Grace Kelly Paper Dolls in Full Color [Paperback]

Having seen many of Grace Kelly's films I was delighted when Tom Tierney released this book. The illustrations are of the high standard one has grown to expect from this artist.

Grace Kelly's Hollywood career is thoroughly covered with costumes from each of her important films.

I felt, however that the glamor of her life after marrying Prince Rainier of Monaco isn't reflected by the selection of costumes. Even the evening gowns look dowdy.

Another reason I didn't give this book 4 stars is that some of the costumes are not the right color (eg the organdie dress form "High Society", the wedding dress, etc).

GRACE KELLY PAPER DOLLS, is another excellent entry in Tom Tierney's

wondrous series for Dover Books! (Is he related to the late actress, Gene Tierney, I wonder?) As in all the other books, Mr. Tierney, uses a delightful technique -- which I wonder that other paper-doll book authors hadn't come upon sooner. By putting his paper dolls in a position with arms close to the sides, he is able to design his doll clothes, (which each come with, not just clothes, but arms, legs, heads, hats -- everything except a face!), in differing arm and leg positions!

(If someone were to design a paper doll of you -- or me -- and had our arms behind our backs, the CLOTHES, (including arms and legs) for this paper doll could still be seen from a front view, and even a bit further apart!) I haven't seen any other paper dolls & clothes using this technique....but then, it's been about 30 years since I bought other paper doll books, before I discovered Tom Tierney!

The clothes here are a fine selection of what Grace Kelly -- later Princess Grace -- wore in her movies, and in real life. As seen on the cover, there are THREE POSES -- and therefore, three paper dolls -- in this book. One, (with head looking straight at you), is for the younger Grace. First is shown an outfit from "The Torch Bearers", a play written by Grace's Uncle George Kelly, and in which she made her stage debut in Philadelphia. Also on this page is the first "Grace" paper doll, and a suit modeled by Grace, whilst she was still studying acting, (and working as a model to pay the bills. Who designed this suit? In one of the few faults I find with this book, the designer here

is NOT given), There are 12 "head on" or "looking straight at you" dresses, ending with the gown Grace Kelly wore when she accepted her Academy Award, for "The Country Girl". (And yes, one of the dresses in this section is one of those she wore in this movie.)

Next is a paper doll of Grace, with her body turned, and her face looking towards the right, in 3/4 view. Strangely, though she wears a black bathing suit here, and a white bathing suit in the previous paper doll, the second paper doll shows a slimmer figure than that of the first. (Also, for some unaccountable reason, she is smiling broadly in the first paper doll, but has a wary -- though still somewhat friendly -- look in the second doll. Five beautiful costumes from her later movies are here -- along with the dress she wore to the Cannes Film Festival, (where she first met Prince Rainier), and, as well, the shimmering gold-and pink suit she wore for the pre-religious civil marriage ceremony, her spectacular, yet demure wedding gown and veil. A full stand-up paper doll of Prince Rainier, in wedding uniform, is also introduced and included here, and it can be used with the two additional outfits shown for the Prince in this section. One interesting page shows fashions that Grace and Rainier wore on their 1967 summer vacation...and their three children are shown by their sides!

The last section shows a more mature Princess Grace looking, and standing, slightly to the left. The smile has happily returned to Grace's face, and, to his credit, Mr. Tierney shows the Princess not in a bathing suit, on this paper doll, but in the plain, yet stylish and

appealing shirtwaist dress, that she wore for a TV special, commenting on her uncle's, (George Kelly's) plays. Yes, by this time, Grace's figure had (slightly), matured -- but the following fashions, all worn by the Princess in her sadly, cut-too-short later years, seem truly to show that her weight gain was far, far slighter than most women of her age. Not only that, but these fashions show how to camoflage any weight gain, at any age! They are all as beautiful as those in the former sections -- except, to me, the last one given. It is of a black silk pant suit, luxuriously cut, with much material, and with rouching and a pin at the neck. As evening pants-suits go, I guess it's not too bad -- but I have never been in favour of any woman wearing pants if it's not necessary. I like the freedom that wearing a dress -- any dress -- gives one's legs. And any dress seems more feminine to traditionalist me, than any pants or trousers. Perhaps Princess Grace was more adventurous in her choice of clothes than I am -- and perhaps it was colder that evening than I first realized! Still, seeing a Princess in pants -- unless she is from Morocco, (like the present Princess Muna) or other places, where such dress is traditional and customary -- seems to make romantic and royalist me, at least, somewhat disappointed. However, this outfit WAS what Princess Grace chose to wear to her, (sadly), last party, given in her honour in 1982. It is an historic outfit.,...so I am glad it was included!

Of course, SO many other beautiful outfits were worn by Princess Grace. In "The Swan" alone, (the one Grace Kelly movie I have so far been able to save up to acquire), she wears several -- including a 1910 lady's fencing practice-costume. The ball-gown, (included in this booklet), is surely the highlight costume of this movie....but I would truly like to see others as well.

Maybe it's just me. I can't seem to get enough of the beauty, style, and grace that was Princess Grace, The selection here is a wonderful -- touching on all the highlights of Princess Grace's life -- in plays, in films, and in real life. I hope a second volume will be made, as well!

Princess Grace's outfits -- like the legendary beauty herself, with legendary talent, kindness and good-will -- will go on as long as beauty, talent, kindness, and good-will are valued. (Which, I hope, will be forever!)

This was a good book with wonderful costumes.