The Ann Harper Line

When I heard that The Tonner Doll Company was making a vintage line of dolls again, I was excited. I own many of the Brenda Starr and friends dolls, and I really regret not buying any of the Dick Tracy line several years ago. Gene was not longer being produced and I hoped that the Ann Harper line would fill the Gene void a little.

When the Ann Harper doll arrived, I as a little disappointed. She looks different than her promo pictures, but that is not unusual. I am also underwhelmed about the quality of the clothes. It is a nice design, but there were many shortcuts taken in the construction. I think she looks nice in her closeup though.



I like the Carol Barrie doll more than Ann Harper. Her suit is interesting, though the fabric looks cheap, in the promo photos it looks like silk. This is not silk.



I think Ann looks great in Brenda Starr's "Cruise on the Nile" suit. Her hair is too high and big for the hat though.



Carol looks very haughty in Brenda's Par Excellence" outfit. Her hair style also doesn't work with the hat.

I like her without the hat and collar.

Madra rocks Carol Berrie's suit. Carol may never get it back.

What more can I say? She looks stunning in it.

My restyled "City Sleeker" Zita in Ann's Suit.

"It's a Cinch" Gene in "Fresh Take". Unlike some other collectors, I heart the pom-poms.

"Pool Pose" Madra in "Captivatingly Coy" my favorite Ann Harper so far.

Though Gene is still my first love, the Ann Harper line is growing on me and I may have ordered some more dolls and fashions the other day.

Two New Patterns For Sale

I thought I would finish these patterns over a week ago but I got distracted by another project.

Style 102

Style 103

To purchase these patterns please visit my blog store.

Patterns are $11.00 and are sold separately.

Even More Black Cocktailers

Here are the rest of the 24 black cocktailers I made.

If this dress looks a little familiar it is because it was inspired by this gorgeous DeaAnna Denton dress.

Image Property of Tonner Doll Company

When I cut of the bottom of the pleated skirt that I used to make the "Rear Window" dress, I knew I had to make Gene a copy of DeeAnna's dress. Of course it's not exact, but Gene loves her version of DeeAnna's dress.

I cut the scalloped part off of some lace trim and sewed it to the bodice neckline.

"Twilight Girl" is wearing a dress made with the same lace bodice and a full circle chiffon skirt.







Here is the same bodice with a lace skirt. I think the shorter skirt gives it more of a late 50's early 60's look.

I wish I had used red flowers instead of pink ones.

Another Black Cocktail Dress

While I was collecting massive amounts of inspiration in the L'officiel archives , I fell in love with this design by Jacques Heim, circa 1954. Lace and pleats in the same dress, j'adore!



Of course, I couldn't find prepleated fabric in white or cream, but I had bought some black pleated fabric years ago.





I couldn't tell what the front of the dress looked like so I took the liberty of adding a little bit of the pleated fabric to the neckline.



The hat is from the Gene outfit "Suited to Be a Colonel". I think it goes well with the dress.

"Rear Window" Black Cocktail Dress

This is the last costume from the film "Rear Window" that I planned on making. Actually I am planning on making another small batch of green suits and a bunch of yellow print dresses in a few months.



This dress isn't as well known as the black and white dress, but I think it is a beautiful dress.





The bodice is made of chiffon underlined in satin. The sleeves are also chiffon that are lined in peach organza to give them a sheer look. The satin collar ties in the front and the ends are sewn into the bodice side seams.









After I designed and made my prototype, I came across this picture on the Internet.



It was the most detailed photograph of this dress that I have ever seen. I sort of wish I hadn't seen it. "Well dang-it!", I thought "There are pleats on the bodice too." I decided I wasn't going to change my design, because it would be too hard to figure out how to do the pleats on the bodice. I also needed all of my prepleated fabric that I had for the skirts.

Then I came across this picture.

Look at the detail at the neckline! What the heck! I never saw that in the film! But then again, black doesn't show detail very well.

SEE?

I'm really glad I didn't see that other picture while I was making these dresses. It would have been very hard to do that detail in miniature.

Prepleated fabric is very hard to find. Even though I bought a pleater a few months ago, I'm not crazy, brave enough to try to pleat chiffon. My mother picked up this skirt at a second-hand store.



The pictures don't show the details very well, but the skirt was divided into three different sections. The top of the skirt had tiny micro pleats. A third of the way down the skirt the pleats get bigger.



At the bottom of the skirt the pleats get very soft. I would love to have 10 of these skirts. One for me to wear in a size that fits me and 9 to cut up and make more doll dresses out of.

I took this skirt to the dry cleaners and the lady working there commented on how lovely it was. I made the mistake of telling her that I was going to cut it up and make doll clothes out of it. She freaked out! "You can't do that!" she cried. I told her that I wouldn't be able to wear a size 8 in my wildest dreams and that I would be able to make 6 doll dresses out of it. She didn't get me at all, sigh. What is so weird about cutting up a nice skirt to make doll clothes? Doesn't everyone do that? Whatever, I'm recycling!



I used the top 2/3rds of the skirt to make four dresses. The other dresses were made out of some prepleated fabric that I bought years ago and always wished I had bought more of.

I lightened the picture to show the details better.

This dress also fits the Tonner dolls well.

All the dresses have been sold.