Monday, October 12, 2026

Brigitte, ca. 1960s


Another gem from the Strong Museum, with a colorful border and all kinds of bonnets! I'm taking a guess on the date; could be 1960s.

 

Sunday, October 11, 2026

Angela ca. 1950s

A charming paper doll, from the Strong Museum website. The hats have a sweet 1940s charm, but the outfits seem more like the 1950s.

Sunday, September 13, 2026

The Pava


The pava is a wide-brimmed straw hat favored by the jibaros in Puerto Rico to provide sun protection when they worked the sugar cane fields long ago. The jibaros are country people who live in the mountains of Puerto Rico. Bad Bunny raised the visibility of the pava, which he donned at numerous concerts and events.

Did you know Puerto Rico's agricultural sector was wiped out during the industrialization of the island's economy after World War II? How my mother ended up in New York City.

Sunday, August 2, 2026

Elinor paper doll ca. 1915


Elinor has a hat for each outfit, and the red dress has her affixing her hat just so.

(I first shared this doll 15 years ago!)