Paperdoll Review Issue 97 - Tea Party Paper Dolls, Hosting Tips, Vintage Fashion & Nostalgia

 

Paperdoll Review Issue 97

Let's Have a Paper Doll Tea Party! 

Put the kettle on, pick a paper doll book, grab your scissors, and you're ready to sip, snip and play paper dolls! Our latest issue #97 puts two favorite pastimes together—tea and paper dolls—in one delightful issue. As managing editor, I'm always on the lookout for subjects that could work for our magazine. Some are better suited to a stand-alone article, while others are worth exploring as a main theme throughout the magazine. I've been collecting tea-themed paper dolls for years, and as my collection grew, the idea grew to cover the topic in a variety of ways. So I put the "tea" on the docket and asked my contributors to bring their best ideas to the table.

Goldilocks, a British 1950 read-and-dress book; Alice in Wonderland, Whitman, 1976; a Shackman reproduction of Cecile from the 1940 Dionne Quints series.

These tea party greeting cards fall into the paper toy category, with props to punch out and insert into scenes.

Martha Raively piped up with a charming idea: an article on tea party tips. As a retired librarian, she loved the idea of diving into old etiquette books and comparing their advice to today’s tips for hosting a cozy tea. For visuals, I decided to focus on paper dolls that specifically depict a tea party, including several charming book covers and vintage greeting cards that invite you right into the scene.

Tea Gowns, Jenny's Tea Party Dress-a-Doll, Brits & Their Tea

More ideas bubbled up among our contributors. Fashion historian Brenda Sneathen Mattox covered elegant tea gowns, while my co-editor Lorna Currie Thomopoulos explored the rich traditions of the British tea culture. 

For our dress-a-doll feature, the subject is yours truly! Starting with a paper doll drawn by David Wolfe a birthday gift, we asked readers to create costumes to fit the tea party theme of their choice. I was tickled pink to see all the clever, pretty costumes that came in. Shown above is one of the 6 dress-a-doll pages displayed throughout the magazine. 

As if there weren't already enough "Jenny" in the issue, Bruce Patrick Jones surprised me with a new paper doll called "Jenny á la Mod" featuring fashions I've really worn at paper doll conventions—including Coca-Cola pants on loan from Bruce himself! He created it for his article on "Paper Dolls of Paper Doll People," and as a bonus, Bruce granted permission to make the paper doll available as a free download! Click here for the link.

This is just a sampling of all the paper doll goodness filling the pages of Paperdoll Review Issue 97. If you love tea parties, vintage fashions and nostalgia, this one's for you! Click here to order Issue 97, or better yet, click here to subscribe so you can enjoy future issues of paper doll fun!

Paperdoll Review 2025 Year in Review - All the Pretty Paper Dolls!

 

Paper Doll Books and Magazines of 2025!

Look at all the fabulous paper doll books and magazines from 2025! None of this would be possible without the talents of our artists, writers, editors and designers—and, of course, all of you wonderful collectors who buy our paper dolls and subscribe to the magazine! Thank you to everyone for keeping us going!

Tom Tierney - Thanks to Tom's niece Kathy O'Tierney, we have two new paper doll books by Tom! Parade of Stars celebrates eight classic stars who had been special guests of Paper Doll events in LA. Cherished characters from Alice in Wonderland and Wizard of Oz are transformed into paper dolls in Tom's Alice and Dorothy.

Julie Allen Matthews illustrated two fun books: Emma McKay Every Day, inspired by classic magazine paper dolls such as Betsy McCall; and A Very Flapper Halloween featuring a flirtatious flapper and her spooktacular fancy dress costumes. 

Ralph Hodgdon entrusted us with a big stack of his original paper doll art in hopes we'd publish new paper doll books. In 2025 we issued Marie Antoinette Vol. 1 and Marion Davies. We hope to offer more books by Ralph in 2026!

Dan DeSantis has become a favorite among collectors. Two books came out in 2025: Madaling and Lockie McLuckie, both inspired by adventurous ladies of the Jazz Age. Coming in 2026: Beverly Bazaar!

Kwei-lin Lum created the most inventive paper doll of all! A to Z Paper Dolls takes you from Apricots to Zodiacs. Isabelle and Chloe model fantastic fashions based on alliterative adages, one for each letter of the alphabet. 

Eileen Rudisill "Rudy" Miller created a classy collection of 20th Century Couture Paper Dolls, showcasing 100 years of fashion, from Worth to Versace. Rudy is already working on two new books for Paperdoll Review. What are the topics? Think tea and princesses!

Inspired by our own girls' camping trip early in 2025, Alina Kolluri dreamed up a camping trip for paper dolls in a most charming book called Glamping with Opal and Briar Lee. Alina also illustrated a paper doll book featuring authentic folk costumes for her favorite storybook character in Red Riding Hood in the Black Forest.

In association with the Deanna Williams estate, we produced another delightful paper doll book by Deanna—Caroline Comes Calling with elegant Victorian era gowns.

Rachel Cohen tapped into the big-eyed doll craze with her Big Eyed Girlies paper doll book, inspired by such dolls as Blythe, Pullip and Rainbow High.

Golly, that's a lot of terrific paper dolls! We also issued a mid-century reproduction called Hisayo-chan’s Dress-up and produced three issues of our Paperdoll Review magazine! 

There's a whole lot of paper doll image sharing happening all over the Internet, but we need folks to actually buy paper dolls in order to stay in business. We take pride in producing high quality, professionally published books and magazines and hope collectors will continue to shop and new generations will embrace this enriching form of play. Whether you're into fashion, classic film, storybooks, history, nostalgia or kitsch, there's a paper doll for you! Please visit paperdollreview.com and shop for paper dolls!

Jenny's Favorite Paperdoll Review Magazine Issue Soars to New Heights in Sci-Fi Style

My Favorite Paperdoll Review Issue

The comic's Katy Keene by Bill Woggon is featured on the cover of
Paperdoll Review Issue 95 (2025)

As I enter my 35th year of publishing paper doll magazines, I must confess that I've said "This issue is my favorite" upon publication of every single issue. The pride and joy is palpable as I flip through a copy of the magazine fresh from the printer. Though I have a hand in every square inch of its 48 pages, I couldn't do it without the many wonderful folks who provide art and articles and assistance with design, editing, proofreading, suggestions, and so on. Our printer does a fantastic job, too!

Here's what's different about this "most favorite issue." The overall theme is Sci-Fi Style—and the thing is, I am not at all a sci-fi fan. I have no interest in sci-fi movies, TV shows or comic books. I've never been to a comic-con and I know nothing of the Marvel Universe. But here's what I do like: fashion and paper dolls. Add sci-fi to the mix and we've got a colorful, creative array of paper dolls to enjoy! I may not like sci-fi, but I sure like sci-fi style!

ci-Fi Style Dress-a-Doll pages from Paperdoll Review Issue 95
Doll by Kwei-lin Lum, costumes by our readers

 
I super enjoyed seeing the creative costumes come in for our dress-a-doll as well as the wild and wacky paper dolls submitted by artists. The stellar design on the front cover is from a vintage 1963 Katy Keene Comic by Bill Woggon. Though she's not a sci-fi girl, Katy imagined many out-of-this world scenarios including a honeymoon in space.

Iconic Sci-Fi Characters, our lead article by Kwei-lin Lum

Kwei-lin Lum has the coolest paper doll collection of anyone I know, and she graciously offered to cover Iconic Science Fiction Characters in her feature article which includes Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon, Superman, Captain Marvel, The Jetsons, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, and many more. 

Steampunk Style article by Lorna C. Thomopoulos

My favorite article is Lorna's piece on Steampunk Style. The super cool paper dolls shown here are by Sandra Vanderpool. Sandy and her BFF Bev Micucci created altered books centered around the paper doll. The costumes are designed to be removed from each page to dress on the doll. 

We couldn't do a Sci-Fi issue without including Star Trek! So our resident Trekkie, Tracy Williams, takes us into the world of Star Trek Fandom. And to round out the issue, we have two non-theme articles: Listen & Play Paper Dolls and a Ginghams Paper Doll Mystery. Click here to order the issue or better yet, subscribe to our magazine!

 Soon I will begin work on the next issue, which is sure to become my favorite.

The Best Paper Doll Ever? A Stellar Creation by Bruce Patrick Jones for our Summer Fun Issue

The Best Paper Doll Ever?

"Alexander Catches the Wave" by Bruce Patrick Jones
for Paperdoll Review Issue 94 (2025)

When Bruce Patrick Jones sent me the preliminary sketch of his surfing paper doll, it was a jaw-dropping moment. It was last May, and I was in the car with my girlfriends following our Morgantown, PA, Paper Doll Luncheon. I passed my phone around to show off Bruce's art, and everyone had the same jaw-dropping response. 

We've all come to expect excellent artistry from Bruce, but this particular paper doll is exceptionally good. First off, we recognized the subject as Bruce's partner, Alexander Best. We were all charmed by Alexander during his first paper doll convention last year, so it was especially fun to see him transformed as a paper doll. No, Alexander is not a surfer, but in the paper doll world there are no limits. Surfing is an unexpected subject for paper dolls. In fact, we found very few to go with an article on the topic for Paperdoll Review Issue 94.

The general theme for this issue is Summer Fun and we planned articles on boating and golfing. Considering my co-editor, Lorna Thomopoulos, is a former surfer who married a champion surfer, she simply had to write about surfing. Any article in our magazine needs to relate to paper dolls, so the hunt was on. I asked Bruce if he had any surfing paper dolls. He did not, but he could certainly draw one! 

Though I was expecting a surfing-themed paper doll from Bruce, I never imagined it would be this dynamic. The handful of paper dolls we did find depict figures standing up, some holding a surfboard, some with a separate surfboard to cut out, along with a few outfits suitable for the beach, swimwear and maybe a wetsuit. So it was especially exciting to see Bruce's paper doll showing a surfer actually surfing! Putting a paper doll in an unusual pose is a challenge in getting proportions right while at the same time being visually pleasing and functional as a paper doll. Bruce hits all of those marks. 

The artistry itself is something to behold. The details are realistic yet not overworked. Notice how Bruce achieved the look of partly wet fabric in the white shirt. The overall design is exceptionally good. The eye goes right into that wave, and we feel the anxiety on Alexander's face. 

Here's the behind-the-scenes scoop: Bruce had Alexander pose in the living room, mimicking the movements of a surfer, and also referred to photographs of Alexander on a vacation, his hair slicked back from the sea. Alexander actually wore those swim trunks in his living room pose. The other clothes are Bruce's own designs based on his research of what "surfer guys" wear. The pattern on the purple shorts comes from one of Bruce's mother's old dresses! Why did Bruce choose Alexander as his model? Simply because he was available and willing... and a cheap model, added Bruce. The art is all done in watercolor, and the pink bar at the bottom is gouache.  

Though I consider this paper doll to be the star of the issue, Bruce himself has a starring role. He happens to be our featured artist with a 6-page article about his work as a commercial artist and his long connection to the paper doll community. If you'd like to dive in to this issue, click here to order. Better yet, subscribe to our specialty magazine—all about paper dolls!

2024 Year in Review from Paperdoll Review - More than 2 Dozen New Books and Marvelous Magazine Issues

 

Shown here is just a sampling of the new books we published throughout 2024 covering fashion history, Classic Hollywood, folk costumes, bridal gowns, historic figures, fanciful characters and adorable children. 

Our titles represent a Who's Who among paper doll artists—Eileen Rudisill Miller, Julie Allen Matthews, Brenda Sneathen Mattox, Alina Kolluri, Kwei-lin Lum, Sandra Vanderpool, Deanna Williams, Jim Howard, Tom Tierney and Marilyn Henry. Plus we've introduced a few more vintage reproductions including the darling Judy & Jim paper doll book by Hilda Miloche from 1948.

We're delighted to bring two additional artists into our fold—Dan DeSantis and Ralph Hodgdon. Ralph has been self-publishing his paper dolls for decades and he recently turned over a big stack of his original art for us to transform into beautifully published paper doll books. Dan DeSantis is a name that some folks might remember from the 1990s when he was contributing paper dolls to OPDAG's Paper Doll Studio magazine. An artist and fashion designer, he's found his way back to paper dolls. His first book is Cairo Pemberton, an Egyptologist and Socialite. In 2025 we'll publish two more books featuring Cairo's friends Mandaling and Lockie. 

For a behind-the-scenes look at some of these books, visit Julie Allen Matthews' Paper Doll School Blog. Julie has a hand in just about every project we do, including our magazine, which I'll talk about next. 

Though our magazine subscription is quarterly, it takes a little longer than three months to get a new issue out. So I like to say it's a 4-issue subscription to give myself (and our contributors) a little extra time between issues. 

Our first edition of 2024, Issue 90 is a celebration of Hollywood Glamour with features on Ava Gardner (including a dress-a-doll), Brits in Hollywood, Hollywood Sopranos, plus fabric rendering tips, UK greeting cards and more. Issue 91 covers Colonial Fashion, Native American PDs, History of Pockets, Cataloging Paper Dolls and more. Issue 92 has a few wintery themed features including Santa paper dolls, Nativity play sets, Victorian Christmas Traditions and a dress-a-doll. We also cover rare paper dolls from the 1830s, how-tos from vintage books and the 2024 paper doll convention report. Each issue is a visual delight, with a beautiful balance of paper doll art and articles. To keep our magazine in print it's important to keep up our subscription base, so if you're not already a subscriber, I hope you'll give it a try! Click here to subscribe. 

My goal this year is to keep up with my blog! With the assistance of Julie—the queen of project management—I've come up with a monthly plan of things to share throughout the year. Speaking of calendars, I highly recommend Julie's 2025 paper doll calendar called Emma McKay Every Day. 

Here's to a paperdolly new year!

New Paper Doll Books Coming in 2024!

What's coming next? That's a question we often hear from eager collectors. So here's a sneak preview of some of the titles we'll be publishing throughout 2024. Several are re-issues of sets that were long ago self-published by the artists. Thanks to our agreements with the artists and their estates—as well as the graphic wizardry of Julie Allen Matthews—we're able to offer a wonderful variety of art and subjects reformatted into collectible paper doll books. These titles include Ladies at Leisure, Art Deco Bride and Lord Robert: The Queen's Favorite by Sandra Vanderpool; and Expressions of Erté and European Folk Costumes Vol. 1 by Deanna Williams. 

Marilyn Henry's classic star paper dolls are highly desired among collectors, and this fall we'll have her beautiful Barbara Stanwyck book. At the request of Marilyn and her family, we'll be re-issuing some of her out-of-print star books originally issued by B. Shackman. I have the gorgeous original art boards for all of those books, and it's a dream to look through them. Marilyn's Stanwyck portrait was recently featured on the cover of our Paperdoll Review magazine issue #90.

Another classic star book to look forward to is Legendary Film Actresses by Eileen Rudisill "Rudy" Miller, featuring four mega stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Rudy will debut the book at the Indianapolis Paper Doll Convention this August, and it will be available on paperdollreview.com around the same time.

Also debuting at the convention is Kwei-lin Lum's Jazz Baby, featuring a fabulous flapper named Babe and her cool and clever wardrobe referencing the Deco lines of the Jazz era with a fun flair from Kwei-lin's imagination. Staying in the same era, Alina Kolluri created a darling wardrobe for seven little dears in Deco Kids. They'll be the cat's pajamas in sailor suits, pretty plaids, fancy frocks and polka dots. 

Keep an eye on paperdollreview.com for these books and more! 

Coloring Princesses of Wales Paper Dolls by Brenda Sneathen Mattox and Julie Allen Matthews

Caroline of Ansbach costume by Brenda Mattox, color by Julie Matthews

Alexandra of Denmark costume by Brenda Mattox, color by Julie Matthews

I'm excited to offer a behind-the-scenes look at our new paper doll book, THE PRINCESSES OF WALES, a glorious collaboration between Brenda Mattox and Julie Allen Matthews. Brenda's linework is exquisite and reminiscent of antique engravings. She illustrated this b&w set back in 2003 and recently brought Julie in to add color and assemble it into a new book for Paperdoll Review. Here are dresses for Caroline of Ansbach and Alexandra of Denmark, along side Julie's colored versions, using Procreate on the iPad Pro. Brenda is thrilled to breathe new life into her old work. Brenda and Julie previously teamed up for VICTORIAN FANCY DRESS PAPER DOLLS, published in 2022.

There have only been ten women who used the title "Princess of Wales" in the last 700 years, and all were unique women of their eras. The title can only be bestowed upon the wife of the heir to the throne of Great Britain. It was originated in the 13th century by King Edward I who succeeded in annexing Wales to England. To placate the Welsh nobles, he offered them their own prince, the king’s son and heir. The future Edward II was created Prince of Wales in 1301. He did not marry until after he became King and sixty years would pass before there was a first Princess of Wales. Costumes in this book represent Joan of Kent (1328-1385), Lady Anne Neville (1456-1485), Catherine of Aragon (1485-1536), Caroline of Ansbach (1683-1737), Augusta of Saxe-Gotha (1719-1772), Caroline of Brunswick (1768-1821),  Alexandra of Denmark (1844-1925), Mary of Teck (1867-1953), Lady Diana Spencer (1961-1997) and Catherine Middleton (b. 1982).

More Paper Dolls Than Ever!

This has been the busiest year ever for paper dolls! To my surprise and delight, so many people have turned to paper dolls to keep busy and entertained at home. Collectors are collecting, crafters are cutting, artists are drawing, friends are gifting, grandmas are sharing, and kids are playing paper dolls! 

In March, when we began hunkering down in our homes, I offered a Paper Doll Care Package of 10 books for $25, hoping to spread some paper doll cheer. Through my publishing branch, Paper Studio Press, I had excess inventory on many titles and wrapped up a few dozen bundles, marking each with a heart. Considering sales had been dropping over the past few years, I was expecting 2020 to follow suit. In fact, at the beginning of the year I met with business consultants to form a plan to cut back and lower costs in order to remain profitable enough to stay in business for many years to come.

Surprise! Instead of selling a few dozen care packages, we sold close to four hundred! Through our care packages alone, nearly 4,000 paper doll books have gone out into the world, bringing joy to so many. In addition to care packages, we've sold over 11,000 paper doll books... just since mid-March! And just one person, Margie, carefully packs and ships it all to you.

Adding to the excitement, we've got more new paper dolls than ever before. The collection shown here represents 30 new titles that have come out just in the last few months. All but two were produced through Paper Studio Press and Paperdoll Review including glorious new books by David Wolfe, Marilyn Henry, Brenda Sneathen Mattox, Tom Tierney, Julie Allen Matthews, Guillem Medina and Andrea Helen Smith. Plus tons of wonderful reproductions! I couldn't have done it without the digital design wizardry of Julie Allen Matthews, who has a hand in nearly every book we produce. Check out her Paper Doll School Blog! And find all these paper dolls and more on paperdollreview.com!

Are paper dolls the new trend? I hope so!

Paper Doll Magazines Spotlight the 1940s, Antique Brides, Grace Kelly, Whitman Publishing, Comic Paper Dolls and More!

Our Newest Paper Doll Magazines!

Our specialty magazines are the perfect way to learn about paper dolls and fashion history, explore nostalgic topics, discover new paper doll artists, and connect with others who love paper dolls as much as you do. Each issue is lovingly produced by a group of wonderful writers and artists, most volunteering their time and talents. 

I encourage you to give these magazines a try! Visit paperdollreview.com to subscribe and check out tons of back issues. 

OPDAG's Paper Doll Studio Magazine - single issue $8 / 4-issue subscription $28. 

Paperdoll Review Magazine - single issue $7 / 4-issue subscription $26. 

---

OPDAG's Paper Doll Studio Issue 125 - The 1940s

OPDAG's Paper Doll Studio Issue 125 featuring the 1940s

Paper Doll Studio Issue 125 - The dynamic decade of the 1940s is represented in a variety of articles and showcasing more than 40 paper dolls by 30 paper doll artists. Paper dolls on display include classic stars, war-time fashions, pin-up girls and styles of the late ’40s. Plus we've got nearly 60 outfits for our lovely 1940s dress-a-doll! 

Our featured artist is Andrea Smith, who created the 1940s cover paper doll. I think you'll enjoy her charming article in our magazine, and be sure to visit her Stella Marigold Art Etsy Shop. 

Amanda Hallay's Ultimate Fashion History

The 1940s is Amanda Hallay's favorite decade and she happily provided an in-depth article on the topic. A fashion college professor, Amanda explains, "Fashion in the 1940s is so worth understanding as it’s perhaps one of the greatest optics through which to view the fortitude and resilience of the human spirit in times of duress . . . Female '40s fashion can be divided into four distinct camps—uniforms, workwear, utility clothing and Hollywood high fashion. To learn more about '40s fashion, please visit Amanda's Ultimate Fashion History YouTube Channel. I especially recommend her segments, History in Color: The 1940s; The Ultimate Fashion History: The 1940s; and Speaking of Fashion: The 1930s vs. the 1940s.

Rosie the Riveter Paper Dolls by Tom Tierney

An icon of the 1940s, Rosie the Riveter was a fictional character created as part of the massive wartime propaganda campaign. But Rosie the Riveter became more than a symbol to the six million women hired to do traditionally male jobs. They proudly took on jobs as riveters, as well as welders, electricians, mechanics, boilermakers, crane operators, munitions makers, aircraft builders and more. They worked in factories, shipyards, foundries, steel mills and lumber mills, everywhere there were vital jobs to be done. Learn more about these amazing women in Paper Doll Studio Issue 125 as well as Tom Tierney's Rosie the Riveter paper doll book.

So if you are interested in 1940s fashion, classic stars, World War II history and paper dolls, please get Paper Doll Studio Issue 125! It's just $8 from paperdollreview.com. To learn more about OPDAG (The Original Paper Doll Artists Guild) and our Paper Doll Studio magazine, visit opdag.com. 

---

Paperdoll Review Issue 75

Paperdoll Review issue 75 - We've got another lovely edition with a little something for everyone! Marilyn Henry covers a wide range of subjects, from antique bride paper dolls to the Art Nouveau styles of Alphonse Mucha to happy froggie paper dolls. Lorna Currie Thomopoulos talks about her recent trip to the Czech Republic and shares some of her paper doll treasures representing fashions of Old Europe. 

Comic paper doll fans will enjoy Jane Alfano Rasor's piece on Millie the Model, a popular girl comic in the 1950s and '60s. Our newest contributor, Karen Kurtz provides a history of Whitman Publishing, valuable information for paper doll collectors. Our star spotlight is on Grace Kelly, with paper dolls and article courtesy of Lorna C. Thomopoulos, plus a full color 2-page paper doll by Eileen Rudisill Miller! We've got fun finds, nostalgic memories and paper doll party reports on our Reader's Page, plus new books, discoveries and more. All for just $7!!

This issue got a design boost from graphic artist Julie Allen Matthews. For most articles, Marilyn Henry does the initial layout, leaving the fine-tuning to me. This time I turned some of those tasks over to Julie and, using her vast collection of fonts, clip art and her own design esthetic, she gave our magazine a fresh, colorful look. Below are some before-and-after pages to get a sneak peek at our creative process.

Article on Antique Bridal paper dolls—initial design concept and final layout.

Julie found just the right font for our Froggie article, and we switched up the title graphic to a whimsical froggie couple by John Darcy Noble.

For Lorna's article about her trip to the Czech Republic, Julie created a colorful title design, adding a folksy design element.

Julie chose a fancy font and gilded frame for our Grace Kelly article.

Polynesian Paper Dolls Featured in Paperdoll Review Magazine Issue 74

Polynesian Paper Dolls

Paperdoll Review Magazine Issue 74 featuring
Hawaiian Princess paper doll by Brenda Sneathen Mattox 

The current edition of Paperdoll Review (Issue 74) highlights Polynesian paper dolls with a fascinating article about the history, culture and fashions of the South Seas by Amanda Hallay and Lorna Currie Thomopoulos. Click here for the complete article! Shown above is our pretty cover paper doll of Hawaiian Princess Ka’iulani by Brenda Sneathen Mattox. 

Also in this issue, Marilyn Henry highlights Piggie Paper Dolls, Artist Peggy Jo Rosamond and Baby Paper Dolls. Linda Ocasio tells the story of Gary Ruddell's paper doll publishing company, Hobby House Press. Amanda Hallay covers the career and paper dolls of Dorothy Lamour. Plus we have Martha Raively's report of the Kansas City Paper Doll Convention and Jim Howard's paper doll of Mitzi Gaynor in South Pacific, created just for this issue.

A tremendous amount of work goes into each issue, with managing editor Marilyn Henry pulling together contributions by a wonderful group of writers, illustrators and collectors—most of whom generously volunteer their time and treasures from their collections. We can't keep this specialty magazine going without subscribers, and I encourage you to send $26 to Paperdoll Review, PO Box 14, Kingfield, ME 04947 or subscribe through paperdollreview.com. Plus we've got tons of back issues to enhance your love of paper dolls. Issue 74 is available for $7.

Below are a few of my favorite Polynesian paper dolls from our feature article, images courtesy of Lorna Currie Thomopoulos from her personal collection. 

Waikiki Wardrobe Cutout by Neva Schultz, from The Golden Magazine, May 1966.

A paper doll celebration of King Kamehameha I who united the eight islands of Hawaii. By Janet Smalley, Jack & Jill, June 1951.

Hawaiian Dancers in two languages, illustrated by Bernard Atkins, published in Hawaii in 1984.

Two sweet little girls with island wear featuring the many colors under the Hawaiian Rainbow. Illustrated by Yuko Green for Island Heritage Publishing, 1999.

As the weather turns cold I find myself longing for a tropical island breeze rather than the brisk November winds of northern Maine. So to help bring a little Polynesia into my world—and yours—Amanda Hallay offers some fun tips! Be sure to check out Amanda's "Fashion and the Tiki Craze" episode on her YouTube channel, The Ultimate Fashion History.

AMANDA HALLAY'S TOP TEN IDEAS FOR BRINGING A PIECE OF POLYNESIA INTO YOUR OWN WORLD

1. Take a "couch vacation" with the following movies, all of which are available to stream.

Blue Hawaii (1961)
Elvis returns to his home in Hawaii after completing his military service. Mom Angela Lansbury wants Elvis to join her husband’s pineapple empire, but The King has his own ideas! Shot on location, this Technicolor treat is a sumptuous confection of singing, sunshine and surfing, with Edith Head sourcing Alfred Shaheen textiles for her fabulous costumes.

Pagan Love Song (1950)
Esther Williams (at her zenith) is accompanied by Howard Keel on this island romp that finds Esther masquerading as a native serving girl to teach mainlander Howard a lesson. Gorgeous locations and wonderful songs will instantly transport you to not only another place but another time.

South Pacific (1958)
Bali Hai has probably already called you more than once when it comes to this sumptuous screen version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, yet who needs an excuse to view South Pacific again?

Kon-Tiki (2012)
Even with its Oscar nominations and high approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, this Norwegian biopic of Thor Heyerdahl and his adventures in the South Pacific remains relatively unknown. Filmed in both Norwegian and English (be sure to catch the English version), the movie is both epic and intimate, and it's impossible to not become emotionally involved with those brave guys on that balsa wood raft.

Mutiny on the Bounty (1962)
Although audience members evidently burst out laughing the moment Marlon Brando opened his mouth (his English accent came as a shock, yet it’s actually very good), this "boat and breadfruit" saga is a classic, and the sumptuous Polynesian locations inspired Mr. Brando to move to Tahiti. Who could blame him?

Donovan’s Reef (1963)
Believed by many to be the masterpiece movie of the Tiki craze, Donovan’s Reef finds John Wayne, Dorothy Lamour and Lee Marvin fighting it out in this colorful comedy.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)
Filmed almost entirely at the Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu, this rom-com makes you feel like you, too, are on vacation. It features some brilliant comedic performances by Jason Segel (as the heartbroken Peter), Russell Brand as his rock-star romantic rival and Paul Rudd, the perpetually stoned surfing instructor who got his Hawaiian name of Kunu from an online generator.

2. Click on Spotify, Pandora or YouTube and indulge in the multiple playlists that feature both traditional Polynesian music and the "Exotica" of artists such as Arthur Lyman, Les Baxter and Martin Denny.

3. Host a Hawaiian dinner party using recipes from the wonderful Aloha Kitchen cookbook, available on Amazon and at most good book stores.

4. Turn your tub into a South Pacific spa with Herbivore Coconut Bath Soak, Eminence Coconut Sugar Scrub and Pure Fiji shampoo and conditioner. Top it all off with one of Tahitian-based fragrance company Comptoir Sud Pacifique's beautiful, tropical scents. All products available online, many through Amazon.

5. Relax with one of these recommended books:
Hawaii by James Michener (1959)
Epic tale of 19th century settlers to Hawaii and their offspring that was later turned into the Julie Andrews' movie.

The Happy Isles of Oceania by Paul Theroux (1992)
Noted travel writer Paul Theroux charts his experiences island hopping by canoe. At times hilariously snarky, at others, incredibly touching, nothing brings the islands to life – both the best of them and the worst – like this excellent read.

The Waikiki Widow, The Kahuna Killer, The Mamo Murders: these excellent murder mysteries all hail from the 1950s, and all are by Hawaii-based author Juanita Sheridan.

6. Enter a vicious bidding war for Alfred Shaheen original shirts and sarongs on Ebay.

7. Visit a local Tiki bar. New Tiki bars are opening all over the world to cash in on the revival of this tropical subculture. Avoid any bars that mention "rockabilly," the two subcultures sometimes overlap, but the more upscale Pacific-inspired restaurants and bars are pure Polynesia.

8. Invite your friends over for a classic Mai Tai!
Ingredients:
½ ounces of white rum
½ ounce of Triple Sec or Cointreau
½ ounce of fresh lime juice
½ ounce of orgeat syrup* 
(*amaretto is a good substitute if you can’t find orgeat)
½ ounce of dark rum
Mint leaves and hibiscus flowers dusted in powdered sugar for garnish.

Pour everything except the dark rum and the garnish into a cocktail shaker. Shake for ten seconds, then pour into an Old Fashioned (or similar) glass. Pour the dark rum on the top (but do not mix) and add garnish. Aloha!

9. Download an animated Pacific Island screen saver to your TV, phone, or laptop. Better still, Livestream a screen saver, and watch Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa, and even Fiji in real time.

10.  Re-mortgage your home and take an Oceanic holiday! Actually, with good advice, there are indeed ways to visit the Pacific Islands without resorting to selling either grandmother or soul. Visit neverendingfootsteps.com for an excellent article on planning a Pacific vacation on a budget by a well-seasoned travel writer.