The boudoir doll is one of the most interesting dolls made of fabric. It went by the name “woman's bedroom/bed Doll” which suits its place in the house. At the beginning of the 20th century in Europe, people decided that children aren't the only ones who need dolls. Young women did too, but their dolls were more intricately designed.
Boudoir dolls are very chic accessories, so small ones are pretty rare and majority of the boudoir dolls ranging from 20 to 36 inches height. The dolls could be created from a variety of materials — including inexpensive cotton linen to muslin, silk, felt and suede. The head of the doll was usually made of papier-mâché, composite or pressed felt with painted features. Some dolls had composite rotating head and waist. Limbs of boudoir dolls were made of composite and occasionally celluloid. But more commonly the limbs as well as the body were made of cloth stuffed with cotton, sawdust and even with straw. Boudoir doll wigs were created from silk, mohair or even human hair and many of them had long, beautiful eyelashes made of camel or human hair.
The boudoir dolls were made only by the most skilled craftsmen and dressed only by the most famous fashion designers, such as Mademoiselle Lanvin.
The most popular dolls were created in France. At the beginning of the 20th century the famous Parisian couturier Paul Poiret began to spread the idea that dolls are essential to the female persona and should be a fashionable accessory. As a result, many dolls with long bodies were produced at that time. The dolls had small golden high-heeled shoes. Large eyes with long eyelashes, silk hair, long and delicate shape of limbs all these were supposed to symbolize every woman’s desire for beauty. Since the boudoir dolls had soft bodies and did not have any joints they were very flexible and could pose. That is why they often were placed on a bed in a boudoir. That is how they got their name.