Anyone else remember waiting and waiting for the next issue of your mom's McCall's magazine to arrive in the mail when you were a kid? I was born in the baby boom generation and McCall's was definitely on to a good thing when they thought up the Betsy McCall paper dolls that took up a page in each issue. The artists who drew the dolls changed from time to time. But I definitely think the artist who rendered the dolls during the time that I was in to playing with them was one of the best. I can't recall my older sisters ever even mentioning Betsy McCall paper dolls once we'd moved beyond childhood. But, I still think of sweet little Betsy. When I discovered a link online to see just what the artists were rendering in her imagine when my older sisters were small I can understand that they probably didn't develop the same affinity for her as I did. She just wasn't as cute in the 1950s!
Not only was Betsy McCall a wonderful paper doll series featured each month in the magazine along with a little story of her adventures with her mother, dog Nosey, cousins Sandy and Linda, friend Sukey, and then later the arrivals of new twins Kerry and Merry, she also had her own paper doll and dolls in her likeness. The series were also brilliantly subtle advertising. In the fine print there were often listings of where her fashion could be purchased or just which McCall's pattern number she was wearing so that mom could stitch the same thing up at home. Many months an address was listed and for a fee of 25 cents you could get the paper doll on sturdy cardboard with extra outfits. Also, the little story that went with the paper dolls might even be a bit of advertising for things such as charitable donations for UNICEF. It was all very cleverly conceived.
Before I was old enough to read the little stories that came on the page with the paper dolls, I remember having some nice lap time with my mother curled up against her warm belly while she read the month's story to me. She probably was hoping there was nothing of interest on the backside of the page too. Then, I could rip it out quickly once we'd finished the story and I sit down for some play while she read her magazine in peace before my older siblings got home from school and the baby slept. The build up to the arrival of twins came just as my mother was expecting another baby too. Oh, what a warm glow of nostalgia it all brings back.
I could identify with Betsy with her short brown hair and closed mouth grin. I had to endure a lot of teasing by my siblings before I broke the habit otherwise I'd still be smiling like that for the camera today!
Not only was Betsy McCall a wonderful paper doll series featured each month in the magazine along with a little story of her adventures with her mother, dog Nosey, cousins Sandy and Linda, friend Sukey, and then later the arrivals of new twins Kerry and Merry, she also had her own paper doll and dolls in her likeness. The series were also brilliantly subtle advertising. In the fine print there were often listings of where her fashion could be purchased or just which McCall's pattern number she was wearing so that mom could stitch the same thing up at home. Many months an address was listed and for a fee of 25 cents you could get the paper doll on sturdy cardboard with extra outfits. Also, the little story that went with the paper dolls might even be a bit of advertising for things such as charitable donations for UNICEF. It was all very cleverly conceived.
Before I was old enough to read the little stories that came on the page with the paper dolls, I remember having some nice lap time with my mother curled up against her warm belly while she read the month's story to me. She probably was hoping there was nothing of interest on the backside of the page too. Then, I could rip it out quickly once we'd finished the story and I sit down for some play while she read her magazine in peace before my older siblings got home from school and the baby slept. The build up to the arrival of twins came just as my mother was expecting another baby too. Oh, what a warm glow of nostalgia it all brings back.
I could identify with Betsy with her short brown hair and closed mouth grin. I had to endure a lot of teasing by my siblings before I broke the habit otherwise I'd still be smiling like that for the camera today!
Would you like a trip down memory lane too? I found this nice link to view pretty much the entire series of Betsy McCall paper dolls.
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