If You're Serious About Small Vintage Dolls, This book is a Must-Have:

Virga Hi-Heel Teen
Also - Suzie Shopper and others

PMA Joanie Walker

Fashion, or Costume Dolls

In the late 1940's - early 1950's, PMA, Duchess, Fortune, A&H, and others sold a moveable-legged version of their costume dolls.

Mary Hartline and the top left red-head are rigid-legged. The rest are non-head-turning walkers.

IF A SLIM CHILD/EARLY ADOLESCENT, IS SHE ONE OF THESE?

Richwood Sandra Sue

American Character's Betsy McCall

As we know, Mattel came out with Barbie in 1959 and the rest, as they say, is history...  

But Barbie had many pre-cursors. These early fashion dolls, dating from the 1940's and early 1950's, were among the first. 

In the late 1950's most companies experimented with a more grown-up doll. 

Vogue made Jill, Nancy Ann Storybook Dolls made Debbie, Ideal made Toni and Miss Revlon, American Character had Sweet Sue, and Madame Alexander had Cisette. Many of these were larger than the Ginny-Types, so that they could be "Big Sisters" to the still-popular 8-inch child dolls.