Paper dolls

Paper dolls are figures cut out of paper or thin card with separate clothes, also made of paper, that are usually held onto the dolls by paper folding tabs. They may be a figure of a person, animal or inanimate object. Paper dolls have been used for advertising, appearing in magazines and newspapers, and covering a variety of subjects and time periods. Over the years, they have been used to reinforce cultural beliefs regarding the appearance of ideal women. Some flat plastic figures are similar to paper dolls, like Colorforms figures and Flatsy dolls, but these are imitations and not considered characteristic of the paper doll art form.