he realization of simply charming or, on the contrary, luxurious wardrobe is not new. Nothing is indeed too beautiful or was too beautiful for our Dolls. Materials, embroidery, accessories contribute and always participated in the dumb grace of our beautiful girls. But if fashions succeed one another by following itself little, it is clear that their current clothes have no more big matter to be seen with those that dressed them at the beginning of XX-th century. Today, we say always of a small girl a little bit too much " in one's Sunday best ", or even of an adult: " It seems a doll ! " Nowadays, the simplicity of a beautiful cutting in a cheerful or flowery tissue dominates. Actually, the dolls of our time are dressed as the children of this one. But before the Great War, their wardrobes were on the contrary very elaborate, "very sewn", very stocked, very rich as in the used materials as in their conception. In it, they followed fashion very decorated of the women of time except the clothes were short.

 

 

o, you can discover that in 1905, the proposed clothes were even so short, very short, over the knee, that no small trousers exceeded (....Yes, Yes! Suzanne! ), that dolls wore low and boots in winter, socks and flat shoes in the summer months.... sometimes anSything as this small black doll presence of which reminds that very real of our colonies at the time. Basque presence also with this little boy in rope-soled sandals with laces and " beret ". Charming also this small Italian. Among these some examples, omnipresence finally of the small Alsacian of whom the province lost in 1870 remained profoundly anchored in the heart of the French people. And then, you will note the extreme quality of drawings, their precision! Nothing misses, everything is there! No joints in January, either in elbows, or in wrists and knees are covered ! But in July Hop! they show everything! Every joint is carefully drawn.

 

 

t is even specified as one of these small dolls says " Papa Maman ", walks and sleeps! In front of these tiny voluntarily realized details, what to think of closed mouths?... Look well , some of them are closed what seems to indicate that they were still very frequent. See also the thick eyebrows, the big eyes, very in almond, the long wigs.... we are in 1905, the manufacture JUMEAU disappeared officially for six years but its moulds, its invoice, its know-how, its taste are always there. (It is also the year of birth of Bleuette, the small doll said " Poupee-Jumeau" of La Semaine de Suzette). And then, finally, these voluminous hairstyles, these big curls, this " chouquettes " surmounted with a vast and magnificent hat !

 

 

any knots, English embroidery, laces everywhere. On the other hand, except the double row of glass jewellery of the small black girl and that simple of the Italian regional girl, no jewels, either chaines, or medals. Religious respect, wisdom ? Discretion which contrasts with the preciosity of clothes. This fashion really very elaborated will disappear with the Great War and the progressive liberation of the woman... And the wardrobes of dolls will follow naturally..... These magnificent illustrations are pulled out of the extraordinary newspaper " La Poupee Modele " (1905). We found three boards on four ** due to the plentiful and surperb Suzanne Gautrot's bookcase which we thank very friendly here for the contribution.

** In a previous version we asked one of our guests to get ourselves this fourth illustration. Here were which is made for the pleasure of all! Our friend Monsieur Samy Odin, director of the Museum of the Doll - Paris looked for and found in his very plentiful library the image which missed in this article.

wondered higher not to find any religious symbol under a shape or the other one. These references were indeed frequent until this time and even later. Let us not forget that the separation of the church and the state dates only 1905, law on congregations exactly terminating it. This fourth and last illustration confirms so exactly this point with this communicant's charming dress which decorates this magnificent page. Thank you to Mister Samy Odin! And that it is allowed to us to remind here the very beautiful and very interessante exhibition which holds at present in his Museum and of which subject is exactly " The Outfits of Dolls ". You will find in our column " Agendas" the practical information which will allow you to go it.

 

Hélène BUGAT-PUJOL

< >

 

RETURN

Tous droits de reproduction (texte et photos) même partielle, rigoureusement réservés ©Dépôt Légal B.N.F.2001 Cote 4-D4 PER-880