Paper Dolls go back a long long way. Children, always creative, love to play dress up.
By the 1930's and 1940's it was a golden age for paper dolls, they were cheap, often came within fashion magazines, and were a great resource for girls planning their wardrobe to match their favourite Hollywood star.
Image courtesy Spare Tome for Sewing
The big studios effectively owned their stars, so they were merchandised ! Its unlikely that Doris Day or anyone else actually made any money from being sold as dolls, but what the heck - they were rich glamourous stars, so why complain !
I'm gonna buy a Paper Doll that I can call my own
A doll that other fellows cannot steal
And then the flirty, flirty guys with their flirty, flirty eyes
Will have to flirt with dollies that are real
When I come home at night she will be waiting
She'll be the truest doll in all this world
I'd rather have a Paper Doll to call my own
Than have a fickle-minded real live girl
Paper Doll - By Johnny Slack and performed by The Mills Brothers