Before making a "character doll" I usually do a bit of research. I have discovered that while there aren't any references to Alice's hair or attire in the book, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, that is to say Lewis Carroll, told John Tenniel, Alice's first illustrator, that she had long light-coloured hair. The pinafore was Tenniel's idea.
The first coloured drawing of Alice showed her as a blonde with a yellow dress and blue stockings.
Even though different illustrators dressed her differently, Alice made her way into the collective imaginary in a blue dress (and a pinafore) and I blame Disney for that.
My Alice doesn't wear a pinafore. Why? well, because after the fourth attempt and the fourth very ugly pinafore we (designer & buyer) decided that it was not necessary... because I was going bonkers, but then ...all the best people are.
Alice needed loose hair. I don't believe in wool loose hair in dolls intended for children because it gets all tangled and matted. So my Alice has a neat row of ringlets and the traditional black hairband.
I enjoyed making Alice, from the black Mary Janes to the very yellow hair (not the pinafores, though) and the recipients loved it too.
Thanks Clara for trusting me with this project.
