History Behind the Rag Doll Costume

Many of the rag doll costumes available today are replicas of Raggedy Ann's attire. She wore a white bonnet, red hair, red and white striped stockings, a blue dress with white apron. Since the release of the Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls, there have been many others, but none have withstood the test of time like Gruelle's creations.

Long before Raggedy Ann became popular, it was a toy any family could afford. Rag dolls are traditionally made with cloth bodies and and stuffed with scraps of materials, straw, sawdust, leaves, feathers, yarn, or cotton. The rag doll is a simple toy to make, even for a child. It was loved by children of all classes, and affordable to even the poorest. A simple rag doll can be made from a stuffed sock, with buttons for eyes and the nose, and red stitches for the mouth. It was easy to dress with scraps of material from worn clothing or any material scraps in the sewing box. Rag dolls were homemade dolls, predating today's plastic dolls by centuries. Unlike porcelain dolls, rag dolls are unbreakable and inexpensive, giving them a long life and the durability to take on lots of wear and tear. The rag doll's clothing reflected the clothing of the time. The shoes were often sewn or painted on. Early rag dolls' facial feature were embroidered or painted with ink made from natural dyes made with berries, flowers or tea. In the 19th century, the invention of the sewing machine increased the popularity of rag dolls.

The rag doll costume has been a popular favorite for little girls who still enjoy playing with their dolls. Most of the costumes you'll find today are fashioned after Raggedy Ann's clothing. A red wig is worn with the outfit and the child places freckles on her face.