I was just talking to a friend from back in the day about this. I remember playing with paper dolls as a child.
I loved them, it was so fun getting a new paper doll book, cutting out the cardboard doll, then the clothes and dressing them up.
I wonder, do people still use scissors?
Those were the fun things kids did back in the 70’s, it wasn’t all about video games and, Ipads, Ipods, PS3’s, and smart phones… Imagination was still viable back then.
Now, good luck trying to find a paper doll book, and wouldn’t you know it, my daughter loved paper dolls. So what’s the next best thing? Computer imaged dolls you dress up on your computer. Lani showed me how to use this site, and now I’m hooked.
Here’s the website: http://fashiongames.mylifetime.com/
This is why her avatar is on my blog, because this is so her, she loves this kind of stuff. We did manage when she was little to find some paper dolls, but talk about pricey!!! American Girl had some, that were cute but very expensive.
All to say, I wish some of the old past times were still popular today, I think it would encourage imagination more in our youth. Instead of kids being just computer savvey, there’s more to life than that. Does anyone else miss the simpler days of creativity and imagination? Shazza ~ Musings&Rants
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Musings&Rants 
I absolutely loved paper dolls, too. I found a site called dover publication. They sell all kinds of paper doll books. Very reasonably priced, too. When i was a kid we had to make our own fun. Kids today dont do that. They want to be entertained. I think computers & video games are ruining our kids.
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Oh Donna, yes I agree, I wish some of the so called toys would just be pulled off the market and we could start over.
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Any chance you can tell me where you got this image? I would like a larger version. I cannot find the image on the site you listed.
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Hi Jennifer, maybe I can just send this picture too you by email then maybe you can enlarge it that way. This was quite some time ago and I got it from google stock images and then it showed where they got it from. So I just credited it back to where they got it from.
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I agree, I too loved paper dolls when I was a kid. The outfits didn’t even need to be extravagant. Even with just 2 changes of clothes, I could play for hours.
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Me too. Thanks for the comment.
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Blog looks so lovely.
A clip from a post of mine, my technology series now a magz article, The Dark Side of Efficiency:
“As a former teacher in the public schools, I know enjoyment enables and enhances learning. But the world of video gaming has redefined fun. Our young ones are not inherently different from kids two hundred years ago. Our physical apparatus has not changed. The parenting, the environmental influences we watchdog or don’t, condition our children’s preferences. So, at least from observing my own son, it seems to me kids still can get quite a kick out of the incarnations they can summon of a cardboard box – except for the etoys readily put in front of them.
Preoccupation in the virtual sphere can redefine not only amusement but reality…The gamer enjoys the delusionary high of being able to make cool things happen quickly and easily – whenever he wants. It is the omnipotence of the Hero who’s simply changed costume every decade, the Lone Ranger, Superman, Ninja Turtles, the Incredibles: we love being able to manipulate boundaries, playing God.”
I cut much of the post so as not to take up room here, though I didn’t do a very good job. Wanted to share that I agree with you.
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D, thanks for the excerpt, it was awesome. I hope we meet one day soon!!! Ok I’m going there to read it now. It might end up on my page as a reblog. Shazza.
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You’re too much. Let me know if you need me to pull it up (I didn’t want to be so forward) – on the unlikely chance you need it.
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Oh yes, yes, send me a link, I’ve had writer’s block for a while that’s why I’ve only been doing movie review lately. So I need it.
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Well, here’s to unblocking you:
http://holisticwayfarer.com/2013/04/21/technology-the-dark-side-of-efficiency-part-2/
http://holisticwayfarer.com/2013/04/23/technology-the-dark-side-of-efficiency-part-3/
http://holisticwayfarer.com/2013/05/02/technology-the-dark-side-of-efficiency-part-4/
If you end up interested in the intro and the finale, all you do once you tap open any post to bring up the side bar is word search “dark side.”
You’ll pull up the series.
Xxxx
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Thanks D for the links and help because I’m not computer savvy!!! You know just what I need.
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Great blog. Paper dolls were the cool thing back in the days…sigh…yes we never believe simple is better until we glance back.
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Very TRUE!!!
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Remember when Legos were just Legos (not themed, colored/supposedly gender specific) while Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys were affordable? As for paper dolls, a friend of mine either creates her own (using family friendly magazines to cut from) or seeks out independent toy stores where toys are toys – not commercial tie-ins.
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Nice, she makes her own? Now that’s imaginative! Yes, I loved legos when they were just legos. Now you have to make them like the pic on the box. Nothing is left up to you the one playing anymore, these toy company are trying to dictate. I loved lincoln logs!!! They’ve done the same thing with plato. Thanks for the comment. Blessings.
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Shazza, I have fond memories of playing with paper dolls. We came across some a couple of years ago, and I gave them to my daughter. Now she will have those sweet memories too. She teaches me stuff about how to use the computer – so it was a swap of sorts. 🙂
Blessings ~ Wendy
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Yes ma’am that’s a good trade off, maybe she can show you how to use the site my daughter uses to make avatars. It’s pretty cool. Blessings friend.
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I loved paper dolls when I was a kid! And all other imaginative stuff as well! Thanks for the flashback! 😀
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Your welcome, I loved how after cutting the paper doll clothes, you had to rub them onto the cardboard and then clasp the little flaps so they would stick. Those were the days. Thanks for the comment Valerie.
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