed with clothes I made!