Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Toilet Paper Cozy

Submitted by Allee Willis June 1st, 2010
Certifikitsch Winner
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If one were to pick up doing crafts as a hobby one of the easiest things to make would surely be this happy little gal toilet paper cozy. A ratty piece of fake fur stitched together with a plastic doll head and adorned, if you’re lucky, with a little satin bow and some kind of cheap necklace, usually with the glue the ‘jewels’ are nesting in sloppily poking out of the sides.

I first saw this particular style in the 1970s when fake fur surged in popularity. Through the years the hairstyles became more ornate and streak filled. I’ve received so many of these as gifts I can’t tell you as it’s surely an item that no one can mistake for anything other than kitsch. I like them because all the toilet girls look so happy.

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I’m not sure why toilet paper cozies became so popular as it’s easy enough to leave a roll of toilet paper in its plastic cover until ready for use. I understand that one aspires to make such a product look more attractive in the bathroom for guests but I still think most guests would pull their host aside to tell them they’re running out of toilet paper before they would disrupt the decorations in the bathroom to see if perhaps a roll of the white stuff was hiding under the head.

Just as popular as the doll’s head toilet paper cozy is the full doll cozy. 1950’s crafts books were filled with instructions for how to make these:

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A good friend of mine has quite a collection of the gals in his bathroom:

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But toilet paper cozies come in all shapes and forms. Here are some I found from a just few seconds of surfing the web:

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I’m rarely the type to think anyone has gone too far but in this case I think the toilet paper cozy fabricator may have done just that:

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Should you not have time to take up crafting on your own, this site even sells gorgeous toilet paper and matching tissue box wardrobe:

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Whatever the case, toilet paper cozies seem to be something that almost anyone can make that are sure to bring a sparkle to the bathroom even if you haven’t been down on your hands and knees all day scrubbing it clean.

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7 Responses to “Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Toilet Paper Cozy”

  1. denny

    I am in such a state over viewing this collection! First off, the blue toilet paper cozy has a modified flip which is sending me over the moon! Such a great selection here! The room with the toilet seat clock is incredible! This post made my day!

    • Allee Willis

      Well, get your camera out or your glasses on to surf the web as it was suggested on the AWMoK Facebook page that I conduct a toilet paper cozy contest. I’m going to see if anyone there seriously responds and if so the contest is on!

  2. shirlie williams

    Im up for it, I did an album of these while surfing the web,, the blue hair lady is wonderful !ve never seen one like it…My mother had one of the more traditional ones on her bathroom shelf when we visited at the weekend…

  3. Michael Ely

    Oh, how I love these toilet paper cozies! In the early 1960’s, my grandmother (the craft lady) made the full doll size cozies with the crocheted dresses for everyone in the family (before she went on to her next craft which was glass grape arrangements). I remember that our cozy sat in the bathroom for years until it was so dusty and faded that it went bye bye.

    While on the subject, does anyone out there in memory-land remember that toilet paper and tissue once came in colors (pink, aqua, yellow, etc.) to match your bathroom decor?

    • Allee Willis

      Absolutely remember the colored tissue. Never dawned on me that they don’t make it anymore. I was very much a pink girl with aqua coming in second. I guess the reason that I haven’t noticed that they don’t make it anymore is because the last few years I’ve been stuck on Puffs Kleenex tissues, which only come in white. These are the BEST. They have lotion in them so are a MUST if you have a cold. No more red, scratchy nose.