As if its not obvious enough, I’m on hiatus.
I moved out of my house and into a dorm, and can’t really bring my big computer, which has all my paper dolls on it, with me. It was always the plan to go on hiatus now, but I did want to post a few more before I left. I want to go home every weekend, but I may not be able to post again until I go on break.
I’ve been busy, tired, sick, and celebrating my mom’s birthday, all in 3 days. I apologize for the lack of updates.
Rosa lives and works as a maid on the ranch of Senor Medina and witnesses the beginnings of the Mexican-American War and settlement of California by Americans.
Rosa wears a simple camisa, petticoat, and socks, since the San Francisco bay area where she lives does get cold sometimes. She also has gold hoop earrings and her hair is in a bun to keep it safe from her chores.
Her first outfit is a simple work outfit, with a long sleeved camisa, skirt, sash, and moccasins.
Her rebozo (the head scarf) can be worn with either outfit.
SPOILERS!!!!
Rosa’s full name is Maria Rosalia de Milagros de Medina, as she learns at the end of her diary. She is the daughter of Senor Medina’s late brother and his Indian wife, so I gave her some finery to wear once she finds out. She mentions her brother wearing finer clothes, so I thought, why not her too?
So her second outfit is a fancier camisa, skirt, and sash. She has a gold cross necklace and silk slippers.
Rosa’s book is available here.
Sorry, I got busy and don’t have time to edit and write up a new paper doll. Expect one tomorrow, then maybe two on monday.
Maddy lived in New York during the second World War, and stopped a German sabotage plot. I love this story for that little known historical fact: Germans did try to bomb the US, and would have succeeded if an unknown person hadn’t given the police a tip.
Maddy wears a slip, panties, and socks. Her bobbed hair is left down.
Maddy’s dress is modeled after her book cover and fashionable styles of the time. With it she has Mary Jane shoes.
Maddy’s book is available here.
Julie witnessed the Austrian Anschluss, or German union with Austria, and the hatred of Jews associated with the Nazi regime.
Julie wears a camisole, panties, petticoat, and stockings. Her blonde hair is up in a bun, as it was on her book cover, although she could have easily worn her hair down.
Her dress is a basic late 1930s dress. With it she has a pair of Mary Jane shoes.
This is how my mind works when I’m sick: I’m sick, so I can’t go to work, so I can’t earn money, so I can’t buy more books, which I’m reading too fast because I’m sick and have nothing better to do.
UPDATE!
Here’s another dress for Julie. Once she gets to New York, one thing that helps Julie forget the horrors of her life is theatre. She gets the role of Wendy in Peter Pan, and the second dress is her costume. Its based off real 1930s night clothes. With it she has a pair of slippers.
Julie‘s book is available here.
Nellie and her family move north to Chicago after the Great War during the Great Migration North. Millions of poor southerners (mostly black) moved north after the war for better opportunity.
Nellie wears a chemise, petticoat, panties (that you can’t see), and stockings. Her hair is in a bun.
Her dress is a 1919 day dress, modeled after real dresses of the era. With it she has slippers and a cloche hat.
That random bar is due to my poor editing skills and utter laziness.
Nellie’s book is available here.
Or Jenny, as she’s known. She’s another I made up, living through the 1980s and witnessing the Berlin Wall fall.
Jenny wears a plain bra and panties. Her hair is big and permed, as was the style.
Her first outfit is an every day outfit. It’s a tank top, leggings, ballet flats, a big t-shirt over it all, and the quintessential accessory of the 1980s: leg warmers.
Her second dress is a party dress. The dress itself is black & purple, with a jacket, many colorful bracelets, a necklace, black shoes, fingerless gloves, and tights.
This is what happens when I watch Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Party on, dudes.
UPDATE!
Too much early 90’s TV. Jenny is also a cheerleader now, with a polo shirt, skirt, socks, and shoes.
A Coal Miner’s Bride has always been one of my favorite Dear Americas. I think it has to do with Anetka being Polish, like me.
So, here’s a little Polish lesson: Anetka is pronounced “ah-net-kah”. Kaminska is pronounced “Kah-meen-skah”. Kaminska is the feminine form of Kaminski. So really, any girl with “ski” at the end of their name should be “ska”
Anetka lives in Russian controlled Poland with her little brother. Her father works as a coal miner in the US, and a friend of his pays for Anetka’s ticket if she will be his wife (and mother to his kids). Anetka writes about her daily life in the mining town and the miner’s horrendous conditions.
Anetka wears a chemise, petticoat, and stockings as undies. Her red hair is braided.
For clothes, she has an outfit I copied off a photo of a real Polish immigrant from the 1890s. It is a separate shirt and skirt, with an apron, boots, and bead necklace. She also has a “babushka” scarf. I’m not sure on the name’s origin, but currently only very old ladies wear them in Poland.
Anetka’s book is available here.
Sarah Nita is a Navajo (Diné) girl who’s family is forced to a relocation camp on the Long Walk of the Navajo as part of that same Europeanization that forced Little Rose to go to Carlisle School. I find it very interesting that in 1864, while the country was at war with itself, they managed to find soldiers to force people to move.
Sarah Nita wears a simple shift as underwear. I think just as the Mexican settles borrowed some ideas from natives, the natives would have borrowed some from Mexicans. Her hair is in a braid down her back.
Her dress is based on a photo from the era. It’s mostly black with a few colorful designs. She also has leggings, moccasins, and a bead necklace.
Sarah Nita’s book is available here.
Here’s another girl who’s name HAS to be short for something, but I don’t know what. I like to think Liberty.
Libby travels with her reporter father through Utah territory watching as they build the Transcontinental Railroad. I like to think she met My Name Is America’s Sean Sullivan (the diarist of “Until the Last Spike, as it is now titled) since they both share same adventure.
Libby wears a chemise, petticoat, pantlets, and stockings. She is a farm girl when she’s not traveling on the railroad, and I hardly think she would enjoy wearing a corset.
Her dress is based partly on a photo of ladies standing around when the railroad was completed, but built more for a farm girl. The blue dress has a cut neckline so you can see the under blouse. Libby also wears an apron, boots, and bonnet.
Libby’s book is available here.
Lina's Paperdolls 