The romance of the Old South is magnificently captured in this paper doll collection, highlighting the elaborate dresses and gowns and the military uniforms typical of a well-to-do-plantation family of the Civil War era. The stars of the collection are a lively pair of Southern belles, one of them a bride. Artist Tom Tierney has provided Laura Lee and Hallie with charming frocks and ball gowns in the hoopskirted fashions of the period, stylish ensembles for outdoor activities, and elegant dresses for their roles as bride and maid of honor. Their mother is shown in a regal off-the-shoulder gown with matching cape and bonnet. The girls' father and brother, and the groom and best man, are all shown in detailed renderings of Confederate military uniforms of the period. Three charming young children—Blanche, Bobby, and Bea—are shown at play, rounding out this portrait of a Southern family. The Laura Lee and Hallie paper dolls are shown in petticoats and hoopskirt frames. Five different costumes are provided for each. The eight other members of this handsome family and their wedding party are shown individually as fully costumed figures. Together, they offer costume and paper doll enthusiasts a delightful look at the voluminous, richly detailed fashions of a memorable era in American history.
Author
Tom Tierney was a prolific creator of paper doll books. He was trained as an artist and worked as an illustrator for department stores before turning to paper dolls in the 1970s. "Meticulously drawn and colored, and annotated with historical information, Mr. Tierney’s paper-doll books are not just for children—and some are not for children at all. His aim, he often said, was to contribute to the visual literature of costume history," noted his New York Times obituary. "Pope John Paul II, shown a copy of Mr. Tierney’s book about him by a visitor to the Vatican, blessed it and asked where he might get one of his own."
